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In anthropology, the study of food practices is a common subject that allows one to understand people through the food they eat and the choices they make related to it. While, subcultures are groups with identities that differ from the dominant culture. These subcultures may involve unique hobbies and practices. Recently, many subcultures have emerged related to food that engage in alternative foodways and practices. This includes vegans, vegetarians, paleo dieters, punk cuisine and many other food-related subcultures.
Alternative food practices behave as rejections of the normative ideals of traditional food consumption. These ideals are often driven by political ideologies, ideals of environmentalism, sustainability, food justice and animal rights.
Other individuals may aim to show off their punk status through food. The embrace of unique foodways can function as an example of tertiary deviance. This is the stage of deviance in which individuals embrace identities rejected by society.
Other food-based subcultures are more normative, and many may aspire to be in them. These groups may be based more on social and cultural capital. Individuals interested in food may consider themselves ‘foodies’, a group associated with wealthier people traditionally.
These groups likely do not center their lifestyle practices so integrally around their beliefs around food and the correct ways to consume, and not consume, it. Three such groups that are truly alternative and subcultural in nature are freegans, punks, and back-to-the-landers.
Punk cuisine is a “subcultural food system”. Many punk cuisine choices are generally designed to eschew hetero-normativity, capitalistic business practices, inequality, environmental degradation and consumerist society. Portland-based punks expressed their belief systems through the preparation of food and the unique means of procuring and consuming it. Therefore, food that is associated with the traditional structure of society is inherently rejected. The punks seek food that is raw and metaphorically uncooked by its association with consumerist industry and heavy processing.
Individuals in this subculture even sought out stolen or disposed of food through means like shoplifting and dumpster diving respectively. These processes are done to remove the capitalist financing needed to procure ingredients.
Punk cuisine also rejects traditional associations around the patriarchy and gender roles.
A view closer to Levi-Strauss' 'raw' and 'rotten' and further from his 'cooked'.