food choices essay

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Healthy food choices are happy food choices: Evidence from a real life sample using smartphone based assessments

Deborah r. wahl.

Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany

Karoline Villinger

Laura m. könig, katrin ziesemer, harald t. schupp, britta renner, associated data.

The dataset generated and analysed during the current study is available from the corresponding authors on reasonable request.

Research suggests that “healthy” food choices such as eating fruits and vegetables have not only physical but also mental health benefits and might be a long-term investment in future well-being. This view contrasts with the belief that high-caloric foods taste better, make us happy, and alleviate a negative mood. To provide a more comprehensive assessment of food choice and well-being, we investigated in-the-moment eating happiness by assessing complete, real life dietary behaviour across eight days using smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment. Three main findings emerged: First, of 14 different main food categories, vegetables consumption contributed the largest share to eating happiness measured across eight days. Second, sweets on average provided comparable induced eating happiness to “healthy” food choices such as fruits or vegetables. Third, dinner elicited comparable eating happiness to snacking. These findings are discussed within the “food as health” and “food as well-being” perspectives on eating behaviour.

Introduction

When it comes to eating, researchers, the media, and policy makers mainly focus on negative aspects of eating behaviour, like restricting certain foods, counting calories, and dieting. Likewise, health intervention efforts, including primary prevention campaigns, typically encourage consumers to trade off the expected enjoyment of hedonic and comfort foods against health benefits 1 . However, research has shown that diets and restrained eating are often counterproductive and may even enhance the risk of long-term weight gain and eating disorders 2 , 3 . A promising new perspective entails a shift from food as pure nourishment towards a more positive and well-being centred perspective of human eating behaviour 1 , 4 , 5 . In this context, Block et al . 4 have advocated a paradigm shift from “food as health” to “food as well-being” (p. 848).

Supporting this perspective of “food as well-being”, recent research suggests that “healthy” food choices, such as eating more fruits and vegetables, have not only physical but also mental health benefits 6 , 7 and might be a long-term investment in future well-being 8 . For example, in a nationally representative panel survey of over 12,000 adults from Australia, Mujcic and Oswald 8 showed that fruit and vegetable consumption predicted increases in happiness, life satisfaction, and well-being over two years. Similarly, using lagged analyses, White and colleagues 9 showed that fruit and vegetable consumption predicted improvements in positive affect on the subsequent day but not vice versa. Also, cross-sectional evidence reported by Blanchflower et al . 10 shows that eating fruits and vegetables is positively associated with well-being after adjusting for demographic variables including age, sex, or race 11 . Of note, previous research includes a wide range of time lags between actual eating occasion and well-being assessment, ranging from 24 hours 9 , 12 to 14 days 6 , to 24 months 8 . Thus, the findings support the notion that fruit and vegetable consumption has beneficial effects on different indicators of well-being, such as happiness or general life satisfaction, across a broad range of time spans.

The contention that healthy food choices such as a higher fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with greater happiness and well-being clearly contrasts with the common belief that in particular high-fat, high-sugar, or high-caloric foods taste better and make us happy while we are eating them. When it comes to eating, people usually have a spontaneous “unhealthy = tasty” association 13 and assume that chocolate is a better mood booster than an apple. According to this in-the-moment well-being perspective, consumers have to trade off the expected enjoyment of eating against the health costs of eating unhealthy foods 1 , 4 .

A wealth of research shows that the experience of negative emotions and stress leads to increased consumption in a substantial number of individuals (“emotional eating”) of unhealthy food (“comfort food”) 14 – 17 . However, this research stream focuses on emotional eating to “smooth” unpleasant experiences in response to stress or negative mood states, and the mood-boosting effect of eating is typically not assessed 18 . One of the few studies testing the effectiveness of comfort food in improving mood showed that the consumption of “unhealthy” comfort food had a mood boosting effect after a negative mood induction but not to a greater extent than non-comfort or neutral food 19 . Hence, even though people may believe that snacking on “unhealthy” foods like ice cream or chocolate provides greater pleasure and psychological benefits, the consumption of “unhealthy” foods might not actually be more psychologically beneficial than other foods.

However, both streams of research have either focused on a single food category (fruit and vegetable consumption), a single type of meal (snacking), or a single eating occasion (after negative/neutral mood induction). Accordingly, it is unknown whether the boosting effect of eating is specific to certain types of food choices and categories or whether eating has a more general boosting effect that is observable after the consumption of both “healthy” and “unhealthy” foods and across eating occasions. Accordingly, in the present study, we investigated the psychological benefits of eating that varied by food categories and meal types by assessing complete dietary behaviour across eight days in real life.

Furthermore, previous research on the impact of eating on well-being tended to rely on retrospective assessments such as food frequency questionnaires 8 , 10 and written food diaries 9 . Such retrospective self-report methods rely on the challenging task of accurately estimating average intake or remembering individual eating episodes and may lead to under-reporting food intake, particularly unhealthy food choices such as snacks 7 , 20 . To avoid memory and bias problems in the present study we used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) 21 to obtain ecologically valid and comprehensive real life data on eating behaviour and happiness as experienced in-the-moment.

In the present study, we examined the eating happiness and satisfaction experienced in-the-moment, in real time and in real life, using a smartphone based EMA approach. Specifically, healthy participants were asked to record each eating occasion, including main meals and snacks, for eight consecutive days and rate how tasty their meal/snack was, how much they enjoyed it, and how pleased they were with their meal/snack immediately after each eating episode. This intense recording of every eating episode allows assessing eating behaviour on the level of different meal types and food categories to compare experienced eating happiness across meals and categories. Following the two different research streams, we expected on a food category level that not only “unhealthy” foods like sweets would be associated with high experienced eating happiness but also “healthy” food choices such as fruits and vegetables. On a meal type level, we hypothesised that the happiness of meals differs as a function of meal type. According to previous contention, snacking in particular should be accompanied by greater happiness.

Eating episodes

Overall, during the study period, a total of 1,044 completed eating episodes were reported (see also Table  1 ). On average, participants rated their eating happiness with M  = 77.59 which suggests that overall eating occasions were generally positive. However, experienced eating happiness also varied considerably between eating occasions as indicated by a range from 7.00 to 100.00 and a standard deviation of SD  = 16.41.

Descriptive statistics for eating happiness by meal type and food category.

Note: Eating happiness ranged from 1 (low) to 100 (high). M cwc  = person-mean centred average happiness score.

Food categories and experienced eating happiness

All eating episodes were categorised according to their food category based on the German Nutrient Database (German: Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel), which covers the average nutritional values of approximately 10,000 foods available on the German market and is a validated standard instrument for the assessment of nutritional surveys in Germany. As shown in Table  1 , eating happiness differed significantly across all 14 food categories, F (13, 2131) = 1.78, p  = 0.04. On average, experienced eating happiness varied from 71.82 ( SD  = 18.65) for fish to 83.62 ( SD  = 11.61) for meat substitutes. Post hoc analysis, however, did not yield significant differences in experienced eating happiness between food categories, p  ≥ 0.22. Hence, on average, “unhealthy” food choices such as sweets ( M  = 78.93, SD  = 15.27) did not differ in experienced happiness from “healthy” food choices such as fruits ( M  = 78.29, SD  = 16.13) or vegetables ( M  = 77.57, SD  = 17.17). In addition, an intraclass correlation (ICC) of ρ = 0.22 for happiness indicated that less than a quarter of the observed variation in experienced eating happiness was due to differences between food categories, while 78% of the variation was due to differences within food categories.

However, as Figure  1 (left side) depicts, consumption frequency differed greatly across food categories. Frequently consumed food categories encompassed vegetables which were consumed at 38% of all eating occasions ( n  = 400), followed by dairy products with 35% ( n  = 366), and sweets with 34% ( n  = 356). Conversely, rarely consumed food categories included meat substitutes, which were consumed in 2.2% of all eating occasions ( n  = 23), salty extras (1.5%, n  = 16), and pastries (1.3%, n  = 14).

Left side: Average experienced eating happiness (colour intensity: darker colours indicate greater happiness) and consumption frequency (size of the cycle) for the 14 food categories. Right side: Absolute share of the 14 food categories in total experienced eating happiness.

Amount of experienced eating happiness by food category

To account for the frequency of consumption, we calculated and scaled the absolute experienced eating happiness according to the total sum score. As shown in Figure  1 (right side), vegetables contributed the biggest share to the total happiness followed by sweets, dairy products, and bread. Clustering food categories shows that fruits and vegetables accounted for nearly one quarter of total eating happiness score and thus, contributed to a large part of eating related happiness. Grain products such as bread, pasta, and cereals, which are main sources of carbohydrates including starch and fibre, were the second main source for eating happiness. However, “unhealthy” snacks including sweets, salty extras, and pastries represented the third biggest source of eating related happiness.

Experienced eating happiness by meal type

To further elucidate the contribution of snacks to eating happiness, analysis on the meal type level was conducted. Experienced in-the-moment eating happiness significantly varied by meal type consumed, F (4, 1039) = 11.75, p  < 0.001. Frequencies of meal type consumption ranged from snacks being the most frequently logged meal type ( n  = 332; see also Table  1 ) to afternoon tea being the least logged meal type ( n  = 27). Figure  2 illustrates the wide dispersion within as well as between different meal types. Afternoon tea ( M  = 82.41, SD  = 15.26), dinner ( M  = 81.47, SD  = 14.73), and snacks ( M  = 79.45, SD  = 14.94) showed eating happiness values above the grand mean, whereas breakfast ( M  = 74.28, SD  = 16.35) and lunch ( M  = 73.09, SD  = 18.99) were below the eating happiness mean. Comparisons between meal types showed that eating happiness for snacks was significantly higher than for lunch t (533) = −4.44, p  = 0.001, d  = −0.38 and breakfast, t (567) = −3.78, p  = 0.001, d  = −0.33. However, this was also true for dinner, which induced greater eating happiness than lunch t (446) = −5.48, p  < 0.001, d  = −0.50 and breakfast, t (480) = −4.90, p  < 0.001, d  = −0.46. Finally, eating happiness for afternoon tea was greater than for lunch t (228) = −2.83, p  = 0.047, d  = −0.50. All other comparisons did not reach significance, t  ≤ 2.49, p  ≥ 0.093.

Experienced eating happiness per meal type. Small dots represent single eating events, big circles indicate average eating happiness, and the horizontal line indicates the grand mean. Boxes indicate the middle 50% (interquartile range) and median (darker/lighter shade). The whiskers above and below represent 1.5 of the interquartile range.

Control Analyses

In order to test for a potential confounding effect between experienced eating happiness, food categories, and meal type, additional control analyses within meal types were conducted. Comparing experienced eating happiness for dinner and lunch suggested that dinner did not trigger a happiness spill-over effect specific to vegetables since the foods consumed at dinner were generally associated with greater happiness than those consumed at other eating occasions (Supplementary Table  S1 ). Moreover, the relative frequency of vegetables consumed at dinner (73%, n  = 180 out of 245) and at lunch were comparable (69%, n  = 140 out of 203), indicating that the observed happiness-vegetables link does not seem to be mainly a meal type confounding effect.

Since the present study focuses on “food effects” (Level 1) rather than “person effects” (Level 2), we analysed the data at the food item level. However, participants who were generally overall happier with their eating could have inflated the observed happiness scores for certain food categories. In order to account for person-level effects, happiness scores were person-mean centred and thereby adjusted for mean level differences in happiness. The person-mean centred happiness scores ( M cwc ) represent the difference between the individual’s average happiness score (across all single in-the-moment happiness scores per food category) and the single happiness scores of the individual within the respective food category. The centred scores indicate whether the single in-the-moment happiness score was above (indicated by positive values) or below (indicated by negative values) the individual person-mean. As Table  1 depicts, the control analyses with centred values yielded highly similar results. Vegetables were again associated on average with more happiness than other food categories (although people might differ in their general eating happiness). An additional conducted ANOVA with person-centred happiness values as dependent variables and food categories as independent variables provided also a highly similar pattern of results. Replicating the previously reported analysis, eating happiness differed significantly across all 14 food categories, F (13, 2129) = 1.94, p  = 0.023, and post hoc analysis did not yield significant differences in experienced eating happiness between food categories, p  ≥ 0.14. Moreover, fruits and vegetables were associated with high happiness values, and “unhealthy” food choices such as sweets did not differ in experienced happiness from “healthy” food choices such as fruits or vegetables. The only difference between the previous and control analysis was that vegetables ( M cwc  = 1.16, SD  = 15.14) gained slightly in importance for eating-related happiness, whereas fruits ( M cwc  = −0.65, SD  = 13.21), salty extras ( M cwc  = −0.07, SD  = 8.01), and pastries ( M cwc  = −2.39, SD  = 18.26) became slightly less important.

This study is the first, to our knowledge, that investigated in-the-moment experienced eating happiness in real time and real life using EMA based self-report and imagery covering the complete diversity of food intake. The present results add to and extend previous findings by suggesting that fruit and vegetable consumption has immediate beneficial psychological effects. Overall, of 14 different main food categories, vegetables consumption contributed the largest share to eating happiness measured across eight days. Thus, in addition to the investment in future well-being indicated by previous research 8 , “healthy” food choices seem to be an investment in the in-the moment well-being.

Importantly, although many cultures convey the belief that eating certain foods has a greater hedonic and mood boosting effect, the present results suggest that this might not reflect actual in-the-moment experiences accurately. Even though people often have a spontaneous “unhealthy = tasty” intuition 13 , thus indicating that a stronger happiness boosting effect of “unhealthy” food is to be expected, the induced eating happiness of sweets did not differ on average from “healthy” food choices such as fruits or vegetables. This was also true for other stereotypically “unhealthy” foods such as pastries and salty extras, which did not show the expected greater boosting effect on happiness. Moreover, analyses on the meal type level support this notion, since snacks, despite their overall positive effect, were not the most psychologically beneficial meal type, i.e., dinner had a comparable “happiness” signature to snacking. Taken together, “healthy choices” seem to be also “happy choices” and at least comparable to or even higher in their hedonic value as compared to stereotypical “unhealthy” food choices.

In general, eating happiness was high, which concurs with previous research from field studies with generally healthy participants. De Castro, Bellisle, and Dalix 22 examined weekly food diaries from 54 French subjects and found that most of the meals were rated as appealing. Also, the observed differences in average eating happiness for the 14 different food categories, albeit statistically significant, were comparable small. One could argue that this simply indicates that participants avoided selecting bad food 22 . Alternatively, this might suggest that the type of food or food categories are less decisive for experienced eating happiness than often assumed. This relates to recent findings in the field of comfort and emotional eating. Many people believe that specific types of food have greater comforting value. Also in research, the foods eaten as response to negative emotional strain, are typically characterised as being high-caloric because such foods are assumed to provide immediate psycho-physical benefits 18 . However, comparing different food types did not provide evidence for the notion that they differed in their provided comfort; rather, eating in general led to significant improvements in mood 19 . This is mirrored in the present findings. Comparing the eating happiness of “healthy” food choices such as fruits and vegetables to that of “unhealthy” food choices such as sweets shows remarkably similar patterns as, on average, they were associated with high eating happiness and their range of experiences ranged from very negative to very positive.

This raises the question of why the idea that we can eat indulgent food to compensate for life’s mishaps is so prevailing. In an innovative experimental study, Adriaanse, Prinsen, de Witt Huberts, de Ridder, and Evers 23 led participants believe that they overate. Those who characterised themselves as emotional eaters falsely attributed their over-consumption to negative emotions, demonstrating a “confabulation”-effect. This indicates that people might have restricted self-knowledge and that recalled eating episodes suffer from systematic recall biases 24 . Moreover, Boelsma, Brink, Stafleu, and Hendriks 25 examined postprandial subjective wellness and objective parameters (e.g., ghrelin, insulin, glucose) after standardised breakfast intakes and did not find direct correlations. This suggests that the impact of different food categories on wellness might not be directly related to biological effects but rather due to conditioning as food is often paired with other positive experienced situations (e.g., social interactions) or to placebo effects 18 . Moreover, experimental and field studies indicate that not only negative, but also positive, emotions trigger eating 15 , 26 . One may speculate that selective attention might contribute to the “myth” of comfort food 19 in that people attend to the consumption effect of “comfort” food in negative situation but neglect the effect in positive ones.

The present data also show that eating behaviour in the real world is a complex behaviour with many different aspects. People make more than 200 food decisions a day 27 which poses a great challenge for the measurement of eating behaviour. Studies often assess specific food categories such as fruit and vegetable consumption using Food Frequency Questionnaires, which has clear advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness. However, focusing on selective aspects of eating and food choices might provide only a selective part of the picture 15 , 17 , 22 . It is important to note that focusing solely on the “unhealthy” food choices such as sweets would have led to the conclusion that they have a high “indulgent” value. To be able to draw conclusions about which foods make people happy, the relation of different food categories needs to be considered. The more comprehensive view, considering the whole dietary behaviour across eating occasions, reveals that “healthy” food choices actually contributed the biggest share to the total experienced eating happiness. Thus, for a more comprehensive understanding of how eating behaviours are regulated, more complete and sensitive measures of the behaviour are necessary. Developments in mobile technologies hold great promise for feasible dietary assessment based on image-assisted methods 28 .

As fruits and vegetables evoked high in-the-moment happiness experiences, one could speculate that these cumulate and have spill-over effects on subsequent general well-being, including life satisfaction across time. Combing in-the-moment measures with longitudinal perspectives might be a promising avenue for future studies for understanding the pathways from eating certain food types to subjective well-being. In the literature different pathways are discussed, including physiological and biochemical aspects of specific food elements or nutrients 7 .

The present EMA based data also revealed that eating happiness varied greatly within the 14 food categories and meal types. As within food category variance represented more than two third of the total observed variance, happiness varied according to nutritional characteristics and meal type; however, a myriad of factors present in the natural environment can affect each and every meal. Thus, widening the “nourishment” perspective by including how much, when, where, how long, and with whom people eat might tell us more about experienced eating happiness. Again, mobile, in-the-moment assessment opens the possibility of assessing the behavioural signature of eating in real life. Moreover, individual factors such as eating motives, habitual eating styles, convenience, and social norms are likely to contribute to eating happiness variance 5 , 29 .

A key strength of this study is that it was the first to examine experienced eating happiness in non-clinical participants using EMA technology and imagery to assess food intake. Despite this strength, there are some limitations to this study that affect the interpretation of the results. In the present study, eating happiness was examined on a food based level. This neglects differences on the individual level and might be examined in future multilevel studies. Furthermore, as a main aim of this study was to assess real life eating behaviour, the “natural” observation level is the meal, the psychological/ecological unit of eating 30 , rather than food categories or nutrients. Therefore, we cannot exclude that specific food categories may have had a comparably higher impact on the experienced happiness of the whole meal. Sample size and therefore Type I and Type II error rates are of concern. Although the total number of observations was higher than in previous studies (see for example, Boushey et al . 28 for a review), the number of participants was small but comparable to previous studies in this field 20 , 31 – 33 . Small sample sizes can increase error rates because the number of persons is more decisive than the number of nested observations 34 . Specially, nested data can seriously increase Type I error rates, which is rather unlikely to be the case in the present study. Concerning Type II error rates, Aarts et al . 35 illustrated for lower ICCs that adding extra observations per participant also increases power, particularly in the lower observation range. Considering the ICC and the number of observations per participant, one could argue that the power in the present study is likely to be sufficient to render the observed null-differences meaningful. Finally, the predominately white and well-educated sample does limit the degree to which the results can be generalised to the wider community; these results warrant replication with a more representative sample.

Despite these limitations, we think that our study has implications for both theory and practice. The cumulative evidence of psychological benefits from healthy food choices might offer new perspectives for health promotion and public-policy programs 8 . Making people aware of the “healthy = happy” association supported by empirical evidence provides a distinct and novel perspective to the prevailing “unhealthy = tasty” folk intuition and could foster eating choices that increase both in-the-moment happiness and future well-being. Furthermore, the present research lends support to the advocated paradigm shift from “food as health” to “food as well-being” which entails a supporting and encouraging rather constraining and limiting view on eating behaviour.

