“Ew, what’s that smell?” Asian Americans’ experiences of culinary racism

Colloquially referred to as the “lunchbox moment” in popular media and anecdotal accounts, food-related discrimination appears to be a common, shared experience among Asian Americans. Yet, empirical research on culinary racism is scarce. Using a mixed methods approach with 241 Asian Americans ( M age = 21.6 years, 62% women, 34% first generation), the present study examines the prevalence, underlying themes, and correlates of lunchbox moments. Approximately half of the sample (48.5%) reported ever having a lunchbox moment. Content analysis of open-ended responses suggests that the experiences represent a range of themes, many of which involve negative reactions (e.g., bullying, negative emotions, rejecting heritage traditions). The most consistent correlates of having these experiences could be found with more negative attitudes toward current Asian-inspired food trends, though some associations with ethnic–racial identity and well-being were also evident. Culinary racism is an understudied microaggression that warrants continued investigation given its personal salience and impact. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)