Food journalism is a field of journalism that focuses on news and current events related to food, its production, and the cultures of producing and consuming that food. Typically, food journalism includes a scope broader than the work of food critics, who analyze restaurants and their products, and is similar to a sub-genre of "food writing", which documents the experience and history of food.^[1]

Food journalism often explores the impact of current events on food, such as how the Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food industry, or larger issues, such as impacts of climate change on food production.^[1] Increasingly, these themes overlap with public health journalism, political journalism, and economic journalism.^[1] This expands on themes traditional to food criticism, which has tended to focus on fine dining and other kinds of food writing, like cookbook writing.^[2] These themes are similar to the themes covered in agricultural journalism, which focuses on the agriculture industry for agricultural audiences.

The contemporary field of food journalism grew in the mid-20th century, especially as issues like food rationing during and after World War II.^[3] In the United States, the Association of Food Journalists provides professional standards and a code of ethics.^[4]

Food journalism dates back to the 1880s when Joseph Pulitzer introduced women's pages into his newspaper, the New York World.^[5] Other publications were quick to take on these additions with the women's section covering news on fashion, family, furnishings—and food. These were considered the four Fs of ‘soft news’ or ‘women’s news’.^[6] The pages were both a chance for advertisers to reach audiences and for women to be employed in journalism. The newspaper food sections were dense with product advertisements, news on recipes, and nutrition studies. In 1948, it was reported that 56% of women got their food news from newspapers and magazines, citing the relevancy of this emerging field. By 1950, the number of newspaper food editors had more than doubled to a total of 561.^[7] As a result, the revenue and advertisement potential influenced prominent editors to produce food pages.

Until the 1940s and 1950s, women in journalism were contained from writing on sports, editorials, or what was considered hard news.^[8] During World War II, women took on a variety of roles, recognized both on the home front and in the military effort. As a result, the women's pages after World War II diversified and changed the significance of women's news. In the post-World War II era, food coverage often addressed social history and reflected the evolving roles of women in society.

In the 1940s, Jane Nickerson began her job as the first New York Times food editor. Nickerson began covering war-rationing news, food product developments, and recipes.^[9] After World War II, her work evolved to document the rapidly developing New York restaurant industry and profiled future food celebrities. Nickerson pioneered the industry of food journalism in the women's pages and was at the forefront of influence in restaurant reviews, interviews, and new products. These food journalists reached consumers and cooks, documented nutritional issues and food safety, and covered the impact of governmental food regulation and the consumerism movement. Jane Nickerson activated the potential for food discourse to engage with important social, political, and cultural issues.^[10] Her contributions have grown the scholarship of newspaper food journalism into what it is today.

By the 1950s, most food editors were educated and had a degree in either journalism, home economics, or both. Like other mediums of journalism, food editors followed traditional news values, researching the precision of their articles. Milwaukee Journal food editor Peggy Daum gave the same care to the food section as the front page, stating, “If someone’s age is wrong, that’s one thing. But if the amount of flour in a recipe is wrong, then the whole recipe can be ruined.”^[11] The food section has become a serious practice with publishers like the Chicago Tribune even reprinting entire recipes if there were to be a mistake. Food journalism has evolved to be legitimate journalism, rooted in the accomplishments of women at the forefront.

The Association of Food Journalists (AFJ), founded in the 1970s, created the American Food Journalist Code of Ethics, and was made up of five core principles that food journalists.^[12]

The AFJ was dissolved in 2024 due to lack of funds from failure to adapt their revenue model to keep up with the rise of digital journalism and the decreased hegemony of print media.^[13] However, the Code of Ethics and the AFJ's legacy continue to be respected by food journalists following the dissolution. The five core principles outlined by the AFJ have not been rewritten or replaced and continue to constitute the main guidelines food journalists follow.^[14] The five principles are:^[15]

1. "We take pride in our work, and respect the work of others"
2. "We do not abuse our positions"
3. "We avoid conflicts of interest"
4. "We recognize and respect diversity"
5. "We are committed to total transparency in our work"

The James Beard Foundation Award, organized by the James Beard Foundation, first began in 1991 with the mission to "recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields".^[16] In 1992, the journalism and media award was added, which includes awards for excellence in books, broadcast media, and journalism related to food and gastronomy.^[17] The James Beard Foundation Award is often referred to as the 'Oscars' of the culinary industry.^[18]

Within the food journalism category are several sub-awards including Beverage, Columns and Newsletters, Emerging Voice, Dining and Travel, Feature Reporting, Food Coverage in a General Interest Publication, U.S. Foodways, Health and Wellness, Homecooking, Investigative Reporting, Narrative Photography, Personal Essay, Personal Essay with Recipes, and Profile.^[19] Furthermore, there are several categories named after significant figures within the food journalism industry, including the Jonathan Gold Local Voice Award, named after the Los Angeles Food Critic Jonathan Gold, which honours "new writers who are telling stories of their cities and regions".^[20] As well as the Craig Claiborne Distinguished Criticism Award, names after Craig Claiborne, an American food critic for the New York Times^[21] which recognizes "discerning criticism or commentary that contributes to the larger discourse on food, drink, and related topics".^[22] Finally, the MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award, named after American food journalist M. F. K. Fisher who wrote The Art of Eating,^[23] which awards "a single article of exceptional literary merit on the subject of food and/or drink published in any medium".^[24]