Food is a great unifying force on Earth.

Not only do humans need food to survive, it also gives structure to our days, offers dining and recreational opportunities, provides employment, and speaks to important societal issues such as food security, hunger, and nutrition.

Women and food make a dynamic duo. These 15 hardworking, innovative, and accomplished women have made great strides in the field of food, whether it's coming up with meals for astronauts to eat in space, operating a 20-acre farm, hosting a food podcast, or fighting for food rights.

Women have always been instrumental in providing nourishment for their families and communities, and they are often at the forefront of this ever-changing global industry.

These 15 women are stellar in their food industry roles as farmers, chefs, food activists, food storytellers, and food scientists.

Ellen Mahoney is a writer and educator from Boulder, Colorado. She is the author of Gandhi for Kids, Nellie Bly and Investigative Journalism for Kids, and coauthor of Earthrise-My Adventures as an Apollo 14 Astronaut, by Edgar Mitchell. Mahoney is an affiliate faculty journalism professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver. She worked as a staff writer/Imagineer for Disney and has published articles in a wide range of publications.