SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND OTHER

CULTURAL FACTORS
 Factors that affect one's food choices include:
◦personal preferences (likes and dislikes);
◦health reasons;
◦purchasing power or food budget;
◦availability due to climate and geographic location;
◦advances in food technology, trade and commerce;
◦traditions and social practices;
◦religion, symbolism or meanings attached to the food;.and
◦effects of immigration and interracial marriages.
 PURCHASING POWER
◦It is a challenging task for the homemaker to plan acceptable, low-
cost menus and still meet the other factors to be considered in well-
managed meals previously discussed. As stated in Filipino,
"masarap, masustansiya, malinis, at mura pa" (i.е., the food is tasty,
nutritious, clean and safe as well as economical). The following are
tips to stay within the family food budget:
◦Buy produce (fresh fruits and vegetables) fresh fish, and seafood
when in season.
◦Depending on one's storage space, buy in bulk, but store properly.
◦Use leftovers first or practice the FIFO method (first in, first out) so
as not to have spoiled or defective foods.
 PURCHASING POWER
◦ If possible, keep leftovers to a minimum. Use standardized recipes.
◦ Prepare one-dish meals like puchero, tinola, nilaga with vegetables, fish sinigang,
meat-vegetable gisado (sautéed), hearty meat-vegetable soups, noodle dishes with
meat or sea foods and vegetables, stir-fried meat-vegetable mixtures, kare-kare, and
beef-vegetable stew.
◦ Use meat extenders: menudo with potatoes, peas and carrots, dried legumes (beans)
and nuts; soybean cake or tofu/tokwa, and cereal grains or pasta with meat (e.g.,
Spanish rice, spaghetti and meat sauce, casserole dishes).
◦ Buy less tender cuts or lower cuts of meat (beef round or pork shoulder, rather than loin
parts) smaller fishes smaller shrimps cost cheaper than prawns or jumbo size), "catch
of the day" and bumper crops. Be creative in the use of seasonings and sauces to
"dress up" cheaper cuts of meat.
◦ Survey market prices. Be sure you are comparing the cost based on edible portions or
net weight. Watch out for special sales and price leaders.
 PURCHASING POWER
◦Compare the cost of using convenience foods and attach the cost of labor and
time for preparation saved, versus doing everything from scratch. Consider also
the savings on fuel or heat energy and other utilities.
◦Buy from reliable suppliers who may render services to cut down on your
preparation time without charging and additional fee. Examples are: free
delivery service, or free slicing and cutting of meats, cleaning and cutting the
fish, etc.)
◦Utilize as much as you can all parts of the plant or animal. Examples are:
chicken feet and backbone for soups, skin for cracklings, internal organs or
gizzards for certain recipes.
◦Utilize the stock or juice from canned or bottled foods. Examples are: pickle
juice for marinating, fruit syrup and juice from canned fruit cocktail or cherries
for punch.
 SOCIAL ASPECTS OF FOOD
◦Situations that best illustrate the use of food items or meals for social reasons
are:
◦Family reunions to celebrate special occasions: birthdays, weddings, baptism,
Easter, Christmas, New Year's Eve, etc.)
◦Company dinners or banquets
◦Entertaining friends and relatives as a sign of hospitality
◦Gift-giving (like fruit baskets, fruitcakes and other baked items, bottle of wine
and appetizers, etc.)
◦As a gesture of gratitude for person(s) who helped you in one way somehow.
◦Leisure or happy hour with friends or officemates after work that include food
and drink.
 RELIGIOUS FOOD PRACTICES

The food practices of selected religious groups (in alphabetical

order) are as follows:

GREEK ORTHODOX
No animal products are allowed for 40 days before Christmas and
Easter. Some fast only Wednesdays and Fridays 40 days before
Christmas and Easter.
 RELIGIOUS FOOD PRACTICES
JEWISH (KOSHER FOODS)
Orthodox Jewish people eat only foods with markings or labels, which indicate that
these were inspected by a rabbi to ensure compliance with proper processing and
packaging laws. A Kosher kitchen has a separate set of dishes, forks and spoons
used for meat and poultry from those used for dairy products. However, some food
items are considered neutral (PARVE") and may be eaten with dairy or meat meals.
These are: eggs, fish, grains, fruits, vegetable, and oil. During Passover, matzo,
which is unleavened bread, is eaten.
Food not allowed are:
pork products, including animal shortening and gelatin as a meat by-product.
fish without scales or fins, such as eel and shellfish.
No food containing blood.
meat or poultry in combination with dairy products.
dairy containing beverages until six hours after eating meat or poultry.
 RELIGIOUS FOOD PRACTICES
MORMONS
No alcoholic beverages and no stimulant-containing beverages (such as caffeine containing
drinks).

