Dude food

Last updated
Gourmet hamburgers, like this one with mushrooms, Swiss cheese, and garlic ketchup, are considered to be part of the dude food trend Mushroom Swiss burger with garlic ketchup (18463383803).jpg
Gourmet hamburgers, like this one with mushrooms, Swiss cheese, and garlic ketchup, are considered to be part of the dude food trend

Dude food is a 21st century food trend largely consisting of heavy, meaty dishes that are thought to appeal to men or express masculinity. Dishes such as hamburgers, hot dogs, or barbecue ribs may also be considered dude food, though dude food versions of these dishes often distinguish themselves with exaggerated use of specific ingredients such as whiskey, barbecue sauce, bacon, or cheese. [1] [2]

Contents

Development

It is thought that the dude food trend originated in the early 2000s, most likely in the southern region of the United States. [3] [4] [5] A common theory is that the trend arose from the food truck and street food movements, [6] which are defined by their offerings of easily accessible comfort food. The trend expanded as a social media phenomenon, and its associated term was eventually added to the Collins dictionary in 2016. [1] Dude food has inspired a growing number of academic and non-academic literature [2] [7] [8] with titles such as Dudefood: A Guy's Guide to Cooking Kick-Ass Food, [9] and Dude Food: Recipes for the Modern Guy. [10] Although the trend has spread widely within the public consciousness, [11] journalists, bloggers, and academics have struggled to coin a precise, widely accepted definition for “dude food.” [12] The various proposed definitions share elements such as that of gender stereotypes, the predominance of meat-heavy dishes, and the exclusion of “feminine” types of food. [12]

Increased awareness of the implications of high cholesterol diets, [13] [14] alongside other recent health findings suggesting that men are twice as likely as women to suffer severe heart problems, [15] appear to have broadened dude food offerings to encompass light, vegetable-based options. [16]

Geographical diffusion

The trend is said to have originated in North America, and following its success, expanded into other countries, [17] reaching Europe, Oceania, and Asia. [18] This concept also arrived in the United Kingdom, [4] [19] where it has influenced a number of dude food inspired restaurants which mix British national dishes with dude food characteristics. [4] [20]

The trend has also appeared particularly in Australia, [21] as a result of dissatisfaction with fast food [22] and the demand for higher-quality, [23] but not necessarily "healthy" food.

Dude food was considered to be one of the fastest-growing trends in the year 2018. The arrival of dude food in Japan [24] influenced the usual nutritious rice and fish-based cuisine by combining it with the more heavy and greasier style of dude food. [25]

Dude food advertising

Dude food advertising and representation tends to follow the traditional gender binary [26] and can be analyzed from a visual perspective, by taking into account the representation of gender identity in the food industry. Thus, dude food is considered to be part of those products which are “gendered in a practice of normative sexual dualism reinforced and maintained within (…) cultural institutions of marketing communication and market segmentation”. [27] :21 According to this, advertising plays a significant role in defining this dualism concerning gender identity, since its language represents a tool contributing to the creation and reflection of social norms. [27]

According to Katherine Parkin, [28] the gender binary in advertising took shape in the 1950s, following the theories of Ernest Dichter. Parkin believed “by convincing Americans of a food’s sex and its resultant gendered identity, as well as its sensuality, advertisers could suggest their foods to meet consumers’ need to fulfill their gender roles." [29] And “Dichter believed that many people categorized the sex of foods. However, his own subscription to a gendered taxonomy of food is evident in his assessment of the findings”. [29]

Moreover, it is notable that the food product itself as well as the related packaging and advertisement are employed as tools to transmit an idea of how men and women should eat and behave, in keeping with the findings of studies on dude food. [30]

An example of advertising in England is the Ginsters (English food company) advertisement [31] of a beef pasty accompanied by the hashtag #FeedTheMan, in which there is a man that tells a joke in front of his girlfriend’s bosses; but he is talking about Ginsters, thus she has nothing to worry about, because it’s a type of food that makes everyone agree.[ clarification needed ]

