(EFC) Economic Factors Lesson

Economic Factors

The foods you buy and the way they are prepared are influenced by your resources. Food resources are time, money, cost of food, occupation, and marketplace. When time is short, you might use prepared foods or eat out.

Explore each section in the tabs below to learn more about how economic factors influence your choices.

Cost of Food

The cost of food is a primary determinant of food choice. Cost is one of the most important factors when we select food. It is particularly important for low ¬income families, students and the elderly. Food prepared at home is often cheaper than eating out or buying take-aways.

Time and Money

Time is a resource that commonly limits what we buy and prepare for meals. Resources can be interchangeable. If you have the money you can choose to go to a restaurant for a meal, but if money is short you can use your skills, knowledge and food ingredients to make a meal. Time and money can be used wisely by freezing and safely storing foods that are in season, on sale, or in larger quantities than can be used immediately.

Marketplace

The marketplace refers to the place where consumers purchase food. It may be the corner store, the small local super¬ market, the suburban shopping center, or the buying and selling of goods on world markets. Generally, the smaller the selling venue is, the more expensive the food items are. Small stores buy their food items from larger stores or wholesalers, and increase the selling price to cover their costs.

During these difficult economic times, more and more people are experiencing difficulty when it comes to purchasing health foods. Many people are in need of assistance simply to provide a meal for their family, not to mention a healthy one that is rich in all the vitamins and nutrients needed for proper nutrition. As a result, they are purchasing whatever is readily available in their local stores or restaurants. Often the healthier alternatives are much greater in cost and therefore the less nutritional meals are selected. Also, many parents are working, children are involved in many more extracurricular activities, and families as a whole are eating for convenience. These meals sometimes constitute going through a fast food drive thru versus sitting down for a home cooked meal around the dining room table. Due to convenience or economical need, many are suffering the harmful effects of eating unhealthy food. These habits are creating a generation of overweight children. These children are now predisposed to adult-related health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.

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