Emilie Baltz

OPEN WIDE: The Effect of Cultural Mythology on the American Appetite

“Show me what you eat and I’ll show you who you are.”
-Brillat-Savarin

Food.
Our foundation.

Nutritionally and historically, food is the primal medium of cultural exchange and growth. Societies develop based on stories, “mythologies,” passed around a table from generation to generation. Over time, these stories become tradition, woven into the fabric of culture. In a country filled with health and obesity problems, one shudders to imagine the future of American culture. This project has as a goal to identify the manifestations of American mythology in the food industry and provide viable alternatives to seemingly destructive consumption habits in the U.S.