Description:Research on meals is carried out in a wide range of fields and these different disciplines do not always benefit from each others’ expertise. With contributions from a wide array of disciplines, this book brings together many perspectives and methods. The editors and contributors examine how meals are defined, studied, and taught, before going on to discuss social eating and eating alone, the influence of gender, and the differences in home, restaurant, and institutional settings. The coverage concludes with reviews of meals worldwide and a discussion of the perspectives of chefs, product developers, and meal setting designers.