Prestige value of foods: Changes over time

Prestige is a measure of the position of food in a hierarchy relative to society's values. It is possible that determining the ideas people have about the prestige of foods can serve to identify trends useful in stimulating food habit changes. This paper reports the results of a study which sought to determine what changes in perceived prestige of foods occurred over a 15 year interval. In 1971 and again in 1986, freshman students in a summer orientation session at a north central university in the United States were surveyed to determine their perceptions about the prestige value of selected foods. While significant change in perception of food prestige was found in 10 out of 12 groups, stability of perception was also noted. French bread, apples, strawberries, orange juice, broccoli, corn, beef, chicken, and milk were among the highest prestige foods. Participants reported that foods chosen as high in prestige were also preferred foods. High prestige choices were consumed relatively frequently by respondents.

Key words:

• perception of food prestige
• prestige value of food
• status of foods