A few weeks back, my family and I hosted a super bowl party for about twenty people. We provided the food for the party. When my mom told me what she was going to buy, it was the typical party foods and snacks. There were sandwiches, chips and dip, wings, pizza, and other snacks. The drinks included soda, beer, and some water. Most of the people that attended this party expected this type of spread because these types of foods are correlated to football itself. There were a few that mentioned that they wished there were healthier options, but ate the food anyway and enjoyed it. The people that do not usually eat these types of foods were pressured into eating these foods in order to not go hungry or to fit in with the rest of the people.
This type of social norm connects to the societal issue of obesity and convenience of food choices. Obesity is an issue that affects many people and can be caused by many different factors. The food choices at the party can be related to obesity by the vast amounts of food present at the party and no limit as too how much or how little one has to eat. Although, this is not an everyday occurrence, the experience can impact how one makes food choices in the future. The convenience of these types of foods is the main reason why they were at the party, by being easy to prepare and eat. This social norm should not be. It will only take a little more effort to have healthier choices available and show that you do not have to always eat this way at a party.
Hi Nick! I agree that some people are pressured to eat the food available because of its convenience. At a Super Bowl party I was at, there were similar comments where people who normally eat healthier, wished there were healthier options at the party compared to wings, chips and dip. My post somewhat relates as I talked about nutrition and that people should try to moderate their meals so that they can obtain the nutrients they need to be healthy. I think that nutrition is an important topic to talk about, because as you said in your post, experiences can impact future food choices and it can lead to behavior changes.
If you have the chance, take a look at my blog post: http://geog030.dutton.psu.edu/2016/03/02/from-the-farm-to-the-market/
Hi Nick! I can completely relate to your post! My name is Tawnya and I had the same situation happen to me this year, during the super bowl. My good friend was hosting a party and I could tell she put a lot of time into preparing the dishes. I was still sticking through with my new year’s resolution but felt obligated to try a few things. Nonetheless, I ate more than expected and afterwards, I didn’t feel too good about the choices I made. At the time, I did not realize I was directly influenced by a social norm. Now I can also recall them influencing me numerous times in the past. I completely agree with your statement about providing healthier choices. This way of indulging in meaningless calories, during collective events, has been socially accepted for decades. If eating organic became the new norm, could you image how much more healthier and happier our nation would be? If interested, check out my post: http://geog030.dutton.psu.edu/2016/03/02/module-vi-social-norms-effecting-food-choice/