Reconnecting with Food through Dining Play

While the food production and processing are known to cause major environmental pollution, we as consumers have little awareness of the underlying processes that bring food from farm to plate. This lack of awareness influences our food related decisions and we end up following non-sustainable food practices. To create awareness on food related issues, we present two playful dining experiences: (1) Caesar on a Skewer that presents the hidden data about water consumption levels for different foods through a Caesar salad, and (2) Chopstick Parfait that visualizes the hidden data related to the food distribution channels through the Parfait dessert. We simulated the dining environment to evaluate these dining experiences. We present findings related to both dining play interactions and edible visualizations. To guide future technological development around food related issues, we discuss the implications of our work around three themes: food arrangement, playful discomforts and delayed feedback. Through this work, we aim to advocate and inspire the use of food for designing multi-sensorial serious play.