We live in a world of plenty, with more than enough food to choose from. Wander down any grocery store aisle and marvel at the options in every category. But what influences which foods we decide to buy and eat? It''s not as simple as you might think. We choose foods for many reasons besides hunger. (If eating was as simple as putting gas in a car, we''d have no obesity epidemic in the United States!) Personal taste, family preferences, cultural influences, emotional reasons, health concerns, societal pressures, convenience, cost, and variety and quantity of the available offerings all come into play when we choose what to eat.