Breaking Bread: Investigating the Role of Ethnic Food in Potentiating Outgroup Tolerance

This study examines the role of ethnic cuisine as a potential mechanism for fostering outgroup tolerance. Data were collected via a web survey administered to a stratified, nationally representative sample of White adults from the United Kingdom ( N = 1,025). Results showed that greater enjoyment and frequency of ethnic food consumption were significantly associated with lower perceptions of immigrants as cultural and economic threats and with decreased likelihood of voting for anti-immigrant politicians. Mediation analyses further indicated that these associations were largely indirect, operating through increased positive interactions with foreigners. These effects remained robust after controlling for pertinent factors, including right-wing political orientation, selective attention to conservative newspapers, region, settlement type, and minority group friendships. Thus, overall, the findings suggest that exposure to ethnic cuisine may serve as a subtle yet meaningful catalyst for direct intergroup contact, capable of reducing hostility towards immigrants. As such, this study contributes novel theoretical and contextual insights into the social-psychological literature on intergroup contact and conflict.