This Rose event was extremely interesting. It was amazing to think about all of the ways we can trick our brains based on physiological knowledge. There are countless factors that affect all off our decisions we make when eating. This sparked my interest in learning more about behavioral factors that affect people’s choices especially when it comes to food. As a food scientist, it is a critical component to understanding and trying to influence the choices people make. For example, if you want consumers to purchase more produce it was found that placing arrows on the floor of supermarkets increased produce sales by 10%. In addition, I also found it interesting that placing the salad and vegetables on the table while leaving the main course on the stove makes people eat more vegetables because they are more likely to reach for the salad which is right in front of them rather than get up and go to the stove to get another plate of food. People tend to be lazy and knowing this can help influence the decisions people make. Also, another thing that was discussed is avoiding grocery shopping when you are hungry. People tend to buy more and unhealthier food options when they are hungry. Also, what you eat before you go shopping can affect what you buy. If you eat a healthy snack such as an apple, you are more likely to purchase healthier foods. I really enjoyed hearing from the food and brand lab experts and I hope to learn more about human behavior regarding food in the future.

I was surprised to find out how much work and pre-planning goes into making menus and ordering food to meet student’s demands, most of which eat an about 2 of their meals on campus every day. Cornell is ranked number 1 in New York for having the best food on campus. This is something that we need to recognize and appreciate. All of the chefs work hard to make foods that we love. They also take great care in  preparing and cooking the food. They do not cook everything at once and just leave it out. I was also surprised by all of the incentive programs that have been put in place to promote sustainability through education. It takes fewer resources to grow fruits and vegetables than it does to produce meat which can have a significant impact on the future of our food supply. Therefore recognizing the problem early on and working to find better ways to eliminate waste and promote a healthier life style will benefit everyone.

Cornell has a very effective system in place for keeping track of the amount of food going into compost to see what students did not like and what needs to be changed. When ordering from suppliers Cornell tries to buy as much food and ingredients locally as possible to help create jobs and support local businesses. I think we need to show our appreciation for the time and effort Cornell chefs and staff put into feeding all of us everyday.