The joy and laughter are the brightest when there’s food. And through it, we share moments and create memories with our loved ones through it.
Food has played such an important role in our lives that we often use it to show our affection, good intentions, and use it to forge relationships. It is the ingredient that binds us all together.
Food nostalgia floods us with emotional memories of people and places in our past. Remembering these meals and moments shared with our loved ones or friends strengthens our feeling of belonging to a social group.
Food triggers all our five senses, especially the powerful memory triggers of smell and taste. For example, a simple plate of nasi lemak gives you that warm fuzzy feeling of that special nasi lemak cooked by your mom or grandma or a whiff of kimchi that transforms you back to those trips to Korea with your family or friends.
It is also through food that brings back fond memories. It could also be the reason for homesickness when we crave a particular food that’s close to our hearts, especially students or adults who are studying or working away from home.
So, what nostalgia are we laying for our children? Rather than giving them all the luxuries in the world, laying down a memory store for them, one that’s filled with love and fun is more precious than any branded goods. By simply rustling up a curry chicken, fried noodle or a simple burger and mash potatoes meal can stay in their memories for a long time.
It is undeniable that good food sparks joy and creates memories in us as it is the essence of our happiness.