Food is one of those things that is easy to overlook when writing. We eat multiple times a day, and sometimes it’s a chore. However, food is also a huge part of culture, family, connection, and even intimacy. This week’s writing challenges are about slowing down, savouring, and telling stories around food. So, grab a snack and get writing!

Poetry: Write about a meal that brings the family together. Whether it’s a cultural dish that’s only brought out for holidays or Friday night nachos with a movie, food has a way of connecting families. Write about the meal, about the atmosphere around the food, how the family settles down from the week, or even about siblings who tolerate each other a little more because they both love the dish.

Fiction: George R. R. Martin is known for the feasts he describes in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, so much so that there’s even a cookbook for it. Describe a royal feast in all its splendor, whether from the perspective of a snobby royal who is bored with the spread or from the perspective of a servant kid who gets to eat some of the scraps after the feast is over.

Fiction: Write a “Hunger Games” scene that narrates the race for the kitchen between siblings when pizza arrives. Is someone tripped on the way? Who runs the fastest? Are there bargains for who gets what type of pizza? Describe the frenzy, the chaos, the hanger.

Creative Nonfiction: Write a scene about a meal you had that was either a really positive experience, or a really negative one, in terms of a happy announcement or heavy conversation had at the dinner table. For example, a dinner where a family member announces they’re expecting, or a brunch where a parent embarrassed you horribly. Use food as the anchor for the piece, or even a metaphor for how the conversation is going.

As always, feel free to share your stories with us. Happy writing!