Social Norms and Trends
The social norms and trends section of the social aspect of food is not as easily examined and researched as much as the previous sections. This is due to the nature of these trends, and how they are not very conscious to many students. For example, it seems that most students tend to feel as though it is the social norm to eat at places like Subways and McDonald’s, whereas grabbing an apple from the nearest vegetable store, or bringing a ready-made salad from home, isn’t. This, although not measurable, is a great influence in many of the food choices that students make. These choices are mad
e everyday, and just the aspect of socialization with colleagues is a big factor in students eating together in the same fashion. Many students eat at specific places simply because their peers eat there, which causes a kind of chain reaction of healthy or unhealthy eating.
