What’s a Foodie, Really?

Just like so very many words and terms these days, the word foodie has been hijacked by imposters as a way to exclude people. There is no official foodie certification, and there is no recognized authority on it. So you get to decide for yourself if you’re a foodie or not, based on terms that actually make sense and are not designed to make insecure people feel good about themselves.

…being a Foodie is more than just a word on your Facebook profile or the way you pronounce prosciutto. It’s also a word on your Twitter profile and the way you pronounce Doritos.

~Colin Nissan, Munchies, Vice

I was born a foodie and have been one all of my life. I remember my elementary school notebooks with things like juicy strawberry photos on the cover. I used to fantasize about being a chef at a janky diner, and even had a signature dish, goodie stew, which is a whole ‘nother story for another day.

I do love food. And I I have a serious spice obsession.

But now, somebody created the notion that being a foodie means shopping at certain expensive stores, bragging about how authentic their ingredients are, and spending insane amounts of money on traveling to remote destinations and eating at the most foo-foo-shee-shee restaurants on the planet.

Merriam Webster defines foodie as “a person having an avid interest in the latest food fads“.

This is all wrong. A foodie is someone with an avid interest as food as culture, as life experiences, and as an important part of everyday life. So it’s different from just loving to eat large amounts of food indiscriminately. And, it has nothing to do with income or pretentious exhibition of privilege.

There are different kinds of foodies. I am a foodie who is interested in the origins, highest quality (not necessarily expensive), the spirit of and being creative with food.

Can you be a foodie if you’re also a healthy eater? I believe you absolutely can. If you care so much about the quality of what you eat, that quality usually translates into food that’s also good for you. But here’s where it can be a little controversial. You can’t be a restrictive diet enthusiast and also be a foodie. This means that you can’t be a vegan and be a foodie at the same time because if you are vegan, then your adherence to the vegan rules take priority over your love of quality food. It’s just too restrictive to allow the full-fledged foodie come through.

Are you a foodie? If so, what kind of foodie?