What Influences Food Choice
The many factors behind what people choose to eat: practical factors like cost, time and season, and beliefs like religion, culture and ethics, plus food allergies and intolerances.
Justify the choices, the way you are assessed
Free interactive practice on the decisions the assessment actually asks you to justify.
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Why we choose what we eat
People choose what to eat for many reasons. Some are practical, like cost, time and what is in season. Others come from beliefs, like religion, culture and ethics. Some people must avoid certain foods because of an allergy. This module looks at the many factors that influence food choice.
Food choice words
Learn these four terms before you study food choice.
Practical or belief-based?
The reasons behind food choice split into two broad groups.
Beliefs and food
Religion, culture and personal ethics all shape food choices. Some people avoid certain foods for religious reasons, others for ethical reasons such as animal welfare. A respectful answer says what SOME people of a group choose, rather than treating it as a rule for everyone.
Match the factor
- cost
- time available
- seasonality
- healthy eating
- choosing a cheaper own-brand product
- buying a ready meal on a busy day
- buying strawberries in the summer
- choosing fruit instead of sweets
Match the belief to the food
- many Muslims
- many Jewish people
- many Hindus
- a vegan
- choose halal food and avoid pork
- choose kosher food and avoid pork
- avoid eating beef
- avoids all animal products
Name the factor
Someone buys strawberries in the summer because they are cheaper and fresher then. Which factor is this an example of?
- Seasonality.
- Religion.
- A food allergy.
- Animal welfare.
Ethical choices
Select the TWO ethical reasons someone might choose a food.
- To support fair trade for farmers.
- Because of animal welfare.
- Because it is the cheapest option.
- Because it was the only thing on the shelf.
Deciding what to cook
Put the steps of deciding what to cook for dinner in order, earliest first.
- Check how much money you can spend
- See what food you already have
- Think about your health and beliefs
- Choose and cook the meal
Complete the food choices
Food grown close to home has fewer food _____. A person who eats no meat or fish is a _____. Many Muslims choose halal food and avoid _____. Choosing a cheaper own-brand product is influenced by the _____. Buying strawberries only in summer follows their _____.
Count the factors
The specification names twelve factors that influence food choice. If you can already name eight of them, how many factors are left to name?
Find the allergens
Tap the TWO foods that are common allergens.
- nuts
- rice
- shellfish
- potato
Which kind of influence?
Read each food choice and decide what kind of influence it is.
- Someone buys the cheapest bread because money is tight
- Someone avoids pork because of their religion
- Someone buys only free-range eggs to protect animal welfare
Explain food choice
Explain how different factors can influence what a person chooses to eat. Include one practical factor and one belief-based factor, with an example of each.
- Describe one practical factor with an example
- Describe one belief-based factor with an example
- Explain why two people might make different choices