Chapter 1 - HOW FOOD AFFECTS LIFE
Food has different meanings for different people. People who are proud of their culture consider tradtiional foods to be part of their heritage. Members of some faiths regard certain foods as religious symbols. People who are entertaining guests view food as a sign of hospitality.
Clearly, food does much more than meet a basic physical need. It meets emotional, social, and psychological needs, as well.
The search for food and the means to produce it began centuries ago. Efforts to improve food resources will continue as long as life exists.
SUMMARY
In prehistoric ages, people viewed food solely as a means of survival. Early peoples spent most of their time and energy hunting and gathering food. As time passed, people learned to herd and farm. Food resources became more plentiful, and people became able to spend their time in other pursuits. With the development of a more stable food supply came the development of civilization.
Today, people view food as more than a basic physical need. Many factors influence the foods people eat and how they eat them. Cultural factors like national origin and religion affect people's food choices. Social factors such as family, friends, mass media, and current trends have an impact, too. Even psychological factors like experiences and emotions play a role in people's food habits.
|
|
