Factors That Drive Our Food Choices

By: Jessica Hudson

There are four main factors that drive our food choices. These factors include: social, psychological, philosophical, and physical. 

Social

Social gatherings can directly influence the types of foods that are chosen. My husband and I are big football fans. I am a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and he is a Philadelphia Eagles fan, and we are both from Tennessee. Makes sense right? Back on track, a social connection would be having our friends over to our house for a football game. At the gathering, everyone is directed to bring a dish, and we have a pot luck dinner. Everyone wants the people at the party to try their food in hopes that they like it. Social pressure is a big factor that drives our food choices in a daily basis.

Psychological 

There are many psychological factors that drive our food choices. When a person is stressed or moody, they may consume foods that they believe make them feel better even if they are unhealthy choices. A friend of mine has been married for about three years now and has been desperately trying to conceive a baby. After many tests and tries, they were informed that they will probably not conceive a baby on their own. My heart breaks for her. During her journey, she became depressed and began eating unhealthy foods because they made her feel better for a moment. She would eat chips, cookies, candy, cokes, or anything that made her "feel better" for a little while. Psychological factors are strong in determining what type of foods that we eat. It is important that we try to overcome these feelings and stick to foods that are well-bananced in nutrients. To this day, she is in a constant battle with her food choices because this behavior has became a habit for her. 

Philosophical

A philosophical factor that might influence food choices is advertisement. Restaurants are being advertised through many outlets in today's society. When a person hears a specific restaurant being advertised, this food idea will become stuck in their head. For example, I heard a commercial on T.V the other day about a new type of ice cream available at Diary Queen. In all honesty, I have been craving Diary Queen ever sense I heard this commercial. Last night I finally broke down and got ice cream. Advertising is a powerful tool when it comes to influencing food choices. Personally, I believe that restaurants take advantage of this tool when it comes to food choices. 

Physical

A physical factor that might influence food choices in convenience. Fast food and sit down restaurants offer convenience. Families will be served their food in a timely manner with little to not clean up. Dimitri and Rogus (2014) suggest, “Food eaten at home depends upon the availability of nutritious food at stores such as supermarkets, grocery stores, and smaller convenience stores, while food eaten away from home is dependent upon available choices, time to eat, and affordability of choices at restaurants, fast-food outlets, and schools” (p. 20).Convenience was a big factor in my house growing up, as it is in many families across the United States. 

 

Reference

Dimitri, C., & Rogus, S. (2014). FOOD CHOICES, FOOD SECURITY, AND FOOD POLICY. Journal Of International Affairs, 67(2), 19-31.

Photos Retrieved from Google.