Is writing my college essay about food too cliché or can it stand out?
I've been brainstorming for my personal statement and keep coming back to the idea of writing about my family's traditional meals and how cooking with my grandmother shaped my identity. I'm worried, though, that essays focusing on food might be considered overdone or not original enough by admissions officers.
Has anyone written a successful college essay about food, or has advice on making this topic unique? I feel like food is such a big part of my life and culture, but don't want my essay to get lost among similar stories. Would love to hear how people approached this or if anyone regrets using food as their theme.
Any perspectives or suggestions for giving my essay a personal twist would be really appreciated.
Has anyone written a successful college essay about food, or has advice on making this topic unique? I feel like food is such a big part of my life and culture, but don't want my essay to get lost among similar stories. Would love to hear how people approached this or if anyone regrets using food as their theme.
Any perspectives or suggestions for giving my essay a personal twist would be really appreciated.
7 months ago
•
165 views
Luis Nario-Malberg
• 7 months ago
Advisor
Writing your college essay about food can absolutely stand out, but the key is making it about much more than just the meals themselves. Food, family recipes, and cooking traditions are popular topics because they touch on culture, memory, and personal growth, which are all things colleges love to learn about. The risk is only when the essay focuses too much on describing dishes or traditions without connecting them to deeper aspects of who you are.
If you decide to write about food, focus on what those cooking experiences with your grandmother taught you and how they shaped your outlook, values, or goals. For example, instead of simply narrating how you make your favorite dish, zoom in on a specific moment: was there a challenge or misunderstanding while cooking together that changed your relationship or made you see yourself differently? Did preparing a traditional meal for a community event help you overcome nervousness or learn leadership? These singular experiences are the ones that make a story unique and memorable.
One great example: a student once wrote about making dumplings every Lunar New Year, but the essay dove deeply into her feelings of connection and disconnection with her heritage and how she bridged a language gap with her grandmother through this shared ritual. The food was the backdrop, but her evolving sense of identity and belonging was the heart of the essay.
Don't be afraid to include small sensory details—like the sound of sizzling oil or the way flour dust lingers in the air—as long as those details support the larger story you’re telling about yourself. Ask yourself: after reading this essay, will the admissions officer remember not just the meal, but who you are because of it?
If food truly is a big part of your life, use it as an authentic entry point to share something meaningful and specific about you. Your connection to food and family traditions can absolutely stand out if you approach it from an angle that's personal, reflective, and unique to your experience.
If you decide to write about food, focus on what those cooking experiences with your grandmother taught you and how they shaped your outlook, values, or goals. For example, instead of simply narrating how you make your favorite dish, zoom in on a specific moment: was there a challenge or misunderstanding while cooking together that changed your relationship or made you see yourself differently? Did preparing a traditional meal for a community event help you overcome nervousness or learn leadership? These singular experiences are the ones that make a story unique and memorable.
One great example: a student once wrote about making dumplings every Lunar New Year, but the essay dove deeply into her feelings of connection and disconnection with her heritage and how she bridged a language gap with her grandmother through this shared ritual. The food was the backdrop, but her evolving sense of identity and belonging was the heart of the essay.
Don't be afraid to include small sensory details—like the sound of sizzling oil or the way flour dust lingers in the air—as long as those details support the larger story you’re telling about yourself. Ask yourself: after reading this essay, will the admissions officer remember not just the meal, but who you are because of it?
If food truly is a big part of your life, use it as an authentic entry point to share something meaningful and specific about you. Your connection to food and family traditions can absolutely stand out if you approach it from an angle that's personal, reflective, and unique to your experience.
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Luis Nario-Malberg
Mooresville, North Carolina
Harvard College, Class of 2018, A.B. in Philosophy
Experience
5 years