The influence of social and cultural factors on food choices – A Level Food Studies CAIE Revision

Section 1: Social Factors

Social factors involve the influence of family, friends and peer group, and their impact on an individual’s food selection.
Family traditions and ways of living greatly influence food habits and preferences. Family meals may involve traditional or heritage recipes that have been passed down through generations.
Peer pressure can also play a strong role, especially in adolescent food choices, where the need for acceptance may result in following similar dietary habits as friends.
Maternal employment can influence the time available for meal preparation, which might lead to an increase in convenience and fast food consumption.
The social media’s influence on promoting certain types of food, diets, or eating habits can significantly impact food choices. This includes trendy diets or food aesthetics.

Section 2: Cultural Factors

Cultural factors include the influence of ethnicity, religion, and certain traditional practices that shape food choices.
Religious beliefs may dictate specific dietary practices. For example, Hinduism encourages vegetarianism while Islam and Judaism have specific restrictions and food preparation methods (Halal, Kosher).
Ethnicity can shape food habits, for example, staple foods differ across cultures – rice is predominant in Asian cultures while wheat-based products are common in European cultures.
Certain cultures use food as part of rituals, celebrations, or ceremonies which can influence the types of food consumed.
The concept of ‘comfort food’ can also be linked to cultural influence as these are often foods associated with childhood or cultural tradition.

Section 3: Socio-economic Factors

Socio-economic class includes income level, education level, and occupation, which can influence food choices.
Income level can determine access to a variety of quality food. Higher income levels usually have better access to fresh produce and high-quality proteins, while low income might result in reliance on cheap, processed food, high in sugar and fat.
Education level can impact the understanding of nutrition, thus affecting food choices. Those with more education might have a broader understanding of nutritional requirements and make food choices accordingly.
Acceptance and knowledge of foreign foods is often higher in higher socio-economic groups, this is known as ‘culinary capital’.

Section 4: Environmental and Geographical Factors

Food choices can be influenced by availability and accessibility of food. This varies based on geographical location, seasons, climate, and the proximity to supermarkets or farmers markets.
Regions with a predominantly agricultural economy might have more consumption of plant-based diets.
Coastal areas or islands would traditionally rely heavily on seafood as part of their diet.
Climate and seasons also dictate food choices, for example, warm weather encourages the production and consumption of light vegetables, salads, and fruits while cold weather might increase the intake of heavy, hearty meals.

These societal, cultural, economic, and environmental factors are interrelated and together they shape an individual’s food preferences and habits.