how culture influences the consumption and purchase of food in the United States

 how culture influences the consumption and purchase of food in the United States

The consumption of food and the choice of food is generally determined by different factors such as economic determinants, physical determinants, social determinants, biological determinants, and cultural determinants. The food choices, in turn, affect the food chain supply due to their demand. Different cultures and religions, for example, Muslims during certain celebrations such as Ramadhan, barely eat food from restaurants. After the end of their daily fasts, they eat together in their respective places together as a family.  Culture and traditions have a significant influence and the type of food an individual consumes to the point where, if people travel to a foreign country, they tend to look for a place that sells food that they usually eat in their home country. Due to the regular unavailability of such foods, such people may buy a wholesale supply of these foods and store them or regularly go to a restaurant. This paper details how culture influences the consumption and purchase of food in the United States.

The United States is a country where immigrants from almost every part of the world dwell. Each of the ethnic groups usually retains their festivals, customs, and eating traditions, even though they are in America. During times of celebrations and festivals such as the Chinese festivals, individuals regions in the United States that celebrate this festival eat Chinese foods even if they are not of Chinese origin.

Due to such celebrations, various restaurants are put up to meet the needs that arise. Chinese restaurants are about 45,000 across the United States. Another culture that majorly influences food consumption in the United States is Africans. During slavery, the African diet was controlled. Throughout the slavery period, Africans got familiarized with consuming scraps of pork like bacon and foods rich in sodium and fat that are harmful to their health.

Another cultural aspect that influences the consumption of food in the United States is eating trends. These trends affect different age groups, and market strategists push and vouch for these trends. The youth are inclined to how the media portrays how a ‘perfect body’ should look like. The media portrays girls should have slim bodies and men to have muscular bodies. In turn, young adults acquire specific diets to help their bodies get into the ‘perfect body’ shape. More often than not, young adults have the tendency to cut the consumption of fast foods or even cutting on eating at all. For one to attain the perfect shape, most diets recommend vegetables in the diet. The older adults in the United States also have vegetables in their food.

Meet-ups and getting together also affect food consumption, especially in the United States. The people in America have a culture of meeting up with friends to either catch up or attend certain events, especially sports. Most of these events revolved around food. In major baseball games, hot dog vendors sell more than 20 million hot in each season, and this is because most people prefer having hotdogs as the game continues. Family and friends influence the number of food individuals consume. When friends and families meet up, they tend to eat less or more than when they are alone. For example, during celebrations such as Thanksgiving, most Americans consume turkey meat, as is the culture. Research indicates that the types of food that people eat during these gatherings are foods that are rich in protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

The different culture people practice, such as events and various festivals, in turn, affects the food chain supply. The food chain supply in the United States is complicated due to the processes involved in availing the final product to the consumer. Consumers who buy food directly from the farmers are few, but this number is growing. Most times, farmers sell the majority of their produce to first-line handlers. First-line handlers wash, wax, wrap and pack vegetables and fruits. After the first line of handlers, food is passed to wholesalers. Wholesale companies consist of firms that purchase and store the already processed and packed food. From the wholesale companies, the food passes along retail outlets where most of the people in the United States buy their food. Retail food outlets include convenience stores, grocery stores, and vending machines. People who enjoy preparing food at home get food supplies from these stores. On the other hand, there is the food service sector includes fast food outlets, restaurants, and cafeterias for individuals who love food that has already been prepared and served. The foodservice sector represents a large percentage of the retail food supply.

In conclusion, culture influences the consumption of food in the United States. The consumption of food, in turn, affects the food supply chain. In times of events and festivals, people tend to buy their food from retailers, unlike during celebrations where food is bought on wholesale. This paper has detailed the different cultures and the consumption habits of people in the United States. The food supply chain varies in different regions and times. It is, however, essential to note that a more significant percentage of Americans buy their food from retailers.