We hear it from a young age, “Don’t play with your food.” Mostly, it is about not making a mess for others to clean up, but it is also a reminder that food is a gift and resource not to be squandered. To be sure, we had our share of fun most times when food was integral to a gathering. It is a habit that grows with us into adulthood. Cliches abound regarding how to get the youngest among us to eat all their food rather than waste it. Meals become a game at times, a test of wills on other occasions.

Does it really matter whether a banana is served whole or in small slices? No, but we discovered...