Influences on Food Choices

1
Influences on Food Choices

• or

2
Internal Influences

• Physical Needs hunger, nutritional
  requirements, activity level,
• Psychological Needs appetite, emotions or
  feelings
• Personal Food Preference taste
• Knowledge of nutrition healthy eating

3
External Food Choices

• Food availability whats for dinner? Growing
  seasons
• Advertising claims improved health
• Social settings family meals, school lunch,
  football game
• Society culture ethnic traditions, religious
  beliefs (lent), family traditions
• Individual family income
• Time of day

4
Advertising Techniques

• Promise of better health, more energy, more
  physically fit
• Promise of better looks sex appeal
• Promise of better performance better athlete,
  better on the job
• Endorsements athletes, movie stars, experts
• Increased enjoyment fun, makes you happy, tastes
  good
• Promotes social standing increases status,
  makes you popular

5
Making the Menu fit the Family

• Nutrient calorie needs vary depending on age,
  sex, body size activity level
• You do not have to plan different meals for
  everyone choose from all food groups and adjust
  servings
• Provide larger or smaller portions
• Provide snacks for those who need additional
  servings

6
Tips for planning

• Toddlers young children serve same variety
  but in smaller amounts, offer meal foods as
  snacks (vegetable sticks, ½ sandwich), need high
  calorie foods such as whole milk
• Children energy needs vary, if they need more
  calories increase of servings, go easy on fats
  sweets
• Teenagers all need 3 serving of milk, cheese
  yogurt, need all food groups, watch fat sweets
  (soda!!!), more physical activity instead of
  dieting

7

• Adults of all ages between 1600- 2000 calories,
  moderate fat sugars, regular exercise is
  important allows person to eat more food
  without gaining weight
• People w/ special needs pregnant or
  breastfeeding mothers need 3 servings of milk,
  eat more fruits, vegs meat, need a multivitamin
• Older people variety of foods, less sugar, fat
  alcohol, medications may have affect