Food – A new pop culture

SVT´s new show Landet brunsås was aired 3 weeks ago and as an anthropologist I can´t overlook the anthropological aspect of the show. Food discussions are very common in the anthropological arena and as the late cultural anthropologist Mary Douglas stated in her book Purity and Danger (1966) schemes of classification regarding food exists everywhere.We all make classifications regarding what to eat, which food that are trendy at the moment, what is healthy and so on. One has to understand the impact of our changable world. As cultural borders blur, so does the food borders, and they have been bluring for a long long time. Just think about the discussion of where pizza comes from! In the show they talk about aboriginality, of where different meals come from, but also the more up-to-date topic: locally produced food. That´s the good food, compared to ready-made-food, which we have classified as bad. It is not only unhealthy, but also, bad for the environment. But back when ready-made-food entered the market, it was all good. You see, our classification of what´s right or wrong change constantely. Landet Brunsås calls food a new pop culture. Cooking home made food is simply very trendy today. Especially if it is slow food, organic, hand selected and prepared with love and eaten with your family or friends. Making these kind of choices, shows that you have time, which today is very rare – and trendy, of course. New food combinations and trends will continue to develop, and thank god for that, I mean, who wants to eat ´köttbullar och brunsås` for life!?