1 We usually understand when someone speaks or writes to us, and many gestures and facial expressions have meaning, too. But have you ever considered what and how we eat as a form of communication ? Food serves this purpose in two fundamental ways. In many cultures, people share at mealtimes. Sharing bread or other foods is a common human tradition that can promote unity and trust. Food can also have a specific meaning, and play a prominent role in a family or culture’s celebrations or traditions. The foods we eat – and when and how we eat them – are often unique to a particular culture, or may even differ between rural and urban areas within one country