Food is one of the most important necessities for the human body, and history tells us that food has always been a big part of the human evolution. As human evolve, so does the approach towards food, such as how it is produced, the impact and effect it has on the culture. In today’s culture, food is highly sexualized. The pop culture views and refers to food as sexy, and the common cases are, a well plated food is said to be sexy. A well cooked and put together hamburger is presented as sexual. And healthy food is attributed as sexy because when you eat the food, it makes you look sexy. Also, Advertisements for food have sexy and sensual embodiment. As a result, this view of food has influenced the majority, and most people now view tasty and colorful food as sexy.
Before food was seen as sexy, it was viewed for it nutrition because it produces vitamins and minerals to enable the health of the living organisms. Humans cultivate food and process it in a way that our body will easily digest it. Thus, the cells in our body could break it down to produce the necessary function that our body requires. Recently though, the main function is shifting more from its ideal state to serve as a marketing tool for business competitions.
So when you ask yourself what brought on the change for food to now be seen as sexy, and the reason behind it is the fact that in today’s culture sexy is seen as good, and better than the terms that has been used before. Plus, “sex-sells” is endorsed with almost every product, likewise, the competitive market has seen that sexy food could be used as an avenue to attract more people and generate more money. For instance, “Tastemakers,” as explained in the Understanding Media and Culture: An introduction to Mass Communication, Mass Media and Popular Culture by Jack Lule states that;
“The digital age, with its proliferation of accessible media, has undermined the traditional role of the tastemaker. In contrast to the traditional media, Internet-based mass media is not limited by time or space and allows bloggers, critics, or wannabe stars to potentially reach millions without the backing of the traditional media industry.”
Consequently, with the tastemakers utilizing the communication outlets that is available in abundance, they have been able to influence the mass media with “sexy food.” it is no longer abnormal to see a sexy ad for food, chefs referring to their well plated dish as sexy, or people wanting to eat sexy food so they could be sexy. The pop culture do not seem to have any problem with associating sex with food anymore. The idea has been planted for people and it is now trending as the tastemakers had intended.
As most people are getting comfortable with sexy food, the taste makers are pushing the boundaries with the sexy food ads. This push however, is not sitting very well with some organization. For example, the super bowl committee have been banning some really edge-pushing sexy food ads.
Sex is selling almost everything these days, and since food is one of economy’s biggest generator, sexy food is popular and it is becoming a norm to people. It seems that as far as sex continue to sell so will sexy food continue to be a part of pop culture and I am not sure if it could ever be stopped.
POP CULTURE LAB 
This topic is both interest and hilarious at the same time. Although this is not the first time seeing commercials that advertise food as being sexy, it is the first time that I am actually aware of it; because the term “Sexy Food” isn’t quite familiar to me.
It is just funny to me how you could relate sex to almost anything and how the media could switch the whole concept of something into something else and be so successful at it.
Of this trend is going to continue because people are actually buy into it, but from my point of view I wouldn’t consider food or any materialistic thing as being sexy, I would just say that it looks nice or cool or whatever.
I too love food, and is subject to trying new things, even what is considered to be “sexy food”. Presentation is everything, so I feel that when I am out to eat, I want my food served with a little TLC (tender, love and care). I feel as if a lot of fast food or any food that we may intake as Americans are not good for our body, which in those cases advertisements use sex appeal to sell. Showcasing models, both male and female, who are physically fit and look good to market that food type, as if we do not know that they themselves do not eat what is being advertised.