Food items are classified using a variety of methods:
According to cultural origin — in this system, food is grouped based on the culture or species that originated the food or recipe; Based on components — in this system, food is grouped based on its individual components: beans, fungi, fruits, vegetables, meats, and so on; Based on kind — in this system, food is grouped based on how it is prepared or the meal it is associated with: breakfast, dessert, breads, dairy products, pastries, sauces, spreads, and so on; Based on the food creature — in this system, creatures consumed as food are categorized; This represents a top-level category. When possible, attempt to place food items in the appropriate sub-category. Ideally, food items could be classified by each of the initial three methods: cultural origin, components, and kind.