The study conformed with the Declaration of Helsinki. All study protocols were approved by University of Konstanz’s Institutional Review Board and were conducted in accordance with guidelines and regulations. Upon arrival, all participants signed a written informed consent.

Participants

Thirty-eight participants (28 females: average age = 24.47, SD  = 5.88, range = 18–48 years) from the University of Konstanz assessed their eating behaviour in close to real time and in their natural environment using an event-based ambulatory assessment method (EMA). No participant dropped out or had to be excluded. Thirty-three participants were students, with 52.6% studying psychology. As compensation, participants could choose between taking part in a lottery (4 × 25€) or receiving course credits (2 hours).

Participants were recruited through leaflets distributed at the university and postings on Facebook groups. Prior to participation, all participants gave written informed consent. Participants were invited to the laboratory for individual introductory sessions. During this first session, participants installed the application movisensXS (version 0.8.4203) on their own smartphones and downloaded the study survey (movisensXS Library v4065). In addition, they completed a short baseline questionnaire, including demographic variables like age, gender, education, and eating principles. Participants were instructed to log every eating occasion immediately before eating by using the smartphone to indicate the type of meal, take pictures of the food, and describe its main components using a free input field. Fluid intake was not assessed. Participants were asked to record their food intake on eight consecutive days. After finishing the study, participants were invited back to the laboratory for individual final interviews.

Immediately before eating participants were asked to indicate the type of meal with the following five options: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, snack. In Germany, “afternoon tea” is called “Kaffee & Kuchen” which directly translates as “coffee & cake”. It is similar to the idea of a traditional “afternoon tea” meal in UK. Specifically, in Germany, people have “Kaffee & Kuchen” in the afternoon (between 4–5 pm) and typically coffee (or tea) is served with some cake or cookies. Dinner in Germany is a main meal with mainly savoury food.

After each meal, participants were asked to rate their meal on three dimensions. They rated (1) how much they enjoyed the meal, (2) how pleased they were with their meal, and (3) how tasty their meal was. Ratings were given on a scale of one to 100. For reliability analysis, Cronbach’s Alpha was calculated to assess the internal consistency of the three items. Overall Cronbach’s alpha was calculated with α = 0.87. In addition, the average of the 38 Cronbach’s alpha scores calculated at the person level also yielded a satisfactory value with α = 0.83 ( SD  = 0.24). Thirty-two of 38 participants showed a Cronbach’s alpha value above 0.70 (range = 0.42–0.97). An overall score of experienced happiness of eating was computed using the average of the three questions concerning the meals’ enjoyment, pleasure, and tastiness.

Analytical procedure

The food pictures and descriptions of their main components provided by the participants were subsequently coded by independent and trained raters. Following a standardised manual, additional components displayed in the picture were added to the description by the raters. All consumed foods were categorised into 14 different food categories (see Table  1 ) derived from the food classification system designed by the German Nutrition Society (DGE) and based on the existing food categories of the German Nutrient Database (Max Rubner Institut). Liquid intake and preparation method were not assessed. Therefore, fats and additional recipe ingredients were not included in further analyses, because they do not represent main elements of food intake. Further, salty extras were added to the categorisation.

No participant dropped out or had to be excluded due to high missing rates. Missing values were below 5% for all variables. The compliance rate at the meal level cannot be directly assessed since the numbers of meals and snacks can vary between as well as within persons (between days). As a rough compliance estimate, the numbers of meals that are expected from a “normative” perspective during the eight observation days can be used as a comparison standard (8 x breakfast, 8 × lunch, 8 × dinner = 24 meals). On average, the participants reported M  = 6.3 breakfasts ( SD  = 2.3), M  = 5.3 lunches ( SD  = 1.8), and M  = 6.5 dinners ( SD  = 2.0). In comparison to the “normative” expected 24 meals, these numbers indicate a good compliance (approx. 75%) with a tendency to miss six meals during the study period (approx. 25%). However, the “normative” expected 24 meals for the study period might be too high since participants might also have skipped meals (e.g. breakfast). Also, the present compliance rates are comparable to other studies. For example, Elliston et al . 36 recorded 3.3 meal/snack reports per day in an Australian adult sample and Casperson et al . 37 recorded 2.2 meal reports per day in a sample of adolescents. In the present study, on average, M  = 3.4 ( SD  = 1.35) meals or snacks were reported per day. These data indicate overall a satisfactory compliance rate and did not indicate selective reporting of certain food items.

To graphically visualise data, Tableau (version 10.1) was used and for further statistical analyses, IBM SPSS Statistics (version 24 for Windows).

Data availability

Electronic supplementary material

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research within the project SmartAct (Grant 01EL1420A, granted to B.R. & H.S.). The funding source had no involvement in the study’s design; the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; the writing of the report; or the decision to submit this article for publication. We thank Gudrun Sproesser, Helge Giese, and Angela Whale for their valuable support.

Author Contributions

B.R. & H.S. developed the study concept. All authors participated in the generation of the study design. D.W., K.V., L.K. & K.Z. conducted the study, including participant recruitment and data collection, under the supervision of B.R. & H.S.; D.W. & K.V. conducted data analyses. D.W. & K.V. prepared the first manuscript draft, and B.R. & H.S. provided critical revisions. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript for submission.

Competing Interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Deborah R. Wahl and Karoline Villinger contributed equally to this work.

Supplementary information accompanies this paper at 10.1038/s41598-017-17262-9.

Publisher's note: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Contributor Information

Deborah R. Wahl, Email: [email protected] .

Britta Renner, Email: [email protected] .

Essays About Food: Top 5 Examples and 6 Writing Prompts

Food is one of the greatest joys of life; it is both necessary to live and able to lift our spirits. If you are writing essays about food, read our guide.

Many people live and die by food. While its primary purpose is to provide us with the necessary nutrients to carry out bodily functions, the satisfaction food can give a person is beyond compare. For people of many occupations, such as chefs, waiters, bakers, and food critics, food has become a way of life.

Why do so many people enjoy food? It can provide us with the sensory pleasure we need to escape from the trials of daily life. From the moist tenderness of a good-quality steak to the sweet, rich decadence of a hot fudge sundae, food is truly magical. Instead of eating to stay alive, many even joke that they “live to eat.” In good food, every bite is like heaven.

5 Top Essay Examples

1. food essay by evelin tapia, 2. why japanese home cooking makes healthy feel effortless by kaki okumura, 3. why i love food by shuge luo.

• 4.  My Favorite Food by Jayasurya Mayilsamy 
• 5. ​​Osteria Francescana: does the world’s best restaurant live up to the hype? by Tanya Gold

6 Prompts for Essays About Food

1. what is your favorite dish, 2. what is your favorite cuisine, 3. is a vegan diet sustainable, 4. the dangers of fast food, 5. a special food memory, 6. the food of your home country.

“Food has so many things in them such as calories and fat. Eating healthy is important for everyone to live a healthy life. You can eat it, but eating it daily is bad for you stay healthy and eat the right foods. Deep fried foods hurt your health in many ways. Eat healthy and exercise to reduce the chances of any health problems.”

In this essay, Tapia writes about deep-fried foods and their effects on people’s health. She says they are high in trans fat, which is detrimental to one’s health. On the other hand, she notes reasons why people still eat foods such as potato chips and french fries, including exercise and simply “making the most of life.” Despite this, Tapia asserts her position that these foods should not be eaten in excess and can lead to a variety of health issues. She encourages people to live healthy lives by enjoying food but not overeating. 

“Because while a goal of many vegetables a day is admirable, in the beginning it’s much more sustainable to start with something as little as two. I learned that with an approach of two-vegetable dishes at a time, I would be a lot more consistent, and over time a large variety would become very natural. In fact, now following that framework and cooking a few simple dishes a day, I often find that it’s almost difficult to not reach at least several kinds of vegetables a day.”

Okumura discusses simple, healthy cooking in the Japanese tradition. While many tend to include as many vegetables as possible in their dishes for “health,” Okumura writes that just a few vegetables are necessary to make healthy but delicious dishes. With the help of Japanese pantry staples like miso and soy sauce, she makes a variety of traditional Japanese side dishes. She shows the wonders of food, even when executed in its simplest form. 

“I make pesto out of kale stems, toast the squash seeds for salad and repurpose my leftovers into brand new dishes. I love cooking because it’s an exercise in play. Cooking is forgiving in improvisation, and it can often surprise you. For example, did you know that adding ginger juice to your fried rice adds a surprisingly refreshing flavor that whets your appetite? Neither did I, until my housemate showed me their experiment.”

In her essay, Luo writes about her love for food and cooking, specifically how she can combine different ingredients from different cuisines to make delicious dishes. She recalls experiences with her native Chinese food and Italian, Singaporean, and Japanese Cuisine. The beauty of food, she says, is the way one can improvise a dish and create something magical. 

4.   My Favorite Food by Jayasurya Mayilsamy 

“There is no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box on your lap. My love for Pizza is very high. I am always hungry for pizza, be it any time of the day. Cheese is the secret ingredient of any food it makes any food taste yummy. Nearly any ingredient can be put on pizza. Those diced vegetables, jalapenos, tomato sauce, cheese and mushrooms make me eat more and more like a unique work of art.”

Mayilsamy writes about pizza, a food he can’t get enough of, and why he enjoys it as much as he does. He explains the different elements of a good pizza, such as cheese, tomato sauce, other toppings, and the crust. He also briefly discusses the different types of pizzas, such as thin crust and deep dish. Finally, he gives readers an excellent description of a mouthwatering pizza, reminding them of the feeling of eating their favorite food. 

5. ​​ Osteria Francescana: does the world’s best restaurant live up to the hype? by Tanya Gold

“After three hours, I am exhausted from eating Bottura’s dreams, and perhaps that is the point. If some of it is delicious, it is also consuming. That is the shadow cast by the award in the hallway, next to the one of a man strangled by food. I do not know if this is the best restaurant on Earth, or even if such a claim is possible. I suspect such lists are designed largely for marketing purposes: when else does Restaurant magazine, which runs the competition, get global coverage for itself and its sponsors?”

Gold reviews the dishes at Osteria Francescana, which is regarded by many as the #1 restaurant in the world. She describes the calm, formal ambiance and the polished interiors of the restaurants. Most importantly, she goes course by course, describing each dish in detail, from risotto inspired by the lake to parmesan cheese in different textures and temperatures. Gold concludes that while a good experience, a meal at the restaurant is time-consuming, and her experience is inconclusive as to whether or not this is the best restaurant in the world. 

Everyone has a favorite food; in your essay, write about a dish you enjoy. You can discuss the recipe’s history by researching where it comes from, the famous chefs who created it, or which restaurants specialize in this dish. Provide your readers with an ingredients list, and describe how each ingredient is used in the recipe. Conclude your essay with a review of your experience recreating this recipe at home, discuss how challenging the recipe is, and if you enjoyed the experience.

Aside from a favorite dish, everyone prefers one type of cuisine. Discuss your favorite cuisine and give examples of typical dishes, preparations for food, and factors that influence your chosen cuisine. For example, you could choose Italian cuisine and discuss pasta, pizza, gelato, and other famous food items typically associated with Italian food.

Many people choose to adopt a vegan diet that consists of only plant-based food. For your essay, you can discuss this diet and explain why some people choose it. Then, research the sustainability of a plant-based diet and if a person can maintain a vegan diet while remaining healthy and energized. Provide as much evidence as possible by conducting interviews, referencing online sources, and including survey data. 

Fast food is a staple part of diets worldwide; children are often raised on salty bites of chicken, fries, and burgers. However, it has been linked to many health complications, including cancer and obesity . Research the dangers of fast food, describe each in your essay, and give examples of how it can affect you mentally and physically. 

Is there a memory involving food that you treasure? Perhaps it could be a holiday celebration, a birthday, or a regular day when went to a restaurant. Reflect on this memory, retelling your story in detail, and describe the meal you ate and why you remember it so fondly.

Every country has a rich culture, a big component of which is food. Research the history of food in your native country, writing about common native dishes and ingredients used in cooking. If there are religious influences on your country’s cuisine, note them as well. Share a few of these recipes in your essay for an engaging piece of writing.

Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

For help picking your next essay topic, check out the best essay topics about social media .

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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The Factors That Influence Our Food Choices

Given the priority for population dietary change there is a need for a greater understanding of the determinants that affect food choice. This review examines the major influences on food choice with a focus on those that are amenable to change and discusses some successful interventions.

1. Major determinants of food choice

The key driver for eating is of course hunger but what we choose to eat is not determined solely by physiological or nutritional needs. Some of the other factors that influence food choice include:

• Biological determinants such as hunger, appetite, and taste
• Economic determinants such as cost, income, availability
• Physical determinants such as access, education, skills (e.g. cooking) and time
• Social determinants such as culture, family, peers and meal patterns
• Psychological determinants such as mood, stress and guilt
• Attitudes, beliefs and knowledge about food

The complexity of food choice is obvious from the list above, which is in itself not exhaustive. Food choice factors also vary according to life stage and the power of one factor will vary from one individual or group of people to the next. Thus, one type of intervention to modify food choice behaviour will not suit all population groups. Rather, interventions need to be geared towards different groups of the population with consideration to the many factors influencing their decisions on food choice.

1.1 Biological determinants of food choice

Hunger and satiety.

Our physiological needs provide the basic determinants of food choice. Humans need energy and nutrients in order to survive and will respond to the feelings of hunger and satiety (satisfaction of appetite, state of no hunger between two eating occasions). The central nervous system is involved in controlling the balance between hunger, appetite stimulation and food intake.

The macro-nutrients i.e. carbohydrates, proteins and fats generate satiety signals of varying strength. The balance of evidence suggests that fat has the lowest satiating power, carbohydrates have an intermediate effect and protein has been found to be the most satiating 49 .

The energy density of diets has been shown to exert potent effects on satiety; low energy density diets generate greater satiety than high energy density diets. The high energy density of high-fat and/or high-sugar foods can also lead to ‘passive overconsumption’, where excess energy is ingested unintentionally and without the consumption of additional bulk.

An important satiety signal may be the volume of food or portion size consumed. Many people are unaware of what constitutes appropriate portion sizes and thus inadvertently consume excess energy.

Palatability

Palatability is proportional to the pleasure someone experiences when eating a particular food. It is dependent on the sensory properties of the food such as taste, smell, texture and appearance. Sweet and high-fat foods have an undeniable sensory appeal. It is not surprising then that food is not solely regarded as a source of nourishment but is often consumed for the pleasure value it imparts.

The influence of palatability on appetite and food intake in humans has been investigated in several studies. There is an increase in food intake as palatability increases, but the effect of palatability on appetite in the period following consumption is unclear. Increasing food variety can also increase food and energy intake and in the short term alter energy balance 45 . However, effects on long-term energy regulation are unknown.

Sensory aspects

‘Taste’ is consistently reported as a major influence on food behaviour. In reality ‘taste’ is the sum of all sensory stimulation that is produced by the ingestion of a food. This includes not only taste per se but also smell, appearance and texture of food. These sensory aspects are thought to influence, in particular, spontaneous food choice.

From an early age, taste and familiarity influence behaviour towards food. A liking for sweetness and a dislike for bitterness are considered innate human traits, present from birth 48 . Taste preferences and food aversions develop through experiences and are influenced by our attitudes, beliefs and expectations 9 .

1.2 Economic and physical determinants of food choice

Cost and accessibility.

There is no doubt that the cost of food is a primary determinant of food choice. Whether cost is prohibitive depends fundamentally on a person's income and socio-economic status. Low-income groups have a greater tendency to consume unbalanced diets and in particular have low intakes of fruit and vegetables 14 . However, access to more money does not automatically equate to a better quality diet but the range of foods from which one can choose should increase.

Accessibility to shops is another important physical factor influencing food choice, which is dependent on resources such as transport and geographical location. Healthy food tends to be more expensive when available within towns and cities compared to supermarkets on the outskirts 19 . However, improving access alone does not increase purchase of additional fruit and vegetables, which are still regarded as prohibitively expensive 18 .

Education and Knowledge

Studies indicate that the level of education can influence dietary behaviour during adulthood 30 . In contrast, nutrition knowledge and good dietary habits are not strongly correlated. This is because knowledge about health does not lead to direct action when individuals are unsure how to apply their knowledge. Furthermore, information disseminated on nutrition comes from a variety of sources and is viewed as conflicting or is mistrusted, which discourages motivation to change 15 . Thus, it is important to convey accurate and consistent messages through various media, on food packages and of course via health professionals.

1.3 Social determinants of food choice

Influence of social class.

What people eat is formed and constrained by circumstances that are essentially social and cultural. Population studies show there are clear differences in social classes with regard to food and nutrient intakes. Poor diets can result in under- (micronutrients deficiency) and over-nutrition (energy over consumption resulting in overweight and obesity); problems that face different sectors of society, requiring different levels of expertise and methods of intervention.

Cultural influences

Cultural influences lead to the difference in the habitual consumption of certain foods and in traditions of preparation, and in certain cases can lead to restrictions such as exclusion of meat and milk from the diet. Cultural influences are however amenable to change: when moving to a new country individuals often adopt particular food habits of the local culture.

Social context

Social influences on food intake refer to the impact that one or more persons have on the eating behaviour of others, either direct (buying food) or indirect (learn from peer's behaviour), either conscious (transfer of beliefs) or subconscious. Even when eating alone, food choice is influenced by social factors because attitudes and habits develop through the interaction with others. However, quantifying the social influences on food intake is difficult because the influences that people have on the eating behaviour of others are not limited to one type and people are not necessarily aware of the social influences that are exerted on their eating behaviour 23 .

Social support can have a beneficial effect on food choices and healthful dietary change 16 . For example, social support has been found to be a strong predictor for fruit and vegetable consumption among adults. 46  Social support may enhance health promotion through fostering a sense of group belonging and helping people to be more competent and self-efficacious 8 .

The family is widely recognised as being significant in food decisions. Research shows the shaping of food choices taking place in the home. Because family and friends can be a source of encouragement in making and sustaining dietary change, adopting dietary strategies which are acceptable to them may benefit the individual whilst also having an effect on the eating habits of others 3 .

Social setting

Although the majority of food is eaten in the home, an increasing proportion is eaten outside the home, e.g. in schools, at work and in restaurants. The venue in which food is eaten can affect food choice, particularly in terms of what foods are on offer. The availability of healthy food at home and 'away from home' increases the consumption of such foods. However, access to healthy food options is limited in many work/school environments. This is particularly true for those with irregular hours or with particular requirements, e.g. vegetarian 22 . With the majority of adult women and men in employment, the influence of work on health behaviours such as food choices is an important area of investigation 16 .

1.4 Meal patterns

People have many different eating occasions daily, the motivations for which will differ from one occasion to the next. Most studies investigate the factors that influence habitual food choice but it may be useful to investigate what influences food choice at different eating occasions.

The effects of snacking on health have been debated widely. Evidence shows that snacking can have effects on energy and nutrient intakes but not necessarily on body mass index 28 . However, individuals with normal weight or overweight may differ in their coping strategies when snack foods are freely available and also in their compensatory mechanisms at subsequent meals. Moreover, snack composition may be an important aspect in the ability of individuals to adjust intake to meet energy needs.

Helping young adults to choose healthy snack choices poses a challenge to many health professionals. In the home, rather than forbidding unhealthy snacks, a more positive approach may be the introduction of healthy snack options over time. Moreover, healthy food choices outside the home also need to be made more readily available.

1.5 Psychological factors

Psychological stress is a common feature of modern life and can modify behaviours that affect health, such as physical activity, smoking or food choice.

The influence of stress on food choice is complex not least because of the various types of stress one can experience. The effect of stress on food intake depends on the individual, the stressor and the circumstances. In general, some people eat more and some eat less than normal when experiencing stress 39 .

The proposed mechanisms for stress induced changes in eating and food choice are motivational differences (reduced concern about weight control), physiological (reduced appetite caused by the processes associated with stress) and practical changes in eating opportunities, food availability and meal preparation.