In accordance with Lynsey Atkin, advertisement agencies and brands have honed in on a crisis of masculinity in our society and “in times of insecurity, brands can repurpose themselves as champions of the every man, facilitators of the macho clean, however small. In other words, promising gender-traditional-prowess, like being able to kick a football in a straight line, could be the media-constructed equivalent of helping you grow a beard. Some stereotypes, like male dominance in social situations, are invoked as a nostalgia (a dream of the football-playing and beard-growing of days gone by)". [32]

In some places it can be hard to find an advertisement of men eating chocolate.[ citation needed ] However, in Canada there is an advertisement for chocolate bar Mr. Big [33] produced by Cadbury. The advertising slogan “When you're this big they call you Mister” likely is an oblique reference to male genitalia, adding an element of sexualization to the messaging surrounding the product.

Furthermore, specific events were organized in Canada[ when? ] and promoted in order to provide dude food dishes and a certain atmosphere, born specifically to satisfy men's tastes. Women were welcomed, but only as supporters of their men. [17]

Gender and food

Barbecuing is sometimes seen as an activity through which men might "enhance their masculinity" Barbecue sausages.jpg
Barbecuing is sometimes seen as an activity through which men might "enhance their masculinity"

According to the feminist scholar Judith Butler, gender is "an identity tenuously constituted in time (…) instituted through a stylized repetition of acts". [34] In fact, "performing food labor is intertwined with performing gender". [35] :4 In particular, several studies focus on how certain foods, drinks, or ways of eating and drinking are interpreted as "masculine"; a crucial example of this attributed masculinity to certain types of food is represented by dude food. [30] Significantly, scholars have suggested that this masculinization of food practices might be the expression of masculine privilege, which "manifests around food and cooking in a myriad of ways". [35] :9 Dude food has been extremely crucial by raising interest in the scholarly world as to why the Western cultural and social system defines gender by looking at people's food choices. [30]

Meat is considered to be one of the most important ingredients of "masculine" food, since meat conveys the meaning of "sexuality and virility". [36] Thus, if masculinity is related to meat, a mostly vegetarian diet is inevitably interpreted as feminine. Not only the consumption of meat, but also the various ways in which it is cooked, are associated with a specific idea of masculinity. For instance, barbecued meat and its consumption have always been seen as a rather masculine activity. [36] There is a growing literature demonstrating how types of unhealthy food are interpreted to be masculine because of the presence, in our belief system, of cultural stereotypes according to which women tend to eat a healthier diet than men. [37]

This differentiation could also be attributed to the packaging of food products. [37] [30] [26] Strong stereotypes are deeply embedded in consumers buying preferences. The cultural basis of these stereotypes regarding food choices and gender perception is the desire from part of our social system to protect and maintain our hegemonic masculine norms. [36] [38]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buddhist cuisine</span> East Asian cuisine informed by Buddhism

Buddhist cuisine is an Asian cuisine that is followed by monks and many believers from areas historically influenced by Mahayana Buddhism. It is vegetarian or vegan, and it is based on the Dharmic concept of ahimsa (non-violence). Vegetarianism is common in other Dharmic faiths such as Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism, as well as East Asian religions like Taoism. While monks, nuns and a minority of believers are vegetarian year-round, many believers follow the Buddhist vegetarian diet for celebrations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meat</span> Animal flesh eaten as food

Meat is animal tissue, often muscle, that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted and farmed other animals for meat since prehistory. The Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of animals, including chickens, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, and cattle, starting around 11,000 years ago. Since then, selective breeding has enabled farmers to produce meat with the qualities desired by producers and consumers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vegetarian cuisine</span> Food not including meat

Vegetarian cuisine is based on food that meets vegetarian standards by not including meat and animal tissue products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masculinity</span> Attributes associated with men

Masculinity is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as socially constructed, and there is also evidence that some behaviors considered masculine are influenced by both cultural factors and biological factors. To what extent masculinity is biologically or socially influenced is subject to debate. It is distinct from the definition of the biological male sex, as anyone can exhibit masculine traits. Standards of masculinity vary across different cultures and historical periods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of New Zealand

The cuisine of New Zealand is largely driven by local ingredients and seasonal variations. As an island nation with a primarily agricultural economy, New Zealand yields produce from land and sea. Similar to the cuisine of Australia, the cuisine of New Zealand is a diverse British-based cuisine, with Mediterranean and Pacific Rim influences as the country has become more cosmopolitan.

