FOOD SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Sensory Criteria. When most people choose a particular food, they evaluate it using the sensory reactions rather than by considering its nutritional content.
2. Nutritional Criteria. Over the past several decades, emerging awareness of health and nutrition has resulted in six out of ten customers making a major change in their diets. Guidelines that reinforce an emphasis on better health through nutrition include the U.S. Government's Dietary Guidelines and the MyPyramid food guide.
3. Cultural and Religious Criteria. An increasingly diverse population, with greater access to travel and expanded global communication, has resulted in a huge increase in the variety of foods that are available in the market today. Religious criteria will affect what people choose to eat such as Muslim people must eat 'Halal' food and it different with other religion.
4. Psychological and Sociological Criteria. Nowadays, advertising, social conscience and peer pressure can affecting individual's food choices. For example, the controversies surrounding genetically engineered foods and organic foods.
5. Budgetary Criteria. Cost helps determine the types of food and brands that are bought and frequency of restaurant patronage. A shortage of time for food preparation or eating out can result in greater use of convenience foods and "fast foods", even if they are often more expensive and less nutritious.

Reference:

Brown, A. (2008). Understanding Food Principles & Preparation. The Thomson corporation: United States.