Studies also suggest that if work stress is prolonged or frequent, then adverse dietary changes could result, increasing the possibility of weight gain and consequently cardiovascular risk 51 .

Hippocrates was the first to suggest the healing power of food, however, it was not until the middle ages that food was considered a tool to modify temperament and mood. Today it is recognised that food influences our mood and that mood has a strong influence over our choice of food.

Interestingly, it appears that the influence of food on mood is related in part to attitudes towards particular foods. The ambivalent relationship with food – wanting to enjoy it but conscious of weight gain is a struggle experienced by many. Dieters, people with high restraint and some women report feeling guilty because of not eating what they think they should 17 . Moreover, attempts to restrict intake of certain foods can increase the desire for these particular foods, leading to what are described as food cravings.

Women more commonly report food cravings than do men. Depressed mood appears to influence the severity of these cravings. Reports of food cravings are also more common in the premenstrual phase, a time when total food intake increases and a parallel change in basal metabolic rate occurs 21 .

Thus, mood and stress can influence food choice behaviour and possibly short and long term responses to dietary intervention.

2. Eating disorders

Eating behaviour, unlike many other biological functions, is often subject to sophisticated cognitive control. One of the most widely practised forms of cognitive control over food intake is dieting.

Many individuals express a desire to lose weight or improve their body shape and thus engage in approaches to achieve their ideal body mass index. However, problems can arise when dieting and/or exercise are taken to extremes. The aetiology of eating disorders is usually a combination of factors including biological, psychological, familial and socio-cultural. The occurrence of eating disorders is often associated with a distorted self-image, low self-esteem, non-specific anxiety, obsession, stress and unhappiness 36 .

Treatment of an eating disorder generally requires weight stabilisation and one-to-one psychotherapy. Prevention is more difficult to define but suggestions include avoidance of child abuse; avoidance of magnifying diet and health issues; showing affection without over-controlling; not setting impossible standards; rewarding small attainments in the present; encouraging independence and sociability 36 .

3. Consumer attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and optimistic bias

Consumer attitudes and beliefs.

In both the areas of food safety and nutrition, our understanding of consumers’ attitudes are poorly researched 26 . A better understanding of how the public perceive their diets would help in the design and implementation of healthy eating initiatives.

The Pan-European Survey of Consumer Attitudes to Food, Nutrition and Health found that the top five influences on food choice in 15 European member states are ‘quality/freshness’ (74%), ‘price’ (43%), ‘taste’ (38%), ‘trying to eat healthy’ (32%) and ‘what my family wants to eat’ (29%). These are average figures obtained by grouping 15 European member states results, which differed significantly from country to country. In the USA the following order of factors affecting food choices has been reported: taste, cost, nutrition, convenience and weight concerns 27 .

In the Pan-European study, females, older subjects, and more educated subjects considered ‘health aspects’ to be particularly important. Males more frequently selected 'taste' and 'habit' as main determinants of their food choice. ‘Price’ seemed to be most important in unemployed and retired subjects. Interventions targeted at these groups should consider their perceived determinants of food choice.

Attitudes and beliefs can and do change; our attitude to dietary fat has changed in the last 50 years with a corresponding decrease in the absolute amount of fat eaten and a change in the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fat.

Optimistic bias

There is a low level of perceived need among European populations to alter their eating habits for health reasons, 71% surveyed believing that their diets are already adequately healthy 31 . This high level of satisfaction with current diets has been reported in Australian 52 , American 10 and English subjects 37 .

The lack of need to make dietary changes, suggest a high level of optimistic bias, which is a phenomenon where people believe that they are at less risk from a hazard compared to others. This false optimism is also reflected in studies showing how people underestimate their likelihood of having a high fat diet relative to others 25  and how some consumers with low fruit and vegetable intakes regard themselves as ‘high consumers’ 11 .

If people believe that their diets are already healthy it may be unreasonable to expect them to alter their diets, or to consider nutrition/healthy eating as a highly important factor when choosing their food. Although these consumers have a higher probability of having a healthier diet than those who recognise their diet is in need of improvement, they are still far short of the generally accepted public health nutrition goals 26 . It is also unlikely that these groups will be motivated further by dietary recommendations. Hence, future interventions may need to increase awareness among the general population that their own diet is not wholly adequate in terms of, for example fat, or fruit and vegetable consumption 13 . For those who believe their diets to be healthy it has been suggested that if their beliefs about outcomes of dietary change can be altered, their attitudes may become more favourable and they therefore may be more likely to alter their diets 40 . Thus, a perceived need to undertake change is a fundamental requirement for initiating dietary change 31 .

4. Barriers to dietary and lifestyle change

Focus on cost.

Household income and the cost of food is an important factor influencing food choice, especially for low-income consumers. The potential for food wastage leads to a reluctance to try ‘new’ foods for fear the family will reject them. In addition, a lack of knowledge and the loss of cooking skills can also inhibit buying and preparing meals from basic ingredients.

Education on how to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in an affordable way such that no further expense, in money or effort, is incurred has been proposed as a solution 18 . Efforts of governments, public health authorities, producers and retailers to promote fruit and vegetable dishes as value for money could also make a positive contribution to dietary change 12 .

Time constraints

Lack of time is frequently mentioned for not following nutritional advice, particularly by the young and well educated 33 . People living alone or cooking for one seek out convenience foods rather than cooking from basic ingredients. This need has been met with a shift in the fruit and vegetables market from loose to prepacked, prepared and ready-to-cook products. These products are more expensive than loose products but people are willing to pay the extra cost because of the convenience they bring. Developing a greater range of tasty, convenient foods with good nutritional profiles offers a route to improving the diet quality of these groups.

5. Models for changing behaviour

Health behavioural models.

Understanding how people make decisions about their health can help in planning health promotion strategies. This is where the influence of social psychology and its associated theory-based models play a role. These models help to explain human behaviour and in particular to understand how people make decisions about their health. They have also been used to predict the likelihood that dietary behaviour change will occur. This section focuses on a select few.

The Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Protection Motivation Theory

The HBM was originally proposed by Rosenstock 43 , was modified by Becker 7  and has been used to predict protective health behaviour, such as screening, vaccination uptake and compliance with medical advice. The model suggests that people considering changing their behaviour must feel personally threatened by a disease/illness and that they then engage in a cost-benefit analysis. This model also suggests that people need some kind of cue to take action to change behaviour or make a health-related decision.

The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB)

The Theory of Reasoned Action 4 or its extension in the form of The Theory of Planned Behaviour 5 have been used to help explain as well as to predict the intention of a certain behaviour. These models are based on the hypothesis that the best predictor of the behaviour is behavioural intention. The model proposes that an individual’s behavioural intention is jointly derived form three components; 

• attitudes, 
• perception of social pressure to perform the behaviour and 
• perceived control over the behaviour.

In dietary studies TPB/TRA enables a comparison of the strength of influences upon individuals and between sample groups and can be used to build an understanding of the determinants of food choice. The TRA has been successful in explaining behaviours such as fat, salt and milk intake. The TPB model was also used to help explain attitudes and beliefs about starchy foods in the UK 50 .

Stage classification for health-related behaviour

The Stages of Change model developed by Prochaska 42 and co-workers suggests that health related behaviour change occurs through five separate stages. These are pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance. The model assumes that if different factors influence transitions at different stages, then individuals should respond best to interventions tailored to match their stage of change.

The Stages of Change model, in contrast to the other models discussed, has proven to be more popular for use in changing behaviour rather than in explaining current behaviour. This is probably because the model offers practical intervention guidance that can be taught to practitioners. In addition, large random samples can be tested with messages tailored to the person’s stage of readiness to change.

It has been suggested that a stage model may be more appropriate for simpler more discrete behaviours such as eating five servings of fruit and vegetables every day, or drinking low-fat milk (food-based goals) than for complex dietary changes such as low-fat eating (nutrient-based goal) 29 .

Presently, no one theory or model sufficiently explains and predicts the full range of food-choice behaviours 38 . Models in general should be viewed as a means to understanding the factors influencing individual decisions and behaviour. Despite the number of models of behaviour change, they have been employed in relatively few nutrition interventions; the Stages of Change model being the most popular. However, the best test of this model, whether stage-matched dietary interventions outperform standardised approaches, has yet to be performed.

6. Changing food behaviour: successful interventions

Dietary change is not easy because it requires alterations in habits that have been built up over a life-time. Various settings such as schools, workplaces, supermarkets, primary care and community based studies have been used in order to identify what works for particular groups of people. Although results from such trials are difficult to extrapolate to other settings or the general public, such targeted interventions have been reasonably successful, illustrating that different approaches are required for different groups of people or different aspects of the diet.

Interventions in supermarket settings are popular given this is where the majority of the people buy most of their food. Screening, shop tours and point-of-purchase interventions are ways in which information can be provided. Such interventions are successful at raising awareness and nutrition knowledge but their effectiveness of any real and long-term behaviour change is unclear at present.

Schools are another obvious intervention setting because they can reach the students, their parents and the school staff. Fruit and vegetable intake in children has been increased through the use of tuck shops, multimedia and the internet and when children get involved in growing, preparing and cooking the food they eat 1 , 6 , 35 . Moreover, covert changes to dishes to lower fat, sodium and energy content improved the nutritional profile of school dinners without losing student participation in the school lunch programme 44 .

Workplace interventions can also reach large numbers of people and can target those at risk. Increasing availability and appeal of fruit and vegetables proved successful in worksite canteens 34  and price reductions for healthier snacks in vending machines increased sales 24 . Thus, the combination of nutrition education with changes in the workplace are more likely to succeed particularly if interactive activities are employed and if such activities are sustained for long periods 41 .

Tackling several dietary factors simultaneously such as reducing dietary fat and increasing fruit and vegetables, has proved effective in the primary care setting 47 . Behavioural counselling in conjunction with nutrition counselling seems most effective in such settings although the cost implications of training primary care professionals in behaviour counselling are unclear at this time. Educational and behavioural strategies have also been used in public health/ community settings, which have been shown to increase fruit and vegetable intake 2 , 3 , 12 .

7. Conclusion

There are many influences on food choice which provide a whole set of means to intervene into and improve people's food choices. There are also a number of barriers to dietary and lifestyle change, which vary depending on life stages and the individual or group of people in question.

It is a major challenge both to health professionals and to the public themselves to effect dietary change. Different strategies are required to trigger a change in behaviour in groups with different priorities. Campaigns that incorporate tailored advice that include practical solutions as well as environmental change are likely to succeed in facilitating dietary change.

Reviewed by Dr France Bellisle, INRA, France

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663 Interesting Food Essay Topics, Examples, and Ideas

Food essays are an excellent way to demonstrate your awareness of current nutrition and health issues. Obesity is a significant concern that is present in many people throughout the world and can lead to a variety of deadly conditions.

Obesity is often associated with eating junk food or food made with unhealthy ingredients and emphasizing taste or longevity over safety. Its opposite, healthy food, is a combination of many factors, which include food consumption patterns and monitoring your calorie intake.

As such, many ideas for innovative diets that circumvent some of the complexities have emerged, but most of them are flawed due to oversights. This article will provide you with topics about food and some tips for your essay writing process.

🏆 Best Food Topics & Essay Examples

👍 good essay topics about food, 🎓 popular nutrition and food topics to talk about, 🥇 most interesting food essay examples, 💡 simple topics related to food, 📌 good research food and nutrition topics, ❓ research questions about food.

Nutritionists generally agree on a single definition of healthy eating patterns, one that is supported by a vast body of research. They involve controlling your nutrient and calorie intake by adjusting your meat and plant intake balance as well as the portion size. You should also avoid preserved foods, as their preparation processes tend to ruin the nutrients present in the ingredients while introducing a variety of unhealthy substances.

For optimal effects, you should understand various fats and their influences on the human body as well as your need for each type and the foods that can supply it. The topic about food offers many different avenues of investigation.

However, not all people have the willpower and willingness to learn and use the knowledge to change their food patterns. As such, new fad diets, which try to circumvent some of the ideas and offer a more convenient way to lose weight, keep emerging every year.

These approaches may sometimes work for their intended purpose, but they do not contribute to health. While the person may lose weight because of new eating habits, they may become malnourished as a result. People will then have to take supplements and still risk developing issues before the imbalance is discovered and addressed. You may address the approaches described above when selecting argumentative essay topics about food.

He or she will then have to take supplements and still risk developing issues before the imbalance is discovered and addressed, something you can address in your food essay titles.

Here are some additional tips for the essay:

• Discuss how not all natural food is equal, with different examples of vegetables or meat displaying varying nutrient amounts. Healthy eating involves choosing food that is good for your health and balancing it appropriately.
• Follow general essay guidelines, which include using a proper structure, writing in an academic style, and separating topics with informative titles. Nutrition is a scholarly topic with a significant body of research contributing to its findings.
• Make sure to cite recent scholarly research or statistics when stating facts about nutrition and eating patterns. The body of research is constantly expanding and discovering new information, which may show past facts or findings in a new light.
• You should talk about the reasons why junk food is unhealthy, as it extends beyond poor nutritional values. Research shows that people are compelled to eat more when consuming unhealthy foods, regardless of their diet awareness.
• Discuss the alternate ways of losing weight in detail and identify their advantages and flaws. With proper precautions, they can be as effective and safe as traditional healthy eating patterns, but they will require the same effort or more as a result.

Visit IvyPanda to get many different food essay examples and other useful samples!

