Food Culture

WBUR stories focused on food and how it shapes our lives.

In Massachusetts, about 1 out of 9 people are SNAP beneficiaries. (Danny Moloshok/AP for Los Angeles County Department of Public Health)

Let's Really Talk About SNAP And Food Insecurity

As politicians continue to debate SNAP with facts and figures, we can inform ourselves in a different way: by listening to the real stories of those who face food insecurity...

Local Coverage

Apr 9, 2019

Blistered baby potatoes and beets cooked by Dope Dinners. The roasted baby Russian potatoes and baby beets are served with a medicated honey-whipped ricotta. (Courtesy)

As Mass. Weighs Social Marijuana Consumption, Chefs Test Out The Budding Business

“I see it as the future of cannabis edibles," says Mass Cannabis Chefs' Joseph Nelson. "It is going to be a way for the foodie crowd and the cannabis enthusiast...

Local Coverage

Mar 19, 2019

On the left, a conventional beef burger. On the right, "The Impossible Burger," a plant-based burger containing wheat protein, coconut oil and potato protein among. (Nati Harnik/AP)

Will Changing Definitions Of Meat Affect How We Think About Our Values?

Diet and identity are closely linked -- we are what we eat. Not eating meat or meat products can be “a public declaration of one’s identity." Consuming meat can play...

Local Coverage

Mar 18, 2019

Let's Stop Putting Immigrant-Owned Restaurants Into A Box

Immigrant-owned restaurants are all too often trapped in an alternate economy that disincentivizes innovation and creativity, writes Irene Li.

Local Coverage

Mar 11, 2019

Italian food holds a unique grip on Boston. (Courtesy of Deva Darshan)

Will A More Diverse Boston Lose Its Obsession With Italian Food?

As much as Irene Li loves to eat Italian food, she suspects that its dominance locally is the result of a complex set of historical social inequalities -- and social...

Local Coverage

Feb 11, 2019

Christina Tosi, the chef, founder and CEO of Milk Bar, in her bakery's new location in Harvard Square. (Hadley Green for WBUR)

Milk Bar's Christina Tosi Reimagines The Boston Cream Pie In A Changing Harvard Square

Tosi's memories of being a kid are sprinkled with strong matriarchs and time in the kitchen -- "food was our love language." In her work now, she wants to use...

Local Coverage

Feb 5, 2019

Douglass Williams, chef and owner of MIDA Restaurant. (Courtesy MIDA Restaurant)

What The Boston Black Restaurant Challenge Brings To Our City

The effort asks Bostonians to eat at four black-owned restaurants during Black History Month.

Local Coverage

Feb 4, 2019

Restaurant Finance 101: Let's Unpack Why That Dish Costs So Much

As a restaurant owner, Irene Li sheds some lights on what the costs are that go into every plate -- beyond the ingredients.

Local Coverage

Jan 28, 2019

Trillium Fort Point's Fish Stew with Grilled Prawns and Mussels. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

7 Ways To Kick The Cold With Comfort Food And Drink This Winter

Cuddling up to a hearty bowl of hot things has the power to bring sweet -- or savory -- relief. In that spirit, we’ve bundled up a few suggestions for...

Local Coverage

Jan 23, 2019

The art of mindful eating centers around asking ourselves how we feel, writes chef Irene Li.

How Mindfulness Could Help You Rethink The Recurring New Year's Diet

For those of us feeling trapped by diet culture, let's pay attention to what we eat and listen to our own bodies, writes chef Irene Li.

Local Coverage

Jan 14, 2019

A platter of goodies for a holiday meal. (Courtesy Brooke Lark/Unsplash)

15 Ways To Reduce Holiday Food Waste, Plus A Recipe For Those Pesky Leftovers

The holidays are the perfect time for gathering with friends over food. But, it's also a season of great food waste. We speak with a food waste warrior for tips....

Local Coverage

09:00Dec 18, 2018

Spherical Analytics CBO Chris Rezendes points at a large screen with a video of cod fish passing through a fishing net at the UMass Dartmouth Oceanography Operations Lab at the Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Catch Of The Day Or Tuna From A Test Tube? How Innovation Could Change Seafood

Researchers are developing AI to promote smarter fishing. And private companies are working on alternatives -- including bioengineered fish and even fish flesh grown in laboratories.

