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The Food Chain

The joy (and pain) of sharing food

Oct 21, 2026 · 26m

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On this episode

About this episode

Do you love to share food with friends and family? Or resent handing over even one french fry from your plate? Sharing food has a long and proud tradition in some cultures and is relatively rare in others. Ruth Alexander looks at what it does for our relationships, how it can enhance the experience of a meal and how it can help boost a restaurant's bottom line. It can even improve the outcome of tricky work negotiations. But what if you can't bear to share? You're not alone. Ruth hears from dedicated anti-sharers who will protect their own private portion at all costs. Produced by Lexy O'Connor, Amber Mehmood and Beatrice Pickup. Sound engineer: Hal Haines. Image: A woman and a man's hand…