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.

As you think about adding more plant-based foods to your diet, aim for balance and variety. Include a number of different types of foods—like whole grains, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, cru­ciferous vegetables, to name a few. Within each category, go for va­riety so you get the full benefit of all the nutrients these foods offer. For example, there is much more to citrus fruit than oranges and grapefruit. Don't stop at spinach and broaden your horizons be­yond brown rice. Here are some tips for adding more fruits, veg­etables and grains to your daily fare.

- Substitute vegetables for the meat in lasagna and other pasta recipes. Rich-tasting Portobello mushrooms, for example, have a "meaty" texture. Add vegetables to marinara sauce.

- Double your normal serving-size of vegetables.

- Add cooked lentils and beans to salads.

- Add chopped, firm tofu to salads, soups, stir-fries and pasta sauces.

- Start your day with two fruits—for example, orange, grape­fruit or tomato juice and a sliced banana on cereal or toast.

- Make ice cubes of fruit juice and add them to sparkling water.

- Bake, stew or poach apples, pears or peaches with cinnamon, cloves and honey.

- Instead of jelly, add grated apple or chopped dates to a peanut-butter sandwich.

- Cook grains in fruit juice or vegetable juice instead of water.

- Experiment with new grains. Quinoa, for example, is a good source of calcium. Use it instead of rice. Millet, which is high in B vitamins and iron, is good in stuffing and casseroles.

- Plan grains into every meal—for example, hot or cold cereal in the morning, whole-grain bread at lunch, brown rice or an­other grain at dinner.
 

When you are buying fresh products, seasonal fruits and vegeta­bles usually are your best choice—for nutrition, taste and cost. But don't dismiss frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. Nutrition­ally, they are often comparable to their fresh counterparts. Frozen spinach, canned peaches and apricots, and canned tomatoes are some examples.