The last one of the important determinant of individual’s food choice is technology. The technological advancement has affected our food choice as changes have taken place in production, distribution, preparation and consumptions of food.

They have allowed us to recognize new products such as genetically modified foods in order to reach each individuals need and want. In addition, processed foods such as convenience food have impacted our choice of food dramatically.

When either my sister or i return home from school or university and there is an exam the next day, cooking would take to much of our time and therefore we turn to convenience food where you place it in the microwave and your meal will be prepared in minutes.

In conclusion, as I grew up not holding much knowledge in relation to the appearance, small and flavor of foods, everything seemed new and mysterious. That curiosity has led me to understanding why we need food, why we eat food and the other contributing factors towards food selection patterns.

Psychological is a major factor influencing on our food selection and they may include values, attitudes, emotions, experiences and self concept. From memory, when I am unhappy or in an emotional state, I have a habit of stuffing my face with ice-cream. I was sitting on a bench waiting for my brother after school and I was really upset he was late to pick me up as i have always been afraid of being alone. A teacher had saw me crying so he stopped to see if I was alright, he then mentioned to me that when he was unhappy, he would go and eat something sweet to make him feel happy.

Afterwards, it has become a habit of my own; however, due to my self-consciousness of my weight, I had changed that habit to taking my frustration out in the gym. From this experience I have understood that food creates a feeling of warmth and your mind can strongly influence what you put in your mouth.

Food has always been socially recognised and has influenced food selections in various ways including factors such as culture, traditions, lifestyle, employment, education, geographic location and peers. During times of illness, it has been a cultural tradition to eat more porridge and soup as it was believed to be the best cure because when you are sick, you tend to not want to eat proper foods and since porridge and soup is a liquid substance, it is easily digested and swallowed.

Also, in previous years living in rural areas was a disadvantage as when the fruit and vegetables had arrived, they were not considered fresh, however not long, transportation became more efficient and products were fresh. I grew up in a small town so food selection was limited; however technology today has advanced so incredibly, when you walk down to the supermarkets, there is a wide range of foods to choose from.

The selection of foods in my family are influenced by numerous factors and questions as to who eats it, what we enjoy to eat, physiological and psychological factors, the media, cultural and social expectations and the advance in technology.

Physiological factors affecting my family’s food selection include hunger, thirst, our reactions to foods and the desire to eat and try new foods.

Referring back to the time I was young, I was always tempted to try new food as my father is a chef and enjoyed experimenting new ways of presenting foods. The appearance immediately gained my attention and the creative arrangement of the dish stimulated my appetite.

From my earliest childhood memory, my parents have always enjoyed the fresh taste of seafood and my siblings consisting of three brothers and a sister has always been meat eaters. As my brothers love all sorts of meat, my sister has an allergy towards prawns and I have always loved spicy foods and the taste seafood up until the stage one day, I ate so much lobster I threw up.

Today, I enjoy eating more fruit and vegetables as I have become highly concerned of my weight and because of this reason I had become a vegetarian for over a year, unfortunately, my body began to crave for meat and my mind soon gave in to my body.

The media has impacted negatively towards my family’s food selection as famous celebrities and models has developed an ideal image for the female body as being slim and are promoting products and diets to help us become thin. My parents are against this attitude as they believe being skinny is not the same as being fit and healthy. They encourage us to skip meals and exercise more often; however, we believe consuming less salt, sugar and fats and more fruit and vegetables is more appropriate.

At the age of twelve, I was once under the influence of the media, they were promoting diets pill to shed weight quick and easy, however I did not understand it was not the best and healthiest way to lose weight and i bought the pills. I eventually became overly obsessed with my weight and consumed more than recommended and fell ill vomiting all night.

Food Selection Patterns provides vivid insight into an individuals eating habit over a period of time and allows us to view at contributing factors to food selection patterns including physiological, psychological and social factors.

Within the household, rice has certainly been our main significant resource in life as it provides enough energy for us to cope through the day. It is also well known as a ’staple food’ throughout all Asian countries as well as being socially accepted throughout the world.

Over the past several years, a healthy diet has become an importance to my family due to the fact that a genetic disease does exist. Although in previous years it has been passed down to the males only, my parents have stated their concern and at present, less oil and less salt has become a healthy habit during cooking. However, once in a while we have a habit of calling take-away or go to a restaurant to eat if no one has prepared dinner.

Skipping breakfast can be harmful to your health. People usually skip breakfast because they wake up too late, there in too much of a hurry to catch the bus to school, or they’re not hungry in the morning. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

The most common reasons for skipping breakfast is because they wake up too late, they’re in a hurry, or they’re just not a morning person. Waking up too late could be because they don’t go to sleep until very late. They should try going to bed earlier or set something to eat to run out the door with. People that are in a hurry should also put something out like a granola bar. People who aren’t morning people should pack something to eat later in the day.

Skipping breakfast can cause health problems. Skipping breakfast can cause tooth decay, give you a lower energy level, and can make you lose focus on your schoolwork. Skipping breakfast can also hurt you in the long run. Because you can get tooth decay, it can cause cavities and make you spend money on fill-ins. Because you have a lower energy level, you won’t perform 100% in sports. If you lose focus on your school work, it can lower your grade in that class. Skipping breakfast can cause many long and short term problems.

Not eating breakfast can affect your energy level, give you tooth decay, and affect your schoolwork. Try and grab something to eat if you’re in a rush and make it nutritious. Always eat breakfast, because it’s the most important meal of the day.