• Genetically Modified Food Essay In spite of the perceived benefits of genetic engineering technology in the agricultural sector, the production and use of genetically modified foods has triggered a number of issues pertaining to safety and consequences of consumption.
• Junk Food in Schools: Good or Bad for Children? One of the main advantages of junk food is that it is simple to cook and it satiates hunger. As for the main advantage of availability of junk food and its simplicity to be cooked […]
• Fast Food Industry: Arguments for and Against For instance, those who believe that fast food industry is beneficial to them and other members of the society will expect the findings of this research to be in support of their beliefs.
• Filipino Food Essay However, because of the Spanish and American influence, meat, especially pork and chicken, are also served. So, Philippines is a country of festivals and a diversity of traditional dishes and beverages.
• The Food and Beverage Industry Role in the Tourism The essay begins by looking at the food and beverage industry in general, and then proceeds to look at the main sectors of the industry.
• Food and Beverage Management The mission of the department is to provide food and beverage that meets highest standards so that they can keep a competitive edge in the hotel industry.
• Food Insecurity and What We Can Do to Help Attention Material/Credibility Material: Imagine a day when you have little strength and energy – you feel weakness and soreness – the feelings are rather unpleasant. Now imagine that you feel this discomfort and lack of […]
• Fast Food in Campus: Advantages and Disadvantages On the other hand, a classmate mentions that fast foods lead to obesity among university students who eat from fast-food restaurants.
• Fast Food vs. Home Cooking: Lifestyle and Traditions The good thing with this business is that the food was from natural products hence healthy, a fact that has since changed Many people are very busy for the better part of the day and […]
• The Future of Food The evolution and advancement of technology have influenced the methods of how people grow and consume food. The changes that people have made to nature are very traceable and their inability to predict the outcome […]
• Was Food Healthier 100 Years Ago? The widespread organic farming in the twentieth century led to the production of healthy and highly nutritional foods. Some critics believe that modern-day food is much safer and healthier compared to the food consumed in […]
• Health Effects of Junk Food Intake Notably, the consumption of junk food has become one of the major health issues that destabilize the health of individuals and groups in contemporary societies.
• Food Habits and Culture: Factors Influence The food habits of a group of people/community can be described as the reasons for eating, the methods used while eating, the types of food eaten, and the mode of storage.
• Junk Food and Drinks: Ban on Advertising The reason youngsters are attracted to junk food is that they do not get the actual flavors at their home and then they are less attracted to original and healthy food as compared to junk […]
• Designing a shopping centre food court outlet The design itself The food court outlet will specialize with the sale of fried potatoes, a fast food which is immensely purchased by the customers from the area.
• Globalization and Food Culture Essay The interviewee gave the examples of France, America, and China in her description of how food can affect the culture of a place and vice versa.
• Representation of Food in the Importance of Being Earnest In a large extent, food is also used as a sign of respect and hospitality to visitors and also as a form of socializing.
• Jamie Oliver’s TED Talk Teach Every Child About Food In his TED talk, Jamie Oliver addresses the problem of obesity and unhealthy food options offered to children at schools.
• Chipotle Company’s Food Crisis After the food poisoning occurrence, the local and federal authorities tried to ascertain the reason for the outbreak, but the tests they conducted could not confirm the ingredient that caused the illness.
• Hospitality Management: Food & Beverage Service The art of catering goes beyond providing food and beverages and extends to the ambience of the eating place and the quality of service received.
• Pros and Cons of Food Dyes: Experiments With Food Ramesh and Muthuraman argue that there is a certain association between the increased use of food colorants and the elevated rates of ADHD in children.
• The Disadvantages of Canned Food From this perspective, canned food is considered to be harmful to health as the added sugar and trans fats in it can lead to the appearance of serious medical problems.
• Determinants of Food Supply and Demand Due to high demand for vegetables and fruits, producers increase production and supply in order to fulfill the needs of consumers.
• The Impact of Climate Change on Food Security Currently, the world is beginning to encounter the effects of the continuous warming of the Earth. Some of the heat must be reflected in space to ensure that there is a temperature balance in the […]
• Classification of Healthy Food: Healthy Eating Habits Vegetables are good for the body since they contain minerals and vitamins. They also help keep the bloodstream clear and they are very healthy foods.
• Food Critiques for the Three Dishes: Integral Part of French Cuisine One of the most notable things about this dish is serving the legs with a celery puree, or sauteed chestnuts or chestnut puree. This chef is regarded as one of the most notable innovators in […]
• The Organizational Structure in Kraft Foods Group It is imperative to note that the organization structure is the one that influences communication within the organization. One of the secrets to the organization’s success is the depth and quality of its employees.
• Food Production and The Environment So all aspects of production – the cultivation and collection of plants, the maintenance of animals, the processing of products, their packaging, and transportation, affect the environment.
• Food Security Crisis Resolution To ensure the situation does not run out of hand, the global body Food and Agricultural Organization has been at the forefront since time immemorial to cater for issues related to this basic human need. […]
• Quality and Value of Food Preparation of food of good quality means use of ingredients of good quality thus food production by farmers affects directly the quality and value of food.
• Global Food Crisis: Political Economy Perspective In effect, the loss of power to international institutions, decentralization of resources and privatization of powers are political economic factors that have worsened political and economic stability of developing countries making them more vulnerable to […]
• Fritter’s Fast Food Restaurants: Overview Very fast and inexpensive to manufacture, Fritters can find their customers both in restaurants and kiosks, and in pre-prepared form.
• Chinese New Year Foods: Chinese Culture and Traditions This piece of work will give an in depth discussion of Chinese culture with the central focus being on the Chinese New Year Foods and its relationship with the changes that have been experienced in […]
• The Negative Consequences of Employing High School Students in Fast Food Restaurants In addition, high school students should be advised that education and their careers are more important as compared to working at fast food restaurants.
• McDonald’s Corporation: Analyzing Fast Food Industry A glance of the profit margins of the major players in the US industry will provide a more clear perception of the fast food industry’s success in 2009 in global perspective: Key Competitors Profits 2009 […]
• Food Waste Recycling Benefits Through the analysis of Gupta and Gangopadhyay, it was noted that food waste was one of the leading preventable contributors towards the sheer amount of trash that winds up in many of the today’s landfills.
• The Egyptian Diet: Sociology of Food and Nutrition This paper compares and contrasts the concept of food and the culinary practices of the Indian and Egyptian cultures and their effect on the health outcomes of the people.
• Chocolate Ice-Cream: Food Product Case In the case of Chocolate ice-cream, the flavouring added is normally chocolate. Chocolate ice cream is the second most common type of ice cream in the world after vanilla.
• Eco-Friendly Packaging for Food and Beverage Industry This product was chosen because of the direct impact of the quality of food products on the health of ordinary people regardless of the region of living of country of origin.
• The World’s Food Problems’ Solving When the population of a country increases, there are some associated problems that will automatically arise such as increase in the level of unemployment which leads to food problems in the developing countries.
• Food Ethics Pojman notes that the government has enough resources and manpower to monitor operations of various food processors and determine the health conditions of the food they present to the public.
• Global Challenges Faced By Fast Food Companies For instance the price strategy is usually determined by a number of factors such as the number of competitors in the market, the availability and costs of raw materials and the existent product substitutes in […]
• Food Analysis and Its Methods in Practice Food analysis is the field that handles the use of diagnostic processes to characterize food substances and their components. The purpose of this experiment was to conduct a food analysis of an unknown sample and […]
• Food Security and Growing Population Thus, nations have to address the problem of feeding the increasing global population amid the challenges of the production of adequate food.
• Analysis and Significance of Food Moisture Content Fish food had the least moisture content and the lowest water activity of 0. The meat had the highest moisture content and a high level of water activity of 0.
• Food Products: Tomatoes and Juice Preservation This Unico package only states that tomatoes are from the Mediterranean, which reflects on such food consumption trends as gourmet convenience and cleaner labels.
• Ethos, Logos, Pathos in the Food, Inc. Documentary In the documentary, there are many instances of its makers providing viewers with the factual information, as to the discussed subject matter, which is supposed to convince the latter in the full legitimacy of people’s […]
• McDonald’s New Strategy Toward Healthy Food The identification of current challenges faced by McDonald’s reveals that the future strategy needs to address the problem of healthy food, help to improve the public image of the company and renovate the franchising system […]
• The Fast Food Industry Lots of people claim that the growth of the rate of obese people correlates with the growth of fast food chains in the region.
• Chemicals in Foods: Natural Components and Their Toxic Properties In order to ensure the safety and health of the consumer upon the consumption of foods, it is important to establish procedures that are in a position to assess the types of health risks that […]
• The Consequences of Fast Food The most evident effect of fast food is obesity among others and these effects are what will be considered as the basis of discouraging the intake of fast food while encouraging other healthier options.
• Wendy’s Fast Food Restaurant The design has the potential to elaborate on the cause of failures inherent in the establishment and possess the capacity to make recommendations on combating the challenges.
• Food Contamination and Adulteration: Environmental Problems, Food Habits, Way of Cultivation The purpose of this essay is to explain reasons for different kinds of food contamination and adulteration, harmful contaminants and adulterants and the diseases caused by the usage of those substances, prevention of food contamination […]
• Quality Management in Food Industry: PDCA and Six Sigma This cycle, which is widely used in food industry, represents the essence of realization – the so-called “general functions of management”.
• Good to Eat: Riddles of Food and Culture by Marvin Harris Good to eat is a thought provoking and intellectual journey that the author takes, in terms of the different kinds of food habits adopted by various groups of people and the reasons behind such habits.
• Checkers and Rally’s Fast-Food Chain Analysis This paper includes a brief analysis of Checkers & Rally’s, one of the leading fast-food chains in the USA. It is necessary to note that the threat of entry is quite serious as many entrepreneurs, […]
• Food and Beverage Development This paper focuses on how food production and food consumption has affected the eating habits and led to the introduction of junk foods because of the production and consumption factors.
• Influencing Consumer Behavior: the changing image of ‘fast food’ Some of the factors that consumers may be influenced with include the cost, what their friends and family members say, where the restaurant is located, the duration the meal takes, and by how the consumers […]
• Food Preferences and Nutrition Culture I gave my mother the recipe and nowadays, each time I visit her, she makes me a bowl of chicken noodle soup.
• Analysis of a Look at the Fast-Food Industry by Eric Schlosser For the presentation of various arguments, the use of statistics involved in the employees and the increased amount of production due to division and specialization of labor and the production process improved the validity of […]
• Small Mobile Food & Drinks Shop: Business Project Time constraints are often decisive in the world of business, which is a good point for healthy shops to switch to a mobile food service offering delivery as an option.
• New Food Product Development In most cases the food may be free of pathogens but if the environment of preparation is full of normal flora, the possibility of gross contamination of food may take place and this is the […]
• Using Food Preservatives Ethical At present, the use of chemical food preservatives have gained prevalent use as many people have become tailored to the convenience of buying food that is already prepared, instead of preparing and preserving their food.
• The Impact of Food Habits on the Environment The topic of this research is based on the issue of human-induced pollution or another environmental impact that affect the Earth and dietary approaches that can improve the situation.
• Causes and Effects of Fast Food: Reputation for Unhealthy Eating By setting this price to a low value, fast food companies can exclude traditional restaurants from the selection, improve throughput, and increase their brand equity.
• What Role Does Food Play in Cultural Identity? From the point of view of cultural studies, such a model of nutrition speaks more about the absence of global roots, the absence of deep moral guidelines, and not about the convenience of the process.
• Food Service System: Overview Through the system, quality control is achieved through the quality of components, menus, and recipes chosen by the director. The rationale for ready-prepared system involves mass-generation and freezing of food items which might lower labor […]
• The Food and Beverage Sector There is no doubt that there are many substitutes to this industry and the best investors can do is to try to retain the available market by offering quality services.
• Environmental and Industrial Analysis of UK Food Manufacturing Companies Technological Analysis The technological analysis has affected the Tasty Bake Company positively in that the global transport infrastructure has greatly improved in the recent past and this has enabled it to market its products widely.
• Food and Nutrient Security Situation in Pakistan In this respect, Pakistan needs to deepen its understanding of the scales of the food insecurity problem, highlight future problems, and define agricultural policies and food security programs that could reduce the vulnerability of rural […]
• Oxidative Rancidity in Lipids and Food Storing The purpose of this paper is to discuss the factors influencing oxidative rancidity in relation to food with lipids and to analyse techniques applied to storing such foods.
• What Are the Benefits of Organic Foods? The proponents of organic foods believe that organic foods have greater benefits as compared to conventional foods, while the opponents believe they have are unsafe.
• A Food Truck Business: Project Summary Steps to be followed in starting the business will be researching local food trucks and laws, developing the business name and concept, registering, raising funds, and seeking permits and licenses. The next steps will be […]
• Making Healthy Foods Available to the Poor People Instead of giving artificially prepared and canned food, the donors should raise funds and buy whole grains in bulk to be given to the poor who in turn prepare the food in a healthy way.
• Dubai’s Food, Dress Code and Culture Religion is an important in aspect in Dubai because it influences the lifestyle of the people and forms the foundation of their culture.
• Molecular Gastronomy Trend: Gastronomy and Food Science The use of science and other disciplines in restaurants and home cooking is therefore having a beneficial influence in a highly public area, lending credibility to the topic as a whole. The popularity of this […]
• Food Safety and Its Application The realization that low temperatures slow down the growth of microbes and the process of food spoilage led to the invention of refrigeration.
• Should All Genetically Modified Foods Be Labeled? According to this scholar, members of the public are always comfortable with the idea of not labeling the genetically modified food.
• Dog Food: Pedigree Company’s Case The attractiveness of the dog food category is manifested through the intense competitive nature of the various stakeholders. The third and final phase of the segmentation is to label the category of dog food as […]
• Major Reasons for Food Prices Increase Admittedly, one of the major reasons for food prices increase is the use of corns for fuel production. The increase of fuel prices created a great temptation for farmers to produce ethanol instead of corn […]
• Hotpot Concept and Cultural Value The history of the Chinese hotpot goes back to the past 1000 years even though the roots of the delicacy are in Mongolia.
• Food: How Technology Has Changed the Way We Eat? These foods could cause harm to the consumers, who in most cases are not sure of the ingredients used to prepare them, and that may pose a health risk.
• Why Junk Food Should Cost More Than Healthy Food In order to persuade the audience that a solution to this problem is the change of prices to make healthy food more affordable, a problem-cause-solution approach will be used. According to Elementum, to understand the […]
• Fast Food and Gender: Is There a Relation? The study was to observe the gender that formed the majority of the customer base in respect to fast foods. In this case, it was important to select a predetermined restaurant that specializes in fast […]
• The Importance of Food Safety in Live The food control system is an internationally recognized system that details various elements that are involved in food handling and to ensure safety and fitness for human consumption.
• Fast Food Drive-throughs In this respect, the drive-through services are aimed at reducing the throughput time and serving a maximum number of clients in the minimum time compared to other similar services.s such, it is necessary to compare […]
• Globalization Effects on Food Industry, Trading, Education The major benefit enjoyed by the developing nations is the capability to import the raw materials from the industrially developed countries, to facilitate the production of goods required in the country.
• The Junk Food’s Risks Junk food has high content of fat and cholesterol that leads to clogging of the heart arteries. The content of many junk foods is unhealthy and it may expose the brain to premature aging and […]
• Improvements of Supply Chain Processes in the Fast Food Industry: Subway The purposes of the research are to analyze the service delivery stage of the internal supply chain process typical of the Subway restaurants located in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates; identify drawbacks in these areas […]
• The “In Defense of Food” Book by Michael Pollan As a nutritionist, Michael Pollan wrote the book In Defense of Food, highlighting the effects of the Western diet and providing guidance on healthy eating.
• The Asian Food Industry After the COVID-19 Outbreak In addition, the closure of most manufacturing and food processing companies in Asia led to major shortage of raw materials used in the preparation of cuisine.
• Impact of Fast Food on Human Body Firstly, it is the economics of fast food fast food is the cheapest food on the market in terms of a calorie per dollar.
• Food Hygiene Inspection of a Food Premises and the Intervention Strategies The need to conduct this inspection was necessitated by the complaints that were received from the customers about the food served at this store.
• Beef Industry: Nutrition and Food Safety Analysis The amount of saturated fat in the six leanest beef cuts is almost equal to that in the chicken’s leanest cut, the skinless chicken breast.
• Food, Eating Behavior, and Culture in Chinese Society The majority of the food and the cookies were not an actual part of the Chinese cuisine. The issue of the origin of the fortune cookies demonstrates the global intersections.
• Geography of Food. Restaurant Review Carino’s Italian grill was located in Doral at the center of Miami making it accessible to most people. The food was of moderate quality.
• Jamie Oliver and Leadership in the Food Industry He has a strong mastery of the market and the exact requirements of the customers to be his businesses end up matching the needs of the customers.
• HRM in the Fast Food Industry: US, Germany, and Australia It should be mentioned that the term human-resource relations refers to the programs that an organization puts in place in order to ensure that the employees receive the benefits that are guaranteed by legislation.
• Changes in Food Production Over Time The new system of farming replaces the holistic thinking and the recycling of the nutrients through the use of crop rotation and animal rotation to produce food.
• Weird Chinese Foods: Cultural Practices and Eating Culture The Chinese are also known to eat crocodile meat for a number of reasons. The other fascinating Chinese cuisine is eating of private parts that are used mostly in adding aroma to whisky and wine.
• The Jungle and Fast Food Nation Though both books talk about the food industry and the ills that plague it, it is important to establish that, Eric Schlosser’s aim of writing Fast Food Nation was to make the public know the […]
• Multinational Food Corporations & Eating Patterns in New Zealand In this report, the connection between eating patterns in New Zealand and the performance of multinational corporations such as Coca-Cola and McDonald’s will be investigated and disclosed.
• Organic Food: Eco-Friendly Attitudes and Behavior The knowledge of the concept, education of people about organic food qualities, and availability in the stores are among them. The attention to health consequences of consuming non-organic and organic products is one of the […]
• Supply and Demand Influences on Food in the Recent Years A rise in the supply of food at a constant demand causes the prices of food commodities to fall. On the other hand, a fall in the supply of food commodities at a constant demand […]
• Food Security: The Main Challenges The attainment of food security is a key challenge faced in the contemporary world; it is caused by industrialized agriculture, which affects the climate, problematic balancing between agriculture and the environment, and the inability of […]
• Inventory Control in the Food Industry To formulate a mathematical model to optimize cost in inventory control, it is critical to consider different aspects of inventory control that significantly contribute to the formulation of the model and the reorder policies.
• Problem-Solution on Convenience Food in Singapore The overconsumption of convenience food and ready-to-eat meals is an acknowledged problem for many countries that endangers the population’s health and lifespan.
• Is Genetic Engineering an Environmentally Sound Way to Increase Food Production? According to Thomas & Earl and Barry, genetic engineering is environmentally unsound method of increasing food production because it threatens the indigenous species.
• Poverty and Global Food Crisis: Food and Agriculture Model Her innovative approach to the issue was to measure food shortages in calories as opposed to the traditional method of measuring in pounds and stones.
• Fast Food Industry in the US This paper will discuss the fast food industry in the US with an emphasis on the positive as well as the negative impacts it has on American economy.
• Food Motif in Bartleby the Scrivener The food motif is also manifested in the naming of other characters in the story. The food motif is very prominent in this story.
• Food Culture and Obesity The marketers pass a message to the consumers that they need to eat the fast foods to experience the goodness and the refreshing memory that cannot be found in any other food.
• Food Web and Impact of Environmental Degradation In the course of this paper, ‘conservation’ refers to the preservation of natural resources that are, in any way, involved in the functioning of the food web.
• Food Security Solutions for Kenya The purpose of this whitepaper is to discuss the topic of food insecurity in the world and Kenya in particular and propose potential technological solutions to the problem.
• Food and Culture Links Many publications have tried to convince people that the food they eat is a product of their culture and that culture defines the different tastes they have for foods.
• The Concept of Food as a Leisure Experience In the modern day lifestyle, the scope of leisure activity has been extended to include food with majority of the people increasingly finding it to be a new form of leisure.
• The Fast Food Mass Production Problem Mass production was planned as a phenomenon to ensure the supply of food in sufficient quantities to cover the loss of production in the sale and, at the same time, meet the economic needs of […]
• American Food Industry: Panera’s Value Chain One of its main weaknesses is that bread and bakery are the primary brands of Panera, and these products are simple carbs that are not healthy for people.
• Food Security: Sustainable Development While reading this part of the chapter, I realized that the majority of the land is used to produce meat products.
• Food in The Book of the Dead. The Food History The Book of the Dead was a specific handbook written in order to help the dead in the afterlife and guide them in the underworld.
• How Fried Foods Affect Nutrition for Young Adults The main question is the impact of these fast foods on the health of young adults and what triggers consumption of fast foods.
• The Environment of Fast Food Chains The basic research question is based upon the fact as what is actual scenario of HK fast food industry and what marketing strategies are being used commonly by the industry?
• Personal Reflection of the Book “In Defense of Food” This means that when people eat food they are not supposed to fall sick or develop health conditions that will eventually be the cause of their death.
• Menu Foods Tainted Pet Food Crisis, 2007 Notably, Menu Foods did not disclose the results of the previous examination but asked the laboratory to test the food for pesticides and insecticides as if the cats were refusing to eat it.
• Genetically Modified Foods and Pesticides for Health There is fear that insects such as bees could bring about the emergence of insects that are resistant to insecticides due to coming in contact with the genetically modified pollen.
• Food Industry’s Quality Function Improvement The Taipei Spring Vegetarian Restaurant is the object of the research, and the intention of the investigation is to find ways of improving service quality in the vegetarian industry [2].
• Kasih Food Company’s Export Strategy Kasih Food is a recognized high-quality producer of Mediterranean food in the Middle East that follows the principles of responsibility and transparency in its activity. Jordan is a partner of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership that is […]
• Globalization and Food in Japan We have the McDonalds in the developed countries and it has influenced food market in Japan, so continued globalization will affect cultures in all countries in the world, including developing countries.
• Role of Food in Cultural Studies: Globalization and Exchange of Food Exchange of food is one of the types of interactions between cultures, it helps people with various backgrounds and up-bringing become more familiar with each other’s way of living, as a result the clash between […]
• Food Labels and Food Security It is imperative that food companies display the real food ingredients on the back of the food package because food safety is a serious problem in today’s society.
• Food Culture in Mexican Cuisine It is bordered on the north by the United States, on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean, and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
• Nanotechnology in the Food Industry The presence of PEG in the copolymer makes the surface charge less negative, thus enhancing the interaction of the nanoparticles with food compounds in the process of coating the food or the food ingredients.
• The Governmental Role in Food Safety The government has the mandate to supervise the overall procedures that are undertaken for food to be made from the farms to the shelves.
• Food Safety Risk Assessment Poultry is a reservoir of salmonella in human being due to the ability of salmonella to proliferate in the intestines of poultry.
• Food Choices in the United States Food choices in the US are influenced by factors such as the food environment and food companies interests. Food environment and the most accessible food options are the basis of food choice.
• The Food Preservation Techniques Convenience food became the go-to as America got preoccupied with vehicles and the freedom to travel around their cities and neighborhoods and as postwar America worked. Processing the ingredients and sending them to the eateries […]
