What Determines Our Food Choices?

Food Biography List 5 food likes and 5 food dislikes

Choose 1 from each column and explain why

Answer the following questions:

1. Why do you eat? List 3 reasons why you find yourself eating food. What is the purpose of eating?

2. Why do you eat what you eat? What

makes you choose to eat the foods you do? 3. What do you think the difference between appetite and hunger is?

What Determines Food Choices?

AKA. “WHY DO I EAT WHAT I EAT???”

1. Physical Reasons (ex. Hunger, survival, nutrition, senses)

2. Psychological Reasons (ex. Emotions, moods, memories, etc.)

3. Social Reasons (ex. Going to a restaurant)

4. Cultural Reasons (ex. Tradition, religion, custom, environment, exposure)

Other Factors That Influence Food Choices

Hunger vs. Appetite Hunger the body telling you it is in need of food

(physical response) This can sometimes be mistaken with THIRST (body telling

you that you’re becoming dehydrated)

Appetite the desire for food, independent of if it is really necessary or even if you are hungry Can be due to emotions, boredom, habit, etc)

Senses

(illicit a physical response but can also evoke emotions) Taste being the biggest Smell connects to memory, also effects taste Touch think slimy squid, AKA “mouthfeel” Hear (snap crackle pop, pop rocks) Sight beige food = blah

Other Factors That Influence Food Choices

Advertisements

Resources

What do I mean by resources? The objects or qualities that one uses to reach goals

Time

Knowledge

Energy

Money

Ingredients

Skills

What determines food choices?

PHYSICAL NEEDS of Food

Energy to survive: food nourishes our body so that it can perform daily functions

Dietary Needs (football player, vs. senior citizen)

Age

Hunger (impulses from brain)

Food also helps to alleviate some health issues

Calcium = Osterporosis

Vitamin C = Heart Health

Flax Seed = Lowers Cholesterol

Vitamin A = Vision Health

What determines food choices?

Psychological needs Emotions

Experiences

Activity: Word Associations What feelings are evoked by the following words? Carnival

Sick

Summer

Movie

Picnic

Campfire

Football

Airplane

Cafeteria

Comfort Foods

Comfort Foods

Article:

“The Mood-Food Connection”

By Susan Lang

Journal Entry #1: 1. What was the article about? Summarize the main

idea.

2. Do you agree or disagree with this? Why?

3. Include at least two situations that you can

recall someone (or yourself) using food to

provide comfort. (think about movies, real life, tv…)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG5RrbU1IPk

The Fun of Food

Enjoyment Family & Social Ties

Kitchen is the center of the home, often times Eat and discuss over dinner

Food brings people together Special occasions, weddings, birthdays, sporting events,

holidays

Entertainment Restaurants, Festivals, Television Shows

Adventure Trying something new

Comfort Often high in fat or calories and tend to evoke a feeling of

carefree childhood days

Eating Habits

Eating tends to be a learned behavior. Developed eating habits when we are young by watching those around

us.

Do you feel that your eating habits mirror those of your family? Explain why or why not.

Think about: Portion sizes

Snacking behaviors

Etiquette

Food Advertising

http://www.thewvsr.com/adsvsreality.htm http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/advertisingtricks/foodadtricks.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUjz_eiIX8k http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/view/

Food Advertising

Activity: Using food magazines, locate 1 good and 1

bad examples of food advertisements. Questions: 1. What product is the advertisement for? 2. How does it make you feel? (don’t say hungry) 3. What do you like or dislike about this

advertisement? 4. Who do you think this advertisement is

targeted towards? 5. Would you purchase this product (was the

advertisement successful?)

Food & Technology

Food Trends Prolonging the

self life of foods

Nutritional value of foods

Social trends like dual income homes where parents both work Convenience foods

Examples of Food Fads: Energy boosters

“Low, No, Reduced, Free, Light” Recently: Trans Fat, Artificial Sweetener, Organic

Book Assignment

Ch. 1: How Food Affects Life

Pg. 16-30

Complete questions #1-16 on pg. 31

Use COMPLETE sentences unless the question is True/False, Multiple Choice or Completion.