Hypermasculinity is a psychological and sociological term for the exaggeration of male stereotypical behavior, such as an emphasis on physical strength, aggression, and human male sexuality. In the field of clinical psychology, this term has been used ever since the publication of research by Donald L. Mosher and Mark Sirkin in 1984. Mosher and Sirkin operationally define hypermasculinity or the "macho personality" as consisting of three variables:

Azerbaijani cuisine is the cooking styles and dishes of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The cuisine is influenced by the country's diversity of agriculture, from abundant grasslands which historically allowed for a culture of pastoralism to develop, as well as to the unique geographical location of the country, which is situated on the crossroads of Europe and Asia with access to the Caspian Sea. The location has enabled the people to develop a varied diet rich in produce, milk products, and meat, including beef, mutton, fish and game. The location, which was contested by many historical kingdoms, khanates, and empires, also meant that Azerbaijani cuisine was influenced by the culinary traditions of multiple different cultures, including Turkic, Iranian, and Eastern European.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable diet</span> Diet that contributes to the broader environmental and social sustainability

Sustainable diets are "dietary patterns that promote all dimensions of individuals’ health and wellbeing; have low environmental pressure and impact; are accessible, affordable, safe and equitable; and are culturally acceptable". These diets are nutritious, eco-friendly, economically sustainable, and accessible to people of various socioeconomic backgrounds. Sustainable diets attempt to address nutrient deficiencies and excesses, while accounting for ecological phenomena such as climate change, loss of biodiversity and land degradation. These diets are comparable to the climatarian diet, with the added domains of economic sustainability and accessiblity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lacto-ovo vegetarianism</span> Vegetarian diet allowing eggs and dairy

Lacto-ovo vegetarianism or ovo-lacto vegetarianism is a type of vegetarianism which forbids animal flesh but allows the consumption of animal products such as dairy and eggs. Unlike pescetarianism, it does not include fish or other seafood. A typical ovo-lacto vegetarian diet may include fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, meat substitutes, nuts, seeds, soy, cheese, milk, yogurt and eggs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pescetarianism</span> Dietary practice of incorporating seafood into an otherwise vegetarian diet

Pescetarianism is a dietary practice in which seafood is the only source of meat in an otherwise vegetarian diet. The inclusion of other animal products, such as eggs and dairy, is optional. According to research conducted from 2017 to 2018, approximately 3% of adults worldwide are pescetarian.

Gender in advertising refers to the images and concepts in advertising that depict and reinforce stereotypical gender roles. Advertisements containing subliminal or direct messages about physical attractiveness and beauty have been of particular interest regarding their impact on men, women, and youth. Gendered advertisements have and continue to shape what is expected of a distinct gender, regarding physique and attitude.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Non-vegetarian food in India</span> Non-vegetarian food and culture in India

Non-vegetarian food contains meat, and sometimes, eggs. The term is common in India, but not usual elsewhere. In the generally vegetarian environment of India, restaurants offering meat and fish usually have a "non-vegetarian" section of their menu, and may include the term in their name-boards and advertising. When describing people, non-vegetarians eat meat and/or eggs, as opposed to vegetarians. But in India, consumption of dairy foods is usual for both groups.

Gender plays a role in mass media and is represented within media platforms. These platforms are not limited to film, radio, television, advertisement, social media, and video games. Initiatives and resources exist to promote gender equality and reinforce women's empowerment in the media industry and representations. For example, UNESCO, in cooperation with the International Federation of Journalists, elaborated the Gender-sensitive Indicators for Media contributing to gender equality and women's empowerment in all forms of media.

