In many cultures, particularly in Asian cultures, food serves as a medium of love, expressing one’s solicitude for another person. With food, we communicate our love for someone by caring for their health. We often say the words, “I love you. I want us to eat well.” But what those words really mean is: “I love you. I want to take care of you because I want to live a longer life with you.”
When we ensure our loved ones are properly nourished by preparing or providing them meals, snacks, and drinks, we declare our love for them. This declaration of love will most likely last a lifetime—literally and figuratively. Not only does food have a lasting impact on our health, but it is also an act of love that encompasses all five love languages, as coined by Gary Chapman in 1992.
The five love languages are words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, acts of service, and gifts—all of which can be expressed through the use of food as a tangible medium of love.
Fuller through words
Writing someone a short note that says, “I thought you might like this drink,” or telling someone, “I prepared this, so you don’t forget to eat today” or “I remember when you said you like snacks like this” highlight the essence of words of affirmation.
When we tell our loved ones we are thinking of them, those words bear immense meaning that will probably make their day. Because personally, when someone I love tells me the same thing, their thoughtfulness lingers. Their concern for my physical being also implies their concern for my entire being, even if they do not directly express it through words.
Even the simple question “Have you eaten yet?” already constitutes love and concern.
Better quality of life
Food as a love language also underscores quality time. When we provide meals, snacks, and drinks for our loved ones, the time we spend thinking about them, preparing their food, or buying them snacks and drinks can already be considered time well spent.
It can also be a form of quality time, allowing us to prepare meals with our loved ones and enjoy them together. Food not only expresses love, but it also connects us by giving us time with the people we care about most. May it be a long brunch, a quick snack, or a sweet treat—like what most of us enjoy having nowadays—time with the people we love will always be quality time.
A touching gesture
Similar to quality time, physical touch with food as a love language can be seen when we prepare meals and eat them together with our loved ones. When cooking with them, it often involves working closely in the kitchen and sharing space. Hence if we are cooking with our romantic partners, a peck or two might get in the way.
Serving for the heart, from the heart
Undoubtedly, providing our loved ones with food is a prominent act of service. When we cook or buy food for our loved ones, it involves time, consideration, money, and effort. We take the time and exert effort to learn how to cook a specific meal, considering our loved ones’ dietary needs, which demonstrates the earnest concern and thoughtfulness we have for them.
Food is a vehicle that allows us to communicate our love and concern for someone by serving their physical needs.
The gift of good health
That goes to say that food can also be given as a gift, therefore manifesting the last love language. Food aligns with the love language of gifts because it is given with the intent of keeping our loved ones healthy.
While we have different preferences in expressing and receiving love, food remains the most universal language of all, as it is the language we can all speak and understand. From a mother to a child, a friend to a friend, or a lover to a lover, food is the simplest yet most powerful medium of love, wherever you are in the world.
It is the omnipotent love language because it can express love in all the ways we are familiar with. There is no need to say the words “I love you” because a packed meal with a short note, a snack, or a drink already speaks volumes.
“I love you. I want to take care of you because I want to live a longer life with you.”