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.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Long before we heard about the dangers of trans fats, we were hearing about the benefits of omega-3s, the polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fatty coldwater fish, such as mackerel, albacore tuna, salmon, sardines, lake trout and, yes, caviar. Omega-3 fatty acids are also found in canola, soy and wal­nut oils.

Omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent blood clots that can cause heart attack and stroke. They also may help prevent hardening of the arteries. Research suggests that a particular omega-3 fatty acid—docosahexaenoic acid or DHA—may have an effect on brain chemistry, development and functioning. Evidence suggests that DHA helps regulate the "feel good" brain chemical serotonin, and some researchers speculate that DHA may have a protective role in degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer's that lead to memory loss and dementia. And it seems that DHA may play a role in stress reduction, too, by suppressing the release of damaging stress hor­mones.

With all this potential good news about fish oil, you might be tempted to take a fish oil capsule, rather than eat the "real thing." But think twice before taking fish oil supplements. They contain a far more potent dose of omega-3 fatty' acids than found naturally in food, and we don't know the long-term effects of such high doses. Getting your omega-3s in Mother Nature's package is not only safer but may be more effective because other nutrients and com­pounds in fish may also have beneficial effects on your health. In addition, substituting fish for fatty meats is an effective way to de­crease saturated fat in your diet.