Evaluate The Factors That Influence Food Habits And Culture Essays Example

Food is a very important part of one’s life not only because people can display and bond their culture but also it is a necessity of life. Food habits and culture are influenced by many factors during the long history of humankind. According to (Rodriguez, 2002) food habits are a way for people to indentify themselves.
The people’s methods of eating, the way it was got, stored, thrown away, the form of food consumed refer to the reasons why they do so. There are a few factors that have an influence on people’s culture and food habits, for instance a consumer’s religion, health and a budget. There are also other factors which are cultural and social backgrounds, gender and age. All the above mentioned factors form people’s food habits. Those who have low incomes cannot afford oneself eating in the restaurant and leading a more expensive life therefore the best way out and of course more economical is cooking by yourself at home. Consumers buy food in accordance to their budget and income. Undoubtedly, there a lot of people, who have a strong desire to consume healthy food, but simply cannot afford doing so due to high cost of such food. Therefore because junk food is much cheaper thus affordable many people prefer to eat this kind of food.
According to (Bellisle, 2012) people’s food habits tend to be flexible and seasonal because for instance it is cheaper to buy food that is in season. Also the kind of food which cannot be found easily is more expensive hence many avoid buying it. It is important to point out that food habits are dependable on people’s lifestyle and health. Those who suffer health problems cannot afford eating all the kind of food they want only that is allowed by their special needs and diet. For instance, people who suffer diabetics are more selective with what is bought. Their food habits are obviously different from those of a healthy person.
There are also people who are strict with their lifestyles hence consume only organic food. Different classification of consumers was developed due to lifestyle and health concerns. For instance, there is a wide variety of vegetarians. Some of them do not consume any animal product and others eat them such as milk products and eggs. Other consumers eat only red meat and they do not eat white meat. The fores above classifications were formed due to their concerns about their lifestyle and health.
It can be assumed that food habits are also determined by a person’s social background. A consumer develops its food habits when socializing with others on a usual basis for instance in school or at work. Therefore social surrounding is a factor that influences culture and food habits because a person will eat what is in offer usually. The way the food is prepared and consumed varies in accordance to culture influences and cultural difference. In some religions it is forbidden to consume particular products. For instance, Hindus avoid beef, Muslims and the Jews do not consume pork. Therefore a person’s food habits are influenced and defined by religion. Also, some can consume wine when others are forbidden.
In addition to religious differences a person’s experiences and skills define food preferences. Some people enjoy cooking on their own and have excellent culinary skills. They prefer not to eat at restaurants and rarely consume junk food. On the other side, there are people who do not like cooking hence they tend to eat outside or just buy already prepared products. Our eating habits are also affected by geography which important factor is climate. Different regions with different types of weather make the produce different. For instance, in cold areas the growing season does not have a long duration therefore many products are limited to one cycle. On the other hand, in warm areas, cultivation seasons last up to three or even four cycles per year.
Food habits are determined as regards to beliefs and the knowledge that people have. There is a type of consumers who cares a lot about the nutrients benefits of food while others hold certain beliefs about products. Culture and food habits are also influenced by articles read by a person of a particular interest. Also, it is interesting that a psychological state of a person can be a determinant of food preferences. For example, some people eat lots of sweets when being stressed or angry because it helps them to feel better. Thus a particular food pattern is already developed this way. The lack of time or a very busy day are also the factors that influence food habits and culture because those who work a lot during a day do not have enough time to cook. They prefer eating out or ordering food after a hard day at work because of feeling tired.
We are depended on the society we grew up in and traditions hence there is a result of the choice of food. The food that people are familiar with is what resonates with them usually. Media and advertisement is the factors that influence our food habits. For instance, it is known that red and yellow colors excite hunger and it is McDonalds that uses these colors not in vain for sure. According to (Rodriguez, C. J. 2002) it became very popular to eat healthy food there is an increase in companies offering their merits of nutrition. Cost is obviously an important factor that impacts food habits and culture. Most people think it is expensive to buy whole foods which are veggies and fruits. The last point on this topic many individuals miss is portions.
Considering all the facts above the following conclusion can be made that there are several factors that influence food habits and culture such as economic factors, social factors, geographical factors, religions factors and climate factors as well.

Reference list:

Bellisle. F. (2012). The Determinants of food choice. European Food Information Council. Retrieved from http://www.eufic.org/article/en/expid/review-food-choice/
Pheasant H. (2013). Social, behavioural and other determinants of the choice of diet. Health knowledge. Retrieved from: http://www.healthknowledge.org.uk/public-health-textbook/disease-causation-diagnostic/2e-health-social-behaviour/social-behavioural-determinants
Rodriguez, C. J. (2002). Eating habits. Retrieved from http://www.diet.com/g/eating-habits/
The Fitizen (2013). 6 factors that affect our food choice. Retrieved from: http://www.thefitizen.com/6-factors-that-affect-our-food-choice/