WHY We Hire Food
You don't just eat food.
You Hire It.
Every day, food candidates show up for work.
Some are hired because we're hungry.
Others are hired to comfort us. Reward us. Energize us. Save us time. Help us belong. Keep a tradition alive.
And sometimes we're hiring food to make a terrible day feel slightly less terrible.
The food is the candidate.
The job is what you're really asking it to do.
Hunger is Only One Job
Think about pizza. You might hire it because:
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Nobody wants to cook.
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Everyone will eat it.
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It's Friday night.
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You want comfort.
Same pizza. Different jobs.
Before asking whether a food is good or bad, try asking, "What job am I hiring this food to do?
Four Reasons Food Gets Hired
Most food choices involve more than one job.
Functional
What do I need it to do?
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Feed me.
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Give me energy.
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Save me time.
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Make dinner easier.
Emotional
How do I want it to make me feel?
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Comfort me.
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Reward me.
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Calm me.
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Give me pleasure.
Some candidates are exceptionally good at this interview.
They don't say, "I contain saturated fat and sodium."
They say, "You've had a hard day. I know what to do."
Social
How will this choice affect the people around me?
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Help me belong.
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Let me join in.
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Keep the tradition alive.
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Don't make dinner complicated.
Sometimes changing the food is easy. Changing what happens around the table isn't.
Identity
What does this choice say about who I am?
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I take care of my health.
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I enjoy life.
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I value tradition.
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I care about animals or the environment.
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I don't want food to run my life.
Food can become part of the story we tell ourselves about who we are.
You Know WHY. Now Explore HOW and WHO.
Understanding the job is the first step, but it raises two more questions.
HOW — The Interview Process
Once you know the job, who else could do it?
Why does one candidate keep winning?
And how do you make a more intentional hire without turning every meal into a nutrition exam?
Know the job. Then interview the candidates.
Who — Body Inc.
Taste and convenience usually get a voice.
But what about your Heart?
Your Brain?
Your Liver?
Your Microbiome?
Your Future Self?