Influences (food)

You should choose foods that are low in:

* Low in fat (between 25 percent and 35 percent of calories every day) * Low in saturated fat (less than 10 percent of calories every day) * Low in trans fat * Low in cholesterol (less than 300 milligrams every day) * Low in sugar * Low in salt (less than 1 teaspoon every day)

External Influences:

* your family, friends, peers, teachers, and role models * media messages on the internet, on television, on the radio, in magazines, in newspaper, in books, and on billboards * your cultural background * the community or environment where you live * your heredity: traits passed on from biological parents

Internal Influences:

* your health knowledge * your lifestyle (do you like to take risks or do you prefer to play it safe) * your likes and dislikes * how you feel about yourself

What are the eight cooking tips for preparing healthful meals?

1. Cook with vegetable oils instead of butter. 2. Add little or no butter to foods. 3. Trim fat from meat and remove skin from poultry. 4. Use fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese. 5. Make desserts with fruit. 6. Limit the use of processed meats such as sausages, 7. salami, and hot dogs. 8. Limit the use of creamy sauces such as Alfredo sauce, 9. cheese sauces, and creamy salad dressings. 10. Include a vegetable and/or fruit at every meal.

What are the 10 tips you can use when eating out at fast-food and regular restaurants?

1. Size matters. Don't eat a supersize or deluxe; choose smaller portions. The size and shape of containers can as much as double the amount of food you consume. 2. Order low-fat milk instead of soda. 3. Choose salads with low-fat dressing. 4. Order grilled or roasted chicken. 5. Skip fattening extras such as cheese, bacon, mayonnaise, guacamole, sour cream, or tartar sauce. 6. Choose soft tacos over hard tacos. They are lower in fat. 7. Don't order fried foods such as french fries, fried chicken, or fish sandwiches. 8. Have vegetable toppings on pizza instead of meat, and skip the extra cheese. 9. Remove the bread basket from your table. 10. Ask for salad dressing on the side

Product Marketing Techniques:

Companies use different techniques to get you to buy and eat their products, such as buy one get one free, half off, coupons, point-of-sale displays, free samples, and in-store tastings.

Product Pricing:

How much something costs determines how often people buy it. Many people choose to eat at fast-food restaurants because the food is inexpensive. Also, many foods that lack nutritional value are less expensive, or you can by a large quantity for very little amount.

Your Moods and Emotions:

How you feel has an impact on what you choose to eat and how much you choose to eat. Some people eat more when they are bored or upset; others may not eat at all when they are upset.

You should also choose foods that are:

Lean High in fiber Whole grains Potassium-rich Calcium-rich

The Availability of a Product:

People like convenience. If something is hard to get, most likely they will not go out of their way to buy it. Healthful, fresh foods are usually only found at larger grocery stores or supermarkets, not at your local convenience store. So, for some communities, finding fresh produce at a reasonable price may not be an easy task.

Product Packaging:

The way a product is packaged is meant to draw your attention. Some products may have cartoon characters or bright graphics on them — anything to draw your eyes to them in hopes that you will buy them.