There's personal preferences, of course. Taste! Flavor! And what are the two most common preferences? Sugary sweetness (mmm, vegan cupcakes...) and salty savoriness (and some of us want these two at the same time)! There are other particular personal preferences like spicy, or high-fat (thinking vegan cupcakes again--maybe I should go eat one right now...). There's also some research out there that hints at genetics having an influence in the tastes a person prefers or dislikes. I know I've got some friends who absolutely can't stand sugary sweets (I wish I could count myself as one). I can't particularly stand the flavor of cilantro or celery.
Another influence is habit. Sometimes this is something that's just been eaten for so long that it has become more habit than anything else. For example, if you grew up with a hot bowl of oatmeal everyday for your breakfast, and now that's what you still eat daily for breakfast. It might be that it's just easier to do this than have to think and figure out what to eat for breakfast all the time. And, if it works, why fix it? Right? What if it doesn't work? What if your food habit is two chocolate toaster pastries for breakfast or a Texas size donut with a 16oz cup of coffee with cream & sugar? Sigh. Not so good.
Your ethnic heritage or tradition can also influence the foods you prefer, but I'm sure you knew this one. You tend to continue eating what you were raised eating. And the "American diet" is basically a mixture of many ethnic foods from all parts of the world. I grew up with mostly Portuguese foods but we ordered out or went out to eat a few times a month and it usually was burgers & fries, pizza, or Chinese food.
Social interactions have also a "hand in the cookie jar" when it comes to choosing our foods. Social events are ALWAYS chock full of foods, usually not of the healthy variety either. Think about it - Thanksgiving? Valentine's Day? How about when you go on a date? As a woman, I know that most of us are so nervous on a first date that going out to dinner sometimes may not be the best idea and so we choose lighter options (this is completely different after the first few dates and then a whole other ballpark once you're married, just thought I'd share that).
But here are three major hitters in the game of food influencing - Availability, Convenience, & Economy! People want fast and they want it now! Oh, & make it cheaper AND bigger - more bang for the buck! If you need any evidence of this, go hang out at a fast food restaurant for awhile. Unfortunately, these are probably the worse of the bunch when it comes to influencing people's food choices. Even if they decide to prepare their own meals, a lot of people want to be able to fix a whole meal in 15 to 20 minutes, which means choosing unhealthier, corner-cutting options like canned soups or other semi-prepared ingredients. But here's a question: a banana or a candy bar? Both can be carried and eaten on the run, but which would you choose (assuming you even like bananas)? Hint: one has more vitamins and minerals while the other offers "empty" fat & calories.
Have kids? Have you ever used food as a positive or negative reinforcement for behavior? Think real carefully about this one. Personally, I hate to admit it, but I did use this one on my kids...*sad sigh*. Hot dogs, burgers from the BBQ, grilled corn-on-the-cob, ice cream cones, cotton candy - what do these foods bring to your mind? They remind me of good times, of going to a carnival, of summer trips to the beach, of hanging out with friends and family. Were you ever forced to eat something you didn't like when you were a kid because "it's good for you and you're going to eat it! We're not made of money, you know!"?
Oh my, the other heavy weight in this list is - emotional comfort. Do you eat when you're: happy? stressed? sad? bored? anxious? lonely? tired? in pain? We try to fix ourselves with food a lot because, in part, foods can influence the brain's chemistry and the mind's response. It could be temporary but, nonetheless, that time frame is a pleasant one that sometimes has us going back for more.
People's beliefs and values can also influence their food choices. Certain religions have food restrictions or strict guidelines. Some people choose to avoid certain foods based on other things like causes (migrant workers, animals' rights, environment, etc.).
There are a few people who do make their choices based on body weight and image. The person who wants to be at a specific weight or has a certain image to either attain or maintain might make food decisions to accommodate these goals.
Appropriately, the next influence is nutrition and health benefits. (Yay! Finally! Okay, this is only one of the food influences in my life.) This is the category of choosing foods that will benefit one's health, such as whole grains, more green leafy vegetables, fruit, etc.
All in all, people choose foods for a variety of reasons and don't just stick to any one category. No matter the reasons, what we choose to eat influences our health, good or bad. The balance of foods that we choose over time is what makes an important difference to our health. Maybe it's time we shifted our minds away from watching so many gourmet food shows and start thinking of food as nutrition again...not art, not a palate of sensual delights...just nutrition. Ya, I guess that'll happen when certain foods stop tasting so darn good! :D
(Information derived from textbook "Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition". This is my way of taking notes :D )
August 29, 2011 - Also, as my good friend, Val, reminded me earlier today, the media also plays a HUGE part in influencing our food choices, don't you think? Food is everywhere... billboards, TV commercials, magazine ads, in-show ads, etc.
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