Food preferences

Food preferences are are one of the factors regulating the choices people and animals make about the food they eat.

Causes of food preferences
On the one hand food preferences seem to depend on genetic and instinctual factors so cows eat grass and not meat as they have evolved sophisticated digestive systems to break down cellulose. On the other hand long term habits and eating attitudes developed in the context of cultural diets lead to the establishment of food preferences. While the French may eat frogs legs few Americans would express them as a food preference.