Factors That Drive Our Food

        Given the variety of food choices that we have available to us, various factors such as cultural background and ethnic origin; religious beliefs and strong ethical principles, taste/flavor, time, convenience, appearance, the availability of different foods, time and money constraints, food promotions/advertisements, smell,/aroma, and preferences and tastes that are shaped during early infancy/childhood, this early influence often shape our whole attitude towards food throughout adult life influence the foods that we choose. Convenience, taste/flavor, appearance, time , smell/aroma, and  money are personal  and environmental factors drive our food choices. The demography, accessibility, and feasibility are environmental factors that drive our food choices. The time constraint and distance make it difficult  to obtain certain foods, and as a result, foods that are readily available are our choices. There are sometimes rare instances when health reasons/purposes are the reasons we choose the foods that we choose. 

THE PRINCIPLES FOR HEALTHY EATING

           There are families who lead such busy lives that members prepare their own meal and then eat it while watching television or on their way out the door to a job. This family will have a different perspective on the role of food than families who regularly sit together and have a well balanced meal. Some dietary customs, for example, Asian foods are mainly based on three main religious groups, Muslims, whose food laws are provided by the Koran and whose staple foo is wheat in the form of chapattis; Hindus, whose main staple food is wheat;  and Sikhs, whose staple foods are wheat and rice.  

            Afro-Caribbean foods include a wide variety of European foods alongside our traditional foods of green bananas, cornmeal, coconut, plantain, yams, and okra. Although, Afro-Caribbean people are mostly Christians, there are a few Rastafarians, who will only eat 'Ital' foods, which are foods considered to be in the natural state. Processed or preserved foods are not consumed by Rastafarians who are mainly vegetarians. 

         Jewish people observe food laws which state that animals and birds must be slaughtered by the Jewish method to be rendered acceptable. Milk and meat must never be cooked or eaten together, and pork is forbidden in any form. Because shellfish are thought to harbor disease, they are not allowed. Vegetarian foods are adopted by some people for a variety of reasons, which include concern for animal welfare, religious and cultural beliefs, ethical beliefs about the use of world/environmental resources, and personal motivations of health and lifestyle. All foods and additives of animal origin are completely excluded by vegans. According to the text, "vegans/vegetarians can be helped in making their food choices based on the USDA Food Patterns. (Sizer, & Whitney, 2012. p. 47). Vegan foods are based on cereals, and cereal products, fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts, and seeds.

            In poverty stricken societies, ideas for increasing the nutritional quality of food, as well as to save money cause people to use less meat and more pulses and lentils in stews and casseroles. Little fat or oils are used in cooking as possible, and people have also cut down on meat and fill up on potatoes, rice, and starchy vegetables. Healthy foods are very expensive, while the fatty, and highly sweetened foods such as pops or sodas are quite cheap, white bread is a lot cheaper than whole wheat bread. Because of fuel cost, it is much cheaper to cook chips than jacket potatoes, also the preparation of healthier foods require skills and facilities, making cooking impractical. "As a result of shopping more carefully to obtain more food for their money, people in lower socioeconomic groups, are more likely to buy foods with high levels of fat and sugar." (Underwood, 2007. p. 84

                                     My Favourite  Foods/ Dominica Foods

The initial food culture of the Caribbean was defined by natural availability (varying island to island) and the use of these foods by indigenous peoples, particularly the Arawak and the Carib people. Native plants included a diversity of species of herbs, fruits, and vegetables, like chili peppers, ananas (pineapples), sweetsop (sugar apple), soursop, rose plum, cassava (yucca), batata (sweet potato), pumpkin, coconut, and mauby (Grossman 27). Native edible animals included the abundance of the ocean such as whelk, conch, shrimp, grouper, lobster, blackfish, tuna, snapper, shark, whale, and dolphin, as well as species of the land, water, and sky such as crawfish, land crab, coney (rabbits), various birds and wild boars (Grossman 27).

References

Samuel, J. D  (2008)New Ethnicities: Caribbean Cuisine and Identity. Retrieved May 5, 2012, from http://www.american.edu/cas/american-studies/food-media-culture/upload/2008-   Samuel-New-Ethnicities.pdf

Sizer, F. S & Whitney, E. N.  (2012). Nutrition Concepts & Controversies (12th. ed. ). Belmont:   Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Underwood, A. (2007). Health and Well-Being in Early Childhood (Ashford University ed. ) United States of America: McGraw- Hill Learning Solutions