• Food Industry: Organic Restaurant The restaurant will capture the social environment and provide the necessary menu for this field. In the cultural environment, the chefs employed in this restaurant have been highly trained to produce several ethnic dishes to […]
• “Food Colombusing” and Cultural Appropriation Authenticity in cuisine defies efforts to create an all-inclusive and integrated world in which one is allowed to enjoy and feel the attributes of a culture that is not theirs.
• The Culture of Fast Food Consumption Thesis Statement: The purchase of fast food is largely driven by the convenience of purchase, enjoyment of taste, and pricing. However, it is worth sorting out the reasons for consuming fast food and the main […]
• An Automation Business Plan in the Food Industry In this context, automation is required for the first person to plan a trip to a restaurant where everything will be ready and waiting for the person.
• Dietary Record of Seven Days of Food Intake This paper aims to analyze the record of seven days of food intake, with regards to the quality and quantity of the intake, the time of the day, the size and distribution of the foods […]
• The Impact of the Food Industry on the Environment The food industry is a vital and integral part of the functioning of modern society and the economy. In addition to recognizing and combating this fact, it is necessary to identify what is the most […]
• Food Truck Business Presentation The overall cost is $29, but most of the ingredients are sold in packages, so the expenses and the number of servings will be higher.
• Food Insecurity in the US: The New Face of Hunger This case differs from the one mentioned above because the primary problem is not the lack of food per se but the uncertainty of the ability to have the next meal.
• Investigation of a Food Poisoning Incident This paper proposes a Departmental Policy Document in a bid to detail the accountability of the department in the investigation of a Salmonella food poisoning outbreak.
• Food Safety Policy for a Music Festival Several food businesses are expected to be at the festival thus posing a threat to the health of the participants should the right measures fail to be implemented to avoid the spread of food-borne diseases.
• Food Hygiene Legislation in the UK For comprehension purposes, the applicable food laws and powers of authorized officers who conducted the inspection are presented briefly in the first section of the report.
• The Reasons Behind the Popularity of Fast Food in the Context of the Lebanese Market Nowadays, in Beirut, the variety of traditional dishes which can be prepared quickly and served as fast food is amazing, from the kebab, to the falafel; most dishes are represented.
• The Food of Easter Holidays: The Roots of the Easter Tradition Based on the current accounts of their research, the concept of Easter was founded on the tradition celebrating Easter, the goddess of spring, and the revival of nature.
• The Supply and Demand for Energy Foods and Beverages One should pay attention to the following issues: 1) the growing demand for energy foods and drinks; 2) willingness of people to pay attention to the health effects of such products; 3) the increasing number […]
• Functional Food: Definition, Types, Benefits Most types of food are genetically modified and allow patients to prevent illnesses functional food is based on a combination of traditional food elements and pharmaceutical ingredients.
• Livestock Food Production Issues The failure to address animal welfare, health, and environmental concerns, as well as the intensification of livestock farming, contributes to the exasperation of challenges associated with livestock food production.
• Food and Beverage Server’s Duties and Dependencies As a food and beverage server, my relationship with the facilities department where I work would primarily consist of coordination regarding the disposal of material waste, bringing in the proper types of beverages that customers […]
• Gender Relationship: Food and Culture As a result, the kind of government that continues to be exercised in the region is that developed on the olden principles of leadership. There was a variation in the position given to the women […]
• Kuwaiti Food Industry and Its Development The main aim of the report is to show that the food industry of Kuwait has the potential to drive the country’s economy and become the leading source of income.
• Ethical Behavior as to Returned Food and Beverages One of the biggest problems is that the liberalization of the policies related to the return of the food and beverages led to the abundance of the products that should be returned.
• The Fancy Street Foods in Japan: The Major Street Dishes and Traditions It is easy to note that the outcome is an opposite of the ordinary boiled eggs that have a firm albumen and soft yolk. The centre of the food is soft and gooey while the […]
• Marketing Strategy and Competitive Positioning at the Whole Foods Market The focus of the firm to protect the environment and provide healthy natural foods in its store is tied to its vision of being the leading provider of healthy foods in the world.
• An Analysis of Marketing Strategies of Local vs. International Brands in the Fast Food Sector This comes as no surprise, considering that the UK is one of the world’s largest economies in the world, has one of Europe’s highest populations and is the largest consumer of fast food in the […]
• Fast Foods More Harm Than Good The rest of the life of such a child is upsetting as the child is ridiculed in and out of school, through his/her adolescence, and even in college.
• Foodways: Cultural Norms and Attitudes Toward Food
• Food Industry: The Problems Caused by the Corona Crisis
• 21st Century Guiding Principles for the Location of Foods In a Supermarket: Maximizing Profit or Maximizing Health
• Food Safety Policy and Inspection Services
• Low-Calorie Frozen Food Company’s Market Structure
• World Food Program
• The Fast-Food Industry and Legal Accountability for Obesity
• Agricultural Geography and the Production and Consumption of Food in British Columbia
• Food Landscape in the Western Province, Kenya
• Safe Food Supply System
• Motivational Issues in the Fast Food Sector
• The Heinz Food Processing Company’s Information
• Food Macromolecules – Lipids, Carbohydrates, and Proteins
• Indian Culture, Food, Temples, and Clothing
• The Canine Health: Food, Vaccination, and Hygiene
• Food, Music and Verbal Communication in China
• The Application of Arginine Pyroglutamate as a Food Additive
• Impact of Food on Human Health and the Content of Diet
• Fast Food, Fat Profits: Obesity in America
• Food Scarcity Factor in French Revolution
• Takeaway Food in Saudi Arabia: Business Plan
• Global Food Trade’s Benefits
• Whole Foods Market Strategic Analysis
• Healthy You: Diets and Food
• Food Regulations by Companies and Governments
• Impact of Food Waste on Climate Change
• The Pleasures of Eating: Food and Consumer Culture
• Food and Farming: Urban Farming Benefits the Local Economy
• Food Insecurity: Key Principles
• American Fast Food in Foreign Countries
• Food Is Dangerous: Nutrition Transition
• The Study of the Anthropology of Food
• Food and Water Shortage: The Negative Effects
• World Civilization History: Food Preservation Using Conventional and Modern Methods
• Main Reasons for Establishing Food Banks
• Nurses’ Food Security Policy Advocacy
• Food Security Policy Problem Analysis
• Pathophysiology of Stress, Processed Foods, and Risky Alcohol Consumption
• Climate Change and Food Waste Management
• How Food Tank Solves Issue of Food Insecurities
• Food and Beverage Brands’ Expansion and Site Selection
• Food Waste Management: Impact on Sustainability and Climate Change
• Poor Food Security Rates in Guatemala
• Pandemic Effect on Texas Food Supplies
• Can the Human Race Survive Without Genetically Modified Food?
• An Argentinean Food Product Launch in Uruguay
• Fast Food: What We Eat by Eric Schlosser
• Implications of the Russia–Ukraine War for Global Food Security
• The Entrepreneurial Journey of Foods Future Global
• Hunger Crisis and Food Security: Research
• Food Security, Improved Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture
• The Truth About Food Addiction in Society
• Care for Real: Racism and Food Insecurity
• On-Campus Food Services: Part-Time and Full-Time Students
• The McDonald’s Food Sustainability Model
• The Actuality of Issue of Food Safety
• Food Supply Issues During Warfare
• Safety of Food: Weaning Management Practices
• Food Purchase Behaviors in Australia: Impact of Marketing and Ethnicity
• The Electronic Food Processor Project Management
• Coalition in Solving the Lack of Food Resources
• Sustainable Development and Water-Food-Energy Nexus in Sweden
• The Effects of Fast Food Consumption on Obesity
• The Junk Food Issue in Australia
• Work Experience at PH Food Inc.
• The Gourmet Food Retail Store’s Business Plan
• Factors Involved in Creating a Food Business
• Food Deserts and Their Negative Effects
• COVID-19 Vaccines: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• Sea Foods in the Environment Protection Context
• The Food Tax in Oklahoma Articles
• Uber’s Food Delivery Business Development
• The Problem of Obesity: The US Food Policies
• Prerequisites for Reforms in the Local Food Movement
• One Aspect of the Modern World That Bothers Me Most: Food Scarcity
• Aspects of Food and Nutrition Myths
• JBS S.A. Food Business in Brazil
• Fast Food Restaurant: Emergency Procedure
• Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Food Production
• Aloe Vera: The Use in Cosmetics and in Food
• Food Insecurity in Maryland State
• Food Banks Board Members and Cycle of Poverty
• You Are What You Eat: How Does Food Become an Addiction
• Trends in Food Sources and Diet Quality Among US Children and Adults
• The ‘Food Desert’ Times in the United States
• Sustainable Business of Food and Beverage Delivery
• Casa Mono: A Multi-Sensory Experience as a Food Critic
• Food Waste in American Hospitals
• Operations to Ensure Food Safety
• The Peking Duck Food System’s Sustainability
• Food Preservation Methods and Their Classification
• Food Safety Modernization Act and Its Importance
• Relation Between Food Policy and Politics
• Position on Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)
• Salmonellosis and Food-Borne Poisoning
• Drive-Thru Dreams and Fast Food Nation by Adam Chandler
• Impact of Food on Health of Kids and Adults
• Organizing a Food Waste Awareness Campaign
• Food Diary: Nutrition Opportunities and Challenges
• Saudi Food Industry’s Overview and Market Size
• Healthy Nutrition: Affordable Food
• If Slow Is Good for Food, Why Not Medicine?
• The Impact of Food Security of a Country on Its Political and Cultural Aspects
• Fast Food Effects on Human Health
• Multicultural Food Marketing Techniques
• Food as Ritual Video by Crittenden
• Slow and Fast Food Values by Alice Waters
• Immigrants’ Employment in Agriculture and Food Processing
• The Necessity of Chemical Food Additives
• Food Scarcity During Pandemic in Montgomery County
• Data Driven in Food Production Companies
• Blame It on Fast-Moving Food Industries or Personal Irresponsibility
• Importance of Accession to Healthy Fresh Food Regularly
• Preserving Food Hygiene and Safety
• Food Banks in Canada and Their Relevance
• Overpopulation and Food Production Problem
• Food Advertising and Its Effects on Children
• Organic Food and Dietary Supplements
• Nutrients: Food and Nutrients in Disease Management
• Food Safety and Organic Growing in the USA
• McDonald’s in the International Fast Food Market
• Farm-to-Table Food: Dissemination Portfolio
• The Community Mobile Food Truck for Children in Macomb County
• Employee Retention & Staff Turnover in Fast Food Industry
• Inadequate Food Choices for Americans in Low-Income Neighborhoods
• Impacts of Climatic Changes on Food Insecurity
• Food Manufacturing: Term Definition
• Pasteurization: Processing Food Substances
• Healthier School Lunches Without Processed Foods
• E-Commerce as a Fast-Growing Trend in the Industry of Food
• Food Insecurity in Philadelphia, PA: Literature Review
• The Truth About Fat: Fast Foods and Obesity
• Primary Scales for Quinoa-Based Organic Foods
• Reducing Food Waste Problem by Creating a Platform to Sell Expiring Food
• Food Security Under Hot Climate in Saudi Arabia
• Food Insecurity in the US: Feeding the Richest Country
• Research and Experiments: Molecules in Food, Photosynthesis
• Ethical Ramifications of Eating Specific Food
• Sustainable Development in the Food Industry
• Genetically Modified Food: Health Risks
• American Agricultural and Food System
• Food Insecurity in the Gulf Region
• Whole Foods Market in 2008: Vision, Core Values and Strategy
• Loving Organic Foods by Diligent Consulting Group
• Customer Loyalty in Fast Food Industry Under Current Economic Crisis
• TED Talk “Teach Every Child About Food”
• Consumers’ Behavioral Intentions as to Organic Food Products
• Promoting Fast Food Ingredient Awareness
• Global Population Growth and Increased Demand for Food
• Wildlife Conservation and Food Safety for Human
• The Role of the Flavor Industry in Processed Food
• Food Desert Investigation and Analysis
• Analysis of Push and Pull Factors in Food Travel Motivation
• Polysaccharides in Foods
• Effects of Food Challenges to Health
• The Fast Food Restaurant Market of Canada
• The Food Justice Social Movement
• The Impact of Food Demand Upon Areas of Outstanding Beauty
• Dog Food by Subscription: Service Design Project
• Organoleptic Properties in Foods: Substance Density Value
• Strategic Planning of Whole Foods Market
• Food Processing and Preservation Methods
• Healthy Eating Plan by Food Pyramid
• Ideology of Fast Food Industry Development
• Canada Food Guide Overview
• Food Safety and Information Bulletin
• COVID-19: Supply Chain Management Challenges of Food Industry
• Food Safety in the Modern World
• Distinguish Unpleasant Tastes From Food Reactions
• Impacts of H7N9 Virus and Food Contamination at Maleic Acid on Inbound Tourism for Elderly to Taiwan
• Changing the Food Journal After Every Month
• The Chemical Composition of Food
• The Sunshine Wok: Food Hygiene Inspection
• The Intervention Plan For a Food Poisoning Incident
• Food Provision at the Annisburgh District Music Festival
• Biodiversity and Food Production
• The Fast Food Culture in Saudi Arabia
• Consumptions of Fast Foods Among Youth in Saudi Arabia
• Food Insecurity and Obesity-Promoting Feeding Styles
• Genetically Modified Food: Analysis and Implications
• Julia Food Booth: Business Decision Analysis
• The Routine Food Hygiene Inspection
• Food Borne Diseases Associated With Chilled Ready to Eat Food
• Facing Food Insecurity: Causes & Current Programs
• The Role of Food for Sustainability in the Built Environment
• Nutrition: Preventing Food Born Diseases
• Safe Food Handling for Optimum Nutrition
• Obesity Prevalence and Fast Food Restaurant Prevalence
• Regulation of the Fast Food Industry: Review
• Nutrients and Food Guide Pyramid Recommendation
• Brand: An Exceptional Food Experience
• Food Stamp: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
• The Food Industry as a Threat to Public Health and Food Safety
• Food Security: Limiting the Use of Antibiotics to Reduce or Slow the Antibiotic Resistance
• Food Work in the Family and Gender Aspects of Food Choice
• Sociology of Food and Nutrition
• Food and Grades of Students at School
• Food Product Trends Related to Consumer Demands
• Food Processing and Farming Methods
• Fast Food: What Is Really in It?
• Are Packaged Foods Fat-Free Products?
• Investigation of Orange as a Food Commodity
• Diabetic Diet and Food Restrictions
• Public Service Bulletin: Food Safety Issues
• Fast-Food and Tobacco Industry Regulation
• The Aspects of Food in the Hindu Religion
• Recommendations for Food Security
• Raising Awareness on Food Poisoning Among Children Riyadh
• Food Security and Macroeconomics Discussion
• Nutrition. 3-Day Food Intake
• Magnesium in Food and Dietary Allowance
• Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Diagnostics for Pathogens in Food
• Food Diary Project: Dietary Recommended Intakes (DRI)
• “The Bitter Truth About Fast Food” by Schlosser
• Brazil Food Culture and Dietary Patterns
• Sugar Is Back on Food Labels as a Selling Point
• Overnutrition, Obesity, and Food Insecurities as the Global Concerns
• Chemicals Used for Microbial Preservation of Food
• A Sociology of Food and Nutrition: Unity of Traditions and Culture
• Nutrition: Chemical Composition of the Food
• Keeping a Food Diary: Control of Calorie Intake
• Entrepreneur Ayesha Khan and Her Food for Employees
• Biotechnology and Animal Welfare: How Genetically Modified Chicken Serves the Demand in Fast Food Chains
• Healthy Food With Proper Rationing and Balanced Meal
• Organic Foods: the Best Solution or Not?
• European Union Health Law and Food Law
• Rhetorical Analysis on Healthy Food and Labeling Problem
• Introducing Infants to Semi-Solid Food
• Food Costs Reduction in a Food Establishment
• Independent Food Safety Inspections in US Restaurants
• The Problem of Food Safety and the Spread of Various Diseases
• Protecting Americans From Food-Related Illnesses
• Organic Food Is Not a Cure for Environmental and Health Issues
• Home Isolation Survival Kit: Food Kits for Emergencies
• Quality System Implementation in Greek Food Sector
• New Food Movements: The Raw Foodism
• Festive Food in Chinese-Vietnamese Fests by Nir Avieli
• Food Addiction and Obesity in Children and Teens
• Food Texture in Packaging of Cakes, Pastries and Sweets
• Food Security and Environmental Designers
• Agriculture and Environment: Organic Foods
• Adverse Impacts of Food on Human Health: Toxicity, Nutritional Deficiency, and Allergenicity
• Fast-Food and Restaurant Strategic Marketing
• Gastronomy in Commercial Food Science Operation
• Soul Food: The Origin and Reasons of Vegetarianism
• Role in Local Food System – Pumpkins
• Kudler Fine Foods Analysis and Promotional Strategies
• Flavours of Chittering Food & Wine Festival: Analysis
• Organic Food as a Viable Option for Consumers
• Genetically Modified Foods: Substantial Equivalence
• The Demand for Food in South Africa
• Writing on Preservation and Distribution of Food
• Agro-Food Geographies: Food, Nature, Farmers and Agency
• Marketing Case B: Freddy Favors Fast Food and Convenience for College Students
• The Right to Food: Government Policy
• Safety and Quality: Food Contaminants and Adulteration
• Americans` Unique Dietary Patterns and Food Preferences
• Rice: Food Ingredient as a Currency
• Appropriateness of a Food Production and Service
• Foods Crises in Uganda Issue Analysis
• The Use of Fast Food Meals in the United State
• The Specificity of Chinese Culture in Terms of Food and Music
• The Food Served in Venice: World Famous Italian Foods
• Science Nutrition: Controversies in Food and Nutrition
• 3D Printed Food and Utensils Safety
• Meatpacking and Fast-Food Industry: Making a Better Tomorrow
• Meat and Fast-Food Industry: What Are We Eating?
• Fast Food Epidemic: The Dark Side of American Meal
• Fast Foods Popularity: Causes and Effects
• Texture Description of Food for Preschool Children
• Water Efficiency in Food Production: Food Security, and Quality of Life
• The Analysis of the Annual Amount Spent on Organic Food Using Multiple Linear Regression
• The Opportunity for School Food to Influence a Child’s Dietary Intake
• Food Distribution and Water Pollution
• Extending Existing Knowledge in the Area of Schools Foods and Their Influence on Children’s Diets
• How Architecture Is Being Used to Meet the Challenge of Food Provision
• Understanding Genetically Modified Foods by Howard et al.
• Food Choices and Dietary Habits: An Interview With a Mexican Immigrant
• Food and Drug Administration Importance
• Zero Hunger and Food Production in Abu Dhabi
• Dough Pizza Company in the Food Truck Industry
• Genetically Modified Foods: Pros or Cons
• Science and Grow Food Sustainability
• Processed Food Industry
• Processed Foods and High Fructose Corn Syrup Effects
• Acid Effects on Starch Gels in Food Preparation
• Food & Drug Administration: Federal Health Agency
• Food Recommender Systems and Their Types
• Emily Baumgaertner: Crop Viruses and Food Security
• Innovation From Google as Free Food Strategy
• Environmental Issues and Food Efficiency
• The Food Company New Product Development Group
• Advanced Food Bioanalysis
• Conventional Food System: Justice and Security
• Gulf Food Security and Delicate Diplomacy
• Hong Kong Street Food in Ethnographic Studies
• Food & Beverage Choices and Health Impacts
• Food Anthropology and Its Research Methods
• Low-Calorie Frozen and Microwavable Food Industry
• Food, Customers, and Culture in the Grocery Store
• Fast Food Restaurants and Buyers’ Responsibility
• Food and Taste Process Issues
• Casa Vasca Restaurant’s Food Safety and Sanitation
• Changes in Food Preferences
• Food Choices: Diets and Diseases
• Healthy Foods: Behavior Change Analysis
• International Food and Beverage Business in Africa
• Food Inspection Procedures in Saudi Arabia
• Food Poisoning and Hygiene Awareness in Saudi Arabia
• Food Safety and Health Violation at Workplace
• Food Business and Government Regulation in the US
• Best Food Superstores’ Customer Service Policy
• Food Insecurity and Depression in Poor Families
• Snack Food Company’s Product Marketing Research
• The 38th Winter Fancy Food Shows in San Francisco
• New Zealand Food Market
• Genetically Engineered Food Against World Hunger
• Problem of Food Overconsumption
• Demographic Transition Model and Food Security
• Food Texture and Health Outcomes Association
• The Impact of Supply Chain Efficiency on Food Losses
• Chemical Contaminants in Food: Endocrine Disruptors Study
• Farmers Views: Should Organic Food Be Promoted From?
• Scientists Views: Should Organic Food Be Promoted?
• Should Organic Food Be Promoted?
• The Organic Food Benefits
• Globalization, Food, and Ethnic Identity in Literature
• What Is “Organic” Food?
• Disguised Observation: Students Food and Drink Preferences
• Food Safety at Introducing of New Meal
• Food Security: Opportunities in Asia
• Food Product Risk Assessment
• ELISA and PCR Techniques: Food Quality
• The Effect of Food Texture on Health Outcomes
• Chicago Food and Beverage Company: Human Resources
• Childhood Obesity and Food Culture in Schools
• Food Texture Research for Healthcare
• Food Delivery Industry Drivers in the United Kingdom
• Food Safety: Washing Contact Surfaces and Cooking
• Common Food Preparation Methods and Their Effects
• Technology and Communications in the Global Food Industry
• Balogne Food Company’s Operations Management
• East Asian Food and Its Identifying Factors
• Do-Do Online Fresh Food Supply LLC’s Business Plan
• The Food Angel Visiting Project
• Visual Cameras and Inspection in Fast Food Restaurant
• Agri-Food Supply Chains Stakeholders
• Food Allergies Management
• Carlo’s Food Company: Information Misunderstanding
• Genetically Modified Foods: Pros and Cons
• Healthy Food Truck: Management Project
• Oil-For-Food Program: International Law Issues
• Janesville School District Food Services Leadership
• Food Nexus Models in Abu Dhabi
• Family Food and Meals Traditions in Dubai History
• Schneiders Food Company and Tyson Foods Inc.
• Food Corporations’ Damaging Influence
• Unhealthy Food Access and Choice Ethics
• The Science of Why You Crave Comfort Food
• The Best Food for Consumption and Six Nutrients
• Genetically Modified Foods: Scientific Resources
• New York City Low Food Affordability Areas
• Imbalance in Food Supply and Growing Demand
• Organic Foods Consumption and Cancer Prevention
• “How to Solve the Food Waste Problem” by Chavich
• Genetic Engineering in Food: Development and Risks
• Sustainability Strategies in the Food Industry
• Food and Water Quality Testing Device
• Popular Food as a Part of Contemporary Culture
• American Food Industry in “Food, Inc.” Documentary
• Food Production and Animals Suffering
• Black Families’ Issues in the “Soul Food” Series
• Fresh Food Provision for Low-Income Families
• UAE Food & Clothes Retail and Restaurant Business
• Pet Food Industry in the United States
• Healthy Food: Lesson Plan
• American Food, Its History and Global Distribution
• Swordfish Restaurant and Store in Food Services
• US Food and Drug Administration Approval System
• Aspen Hills Inc.’s Food Safety and Quality Issues
• Long-Term Investment Decisions in Food Industry
• US Pet Food Delivery: Industrial Marketing
• Cultural Studies: Aesthetics of Food and Wine
• Australia New Zealand Food Authority Business Plan
• Sous Vide Food Production System
• McDonald’s Digital Campaign “Our Food. Your Questions”
• Food Shortages in the Republic of Malawi
• Food and Water Waste Disposal in NYC
• Tamwal Mobile Food Trucks Business Plan
• Food Security and Sustainable Local Food Systems
• Fast Food Consumption in New Jersey (United States)
• Mexican Cuisine’s Transition to Comfort Food
• Food and Drug Administration’s Strategies
• Employee Turnover in Fast-Food Restaurants
• Food and Stress Relationship: Psychological Factor
• Gluten-Free Products in the US Food Market
• Kokubu Food Company’s Trends and Information System
• Depressive Food Intake Disorder
• Organic Food as a Solution of Global Food Problem
• Glass vs. Paper/Cardboard in Food Packaging
• The “Waist Banned” Article – Taxes on Junk Food
• Food Business and Government Role in Saudi Arabia
• Factors Contributing to Fast Food Consumption in UAE
• Future of Food: Effects on the Planet
• The Fast Food Danger Awareness Among the Young People
• Organic Farming for Sustainable Food Production
• Food Nexus Tools and Results
• Halal Food and Terrorist Organizations in Australia
• Food Sovereignty in United States
• Malaysia National Agri-Food Policy: Local Food Promotion
• Sliders Mobile Food Truck Marketing Plan
• Food Security in the United States: The Major Lapses of the Conventional Food Systems
• Blue Springs Fast Food Store vs. Blue Gardens Restaurant Analysis
• Spoilage Device: Forget Expiration Dates
• The Mass Production of Food: Food Safety Issue
• Animal Production and Food Availability
• Food Production Workshop Instructional Plan
• Froma Harrop Views on Genetically Modified Food
• Carbon Dynamics and Food Chains in Coastal Environments
• Temperature Impacts on Food
• Nutrition Process: Eating Healthy Foods
• Special Food Shop for Pregnant Women
• Traditional Medicine or Food Customs in a Chinese Culture
• Healthy Consequences of Fast Foods
• Food Production, Sharing, and Consumption
• Fast Food War in Singapore: The Stiff Competition and Fight for Customers
• Service Marketing: Food Market
• Recent and Promising Food Allergy Treatments
• Feeding Baby: How to Avoid Food Allergies
• Traditional Food Culture in the Indian Religion
• Nitrogen from Food Waste
• Food’ Role in International Students Interaction
• Hinduism Religion: Food and Asceticism
• Food as a Means of Cross-Cultural Interaction
• Nutrition: Is Genetically Modified Food Bad or Good?
• Should Fast Food Qualify As “Food”?
• Fast Food Industry and Its Impacts
• The Practice of Fast Food in the United States
• Future of Genetic Engineering and the Concept of “Franken-Foods”
• Food Role on Social Events
• Optimizing Production in the Food Industry
• Genetically Modified Foods: Should They Be Consumed?
• Corn is Our Every Day Food
• Analysis of the Documentary Fast Food, Fat Profits
• Good Food That Does not Grow on Trees: Analyzing the Key Supply Chain Issues
• Organic Foods in Australia and the USA
• Determinants of Success in the Swedish Food and Drink Industry
• The Economic Effect of Issuing Food Stamps to Those in Poverty
• Obesity and Fast Food
• Liability in Food Illness Cases
• Expanding the Australian Food Processing Industry into the United States
• Wegmans Food Markets v. Camden Property Trust
• Food Security in Sydney
• Local Food Production in Malaysia
• Threats to Global Food Supplies
• Food Borne Diseases of Intoxicants on MSG
• Increasing the Consumption of Healthy Food Products
• Operations Decisions for Krafts Foods Inc. and Manute Foods Company
• Kraft Foods’ Diverse Brand Portfolio
• Monaghan’s Conributions to Society Foodservice Management
• Analysis of Whole Foods Market’s feedback loops
• Analysis of Whole Foods Market using Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model
• Analysis of Whole Foods Market’s inputs
• Organizational diagnosis for Whole Foods Market
• RFID in Food Industry and Global Trading Patterns
• Kudler Fine Foods: Incorporating Strategic Thinking
• Large-Scale Organic Farming and Food Supply
• Organic Food Marketing Prospects
• Business and economics: The organic food sector
• Consumer Decision-Making Process on Buying Organic Foods
• Food and Drug Administration in United States of America
• Literature Review on Organic Food and Healthy Diet
• Foods That Effect Children With ADHD/ ADD
• Why Food Services Are the Most Commonly Outsourced Function in the Business Community
• Food and Wine Tourism
• A Typology for foodservice menu development
• Eco-Friendly Food Product Production and Marketing
• Food for the Hungry – Non-profit Organization
• Effects of Food Advertising in Australian Television on Children Aged 5-12 Years
• Sustainable Development in the Food Area
• Food additives: Artificial sweeteners
• Company Research: Whole Foods
• Evaluate Human Resource Issues in Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
• Could Biotechnology Solve Food Shortage Problem?
• Does Circadian Rhythm Affect Consumer Evaluation for Food Products?
• Are China’s Grain Trade Policies Effective in the Stabilization of Domestic Food Prices?
• Can Better Governance Improve Food Security?
• Does Corporate Social Responsibility Matter in the Food Industry?
• Are Female-Headed Households More Food Insecure?
• Can Drought-Tolerant Varieties Produce More Food With Less Water?
• What Factors Determine/Influence the Food Choice People Make?
• Why Are Restricted Food Items Still Sold After the Implementation of the School Store Policy?
• Are Food Safety Standards Different From Other Food Standards?
• Can Food Monitoring and Accessible Healthy Food Help Combat Child Obesity?
• Are Food Stamps Income or Food Supplementation?
• Can Government-Allocated Land Contribute to Food Security?
• Is Genetically Modified Food Safe for Consumption?
• Can Insects Increase Food Security in Developing Countries?
• Are Input Policies Effective to Enhance Food Security in Kenya?
• Can Non-wood Forest Products Be Used in Promoting Household Food Security?
• What Are Most Serious Negative Effects of Eating Fast Food?
• Who Does Regulate Food Safety for the United States?
• Should the Government Regulate Food More?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 25). 663 Interesting Food Essay Topics, Examples, and Ideas. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/food-essay-examples/