The psychology of eating meat is an area of study seeking to illuminate the confluence of morality, emotions, cognition, and personality characteristics in the phenomenon of the consumption of meat. Research into the psychological and cultural factors of meat-eating suggests correlations with masculinity, support for hierarchical values, and reduced openness to experience. Because meat eating is widely practiced but is sometimes associated with ambivalence, it has been used as a case study in moral psychology to illustrate theories of cognitive dissonance and moral disengagement. Research into the consumer psychology of meat is relevant to meat industry marketing, as well as for advocates of reduced meat consumption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle Eastern cuisine</span> Culinary tradition

Middle Eastern cuisine or West Asian cuisine includes a number of cuisines from the Middle East. Common ingredients include olives and olive oil, pitas, honey, sesame seeds, dates, sumac, chickpeas, mint, rice and parsley, and popular dishes include kebabs, dolmas, falafel, baklava, yogurt, doner kebab, shawarma and mulukhiyah.

Vegaphobia, vegephobia, veganphobia, or veganophobia is an aversion to, or dislike of, vegetarians and vegans. The term first appeared in the 2010s, coinciding with the rise in veganism in the late 2010s. Several studies have found an incidence of vegaphobic sentiments in the general population. Positive feelings regarding vegetarians and vegans also exist. Because of their diet, others may perceive them as more virtuous or principled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Health in Sri Lanka</span>

Sri Lanka scores higher than the regional average in healthcare having a high life expectancy and a lower maternal and infant death rate than its neighbors. In 2018 life expectancy was 72.1 for men and 78.5 for women ranking the country 70th in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Planetary health diet</span> Flexitarian diet created by the EAT-Lancet commission

The planetary health diet, also called a planetary diet or planetarian diet, is a flexitarian diet created by the EAT-Lancet commission as part of a report released in The Lancet on 16 January 2019. The aim of the report and the diet it developed is to create dietary paradigms that have the following aims:

<i>The Game Changers</i> 2018 American documentary film

The Game Changers is a 2018 American documentary film about athletes who follow plant-based diets.

In the 1950s, commercial cookbooks gained popularity in the United States. These cookbooks frequently suggested the use of packaged food and electric appliances, which had become more available due to the post-war economic boom. Cookbooks reflected these changes. Betty Crocker and Julia Child became popular icons in American culture through their cookbooks and the media during this era. Cookbooks also reflected many cultural trends of the 1950s, especially typical gender roles and racial identities. Many cookbooks were addressed to the white, middle-class housewife who cooked for her family in their suburban home. These cookbooks often excluded African-American, immigrant, and rural women. For them, handwritten cookbooks served as both personal histories and a means to express their views on politics and society. Meanwhile, advertisements promoted the racial stereotype of the “black mammy” that de-feminized African-American cooks in white households. Ethnic immigrants were also debased as European Americans baked their distinct cuisines into generic casseroles.

