Personal Likes What is your favorite food? Maybe it is ice cream because you like its sweet flavor and creamy texture. Perhaps it is a certain candy bar because someone you admire eats it. Some people like foods that they feel give them prestige. Costly foods, such as steak and lobster, are often thought of as prestige foods. Each person’s food likes are very personal. The foods that appeal to one person may not appeal to others. For instance, you may like mushrooms and olives on your pizza. Your best friend might not like these toppings at all. Most people like common foods more than they like exotic foods. Common foods are those they have eaten many times before. Orange juice and hamburgers are common foods in the United States. Exotic foods are new or unusual. Seaweed and snails are exotic foods to many people. Exotic foods can become common if you eat them often. Foods that seem exotic to you may be common to someone living in another area. The reverse is true, too. Culture and family customs influence which foods people regard as common or exotic. Culture Culture is the knowledge, beliefs, religion, and traditions shared by a group of people. Culture teaches a person which foods are proper to eat and which are not. Factors That Affect Food Choices Family Customs Families teach kids meal customs starting at birth. Culture Many cultures have specific views on which foods are appropriate to eat. Lifestyle The amount of money you have affects which foods you can buy. Knowledge Research if a food is right for you to eat. Personal Likes People are more likely to eat a certain food if someone they admire eats it. Environment Food stores in your community affect which foods are available for you to buy. Figure 1.5 Food choices depend on these factors. How have each of these factors affected your food choices this week? Levent Konuk/Shutterstock.com 11 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter 1 Food, Nutrition, and You