Factors affecting food choices Chapter 2 Factors affecting food choices

Food is a reflection of culture

Culture and food Culture refers to the beliefs and social customs of a group of people. It affects all aspects of your life, from where you live, to how you dress and to what you eat.

Culture is never static Culture changes slowly over time. For instance, in recent years, much information about health and nutrition has been introduced. This has caused people to become much more health conscience. People are more like to spend their money on healthy food and exercise equipment.

Historical link If you have ever researched your family tree you will see that many of us have our roots based in other cultures like Europe, Asia, and Africa. When settlers from these different area arrived in North America they brought with them wheat, barley, oats, and rye. As well as their ethnicity and food customs.

Ethnic influences Some of the food you choose to eat may be based on your ethnic group. Groups of people who share common blood ties, land ties, or racial and religious similarities are called ethnic groups.

Regional influences You may choice to eat some foods because they are popular in your region. This is because each region reflects different ethnic heritages and each heritage is typified by different foods.

Social influences on food Have you ever noticed food seems to taste better when you share it with people you know and like. Food often plays a role in social relationships with family members and friends.

Family The family has a major influence on the diets of young eaters. You no doubt formed many of your beliefs about food when you were much younger. By watching family members, you learned about table manners and how to eat certain foods. You learned about food traditions for holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions. You also probably adopted some of your food likes and dislikes of your family members.

Families are never static More families are headed by single working parents Many dual-worker families have more income at their disposal The average family size is smaller Family members are increasingly mobile

Friends influence Your friends and peers play a major role in determining what, where, and when you eat. Have you ever noticed that your friends like many of the same foods you like? Popular foods for teens include pizza, tacos, hamburgers, French fries, milk shakes, and soft drinks.

Friends continued Anywhere people gather you are likely to find food. Sports arenas, movie theatres, parties, church gatherings, and even the shopping mall are good examples of where food can be found around crowds of people.

Status of food Some times people choice foods to tell a story about their social status. Social status is identified by a persons position in the community. Power and wealth influence social status. What would you consider a status food?

Status foods

Media The media is a strong social influence on the food choices. People may choose to prepare foods in a way shown on television, in a news paper, or in a magazine. They may choose to buy foods reported to have certain health benefits. Research show that children view in excess on 22 000 commercials in a year. They become socialized to want the foods they see advertised.

Emotions affect food choices People use food to do more than satisfy physical hunger. Many people choose to eat or avoid certain foods for emotional reasons. Emotional responses to food Using food to deal with emotions Food used for rewards or punishment Individual preferences affect food choices

Agriculture and land use Food production is plentiful when important resources are available to grow crops. These resources include; Fertile soil Adequate water supply Favorable climate Technical knowledge Human energy

Technology and food Technology is the application of a certain body of knowledge. Modern farming machinery, faster food processing systems, and rapid transportation are all examples of technological advances. Aseptic packaging is a process of packing sterile food into sterile containers in a sterile environment.

Nutrition Knowledge Affects Food Choices One factor that influences your food choices is how much you know about nutrition. Certain foods have magical powers. T or F Taking vitamins and mineral pills eliminates the need for nutritious food. T or F Foods grown without chemical pesticides have greater nutritional value than other food. T or F Certain foods can cure disease. Tor F