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Food & Memories: a Love Letter to Chicago Hot Dogs

September 23, 2024

Published September 23rd, by Gina Parker

I remember the first time I ever tried a Chicago Dog— outside the Chicago Aquarium on a park bench. I purchased it from a stand covered in Vienna Beef stickers and a sliding window that didn’t shut all the way. As a Colorado native and a Chicago tourist, I wasn’t allowed to order for myself, and had to leave that to the professional, local Chicagoans. Out came a speckled bun with one hotdog inside, topped high with (hopefully I get this list right) onion, relish, mustard, tomato, sport peppers, celery salt, and a pickle. It was, without a doubt, the best hotdog I have ever had.

I know I will remember the flavors of the cold pickle, spicy sport peppers, and tangy mustard for the rest of my life. Every time someone mentions firing up the grill, I am automatically transported to the chilled Chicago air, light breeze, the hot coal foil warming my hands, and being seated by Lake Michigan pondering why not every hotdog is a Chicago Dog. 

Have you ever experienced a flash of nostalgia when you smell freshly baked cookies wafting from a neighbor’s house? Or when you spot one of those strawberry-wrapped candies your grandma always had? Food, and specifically our senses, have allowed us to store memories triggered by something as simple as a reminiscent smell. We are all born into the world of food, taste, and cultural customs that have helped shape our perception of the world around us. Specific childhood meals, candies, and plastic-wrapped treats become stored as future nostalgic triggers for you later in life. 

The sensory experience of eating is profound. The tastes, feelings, and emotions evoked during dining are processed by the hippocampus, the part of our brain responsible for forming long-term and expressive memories. The hippocampus plays a crucial role in our emotions, and links the parts of the brain responsible for senses and understanding. This connection explains why certain smells or tastes can trigger strong emotional reactions. 

Additionally, the hippocampus has direct links to our digestive system, regulating appetite, digestion, and eating behaviors through hormonal signals. Because the hippocampus regulates both digestion and emotions, when eating occurs in the body it simultaneously sends out neurons that form an episodic memory while processing digestion. While this creates fun nostalgic moments now, this phenomenon is believed to have also given humans a step-up in evolution back when we were hunter-gatherers. Because of food’s necessity for our survival, the hippocampus is believed to have formed increasingly vivid memories regarding eating and finding food to ensure our ancestors could locate it again. 

This intricate connection between the hippocampus and our digestive system is pretty cool on its own, but it can also be therapeutic. The “Proustian Effect”, named after the French novelist Marcel Proust, describes how these involuntary food memories also call to mind social associations, personal events, and the people involved. This theory has been applied in social and psychological healing, as well as in the education of both young and old, using specific smells to trigger fond feelings and emotions in patients.

Survival is not the only thing food is good for. It’s a common inclination to believe that food is better when it is eaten together with others, and science thinks so too. A study conducted by The University of Oxford explored the relationship between communal eating and a person’s well-being. The more often an individual dines with others, the happier they feel. 

Alluding to the correlation between community and food, the study helped illustrate just how impactful communal dining is to social bonding across different cultures, locations, and ages. Throughout mankind, meals were always meant to be shared with one another, from weddings,funerals, birthdays, or just dinner at the end of a long day. Dining room tables, no matter look, size, or intended function, have always been gateways to human connection and joy. Food acts as our common ground, our universal way each of us can share a piece of who we are with each other. 

Taste, smell, and the power of nostalgia seem to be the common factors that help induce these strong memories and recalls. When I cook up spaghetti sauce for dinner and indulge my childhood desire (and favorite snack) of dipping a salty, crisp potato chip into the red gravy I can almost hear my mother’s voice ringing through my ears. I can smell the oregano springing from the pot as my sisters are pushing me out of the way to make their way to the stove. I can see my aunt and cousins standing, slinging a glass of deep red pinot noir and chatting about work. I can feel the cold, black tile flooring beneath my feet as I scoop the boiling-hot sauce onto the thin crisp and pop it in my mouth with excitement. 

Food gives you the power to connect with the community around you and power to encapsulate that moment within a single bite. Food is more than sustenance, it is truly a universal love language. Gathering around a table isn’t just about nourishment; it’s about forging connections that go further than geography and generations.  

At We Don’t Waste, we understand the profound connections food can create. Sadly, millions of pounds of food are wasted every year, while countless families struggle with hunger. We can change that—together.

Imagine the joy of sharing a meal and knowing it’s making a difference. By supporting We Don’t Waste, you’re helping to rescue surplus food and deliver it to communities in need, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to create their own memories around their dining room table.

Here’s how you can help:

Donate: Every dollar you give helps us rescue more food and reach more people.

Volunteer: Join our team in collecting and distributing food. Your time can make a big impact.

Spread the Word: Share our mission with your friends and family. The more people who know, the more we can achieve together. Follow our Instagram and Tiktok to stay up to date on our mission and actions!Visit the We Don’t Waste website to learn more and get involved. Let’s work together to reduce food waste, support our communities, and ensure that everyone can enjoy the powerful, memory-making experience of a shared meal.