Writing exercise: food

Warm up exercise: food

Think of what your favourite foods were as a child. Can you remember why you loved them? Were they particularly strong or bland in flavour? Do you still like those foods? Are they still your favourites? Can you link them in any way with the person you are today?

Think about what the food of the future might look like. What are some of the reasons why what we eat might change?

Brainstorm

Spend a few minutes thinking about what food is local to your area. If you had to eat from only a five, ten or fifty mile radius, what would be in your diet? What would you miss the most?

If you could eat any food from anywhere in the world, what would it be? What is the most exotic or unusual food you’ve eaten? Would you consider it futuristic? If not, what do you think futuristic food would look and taste like?

Start writing

• Write the story of a meal you had as a child. Imagine each person at the table, using their likes and dislikes around food to tell the reader something about that person’s character and what might happen to that person in the future. (“While Granny always baked a pudding for every meal, she never ate it herself, saying that she “needed to watch her figure”... Little did we know that she was going to end up with Alan from across the landing!)
• Describe planning and shopping a meal with the future in mind. How does it change the way you shop, prepare and eat?
• Describe your perfect last meal. Where are you, who is sitting at the table, and what are you eating? Are you more interested in the food or the conversation?