Free Drawing in Food Research: an art-based method for consumer meaning and perception

Free Drawing is an emerging visual and projective method that enables participants to externalize their perceptions, emotions, and symbolic associations with foods through spontaneous drawings rather than verbal descriptions. Initially rooted in educational and psychological research, it has gained growing attention in food and consumer science for its ability to reveal implicit meanings of eating, health, and sustainability. This review provides the first integrative synthesis of Free Drawing applications in food-related studies, covering children, adolescents, and adults across educational, consumer, and exploratory contexts. In educational settings, drawings have been used to explore children’s perceptions of school meals, food preferences, and conceptual understanding, highlighting how affective, social, and cognitive factors shape food representations. In consumer research, Free Drawing has captured symbolic, emotional, and market-driven dimensions of food perception, with participants visually expressing brand cues, product familiarity, and cultural differences in dietary meanings. Recent studies further demonstrate its potential in sustainability and interdisciplinary education, where drawings reveal mental models and systemic connections within food–environment relationships. While Free Drawing promotes inclusivity, engagement, and emotional depth, challenges persist in coding consistency, developmental adaptation, and cross-study comparability. Advancing standardized analytical frameworks and digital instruments, such as tablets and whiteboards, may consolidate Free Drawing as a robust methodological bridge between sensory, educational, and cultural dimensions of food perception. • Free Drawing accesses implicit and emotional dimensions of food perception. • It expands visual elicitation across nutrition, sensory, and consumer research. • The method enhances the inclusion of children and individuals with writing difficulties. • Free Drawing complements Free Listing by adding spatial and symbolic information. • Standardization and digital integration are key future methodological challenges.