Why We Eat What We Eat: Social and Environmental Influences on Food Choices

Any two: family, culture or faith, friends/peers, media and marketing, body image messages.

Any two: cost, access (stores, school food), time and skills, where you live, the natural environment/seasons.

Using healthy-sounding words or images ("natural", "made with real fruit") to make a product seem healthier than it is.

Examples: strawberries in June, corn in August, apples in fall, maple syrup in early spring, squash in fall.

Because it must be shipped long distances (often by plane), which adds cost.

Examples: plan meals, use leftovers, store food properly, buy only what you need, compost scraps.

False. Social and environmental factors have a big influence.

Examples: celebrities/influencers, cartoons, health halo words, limited-time offers, value deals, sponsorship.

Not having reliable access to enough food because of money or other barriers.

A refillable bottle of tap water (less packaging and transport).

Canada's Food Guide.

Many cultural food traditions include vegetables, legumes and whole grains, home cooking and shared meals, which match the Food Guide's advice. Culture also gives food meaning and connection (spiritual and social well-being).

Check the Nutrition Facts table and ingredient list. "Made with whole grains" may mean only a little whole grain; the cereal might be high in sugars and low in fibre. The front is marketing; the table is information.

It links a sugary drink with fitness, fun and team pride, which can make kids want it more, even though it doesn't support health or performance. Kids see the logo often, which builds brand loyalty.

Busy people with few cooking skills often rely on fast food or highly processed foods. Solutions: learn a few quick recipes, batch-cook on weekends, keep easy healthy foods on hand (eggs, canned beans, frozen vegetables, whole grain wraps).

Examples: imported foods travel long distances (fuel); lots of packaging creates garbage; food waste in landfills releases greenhouse gases as it breaks down; plant protein usually uses less land and water than most animal protein.

Model: put fruit and water at the front of the line and at eye level; give healthy items fun names and student-made posters; have student athletes promote the water station; offer a value deal (e.g. fruit cup + milk); run taste tests; post a "local food of the month". This uses placement, influencers, deals and fun, but for healthier choices.

Helpful: recipe videos teach cooking skills; posts about cultural foods and plant-based meals; reliable health accounts. Harmful: paid influencers selling energy drinks or supplements; "what I eat in a day" posts and diet trends that promote restricting or body comparison; constant food ads. Response: follow reliable sources, ask who benefits, notice how posts make you feel, unfollow accounts that push unhealthy body ideals.

Traditional foods (like fish, moose, caribou, berries and wild rice) are often very nutritious, connect people to land, culture, language and Elders, and can be more reliable than costly shipped store food in remote communities. Food sovereignty means communities decide about their own food systems: harvesting, sharing and protecting the land and water that provide food. This supports physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.