Why Don’t the Innies in Severance Eat Real Meals?

One of the most curious details to me in Severance is the almost complete absence of meals, especially for the innies. While they’re occasionally rewarded with snacks, like melon bars or waffles, we never see them sit down for a proper lunch. Even in the outside world, food seems strangely de-emphasized. This deliberate omission raises a lot of questions about the role of food in the show and whether it serves a deeper symbolic or narrative purpose.

Food for the Innies: Rewards, Not Necessity The innies are occasionally given food, but it’s always tied to performance milestones or rituals rather than hunger. For example...

○ In a Season 2 preview, we catch a glimpse of pineapple bobbing with Helly/Helena adding to the list of strange and ritualistic food-related activities given to the innies

◇ Waffle Party: The waffle party is presented as a coveted reward for meeting quotas. However, it’s less about the food itself and more about the bizarre ritual that follows

□ Melon Bars: These appear to be standard snacks, but even here, there’s an air of control. They’re dispensed by Lumon, reinforcing the company’s grip over every aspect of the innies’ lives

♤ Egg Bar Fruit: In one scene, we see the team eating fruit from the "Egg Bar," but again, it’s more of a casual snack rather than a meal. The fruit feels more like a brief distraction than sustenance.

These examples suggest that food for the innies isn’t about nutrition it’s about rewards and control.

Food for the Outies: Still Minimal Even in the outside world, food is rarely depicted, and when it is, it seems to serve a narrative purpose rather than reflecting everyday life:

◇ Dinner Party at Ricken’s: This is the most prominent example of food in the outside world, but it’s almost entirely absent from the screen. Instead, the focus is on Ricken’s grandiose speeches and philosophies, highlighting the performative and shallow nature of his social gatherings

♤ Mark’s Alcohol Use: While not food, Mark’s heavy drinking outside of work serves as a coping mechanism, reflecting his emotional numbness and lack of fulfillment. It’s notable that alcohol is more prominent than actual meals in his life

♡ Devon’s Pregnancy Cravings: Devon briefly mentions cravings, which is one of the few explicit references to food. However, this is more about her pregnancy than the food itself

Why Don’t We See More Food? The lack of meals in both worlds might symbolize the emptiness and control that defines the characters' lives. For the innies, food is stripped of meaning, reduced to a tool for obedience. For the outies, the absence of food could reflect their emotional detachment and the broader dehumanization imposed by Lumon. The show’s focus on sterile, transactional relationships leaves no room for something as warm and communal as shared meals.

What do you think? Could there be a physiological explanation, like severance suppressing hunger, or is this purely thematic?