Abstract
The Oral History Society (2008) defines oral history as ‘the recording of people’s memories. It is the living history of everyone’s unique life experiences’ which ‘enables people who have been hidden from history to be heard’. The present study used the life histories approach, a type of oral history in which memories from points right across the lifespan are recorded. This was used to record the experiences of participants with food, enabling an examination of their food practises and the meanings they associated with food within the context of their lives. Female participants were recruited from three age groups: ~70 years, ~40 years, and ~20 years, to enable a more detailed analysis of the relationship between personal experience and historical events. Participants were recruited from across various income levels and geographical locations (Surrey and Northumberland). A thematic analysis was then conducted, to identify key themes within the transcribed narratives.