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IvyPanda . 2024. "663 Interesting Food Essay Topics, Examples, and Ideas." February 25, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/food-essay-examples/.

1. IvyPanda . "663 Interesting Food Essay Topics, Examples, and Ideas." February 25, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/food-essay-examples/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "663 Interesting Food Essay Topics, Examples, and Ideas." February 25, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/food-essay-examples/.

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EL Education Curriculum

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• ELA 2019 G8:M2:U3:L3

Healthy and Sustainable Food Choices

In this lesson, daily learning targets, ongoing assessment.

• Technology and Multimedia

Supporting English Language Learners

Materials from previous lessons, new materials, closing & assessments, you are here:.

• ELA 2019 Grade 8
• ELA 2019 G8:M2
• ELA 2019 G8:M2:U3

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Focus Standards:  These are the standards the instruction addresses.

• RI.8.1, RI.8.4

Supporting Standards:  These are the standards that are incidental—no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.

• I can cite evidence to support how various food choices are healthy and/or sustainable. ( RI.8.1 )
• I can take a stance on a topic and engage in collaborative discussions with my peers about healthy and sustainable foods. ( SL.8.1 )
• Opening A: Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 3 ( RI.8.4 )
• Work Time B: Healthy and Sustainable Food Choices anchor chart ( RI.8.1 )
• Closing and Assessment A: Food Choices and Evidence note-catcher ( RI.8.1 )
• Food Choices and Evidence note-catcher (one per student)
• Signs for the Four Corners activity (see Work Time B)
• Ensure there is a copy of Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 3 at each student’s workspace.
• Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

• Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout previous modules to create anchor charts to share with families; to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families; and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 8.I.B.6 and 8.I.B.8.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

• To support ELLs, this lesson guides ELLs in considering a research question. Students review the independent research they carried out in Unit 2 and gather evidence that supports the ways in which their topic is sustainable and/or healthy. Students engage in short discussions with peers and a Four Corners protocol to support one another as they analyze evidence to support an argument about an informed choice community members can make about healthy and sustainable food. This activity provides an opportunity for rich work with content and practice with oral skills.
• ELLs may find it challenging to find and determine the relevance of evidence. Help students to navigate the work in this lesson by using the differentiated graphic organizer provided and by using strategic grouping to ensure that ELLs work with supportive peers. Use Conversation Cues during the Four Corners protocol as students share their opinions and the evidence that they have gathered to help guide the discussion.
• sustainable (A)

(A): Academic Vocabulary

(DS): Domain-Specific Vocabulary

• Academic word wall (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening A)
• Access to Healthy Food: Independent Research note-catcher (example for teacher reference) (from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 4, Work Time A)
• Vocabulary logs (one per student; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening A)
• Access to Healthy Food: Independent Research note-catcher (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 2, Lesson 4, Work Time A)
• The Omnivore's Dilemma (text; one per student; from Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
• Independent reading journals (one per student; begun in Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 6, Work Time B)
• Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 3 (answers for teacher reference)
• Healthy and Sustainable Food Choices anchor chart (example for teacher reference)
• Healthy and Sustainable Food Choices anchor chart (one for display; co-created in Work Times A and B)
• Sticky notes (two, for modeling)
• Food Choices and Evidence note-catcher (example for teacher reference)
• Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 3 (one per student)
• Sticky notes (three per student)
• Food Choices and Evidence note-catcher (one per student and one for display)
• Food Choices and Evidence note-catcher ▲

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

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Making Healthy Diet Choices

• Categories: Dieting Nutrition

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Published: Nov 16, 2018

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Works Cited

• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2019). The Nutrition Source: Healthy Eating Plate. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Healthy Eating for a Healthy Weight.
• American Heart Association. (2022). Healthy Eating. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating
• Mayo Clinic. (2021). Healthy Diet: End Confusion. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/healthy-diet/art-20049930
• United States Department of Agriculture. (2022). Choose MyPlate.
• World Health Organization. (2020). Healthy Diet.
• Brown, C. (2018). The Whole Food Guide for Breast Cancer Survivors: A Nutritional Approach to Preventing Recurrence. New Harbinger Publications.
• Greger, M. (2015). How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease. Flatiron Books.
• Kuo, G. (2019). How to Eat to Live: Using Nutrition for Maximum Health and Weight Loss. Independently published.
• Pollan, M. (2009). In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. Penguin Random House.

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Food choices today, impact health of both ‘people and planet’ tomorrow

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The food we eat has huge potential to improve both human health and environmental sustainability, but too often today it is posing a threat to both people and planet, according to a new report by the EAT-Lancet Commission, launched on Tuesday at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Co-organized by the UN Environment Programme ( UNEP ) and the Permanent Mission of Norway, the head of the agency’s New York office, Satya Tripathi, noted that it was his home country of India, which had originated the aphorism that “you are what you eat”.

“And it not just about food, it’s about process, it’s about what it results in”, he continued, saying that this “age-old wisdom” has been “scientifically articulated in a very powerful manner” in the report, which pins down “the science, the numbers and the analytics of what you need to do to be healthy”.

Did you know?

One-third of the world’s croplands are used to grow feed for cows, rather than fruits, nuts, vegetables and whole grains which are needed for a healthy human diet.

More than half of the world’s population suffers from some form of malnutrition.

Two billion people have insufficient access to nutrients while another two billion suffer from diseases related to over-consumption and obesity.

Diet-related diseases including diabetes, cancer and heart diseases are among the leading causes of death worldwide ­– more than tobacco and drugs combined.

The report argues that there is an immense challenge facing humanity to “provide a growing world population with healthy diets from sustainable food systems”, noting that while calorie production has kept pace with population growth, more than 820 million people either lack sufficient food, consume low quality diets or simply eat too much.

“A radical transformation of the global food system is urgently needed”, the report stressed, without which the world not only risks failing to meet the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ) and the 2015 Paris Agreement , but leaves today’s children dealing with environmental degredation and a population increasingly suffering from malnutrition and preventable disease.

Gunhild A. Stordalen, Founder and Executive Chair of the EAT Foundation, told the launch event that while food poses intrinsic challenges in nearly every part of the Sustainable Development Agenda leading up to 2030, it also has “super powers”.

“The power of food is all about connections” she stated, “the links between people and planet are everywhere, but nowhere are these connections more obvious or the synergies more numerous than on our plates and across the food system”.

Flagging that a healthy food supply will be a defining issue of the 21 st Century, the report provides a scientific blue print for a healthy and sustainable future, spelling out that “if we change the way we produce, consume, transport and waste food we can feed everyone a healthy diet and improve the health of the planet”.

United States-based actor and activist Alec Baldwin, warned that humankind was “causing global climate change, which, if we do not act, will be our undoing”.

He urged everyone to look at “the mutually achievable goals” of food and environmental security, saying that we need to alter agricultural priorities to make better use of the land we already have and drastically reduce meat production. 

“If we shift to plant-rich diets, we can help save the planet”, Mr. Baldwin asserted. Transforming the food system can also lower risks of cancer, strokes and diabetes and avoid 11 million adult deaths per year, the meeting heard.

To move to a healthy diet, the reports suggests that the world doubles its consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts while reducing at least by half, red meat and food with added sugar. 

“The greatest challenge we face is influencing human behavior, you cannot outlaw the consumption of meat…We can only shine a light” on cause and effect, concluded Mr. Baldwin. 

EAT is a global non-profit established with partners to catalyze a food system transformation.

Below is a snippet of the EAT-Lancet Commission Report on Food, Planet, and Health launch . The Special Event in its entirety can be found here .

• climate change; food

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Identity and Food Choice: You Are What You Eat?

• Research article
• Published: 02 February 2023
• Volume 8 , article number  8 , ( 2023 )

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• Z. Tobias   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5479-1117 1 &
• J. M. Dieterle   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6253-8717 1  

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We use Marya Schechtman’s Narrative Self-Constitution View to support the widespread idea that food can contribute to the construction and expression of our identities and be used to understand others. What foods we consume can be one such way to construct our identities as food itself can have different values: ethically sourced, healthy, culturally significant, etc. However, the ability to constitute one’s own identity in this way depends on the ability to autonomously choose what we consume. We argue that most consumers have much less control over their own consumption habits than is typically assumed (indeed, much of the literature on food and identity relies on the assumption) and thus consumers have diminished autonomy with respect to identity-constitution. We focus on the effects of three such autonomy compromising practices: food impositions, which are social pressures on food choice; manipulative marketing; and impediments to access. Together these practices diminish second-order endorsement of food-related values, generate false beliefs about what one is eating, and create social, economic, or physical barriers which limit access to desired foods. There are, however, spaces where consumers are fighting back against cultural norms and agribusiness and changing their own relationship(s) with consumption, thereby exercising increased autonomy over their food and their identity.

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Not Radical, Not Preaching, but Reaching Out to Others: Nonreligious Expressions of Identity and Relationality Through Food

Choosing health: embodied neoliberalism, postfeminism, and the “do-diet”

Kate Cairns & Josée Johnston

Thank You for the Cured Meat, but Is It Grass-Fed? Contested Meanings of Food Parcels in a New Nutrition Transition

The Phrase Finder website identifies this meaning as the primary one. See https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/you-are-what-you-eat.html Shapin ( 2014 ) for a history of the use of the phrase “you are what you eat”.

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Tobias, Z., Dieterle, J.M. Identity and Food Choice: You Are What You Eat?. Food ethics 8 , 8 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41055-022-00118-y

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Experiencing nature leads to healthier food choices

• Maria Langlois   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9719-2886 1 &
• Pierre Chandon   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1887-1985 2  

Communications Psychology volume  2 , Article number:  24 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Experiencing nature has been linked to a host of benefits for health and well-being. Here, we examine if exposure to nature influences the food choices that may contribute to nature’s benefits. Five between-subject experiments ( n  = 39, n  = 698, n  = 885, n  = 1191, and n  = 913) show that individuals exposed to the natural environment choose healthier foods when compared to those exposed to urban environments or a control condition. Nature’s effects are observed for various foods and beverages, across samples from three countries, and in varied contexts, such as taking a walk in a park (vs. a city street) and looking at photos of nature (vs. urban or control) scenes. These findings provide insights into the relationship between proximity to nature and health.

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Introduction

Investigating the health effects of experiencing nature—and the consequences associated with the lack thereof—has acquired significant importance given that children and adults now spend a majority of their time indoors and far less time outdoors than previous generations 1 , 2 , 3 , where 68% of the world’s population is expected to live in urban areas by 2050, up from 30% in 1950 4 . The health benefits of exposure to nature are only now beginning to make their way into the scientific literature, and an account for the sources of these effects remains indeterminate. This research provides insights into the matter by demonstrating that exposure to nature (vs. urban and control) environments promotes the choice of healthier (more nutritious and less processed) foods, an established foundation for health.

A natural environment can be defined as one without human intrusion or intervention 5 , 6 , measured on a spectrum with a primeval forest on one end and a wholly man-made urban setting on the other. Between these two extremes, natural elements may be incorporated within an urban environment. For instance, tree-lined streets and city parks are sufficient forms of nature to reap the benefits of experiencing nature 7 , 8 . Spending time in nature is associated with psychological, cognitive, physiological, social, spiritual, and medical benefits, such as lower rates of obesity 9 , 10 . Recent correlational studies have also demonstrated that higher levels of connectedness to nature are associated with increased fruit and vegetable intake as well as with greater dietary diversity 11 . While these studies advocate for exposure to nature as a healthy eating intervention, their results may be driven by self-selection.

A few experimental studies explored the impact of exposure to nature on nonfood-related delay-discounting tasks, such as financial trade-offs 12 , 13 . To date, few studies (listed in Supplementary Table  1 ) have explored the impact of exposure to nature on dietary choice decisions through experimental methods. Most of these studies focused on the effects of exposure to nature on impulsive decision-making, typically measured via delay-discounting tasks and food desirability scales 14 , 15 . The few studies that examined eating directly focused on highly specific decisions, such as the amount of sugar added to bubble tea by participants who had the intention to lose weight 14 , rather than the more generic food choices made by “normal” (e.g., non-dieting) eaters for typical meals. Other studies 16 examined self-reported dietary recall, such as the number of vegetable servings consumed over time, but did not examine the effects of exposure to nature per se but the effects of a family-based training program that increases feelings of connectedness to nature. A few studies 17 , 18 examined the particular case of stress eating, yielding contradictory findings and leaving the question of the effects of exposure to nature on typical eating unresolved.

The strongest evidence for the effects of nature exposure comes from two field studies. The first study 19 found that placing posters depicting a nature scene next to a vending machine increased the sales of healthier snacks when compared to posters depicting a fair with carousels, or no poster at all. However, this study did not examine the effects of posters illustrating urban scenes, and it examined aggregate sales as opposed to individual choices. Consequently, it cannot be determined whether the poster with the nature scene attracted more health-conscious buyers or if it truly increased preferences for healthier snacks at the individual level. The second study 20 created a nature ambiance in a restaurant through changes in lighting, images, and sounds, but found only a marginally significant effect on the choice of vegetarian options compared to the old ambiance and no credible evidence of a difference when compared to a fast-food ambiance.

Overall, existing research is very limited and has yet to conclusively determine if exposure to nature can lead to healthier eating in the general population and when choosing from a variety of foods and beverages (as a snack or as a full meal). To achieve this goal, it is imperative to conduct studies that involve consequential food choices and actual eating behaviors, rather than solely relying on self-reported food desirability or food craving scales, as is predominantly used in the literature thus far. Research is also needed to understand if exposure to nature encourages the choice of truly healthy, nutritious, and unprocessed foods like fruits and vegetables or if it merely promotes the consumption of processed foods positioned as healthy through marketing claims like “diet” or “light”. Beyond food choice, the impact of exposure to nature on overall food consumption quantity requires investigating as well, as it remains unclear whether experiencing nature leads people to eat healthier in terms of food quality and/or if it impacts food quantity. Finally, it is important to know whether it is exposure to a natural environment that leads to healthier food choices or whether it is exposure to an urban environment that encourages unhealthier choices.

