Celebratory Meal Choices: Ensuring Inclusion for Individuals on Special Diets

Key Takeaways:

• Individuals with dietary restrictions can often feel isolated during communal meal times, especially during festive seasons, leading to a sense of exclusion.
• Dietary restrictions are directly linked to feelings of loneliness in both adults and children, as revealed by a synthesis of seven prior studies.
• People experiencing food restrictions often have a heightened sense of camaraderie within their restricted group, as observed during a Passover Seder.
• Food restrictions can cause “food worries”, such as fretting over food choices and the potential judgement from others for their non-conformity.
• These restrictions, whether imposed since childhood or in adulthood due to health or ethical reasons, often persist throughout one’s life, impacting their ability to form connections around communal meals.

Every year, festive seasons are adorned with decorative feasts, putting those with dietary restrictions in a quandary. A recent study reveals that individuals with specific dietary needs due to allergies, health, religious or cultural standards often experience a sense of isolation during these times because they’re unable to partake in these communal meal times.

The Disheartening Effect of Dietary Restrictions

“Although they’re physically in the company of others, those with dietary restrictions often feel excluded as they can’t fully participate in the bonding experience that comes with sharing a meal,” reveals Kaitlin Woolley, an assistant professor of marketing at Cornell University.

A synthesis of seven prior studies indicated that dietary restrictions are linked to feelings of loneliness in both adults and children.
For instance, during an experiment, individuals without any food restrictions were assigned hypothetical restrictions. Interestingly, they began to feel isolated, suggesting that these feelings are not a result of other factors but the direct effect of dietary limitations.

A Case Study: Passover Seder and Dietary Restrictions

Further evidence was drawn from the observations of individuals participating in a Passover Seder. When participants were reminded of their inability to consume leavened foods, they felt more detached. However, within their restricted group, a heightened sense of camaraderie was experienced.

In an earlier study, Woolley discovered that strangers experienced a closer connection and trust when eating the same food. Furthermore, sharing meals from a common plate bolstered cooperation among strangers.

The Worry Kit: Food Restrictions and Social Interactions

Yet, when meal sharing becomes restricted, what Woolley calls “food worries” emerge. People begin to fret over their food choices and the potential judgement from others for their non-conformity.

Food restrictions established during childhood often persist into adulthood. In some cases, adults voluntarily impose certain restrictions on themselves, choosing gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan diets due to health reasons or ethical considerations.

This is an issue that hasn’t received the recognition it deserves, opines Woolley, and it puts a strain on people’s ability to form connections around communal meals.

Further Information

For more details on overcoming loneliness, please refer to the U.S. Health Resources Administration.