The ramifications of displacement for mealtime-related activities, practices and dynamics among people affected by conflict in Mindanao, Philippines

ABSTRACT Displaced by war in 2017, internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Marawi City in southern Philippines continue to face severe economic challenges, seriously undermining their mealtime-related affairs. This article examines the extent to which displacement has negatively impacted activities or practices related to mealtime preparation, the actual family meal or commensality and the frequency of mealtimes among the IDPs. Findings were drawn from fourteen IDP couples who participated in in-depth interviews. Results indicate that displacement has caused a serious decline in economic resources, which, in turn, has translated into less participation in meal preparation, decreasing quality and quantity of food served at the meal table, less enthusiastic involvement in mealtimes, and irregular family meals. The article argues that conflict and the displacement it causes impact not only the food itself but all that is related to its preparation and consumption within the household. The study suggests that examining the broader context of mealtime-related activities and practices offers a wider understanding of how IDPs suffer displacement in the context of kitchen and meal table environments.