Factors Influencing

Food Choices
 Why Are You Eating That?


 Factors Influencing Food
Choices
 Physical
 Psychological
 Social
 Cultural
 Resources
 Physical Factors: Health

 Essential to life
 Nutrients are needed for body to
function properly
 To control diseases such as diabetes
 Physical Factors: Health

 Nutrition: Study of nutrients and the

body uses them
 Nutrition: How food choices affect
health
 Benefits of good nutrition: Look your
best, grow properly, and you have
energy
 Physical: Taste

 You enjoy the taste of food

 Source of pleasure
 Physical: Age

 Needs are different throughout the life

cycle
 Physical: Appetite VS Hunger

 Appetite: A natural and healthy desire

for food “Want It”
 Hunger: Body needs food “Need It”
Psychological: Emotional Eating

 Stressed, troubled, bored, or unhappy

 Psychological: Means of
Rewards
 Food for good grades
 Food for good behavior
 Psychological: Food
Associations
Past Experiences
 Reminds you of when you were a child
 Attach importance to an occasion or a
loved one
 Social: Family

 A time for families to prepare and share

meals and time together
 Social: Peer Pressure

 Your friends influence your choices

 Social: Special Occasions

 Holidays, weddings, birthday parties

 Social: Food Fads

 What’s new and trendy?

 Social: Food Fads

 What’s old?
 Social: Lifestyle

 Your way of life

 Activities
 Social: Advertising

 Advertisers want to convince you to buy

their product
 Social: Advertising

 Limited information
 Positive images
 Celebrity endorsement
 Scare tactics
 Studies
 Infomercials
 False claims
 Cultural: National Origin

 Geography
 Staple Foods
 Economics
 Foreign Contacts
 Cultural: Religion

 Hindus do not eat beef

 Jews keep Kosher
 Catholics refrain from meat on certain
days
 Muslims don’t eat nor drink during
daylight hours
 Cultural: Traditions

 Food customs are handed down

 Cultural: Ethnic Customs

 USA is a blend of many ethnic groups

 Pretzels and doughnuts from Holland
 Pizza from Italy
 Tacos from Mexico
 Egg rolls from Asia
 Resources

 Objects and qualities that can help

reach goals
 Resources: Food Supply

 What foods are available

 We may eat more seafood
 Resources: Time

 Time to prepare meals

 Time to shop
 Time to eat
 Resources: Energy

 Electricity or gas
 Personal energy
 Resources: Knowledge

 Knowing how to shop and prepare

meals
 Resources: Skills

 The ability to do something well

 Resources: Money

 The amount of money you have

influences the food you can buy
MEAL PLANNING
Objectives of Meal planning

1. To satisfy the nutritional needs of the family members.

2. To keep expenditure within family food budget.

3. To take into account the food preference of individual

members.

4. Using methods of cooking to retain maximum nutrients.

5. To economize on time, fuel and energy.

6. To serve attractive and appetizing meals.

Factors affecting Meal Planning
 Nutritional adequacy
 Economy
 The facilities and help available
 Satiety Value
 Personal likes and dislikes
 Religion, traditions and customs
 Variety
 Meal Times
Suggestions for Menu Planning

Try to distribute carbohydrates, fats and

proteins throughout the day, so that no
meal has predominance of any kind of
food stuff.
 Use seasonal foods because they are
best in flavour and cheap, however,
avoid giving the same food stuff and
especially in the same meal
 Take care of colour, flavour and texture
by giving contrast in each meal e.g.
keep the colour combination of dishes in
mind while planning the meal.
 There should be a balance between the
dishes
 Include the favourite foods of the family
at different meals, but at the same time
don’t be limited to only these foods and
try to introduce new dishes, so that food
habits can be expanded.