References

  1. 1 2 "Top 10 Collins Words of the Year 2016 - New on the blog - Word Lover's blog - Collins Dictionary". www.collinsdictionary.com. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  2. 1 2 Brown University (2016-11-14), Emily Contois on Food, Gender & Health in U.S. Popular Culture , retrieved 2018-02-25
  3. Frost, Warwick et al, Gastronomy, Tourism and the Media, North York, Ontario, Channel View Publications, 2016
  4. 1 2 3 Clay, Xanthe (2012-10-23). "Dude food: there's no beating street eats". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  5. "Japanese 'Dude' Food Trend Set To Hit Restaurants in 2018". Noteabley. 2018-02-18. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  6. "The birth of a new food brand: Man Food". Andre Dang PR. 2013-03-10. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  7. Eisner-Levine, R. Mary, Men versus Food: An Analysis of Dude Food Television and Public Health, thesis, University of Western Ontario, 2014
  8. "What Is Dude Food, Anyway? We Asked the Experts, and They Fired Away. (Posted 2015-06-19 15:52:59) ; WEEKEND KITCHEN | Fun to Say, Easy to Generalize; Plus, Top Recipes of the Week". 2015-06-19. Archived from the original on 2018-05-01.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. Churchill, Dan, Dudefood: A Guy's Guide to Cooking Kick-Ass Food ,2015,Simon & Schuster
  10. Brooks, Karen & Bosker, Gideon, Dude Food: Recipes for the Modern Guy, 2000, Chronicle Books
  11. Ozersky, Josh (2010-05-11). "Real Men Do Cook Quiche: The Rise of Dude Food". Time. ISSN   0040-781X . Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  12. 1 2 Benwick, Bonnie S. (2015-06-19). "What is dude food, anyway? We asked the experts, and they fired away". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  13. "Diabetic Dude Food: Six Healthy Recipes Guys Will Love | Diabetic Gourmet Magazine". Diabetic Gourmet Magazine. 2014-01-14. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  14. Delaney, Brigid (2016-11-21). "Matty Matheson: culinary bad boy brings dude food to SBS Viceland". The Guardian. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  15. https://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_449846.pdf Archived 2020-06-29 at the Wayback Machine [ bare URL PDF ]
  16. The Food People, Food and Beverage Trends Framework for 2017-18 at: https://thefoodpeople.co.uk/blog/thefoodpeople-food-and-beverage-trends-framework-for-2017-18
  17. 1 2 "Movember Dude Food Tour - Off The Eaten Track Vancouver Food Tours - Walking Tours Of Vancouver, BC's Best Local Restaurants". Off The Eaten Track Vancouver Food Tours - Walking Tours Of Vancouver, BC's Best Local Restaurants. 2014-11-03. Archived from the original on 2018-05-01. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  18. "Dude food: Singapore's latest food trend - Lifestyle Asia Singapore". Lifestyle Asia. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  19. "These Are The Foods You'll Be Eating In 2018, According To Waitrose". HuffPost UK. 2017-11-01. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  20. Kumar, Shirley (2018-01-10). "The hottest food and drink trends 2018 – eatnorth round-up - EatNorth". EatNorth. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  21. "Dude food is upon us...... - forage & feast". forage & feast. 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  22. Kirkwood, Katherine. "Dude food vs superfood: we're cultural omnivores". The Conversation. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  23. "Dude food and freakshakes: The hot and not of 2016 food trends revealed - SmartCompany". SmartCompany. 2016-08-01. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  24. "These are the food trends we'll all be eating in 2018". Metro. 2017-11-01. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  25. "In 2018, We'll All Be Eating Japanese Dude Food (But What On Earth Is It?)" . Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  26. 1 2 "Marketing Yogurt To Men? Put Abs On The Package". Earth Eats - Indiana Public Media. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  27. 1 2 Shroeder, E. Jonathan & Zwick, Detlev (2004). "Mirrors of Masculinity: Representation and Identity in Advertising images". Consumption Markets & Culture. 7.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  28. Parkin, Katherine, Food Is Love: Food Advertising and Gender Roles in Modern America, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2006
  29. 1 2 Parkin, Katherine, The Sex of Food and Ernest Dichter: The Illusion of Inevitability, Vol. 5, Issue 2, Advertising & Society Review, 2004
  30. 1 2 3 4 "Why My Dude Food Research Matters". Emily Contois. 2016-11-15. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  31. M&C Saatchi London (2014-06-26), Ginsters, Feed the Man, The Joke, M&C Saatchi London , retrieved 2018-02-25
  32. "Food Advertising Is Still Feeding Gender Stereotypes". Munchies. 2014-04-23. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  33. "Mr Big Chocolate Bar When You're This Big They Call You Mister (1991)". YouTube . 29 May 2013.
  34. Butler, Judith (1988). "Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: An Essay in Phenomenology and Feminist Theory". Theatre Journal. 40 (4): 519–531. doi:10.2307/3207893. JSTOR   3207893.
  35. 1 2 Julier, Alice & Lindenfeld, Laura (2006). "Mapping Men onto the Menu: Masculinities and Food". Food and Foodways. 13.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  36. 1 2 3 Nath, Jemál (2011). "Gendered fare?". Journal of Sociology. 47 (3): 261–278. doi:10.1177/1440783310386828. S2CID   145318627.
  37. 1 2 "Here's Why Salads Feel Feminine and Nachos Seem Manly". Time. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  38. Gough, Brendan, "'Real men don't diet': An analysis of contemporary newspaper representation of men, food and health" in Social Science & Medicine vol. 64, University of Leeds, 2006

Further reading