Talking about the future is complex, especially when it comes to the topic of food. It is difficult for people to connect emotionally with such a distant idea, but it is very important to communicate that the future depends on the actions we take today.

Backcasting and role play are strong techniques used to build future scenarios, pretending as if they are already present, which can help people to put themselves in the shoes of the future world. They consist of writing stories about futuristic scenarios, looking through different perspectives: the consumer one, the producer one and whatever other ones the creativity suggests to you.

Sens(e) – ational Bites is a speculative design concept, which pictures a futuristic food scenario characterized by sustainable production and conscious consumption.

CONSUMER: “I love to know that the food I am eating, lived a beautiful, healthy and happy life, before becoming that. It is not easy to follow food production from big cities; factories are always far away.

That is why I habitually prefer to eat the Sens(e) – ational Food. In that way, at every bite, I can really feel all the emotions of the living being, and be sure about the quality of my food.”

PRODUCER: “When we launched on the market the Sens(e) – ational Food, we weren’t sure people would have liked to know how the animals lived and their feelings, before becoming food. They could not have been ready for that.

Nevertheless, it was surprisingly a success! People started buying good food, produced in a sustainable, healthy way, respecting the animal or the plant, cause – you know – no one wants to feel bad while eating.

All of that because our Sens(e) – ational Bites, thanks to some specific receptors, make you feel the living being’s emotions, while chewing it.”

SCEPTICAL CONSUMER: “I think I will never try this kind of new “food” they pretend to sell. Why should I feel what the animal felt during his life? I really don’t care, it is just an animal. Moreover, I am really scared about the idea of eating something with receptors inside, as well as to feel sensations that are not mine!”

That is what I imagined would happen if someone would invent the Sens(e) – ational Bites. I believe they could be a strong tool to encourage people to eat with more awareness; but, on the other hand, I wonder if it is ethical towards animals and vegetables to track their lives and private emotions for our benefit.