Abstract

BRANCO, Luís Carlos S.. Habits and Eating Practices in the Portuguese Society. Reconfigurations and changes. SOCIOLOGIA ON LINE [online]. 2021, n.26, pp.56-81.  Epub Dec 04, 2021. ISSN 1647-3337.  https://doi.org/10.30553/sociologiaonline.2021.26.3.

This article gives a panoramic account of the dynamics and changes in the habits and eating practices of the Portuguese society, pointing out the most significant contrasts between the Estado Novo and the following decades, particularly the contemporaneity age. A selection and review of literature was carried out to analyze and confront the following topics: the institutionalization of food security, the masculinization of the culinary space, food as an identity metaphor and reification of social status, memorialistic gastronomy, the growth of cuisine of ethnic origin, among others. In sum, we can conclude that there have been major positive changes if we compare the eating practices and habits in the dictatorship of Estado Novo (1933-1974), where poverty and lack of food was one of the main problems, with the abundance of the Democratic Regimen (1975-2021). These changes signalize also the great social transformations occurred in this country. Nevertheless, there are now very concerning problems, like, for instance, the divergence from the traditional and healthy Mediterranean Portuguese’s diet pattern, among others.

Keywords : food and eating practices; portuguese society; Estado Novo; contemporaneity.

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