Through a series of five between-subjects experiments (see Table  1 ), we test the hypothesis that experiencing nature in the outdoors (Study 1) or through a virtual nature scene (Studies 2–5) leads people to make healthier food choices when compared to experiencing an urban environment (Studies 1–5) or a control environment (Study 2). Because exposure to nature increases feelings of connectedness to nature 16 , which is associated with healthy attitudes like increased respect for one’s body 21 and healthier dietary choices 11 , we hypothesize that nature exposure specifically increases the motivation to eat more healthily, and not simply to lose weight for appearances’ sake. Consequently, experiencing nature should lead to healthier food choices by increasing the importance placed on perceived food healthiness in these choices—and not by altering perceptions of food healthiness (Study 3)—should not influence total food quantity intake (Study 1), nor preferences for foods marketed as diet nor light (Study 4). Finally, Study 5 explores prior inconclusive results 15 that may have been driven by a lack of power and/or the reliance on indirect measures of food desirability rather than more direct measures of food choices.

All the online studies were pre-registered, and their sample size was determined based on power analyses 22 . Each study featured a distinct sample of participants—and participant demographic variables, such as age and sex, were deemed tangential to the phenomenon, and therefore were not assessed. We obtained internal review board approval from the university ethics committee at INSEAD, received informed consent from all participants, and complied with all relevant ethical regulations.

Study 1 comprised of a field experiment (without pre-registration), which took place during the spring of 2016 at a university and cultural center located directly across from a large public park in Paris, France. Forty-three Parisian residents were recruited for this study, and the study was conducted with one participant at a time. We instructed participants to take a 20-min walk on a pre-specified route, either in a large local park (nature condition) or on nearby city streets (urban condition). Both routes were of similar length, distance, and difficulty, and had the same starting point. Participants were asked to refrain from eating two hours prior to the experiment, as well as from listening to music or engaging in other activities during their walk. One participant was not able to complete the assignment because it started raining and three served as initial trial participants. This left N  = 39 participants (25 female) for the analyses (20 in the nature condition and 19 in the urban condition), and thus 312 observations, since there were 8 food options per participant. Participants completed their walk independently with the guidance of a map (available on ResearchBox). Both the nature (i.e., local park) and urban (i.e., city street) maps illustrated three landmarks along the routes: at the beginning, middle, and end, where participants were instructed to take photos to be shown to the researcher upon their return. The photography task, inspired by prior research 23 , served as a cover story and as a manipulation check, indicating that each participant completed the entire route as instructed.

After the walk, participants had access to a snack buffet for 10 min, which was framed as compensation for their participation in the study. The buffet consisted of four healthy snacks (bananas, apples, dried fruits, and mixed nuts) and four unhealthy snacks (strawberry cookies, apricot cookies, potato chips, and brownies) pre-tested for healthiness, as detailed in Supplementary Note  2 . Based on the pre-test evaluations (and homogeneity across nutritional profiles), the strawberry and apricot cookies (same brand and type of cookie) were aggregated during the coding phase, creating 7 overall food choice options in the data, from the 8 original choice options. All of the snacks were laid out visibly on a large table in the experiment room, with numerous quantities of each snack available. Pre-packaged foods were either already portioned and packaged out of the box, or portioned out by the researcher and packaged in small, sealed clear bags based on the portion sizes indicated on the package. In accordance with FDA standards 24 , each individual fruit was considered one serving. Participants were informed that they could have any and as many snacks as they wanted, but that all snacks had to be consumed on site and could not be saved for later. Participants were told to leave their trash in the room, which was cleaned once the experiment ended. The researcher timed each buffet session and returned to the experiment room once the 10 min had passed so that participants could consume their desired snacks without external influence. After participants completed the experiment and were debriefed and escorted from the lab, the researcher took inventory and recorded the snack choices and quantities consumed for each participant.

705 American residents were recruited online through Prolific Academic. The number of respondents was determined to achieve 95% power with a two-sided α = 0.05 based on the results of Study 1—and the study was pre-registered ( https://aspredicted.org/YDK_47B ). After pre-registered exclusions, such as attention check failures, this left a sample size of 698 participants (231 in the control condition, 233 in the nature condition, and 234 in the urban condition). In this study, participants were randomly assigned between subjects to one of three conditions: nature, control, or urban. Participants read about a scenario in which they had recently won a radio sweepstakes contest for a free night at a hotel. They were instructed to imagine being in their hotel room with an illustrated window view from their room, which depicted either a nature scene, an urban scene, or the same window with the curtains closed (in the control condition). Respondents were asked to pay careful attention to the photo and to write a sentence describing the scene depicted in it. Afterwards, participants were asked to select their choice of lunch, comprising of one main dish, one side dish, and one beverage, that they would order through room service, a food choice task was adapted from prior research 25 . The room service menu consisted of 12 food/beverage items (4 mains, 4 sides, 4 drinks), which were pre-tested (see Supplementary Note  3 ) for healthiness using continuous and categorical measures. For this study, the two unhealthy main courses were a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a hot dog, while the two healthy main courses comprised of a salmon salad and a cobb salad. The four sides consisted of a Kit Kat bar (unhealthy), potato chips (unhealthy), a fruit salad (healthy), and unsweetened Greek yogurt (healthy). The four beverages were regular Coke (unhealthy), Mountain Dew (unhealthy), coconut water (healthy), and mineral water (healthy). Participants had a total of 12 different food/beverage options and made one selection for each of the three categories: one main dish, one side dish, and one beverage, in order to construct their desired meal.

920 American residents were recruited online via Prolific Academic. The number of respondents was determined to achieve 95% power with a two-sided α = 0.05 based on the results of Study 2, as detailed in the pre-registration (available at https://aspredicted.org/CR8_K2H ). After pre-registered exclusions, the remaining sample comprised of 885 participants (442 in the nature condition and 443 in the urban condition). In this two by two between-subjects design study, participants were randomly assigned to one of the two environmental conditions (nature or urban) as well as to one of the measurement orders (food choice and then healthiness ratings, or healthiness ratings and then food choice). This second factor allows us to measure potential carryover effects of measurement, whereby some participants would choose healthier foods simply because they had been asked to rate the foods’ healthiness prior to making their selection (vs. after they have made their choice). Our hypothesis is that the healthiness ratings will be a stronger predictor of choice in the nature condition than in the urban condition, independent of the measurement order.

As in Study 2, participants were told to imagine that they had recently won a day trip to a special location depicted in the accompanying photo. Based on the condition, they either saw the nature photo or the urban photo used in Study 2, but without the window frames. Participants in both groups were instructed to reflect on their day trip in the location illustrated in the photo and to pay careful attention to the scene. To ensure that participants were paying attention to the photos presented, they were asked to describe the scene depicted in one sentence. Participants in the “choice and then healthiness rating” condition were then asked to select food and beverage items that would serve as a packed lunch if they were to go on a day trip to the location depicted. In making their food and beverage selections for the packed lunch, participants chose one of the four possible beverage, main course, and side dish options used in Study 2. Finally, the participants were presented with those same four beverage, main course, and side dish options once again, and were asked to rate each item on a 7-point Likert scale from “extremely unhealthy” to “extremely healthy”. The order of the food choice and healthiness rating tasks was reversed in the “healthiness rating and then choice” order condition.

In this study, 1200 American residents were recruited online through Prolific Academic. The number of respondents recruited was determined to achieve 95% power with a two-sided α = 0.05 based on the results of Study 2. As pre-registered ( https://aspredicted.org/W97_91J ), 9 participants were excluded for ineligible device use and attention check failures, leaving 1191 participants in the sample (598 in the nature condition and 593 in the urban condition). Study 4 used a between-subjects design with random assignment to either the nature or urban condition. Participants were instructed to carefully observe the scene presented, as they would be asked memory-based questions about the scene later in the survey. To control for the quality and style of the photos, the nature and urban photos were taken by the same photographer 26 . Then, to ensure that respondents paid attention to the scene, they were asked to view the photo for at least 15 s and to describe the scene in one or two sentences. Finally, to increase the generalizability of the task, Study 4 did not include photos of specific foods but instead asked participants to choose between three textual descriptions of snacks: “a natural, healthy snack”, “a tasty, indulgent snack”, or “a diet, light snack”. These textual descriptions were tested to ensure that participants perceive the snack described as the “natural, healthy snack” as healthiest (Supplementary Note  4 ). For incentive compatibility, participants were informed that 10 individuals would be randomly selected to receive the snack they had chosen free of charge. For logistical reasons, these 10 participants were compensated financially for their selection.

As with the preceding studies, the number of participants was determined to achieve 95% power with a two-sided α = 0.05, based on the results of Study 2. 920 participants were recruited for pre-registered Study 5 ( https://aspredicted.org/DBR_HP4 ). 913 participants (455 in the nature condition and 458 in the urban condition) remained in the analysis after pre-registered exclusions for ineligible device use and attention check failures. To test the robustness of the effects across populations, the participants in this study were based in the United Kingdom—whereas our past samples came from the United States (Studies 2–4) and France (Study 1). As in studies 2 and 3, participants were told to imagine that they had recently won a free night at a nice hotel, where an accompanying photo depicted the window view from their hotel room. The photographic stimuli for this study were taken from another paper 15 , where participants in the nature condition viewed a photo of a waterfront view with green cliffs, while participants in the urban condition saw a photo of a modern building in a clean city without people. The photo task was framed as a memory and visual perception task in preparation for memory-based questions later in the survey. Next, participants were asked to describe the photographic scene in one sentence. As with Studies 2 and 3, participants were instructed to select food and beverage items for lunch, with a choice of one of four possible beverages, main courses, and side dish options.

Parisian residents were randomly assigned (in individual sessions) to either take a 20-min walk in a park with abundant nature or to a comparable walk on city streets. After the walk, participants were invited to eat from a snack buffet containing 4 healthy foods (different types of fruits and nuts) and 4 unhealthy foods (chips, brownies, and cookies—the strawberry and apricot cookies were collapsed for a resulting total of 3 unhealthy foods instead of 4). The type and amount of food consumed were recorded. As shown in Fig.  1 , the nature intervention did not influence the total quantity of food consumed ( M nature  = 2.58 servings, SD nature  = 1.41 vs. M urban  = 2.70 servings, SD urban  = 1.08; F (1, 37) = 0.10, p  = 0.76, η 2  = 0.003). However, it did influence the type of food consumed. Compared to those that walked in the city, the participants who walked in the park consumed more servings of healthy foods ( M nature  = 1.80 healthy servings, SD nature  = 1.28 vs. M urban  = 1.05 healthy servings, SD urban  = 0.85; F (1, 37) = 4.56, p  = 0.04, η 2  = 0.110) and fewer servings of unhealthy foods ( M nature  = 0.78 unhealthy servings, SD nature  = 0.84 vs. M urban  = 1.65 unhealthy servings, SD urban  = 1.38; F (1, 37) = 5.82, p  = 0.02, η 2  = 0.136).

a Number of servings of healthy snacks, unhealthy snacks, and total number of servings consumed by participants assigned to a nature walk or to an urban walk in Study 1. b Percentage of healthy (vs. unhealthy) food choices made by participants exposed to an image of a natural, control, or urban setting in Study 2. c Percentage of healthy (vs. unhealthy) food choices made by participants exposed to an image of a natural, control, or urban setting in Study 3. d Unstandardized regression coefficients of subjective food healthiness scores in a conditional logistic regression of food choice in Study 3. e Percentage of participants that selected a ‘tasty, indulgent snack’ vs. ‘a diet, light snack’ vs. ‘a natural, healthy snack’, when exposed to an image of a natural or urban setting in Study 4. f Percentage of healthy (vs. unhealthy) food choices made by participants exposed to an image of a natural or urban setting in Study 5. All error bars denote standard errors.

To further test the effects of the intervention on the consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods, we estimated a random effect model in SPSS 27 using the MIXED procedure, which allows for correlated errors at the participant level to account for the fact that each participant provided 8 observations (one per food; collapsed to 7 to account for homogeneity across the strawberry and apricot cookies). Thus, we regressed the number of servings consumed on two binary variables, nature ( coded as ½ for the nature walk and -½ for the urban walk), healthiness ( coded as ½ for the four healthy foods and -½ otherwise) and their interaction. Data distribution was assumed to be normal, but this was not formally tested. Neither the main effect of nature nor of healthiness were statistically significant (respectively: B  = −0.05, t  = −0.89, p  = 0.38 and B  = −0.05, t  = −0.58, p  = 0.56). However, their interaction was statistically significant ( B  = 0.48, t  = 2.93, p  < 0.01), indicating that, compared to the urban walk, participants in the nature walk condition consumed more healthy food and less unhealthy food.

To provide a comparison to the other studies that did not measure consumption quantity, we also analyzed the effects of the intervention on the selection of food consumed, regardless of the quantity consumed. In the urban condition, 47.4% of the chosen foods were healthy and 52.6% were unhealthy. In contrast, in the nature condition, 71.7% of the selected foods were healthy and 28.3% were unhealthy, a statistically significant improvement, χ 2 (1, 84) = 5.18, p  = 0.02. Study 1 provides field evidence that a nature walk leads people to choose healthy snacks over unhealthy ones. However, it cannot determine whether it was exposure to the natural environment that led participants to consume healthy food, or whether it was exposure to the urban environment that led to the consumption of unhealthy food. Study 2 addresses this question by incorporating a neutral control condition. Additionally, subsequent studies examine whether the effects of nature exposure can be obtained by exposure to photos of natural or urban scenes, without necessitating an actual walk in a natural or urban environment.

American respondents were instructed to imagine being in their hotel room with a window view onto either a nature scene, an urban scene, or the same window with the curtains closed. Afterward, participants were asked to select the room service meal that they would eat from a lunch menu that featured photos of four main courses, four side dishes, and four beverages. Half of the options were pre-tested to be healthy and the other half unhealthy. As pre-registered, we analyzed the three choices comprising the meal—the main course, side dish, and beverage—together, after accounting for the repeated nature of the data. In the urban condition, 62% of the selected foods were healthy, and in the control condition, 65% of the selected foods were healthy; that proportion increased to 71% in the nature condition, χ 2 (2, 2094) = 13.76, p  < 0.01. As pre-registered, we first conducted binary logistic regressions with the selection of each of the 12 foods or beverages (coded as 1 if chosen and 0 otherwise) as the dependent variable, yielding 8376 observations (12 observations per participant). As in Study 1, healthiness was coded as ½ for healthy foods and −½ for unhealthy foods. Using the control condition of the intervention as the default level, we created two binary variables to capture the effects of the intervention: naturevcontrol (coded as 2 / 3 in the nature condition and − 1 / 3 otherwise) and urbanvcontrol (coded as 2 / 3 in the urban condition and − 1 / 3 otherwise). We also added the interaction of food healthiness with these two binary variables.

There was a statistically significant main effect of healthiness ( B  = 0.89, Wald  = 280.06, p  < 0.01), indicating that participants were more likely to choose the healthier options over the unhealthy ones, overall. The main effects of naturevcontrol and urbanvcontrol were not statistically significant ( respectively, B  = −0.05, Wald  = 0.46, p  = 0.50 and B  = 0.02, Wald  = 0.08, p  = 0.78). More importantly, there was a significant interaction between naturevcontrol and healthiness ( B  = 0.35, Wald  = 7.16, p  < 0.01), indicating that participants were more likely to select a healthy option in the nature (vs. control) condition, as predicted. In alignment with our hypothesis, the interaction between urbanvcontrol and healthiness ( B  = −0.19, Wald  = 2.28, p  = 0.13) was not statistically significant. Finally, to compare the nature and urban conditions to one another, we estimated an additional binary logistic regression excluding the control condition, and with a new variable, naturevurban ( coded as ½ in the nature condition and −½ in the urban condition). The interaction between naturevurban and healthiness was statistically significant ( B  = 0.54, Wald  = 17.53, p  < 0.001), indicating that, as in Study 1, participants were more likely to choose a healthy option in the nature condition than in the urban condition.

To account for the fact that each participant made three choices among four options per category—one for a main course, one for a side dish, and one for a beverage—rather than 12 independent food choices, we also estimated a conditional logistic regression to compare the effects of the food attributes (healthy vs. unhealthy) on the likelihood of choice across the three experimental conditions (nature, urban, & control). Using the CLOGIT procedure in STATA 28 with clustering at the participant level, we found a main effect of healthiness ( B  = 0.67, z  = 12.56, p  < 0.001), a statistically significant interaction between healthiness and naturevcontrol ( B  = 0.27, z  = 2.03, p  = 0.04), and an insignificant interaction between healthiness and urbanvcontrol ( B  = −0.15, z  = −1.15, p  = 0.25). Note that the main effect of the intervention is omitted in the conditional logistic regression because all participants must choose one of the four options regardless of whether they are in the nature, control, or urban condition. These interaction results were replicated with the continuous measure of food healthiness ratings provided by similar participants described in Supplementary Note  3 (see ResearchBox for details). Overall, the results are robust to the estimation method used.

By integrating a neutral control condition, Study 2 demonstrates that exposure to a natural environment drives healthy food choice, as opposed to the potential alternative explanation of exposure to an urban environment driving unhealthy food choice. Subsequent studies examine the hypothesized mechanism of action, which is that nature exposure increases the importance attached to health when making food choices.

Study 3 used the same procedure as Study 2 and the same nature and urban stimuli but measured each participant’s evaluation of the healthiness of the food options, whereas preceding studies relied on an a priori categorization of food or used continuous healthiness ratings obtained from an external sample. The additional measure allows for examining whether nature exposure increases the importance of each participant’s own perception of food healthiness in driving food choices. It also permits examining the alternative explanation that nature exposure influences perceived food healthiness, which could influence choices even if the importance of health remained constant. To remove concerns that the measurement of food healthiness might bias food choices, or vice versa, half of the participants rated foods on healthiness prior to making their meal selections, while the other half rated foods on healthiness after making their selections.

On average, participants in the nature condition made healthier food choices when compared to participants in the urban condition ( M nature  = 70.6% healthy vs. M urban  = 63.7% healthy; χ 2 (1, 2655) = 14.15, p  < 0.001). This result was obtained regardless of whether food choices were made before the healthiness ratings ( M nature  = 65.9% healthy vs. M urban  = 57.5% healthy; χ 2 (1, 1317) = 9.78, p  < 0.01) or after ( M nature  = 75.2% healthy vs. M urban  = 69.8% healthy, χ 2 (1, 1338) = 4.95, p  = 0.03). There was no statistically significant difference between the food ratings in the nature and urban conditions ( M nature  = 3.94, SD nature  = 2.25 vs. M urban  = 3.98, SD urban  = 2.22; F  = 1.11, p  = 0.29 ) .

To estimate whether exposure to nature increased the importance of health considerations, we estimated the same conditional logistic regression as in Study 2. The independent variables were healthrating (the participant’s own mean-centered healthiness ratings), nature (equal to ½ in the nature condition and −½ in the urban condition), ratingsfirst (equal to ½ in the “rating then choice” condition and −½ otherwise), and their interactions. The main effect of nature and ratingsfirst are omitted because, by construction, they are constant across all food options for a given participant. The results revealed a significant main effect of healthrating ( B  = 0.25, z  = 20.64, p  < 0.001), indicating that participants were more likely to select foods or beverages that they had rated higher in terms of healthiness. More importantly, there was a statistically significant interaction of healthrating and nature ( B  = 0.11, z  = 4.58, p  < 0.001). This shows that, as expected, healthiness ratings were more predictive of choice in the nature condition than in the urban condition. The regression coefficient of the healthiness ratings was larger in the nature condition ( B  = 0.30, SE  = 0.02) than in the urban condition ( B  = 0.19, SE  = 0.02). Although tangential to our hypotheses, there was also a statistically significant interaction of healthrating and ratingsfirst ( B  = 0.11, z  = 4.53, p  < 0.001), indicating that healthiness ratings were more predictive of choice when they were collected before the food choices. More importantly, the three-way interaction between nature, ratingsfirst , and healthrating was not statistically significant ( B  = −0.03, z  = −0.52, p  = 0.60).

