Chapter 1
How Food Affects Life
Part 1
The Importance of Food
Objective
• Explain how the search for food led to the
development of civilization.
See final slide for photo credit
History of Food
• Early people ate food raw.
• Accidentally discovered cooked food tasted
better and was easier to digest.
• Learned to control fire and use it to prepare
food
The History of Food
• Early people searched
for food to survive.
• People formed tribes to
hunt together.
• Farming and herding
evolved and the food
became more reliable.
• People learned crafts
and trading began.
The Migration of Food
• People searched for
food in distant places.
• Explorers introduced
foods in new lands.
• European countries
established colonies
and empires grew.
 What foods do you eat that
came from other countries?
Objective
• Use the steps of the decision-making
process to make food choices.
Making Choices
About Foods
How often do you ask yourself such questions as:
• What should I eat?
• When should I eat?
• Where should I eat?
The Decision-Making
Process
1. State the decision to
be made.
2. List your alternatives.
3. Weigh the pros and
cons of each
alternative.
4. Make a decision and
act on it.
5. Evaluate your
decision.
Apply It!
Your family is expecting dinner in 30
minutes, and it’s your turn to cook. There
are some chicken breasts in the refrigerator.
 Use the steps of the decision-making process to
determine what you will serve for dinner.
Objective
• Describe how food relieves hunger and
improves wellness.
Food Meets Physical Needs
• Food eases hunger
• Food affects your overall state of health
Food Relieves Hunger
• Hunger is the physical need for food
• Appetite is psychological desire to eat
• Your appetite has a greater influence on
your food choices
Food Relieves Hunger
When you eat, your
brain receives a
message that your
physical need for
food has been met.
 When do you usually feel
hungry?
Food Improves Wellness
Food helps you
• grow and develop
physically
• manage mental
stress
• feel strong and
energetic in social
relationships
Objective
• Outline cultural, social, and psychological
influences on food choices.
Cultural Influences on
Food Choices
• National origin
• Religion
• Holidays
Social Influences on
Food Choices
•
•
•
•
Family
Friends
Mass media
Food product
trends
Hot Trends for Restaurants
1. Locally sourced meats and seafood
2. Locally grown produce
3. Environmental sustainability
4. Healthful kids’ meals
5. Natural ingredients/minimally
processed food
Psychological Influences
on Food Choices
Food can
• connect with emotions
• appeal to the senses
• provide a creative outlet
 How do you feel when you eat your favorite food?
Objective
• Food Fads and Fallacies
Food Fallacies and Fads
• Fallacies are
mistaken beliefs
• Fallacies lead to
fads – practices that
are popular for a
short time
• Fads are often
related to food
Objective
• Product Trends
Objective
• List factors that affect the food supply.
Product trends are consumer
driven
• Functional Foods – have additional health
benefits. Example: Blueberries have
antioxidants
• Convenience: Consumers like to cook but
do not have time – need convenience foods
• Great taste – consumers will not give up
taste for health or convenience
Factors That Affect the
Food Supply
• Agriculture affects
the costs and
availability of foods.
• Environment affects
what crops grow
best in a given
region.
Government and
Economics
• Government policies
and laws affect food
production, processing,
packaging, and
transportation.
• The economic law of
consumer supply and
demand affects the
variety and prices of
foods offered for sale.
Technology Affects the
Food Supply
• Nutrient content
• Availability
• Safety
 What new food products have you seen on
the market as a result of technology?
Key Question
How does food affect your life?
Other Questions to
Consider
• How does advertising affect food choices?
• What food product trends are you seeing in the
marketplace?
• What role does economics play in the problem of world
hunger?
Photo Credits
The image used herein was obtained from
IMSI’s Master Photos Collection
1895 Francisco Blvd. East
San Rafael, CA 94901-5506