(i) Health status: a person’s health status will affect their food choices. Someone who has specific dietary requirements will make choices based on their own health and wellbeing. Someone with coeliac disease will avoid foods that contain gluten as if they eat gluten, they may feel sick afterwards. Someone who has coronary heart disease will look after their health and wellbeing by choosing foods that are low in saturated fat. Food pyramid/ current healthy eating guidelines: every day we make decisions about what foods we eat. Many of these decisions are affected by the dietary guidelines that we already know about. We have been told by health experts that we need to consume 5-7 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. As a result, people make efforts to choose fruit and vegetables as they know the impact these choices have on their health e.g. more energy, better mood, less bowel problems

Takeaways: takeaway culture is huge in Ireland, especially after the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. People’s wellbeing can influence their food choices when it comes to takeaways. People are aware of why you should avoid takeaways for health reasons – high fat, high salt, MSG etc. However, people can sometimes choose takeaways for their emotional wellbeing – to cheer themselves up, to relax etc.

(ii) Sustainability: now more than ever, we see that people are beginning to make their food choices based on the impact that they will have on the environment. We are seeing a huge increase in the number of vegans and vegetarians, as well as people who are having “meat free days”. People are beginning to live more responsibly as they can see the direct impact that their food choices have on the environment. Only 27% of people chose responsibility as a factor but this figure is set to increase in years to come.

Cost: people try to live responsibly by considering their food choices based on cost. If someone is on a low income, they will try to be responsible and avoid foods that are very expensive such as steak. This can lead to someone being responsible and choosing foods that suit their budget.

Less potatoes: potatoes were a staple food in the Irish diet for years after the famine. However, we are starting to see people moving away from eating huge amounts of potatoes and eating them with each meal. People are moving towards foods like pasta, rice and couscous. These foods are versatile which has caused people to consume more of them.

Travel: since foreign travel took off in the 1960s, Irish people have tried and tested a variety of new dishes. This is evident in the trends of Irish eating patterns as we see a huge variety of different sauces and spices being used in our dishes e.g. chicken curry is a popular dish in Irish households

Less saturated fat: in the past, Irish people were known for adding huge amounts of butter to dishes. This is not the case anymore. People are moving away from foods high in saturated fat e.g. meat, cream, and butter as they are aware of the health implications

Sources in the diet: red meat, offal, poultry, green leafy vegetables 

Biological functions: carries haemoglobin in the blood carries oxygen to the muscles aids metabolism 

Effects of deficiency: anaemia, muscle weakness, tiredness, and scurvy

Phytic acid and oxalic acid: phytic acid is found in wholegrain bread and oxalic acid is found in rhubarb. They hinder the absorption by binding themselves to the iron.

Vitamin C: found in kiwis, peppers, and citrus fruit. It works together with the iron to help the iron to be absorbed.

Purchasing Foods:

Purchasing starchy foods that are high in fibre e.g. brown rice, brown pasta. This ensures that there is a slow, steady release of energy which is important for people who may work night shifts or for people who play a lot of sports.

Snacks that can be eaten on the go are a good idea for families with irregular daily routines. Granola bars or nuts are convenient for busy families on the go e.g. dropping kids to and from school, and teenagers going from school to after-school study.

Planning Meals:

Plan meals that are easy to make in bulk. A pasta salad would be a good option as it is easily made in large amounts and it can be stored easily. This is a good option for a family with irregular daily routines as it can be a good “grab and go” option for when eating together is not an option.

Ensure that any meals planned can be reheated easily in the microwave or oven. This means that the food won’t go to waste if the family cannot eat together.