Study 3 demonstrates that experiencing nature drives individuals to make healthier food choices—and participants’ healthier choices become more aligned with their own perceptions of food healthiness. By capturing each participant’s own healthiness ratings, Study 3 rules out the notion that experiencing nature leads people to choose foods that are simply perceived as healthier by most people but not necessarily by themselves. Rather, healthfulness is sought out based on one’s own perception of what is healthy. It also rules out the alternative explanation that nature exposure merely makes healthy foods appear healthier since healthiness ratings were unchanged regardless of whether people were in the nature or urban condition.

Incorporating individuals’ own healthiness ratings raises the question of the heterogeneity in people’s own definitions of food healthiness. Multiple and non-mutually exclusive interpretations of food healthiness coexist. For example, low-calorie “diet” food and unprocessed nutritious foods are similarly marketed as “healthy”, even though prior research has documented notable differences in food choices depending on whether a person’s motivation is health per se or the desire to lose weight 29 , 30 . Study 4, therefore, distinguishes between the goal to eat healthfully by choosing unprocessed, nutritious food and the goal of managing one’s weight by eating low-calorie “diet” food, while continuing to offer the option to focus on taste, which remains the number one driver of eating motivation 31 , 32 . To test the robustness of the effects of experiencing nature, Study 4 implements an incentive-compatible procedure with consequential decisions—where participants are incentivized to select foods based on their own true preferences, as there is a chance they will win the food they select—and measures eating goals rather than the choice of specific foods.

Consistent with the preceding online studies, American participants were asked to view a photographic scene of a nature view or an urban view, which were taken by the same professional photographer 26 to minimize quality and style differences. After the intervention, participants indicated their choice of either (1) a natural, healthy snack, (2) a diet, light snack, or (3) a tasty, indulgent snack. To increase the consequentiality of their decisions, participants were informed that they could win their snack of choice.

Experiencing nature significantly increased the importance that respondents placed on food healthiness compared to the other eating goals. In the nature condition, 72.9% of the participants selected the natural, healthy snack, while only 33.2% of participants in the urban condition did so (χ 2 (1, 1191) = 188.35, p  < 0.001). Importantly, exposure to nature reduced, rather than increased, preferences for a diet, light snack ( M nature  = 5.4% vs. M urban  = 10.3%, χ 2 (1, 1191) = 10.08, p  = 0.002). Finally, exposure to nature also reduced preference for a tasty, indulgent snack ( M nature  = 21.7% vs. M urban  = 56.5%, χ 2 (1, 1191) = 151.10, p  < 0.001).

In sum, Study 4 provides incentive-compatible evidence that exposure to nature gives rise specifically to healthy eating goals as opposed to motivating dieting behaviors. It also suggests that experiencing nature reduces the importance of taste goals. Given the robustness of these findings across the four preceding studies, one may wonder why some published studies failed to identify the same effect. We hypothesize that the null results in prior studies were driven by a lack of power or sensitivity in the measures that led to type II errors. To test this hypothesis, Study 5 used stimuli from a low-powered inconclusive study 15 .

Study 5 was conducted using a nature scene photo and an urban scene photo from a study 15 that found inconclusive effects of nature exposure on fruit and vegetable desirability and null results on energy-dense food desirability. A power analysis led us to recruit 920 participants, 8.6 times as many as in the inconclusive study. Unlike the inconclusive study, which measured general food desirability on visual analog scales, Study 5 used the food choice task adapted from earlier research 25 , used in Studies 2 and 3.

Consistent with our prior studies, there was a significant main effect of exposure to nature on food choices, where participants assigned to the nature condition were more likely to choose healthier options ( M nature  = 64.1% vs. M urban  = 54.3%; χ 2 (1, 2739) = 27.27, p  < 0.001). The same conditional logistic regression used in Studies 2 and 3 showed a significant main effect of healthiness ( B  = 0.38, z  = 7.69, p  < 0.001), indicating that, on average, participants exhibited a greater preference for the healthier options. In addition, there was a significant positive interaction between healthiness and nature ( B  = 0.41, z  = 4.17, p  < 0.01). Similar conclusions were obtained when using the mean-centered continuous measure of food healthiness ( healthrating) collected from another sample and described in Supplementary Note  3 . There was a main effect of healthrating ( B  = 0.12, z  = 9.42, p  < 0.01) and a positive interaction between healthrating and nature ( B  = 0.10, z  = 3.90, p  < 0.01), indicating that exposure to nature increased the likelihood of choosing foods that are generally perceived as healthier. Overall, Study 5 demonstrates that the stimuli used in a previous study with inconclusive results reliably reproduce the effects of experiencing nature when the study is sufficiently powered.

The results of five experiments demonstrate that experiencing nature leads people to make healthier food choices than when experiencing a less natural, urban environment. This appears to be a robust effect; it was witnessed in food consumption decisions that took place at a snack buffet after outdoor walks and in online studies of incentive-compatible consumption intentions for entire meals following exposure to natural and urban scenes. These effects also hold across a variety of foods/beverages, contexts, and nationalities. Our replication efforts using published stimuli (in Study 5) demonstrate that previous inconclusive results were driven by a lack of statistical power or sensitivity in their measure of food preferences. Finally, these effects replicate in both a pre- and post/current-COVID world, as these studies spanned from 2016 (Study 1) to 2023 (Study 5). Despite external shocks and unprecedented circumstances, exposure to nature has proven effective in driving healthy food choices across populations and throughout the years.

Notably, we find that it is exposure to nature that drives healthier food choices rather than exposure to urban environments driving unhealthy food choices. Participants in the urban condition (with views of city streets) made unhealthy choices similar to those in the control condition (with a closed curtain window), where the environment was hidden from view. This could be because, at least in industrialized countries, most people live in man-made urban environments, which have become, de facto, the “normal” environment. Given prior results suggesting that feeling connected to nature matters more than just being exposed to it 33 , it would be useful to determine the minimum levels of nature exposure necessary to benefit from it. Speaking to the mechanism of action, we found that experiencing nature increases the importance of health in driving food choices while decreasing preferences for reduced-calorie or indulgent foods. Furthermore, an implicit association task (Supplementary Note  5 ) demonstrates the implicit connection between nature and healthiness.

Nature exposure’s influence on healthy eating is likely multiply-determined. Therefore, we recommend that future research test multiple potential mechanisms simultaneously to compare their importance and the conditions under which they operate. Future research is necessary to examine the role that affect, stress, priming, perceived restorativeness, delay discounting, and self-perception may play in explaining why nature exposure increases the motivation for healthy eating 34 . Additionally, we recommend that future work explore the boundary conditions associated with nature’s effects on healthy eating. Supplementary Note  6 reports the results of a study, which finds a similar proportion of healthy food choice between exposure to nature versus urban scenes taken in the winter with snow, suggesting that greenery may play a role in nature’s effects, although the characteristics of the landscape itself may also matter 17 . It would also be interesting to explore whether certain elements of vitality or awe could be altered to enhance or suppress nature’s influence on food choice.

Limitations

One of the weaknesses in our research is that we did not determine how long the benefits derived from experiencing nature endure. Another weakness is that we only studied the food choices made for a single consumption occasion, such as a snack or lunch. To address these concerns, it would be important to conduct longitudinal research into the effects of nature exposure on changes in diet over time. Future research should also examine whether these effects vary according to population characteristics. For example, one would expect nature exposure to be particularly beneficial to people living in urban environments compared to those living closer to nature in suburban or rural environments. We also recommend that future work challenge and explore what it means to eat “healthy” in this context, as elements like food quantity add an additional layer of nuance and understanding to healthy food choice. Developing inclusive interventions would be particularly important in this context, as research has identified disparities among several populations. For instance, research on green spaces in urban environments has revealed inequalities in access to nature for African American and Hispanic populations in the United States 35 , 36 . This is particularly alarming given that obesity in America has seen a disproportionate rise among African-American and Hispanic groups 37 .

Not only do these findings have theoretical implications for the interdisciplinary study of food choices and the underlying decision-making processes, but they also provide practical insights for consumers, parents, food manufacturers, schools, and employers, who are invested in their own and possibly their children’s, students’, or employees’ food choices. Stakeholders concerned with public health should pay particular attention to the health implications of urban planning and design. Additionally, companies could consider investing in green spaces, especially if they can be near workplace cafeterias. Given that social connections play an important role in the diffusion of healthy eating habits 38 , bringing nature into school or workplace cafeterias where people eat in groups could be effective as well. Finally, marketers of healthier food products and alternatives could leverage images of nature in the advertising or on the packages of food products that are naturally healthier, such as fruits and vegetables. By demonstrating that experiencing nature promotes healthier food choices, our findings reveal a significant benefit provided to human societies by natural ecosystems—and help explain why proximity to nature is associated with good health and well-being.

Data availability

Materials, pre-registrations, and data for all studies are available at https://researchbox.org/1674 .

Code availability

Code for statistical analyses for all studies can be found at https://researchbox.org/1674 .

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Alix Barasch, Amitava Chattopadhyay, Nofar Duani, Sung-Jin Jung, Nabila Langlois, Fabrice Le Lec, Hilke Plassmann, Manoj Thomas, and Wendy Wood for their comments.

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M.L. conceived of the presented idea and conducted the field experiment. M.L. and P.C. planned and carried out all other (online) experiments together. P.C. supervised M.L. throughout the project as part of M.L.’s doctoral dissertation. M.L. took the lead on writing the manuscript; both authors contributed to the manuscript.

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Hungry? Food choices are often influenced by forces out of your control

Assistant Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Nutrition, University of Pennsylvania

PhD Student, Health Policy, Harvard University

Disclosure statement

Christina Roberto receives funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and The Wellcome Trust foundation.

Mary G. Findling does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Following a healthy diet can be hard. From deciding when and what to eat to how much food you actually put on your plate, the average person makes over 200 food-related decisions each day, most of which are automatic. These automatic choices – dubbed “mindless eating” by some experts – happen when we eat and drink without consciously considering what kind of or how much food to consume. We’ll keep eating from a bowl of chips past the point of fullness simply because they’re in front of us.

Even the most disciplined consumers are not fully in control of what they eat. Studies have shown that decisions such as when, what and how much to eat are often shaped by subtle forces outside of our awareness or direct control. These environmental forces can cause us to overeat by taking advantage of biological, psychological, and social and economic vulnerabilities. This helps explain why two billion people worldwide are overweight or obese, and why no country has yet been able to reverse their obesity epidemic.

There’s hope. Research has shed light on the major forces that encourage overeating, including biological, psychological, social, and economic. Now that we know more about them, we are in a better position to intervene.

How biology influences our appetites

Why do humans tend to crave items like chocolate over salad? Taste preferences such as a “sweet tooth” are innate to human biology, and they can change over the course of our lives. Children, for example, have a stronger preference for sweet foods than adults do.

The modern food environment has introduced an influx of processed foods filled with sugar, fat, salt, flavor enhancers, food additives, caffeine and so on. These ingredients are manipulated to try to maximize our biological enjoyment of them and satisfy those innate taste preferences.

For instance, research is finding that certain highly palatable foods, like a chocolate milkshake, can trigger brain responses that are similar to people’s reactions to addictive substances, giving new meaning to the idea of a “sugar high.”

But processed foods are also frequently stripped of components such as water, fiber and protein that cause us to feel full, making it difficult for our bodies to regulate food intake and maintain weight.

Your brain loves food

In addition to our biological enjoyment of highly processed foods, there’s a lot to love about them psychologically. From McDonald’s Happy Meals toys to Coca-Cola’s global “ Open Happiness ” marketing campaign, examples abound of the link between food and pleasure.

Companies spend billions of dollars marketing foods to create strong, positive associations with their products. One study found that children actually think the same food tastes better when it is adorned with a cartoon character like Dora the Explorer or Shrek.

There are also lots of small ways our environment can promote overeating. People eat more when served larger portions, regardless of how hungry they are. Unhealthy foods are also very noticeable and desired because they are everywhere – in schools, restaurants, convenience stores, supermarkets and vending machines. They’ve even infiltrated stores selling office supplies and home goods.

The places where we make many of our food decisions can be overwhelming for busy consumers (there are 40,000 different products in a typical supermarket), and most psychological cues in our environment signal us to eat more, not less.

For example, large portion sizes, food prices, the placement of food items in stores and promotional strategies to market foods all affect our dietary decisions on a daily basis. Consider portion size alone: Drinking Coca-Cola in the 1950s meant consuming a 6.5-ounce glass; today the 7-Eleven Double Gulp is roughly 10 times that size and contains nearly 800 calories.

But for food, out of sight often means out of mind. Google provides free snack foods for employees, and found that employees were eating too many M&Ms. So they placed the M&Ms in opaque containers and made healthier snacks more visible.

Simply placing M&Ms out of sight from the 2,000 employees in the New York office meant they consumed 3.1 million fewer calories in just seven weeks.

Your environment influences what you eat

Unhealthy foods are often inexpensive , making them especially appealing to those on a tight budget. But fast food and ready-to-eat convenience store items are also widely available and quicker and easier to prepare than home-cooked meals, which makes busy consumers vulnerable to overeating them. Food companies also engage in targeted efforts to market to certain groups. For example, recent reports have shown that soda companies are increasing their spending in the US on targeting black and Hispanic youth , a concerning strategy as these groups have greater rates of obesity.

The good news is that public discourse about obesity and policy-making is starting to reflect science. The public and policymakers are realizing that health issues like obesity and its related chronic diseases are not just about people’s individual food decisions. People are prone to over-consume unhealthy foods because our current food environments exploit biological, psychological, and social and economic vulnerabilities, undermining people’s ability to be personally responsible for their food choices.

Because weight loss programs often lead to limited weight loss that is difficult to maintain, bolder efforts are needed to prevent overweight and obesity in the first place. Fortunately, policy-level interventions are being introduced.

In the US, the Food and Drug Administration will require large chain restaurants to list calorie content on food menus in 2016 and it has proposed adding a Daily Value for Added Sugars on food labels to limit consumption.

Although research on the influence of calorie labeling and food choices is mixed, current evidence suggests that calorie labeling promotes lower calorie food choices for some consumers, some of the time, at some restaurants.

The FDA has also taken action to remove harmful trans fats – which increase the risk of heart disease – from processed foods.

The US, United Kingdom, Peru, Uruguay and Costa Rica have all enacted policies to remove “junk food” from public schools (out of sight, out of mind). Mexico recently enacted a one peso (8 cents) per liter tax on sugar-sweetened beverages to curb its obesity epidemic. Berkeley, California passed a US$0.01 per ounce excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in 2014 and expects to generate $1.2 million from it this year.

Chile and Peru have banned toys in Happy Meals. McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King all dropped soft drinks from their children’s menus.

These are important first steps in tackling the obesity epidemic, and more research is needed for us to understand which interventions will work best. Innovative policies are needed to change what and how much we eat, alongside voluntary efforts by the food industry to make healthier choices easier and more desirable.

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My Favorite Food Essay

500 words essay on my favorite food.

In order to perform well in life, our body needs energy. We get this energy from the food we eat. Without food, there will be no life. In today’s world, there are so many dishes available worldwide. Food comes in a wide variety all around the world. Dosa, Paneer, Naan, Chapati, Biryani, and more Indian delicacies are available. We are also offered western cuisines such as noodles, pasta, burgers, fries, pizzas and more dominating the food industry. In my favourite food essay, I will tell you about the food I like eating the most.

My Favorite Food

As the world is advancing day by day, it is becoming easier to get access to many kinds of food at our doorstep. Every day, we all want to consume great and delicious cuisine. There are many different varieties of food accessible all throughout the world. We all like different foods, however, my personal favourite is burgers. I have eaten many cuisines but my favourite food is definitely a burger. I cannot resist myself when it comes to burgers.

Burgers are one of the most convenient and easiest foods to eat on the fly when we’re in a hurry. We can have a burger at any time of day, whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or supper, and maybe some fries and a Coke to go with it. Many restaurants are well-known for making their speciality burgers in a particular style. Preparation changes from one establishment to the next. But what exactly makes a burger taste so good? They will taste vary depending on where you go, but they are all built the same. It is made up of a bun, a ground meat patty, and various toppings like cheese, onion slices, lettuce, and other sauces.

They are so soft yet crunchy, fresh and juicy that I love eating them. Even though there are many kinds of burgers, my favourite one is a chicken burger. The chicken patty gives the burger a juicy taste and it tingles my taste buds every time I eat it. I can already smell and taste it in my mouth as soon as I walked inside McDonald’s or any other restaurant that serves chicken burgers. As soon as I take a huge mouthful of it, I forget about any problems or troubles that are going on in the outer world and concentrate my entire concentration just on my chicken burger.

I love eating a burger which is filled with cheese and vegetables . The more vegetables you add, the better it tastes. My personal favourite is lettuce. It gives the burger the right amount of freshness and crunchiness.

I always eat my burger with ketchup. Most importantly, the thing I love about eating burgers is that I get to eat French fries along with them. They work as a great side to the dish and also make my stomach full.

Even though I liked eating a burger from a famous fast food joint, nothing beats the chicken burger my mother makes at home. She prepares everything from scratch, even the burger. Thus, it is extremely fresh and healthy too.

I know and feel that burgers have the great flavour and taste that would make anyone’s stomach pleased after a long day of work. I can tell by the reactions on people’s faces when they order their preferred burger variant. Overall, I don’t believe any other fast food will taste as good as a chicken burger. It’s just difficult to think that something will triumph in the future. As a result, I consider my favourite dish to be the best ever created.

A Great Variety

Perhaps the great thing about burgers is the great variety they offer. It has options for all people, who prefer vegetarian, non-vegetarian and even vegans. Thus, you can select the patty of your burger and dive right in.

There are a large number of burger joints being started in every corner of the city, each serving a variety of their own specialised and self-curated recipes. Burgers that are health-friendly and a go-to with a diet are also being introduced by these newly upcoming burger places. There are a lot many burger cafes that give their customers the choice to create their own burgers by providing them with a choice between patties, fillings, veggies, sauces as well as the number of burger layers they want.

Even though my personal favourite is a chicken burger, I also enjoy eating cheeseburgers and vegetable burgers. For me, all burgers taste delicious. Whenever we go out to eat with friends , I always order a burger.

My friends who do not eat non-vegetarian also eat burgers thanks to the great variety it offers. When we order food at home, we make sure to offer all kinds of burgers from cheeseburgers to chicken burgers, so that we get a taste of everything in our meal. Thus, I love burgers and their great variety makes it better.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of My Favorite Food Essay

Even though my favourite food is a burger, I enjoy other foods as well like Pizza and Pasta. However, I feel when it comes to eating daily, nothing beats homemade food. The food we eat daily is what helps us gain energy. We cannot eat our favourite food daily as it will become boring then, but our staple food is something we enjoy eating on an everyday basis.

FAQ of My Favorite Food Essay

Question 1: Why do we need food?

Answer 1: We need food because it provides nutrients, energy for activity, growth. Similarly, all functions of the body like breathing, digesting food, and keeping warm are made possible because of food. It also helps in keeping our immune system healthy.

Question 2: Should you eat your favourite food all the time?

Answer 2: No, never. Favourite foods are meant to be enjoyed when there is any special occasion, or when you are tired of your regular homemade food. Eating too much of your favourite food will make your taste buds adjust to it and eventually, it will not remain our favourite. Excess of anything is bad and the same goes for our favourite food. Thus, we must eat it occasionally so that it remains our favourite.

Question 3: Is fast food healthy? Should we not consume fast food at all?

Answer 3: Fast food is often high in calories, sodium, and harmful fat, with one meal frequently providing enough for a whole day. It is also deficient in nutrients and nearly devoid of fruit, vegetables, and fibre. That doesn’t mean you should completely avoid fast food. It is feasible to eat fast food without jeopardising your healthy diet. Take advantage of the nutritious side dishes available at many fast-food places. Look for meals that include lean proteins, vegetables, and fibre, and avoid anything that is supersized.

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Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

• Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
• With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy, materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes, offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development.

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy, with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

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