MUSLIMS
No pork and pork products. No meat slaughtered by somebody, other than a Jew, Muslim or
Christian (exceptions: only if it is a matter of life or death). Neither alcoholic beverages nor
intoxicants, except for medical reasons. Fasting is observed starting from dawn through
dusk.
ROMAN CATHOLICS
Abstinence from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Traditional Roman Catholics
still do not eat meats every Friday during Lent season (40 days before Easter) and some eat
little (fasting). Exceptions: children, pregnant and lactating women, and persons whose
health could be jeopardized by the fast.
 RELIGIOUS FOOD PRACTICES
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX
No animal products 40 days before Christmas and Easter.

SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST

No pork products or meat broth and blood. No shellfish,
alcoholic and caffeine containing beverage. Some do not eat
eggs and dairy products unless they choose to be lacto-ovo
vegetarians. Use of strong spices unless discouraged. Light
evening meals are preferred.
 INFLUENCE OF GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE ON FOOD
PRACTICES
Foods produced in tropical countries normally differ from what
could be grown in areas of the world with severe winter. Hence,
one speaks of "tropical fruits. Some grains (e.g. sorghum) thrive
well in dry desserts. It is very difficult to grow wheat in the
Philippines.
Characteristics of the land also affect farm practices. For example:
the flat valleys versus mountainous terrains allow certain plants or
livestock to thrive well. Islands surrounded by the sea or the
abundance of rivers and lakes have fishes available throughout
the year. The fertile soils of volcanic region allow robust
vegetation.
 INFLUENCE OF GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE ON FOOD
PRACTICES
Countries with four seasons during the year have
"seasonal” produce for each of the period. In the
Philippines where the day is either sunny or rainy,
kinds of produce and fish caught differ according to
climate. The influence of neighboring countries and/or
immigrants on the cuisine of a particular nation is
unavoidable. Trade and commerce or importation
practices, as allowed by law, certainly determine what
foods are available and affordable.
 ADVANCES IN AGRICULTURE AND FOOD TECHNOLOGY

With the developments in genetic engineering, food

manufacturing, and agriculture, numerous food products
have emerged such that additional varieties or breeds or
seasonal produce are available now throughout the year.
Food preservation (e.g., freezing and drying) and improved
packaging methods certainly allow transport of various food
products globally. There are about 5,000 new food products
added yearly to the grocery shelves in the USA. Some of
them find their way to other countries, including the
Philippines.
 Newer and Faster Means of Transportation and Distribution Systems

Air cargo that used to be quite expensive is

more affordable and more efficient in import-
export activities of food commodities. The
trucking industry is better equipped with
temperature and humidity control.
 ETHNIC AND REGIONAL FOOD PRACTICES

This topic can be a book by itself. In the Philippines,

one observes some differences in the cuisine of
Luzon compared to the southernmost islands of the
Bicol provinces. Excellent references by local authors
have been recently published in the past decade.
Readers are encouraged to buy one to appreciate the
influence of ethnicity on the food habits and cuisine of
various provinces and regions of the Philippines.
 ETHNIC AND REGIONAL FOOD PRACTICES

Many other countries have varied ethnic cuisine because of

settlers/immigrants who bring with them their original foodways and
culinary practices.

A classical illustration for this section is to look into the various "immigrant"
groups of the USA. In addition to the American Indians considered native
to the USA, the IMMIGRANTS AND TRADERS FROM MANY
COUNTRIES: the English people, Italians, French, Mexicans, Chinese,
Japanese, Filipinos, Koreans, Thai, Vietnamese, Asian-Indians, Greeks,
Latin-American, Middle Eastern, Australian, Canadian, Spanish,
Portuguese, and the Africans integrated their food practices and cuisine
with others in the USA.
 ETHNIC AND REGIONAL FOOD PRACTICES
There are also ethnic groups that are part of the North American
continent, like Alaska and Hawaii, who have their characteristic food
culture while adapting others within the mainland USA. Details about
ethnic food practices and culinary art of each group mentioned
above, plus many more nations throughout the world, are presented
in the books: "Cultural Foods Around the World" 2005 and
"International Cuisine" 2007. For international menus, a cookbook is
forthcoming in 2008. There are hundreds of cookbooks found in a big
bookstore or library shelves that are interesting to read and are quite
informative. Looking at the pictures of people, their signature dishes,
and unique ways of serving food is fascinating.