Local Coverage

08:11Dec 10, 2018

With the colder weather, comes a smattering of holiday beer selections. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Your Holiday Guide To Brews Made In Massachusetts

As taste buds shift and December’s temperatures drop, the intrepid brewers among us embrace the chance to experiment with palate-warming, winter ingredients.

Local Coverage

Dec 10, 2018

Yield10 research associate Kieran Ryan examines some gene-edited grains of rice. The lack of a glow signals that the editing process is complete. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

CRISPRed Food: How Gene Editing Is Expected To Change Our Crops — And Supermarket Shelves

With a new generation of gene-edited food on the way, it's time to ask: If a label promises you better nutrition through CRISPR, how do you feel about that?

Local Coverage

09:18Nov 30, 2018

Fried chicken made from cultured meat at San Francisco-based Memphis Meats. (Courtesy Memphis Meats)

Have Your Pig And Eat It, Too? A Look At The Future Of Meat

Lab meat may sound like mad science, but researchers are exploring how cultured meat could mitigate the meat industry's effects on the climate and animals.

Local Coverage

08:14Nov 26, 2018

Lettuce grows vertically in a controlled environment using LED lights and a hydroponic growth system in the Freight Farm Leafy Green Machine. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Robots, Hydroponics, 'Hands In The Dirt': A Look At Who — Or What — Will Feed Us In The Future

With climate change threatening our food systems, innovators around the world, including here in Massachusetts, are turning to tech to find new ways to farm.

Local Coverage

09:49Nov 19, 2018

Meals on Wheels, a national home-delivery meals program, has helped some seniors manage their dietary needs as rates of malnutrition among the elderly population rises. (Jeff Gentner/AP)

Elder Hunger: New Efforts To Combat Surprisingly Common Malnutrition Among Seniors

Various measures show an astonishing one third to one half of seniors are malnourished upon being admitted to the hospital.

Local Coverage

Nov 26, 2015

A study finds that kids often trash the fruit and vegetables from their school lunches. (Sally McCay, UVM Photography)

Study: Kids Are Dumping Fruits And Veggies Offered At School — But Don't Give Up Yet

Many school kids are trashing the fruits and vegetables they are now served as part of a federal law that was supposed to nudge the kids toward healthier food choices.

Local Coverage

Aug 26, 2015

'Dietland': A Fat Heroine, And The Politics Of Weight

The heroine is the news here because she's got the rarest of qualities in a female protagonist: She's fat.

Local Coverage

Jun 23, 2015

The Checkup: How To Feed Your Muffin Top, And Other Weight Loss Wisdom

So here, we vent about our personal challenges -- how to finally lose that last 10 pounds, escaping from our self-imposed food prisons -- and offer some new strategies for...

Local Coverage

Jun 9, 2015

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Food Culture

Let's Really Talk About SNAP And Food Insecurity

As Mass. Weighs Social Marijuana Consumption, Chefs Test Out The Budding Business

Will Changing Definitions Of Meat Affect How We Think About Our Values?

Let's Stop Putting Immigrant-Owned Restaurants Into A Box

Will A More Diverse Boston Lose Its Obsession With Italian Food?

Milk Bar's Christina Tosi Reimagines The Boston Cream Pie In A Changing Harvard Square

What The Boston Black Restaurant Challenge Brings To Our City

Restaurant Finance 101: Let's Unpack Why That Dish Costs So Much

7 Ways To Kick The Cold With Comfort Food And Drink This Winter

How Mindfulness Could Help You Rethink The Recurring New Year's Diet

15 Ways To Reduce Holiday Food Waste, Plus A Recipe For Those Pesky Leftovers

Catch Of The Day Or Tuna From A Test Tube? How Innovation Could Change Seafood

Your Holiday Guide To Brews Made In Massachusetts

CRISPRed Food: How Gene Editing Is Expected To Change Our Crops — And Supermarket Shelves

Have Your Pig And Eat It, Too? A Look At The Future Of Meat

Robots, Hydroponics, 'Hands In The Dirt': A Look At Who — Or What — Will Feed Us In The Future

Elder Hunger: New Efforts To Combat Surprisingly Common Malnutrition Among Seniors

Study: Kids Are Dumping Fruits And Veggies Offered At School — But Don't Give Up Yet

'Dietland': A Fat Heroine, And The Politics Of Weight

The Checkup: How To Feed Your Muffin Top, And Other Weight Loss Wisdom