Conceptual differences between meals

Conceptualization of food choice motives and consumption among Japanese in light of meal, gender, and age effects

“…Dinner appeared to be conceptualized as the most important and distinctive meal of the day across dimensions (Figs. 1-3), in line with the former findings (Rappoport et al, 2001). For instance, properties of less convenience, greater sensory appeal, and greater weightconsciousness were rated higher at dinner, at least in two dimensions, compared with earlier meals of the day.…”

“…In accordance with the findings in Rappoport et al (2001), meal effects were supported in the conceptualization of what people desire to eat, what they believe they ought to eat, and what they usually consume across food properties. For instance, convenience was a salient property of breakfast and lunch in the desired-and ought-dimensions, and the saliency was more prominent at breakfast ( Fig.…”

“…For instance, properties of less convenience, greater sensory appeal, and greater weightconsciousness were rated higher at dinner, at least in two dimensions, compared with earlier meals of the day. As discussed in the previous studies (Rappoport et al, 2001), the importance of dinner is likely to come from its social meaning; dinner is used as time for social interactions. Although patterns of food selection and consumption differ across cultures (Prescott, Young, O'Neill, Yau, & Stevens, 2002), the distinctiveness and importance of dinner in the daily diet appears to be ubiquitous across findings (Peters et al, 1995;Rappoport et al, 2001).…”

“…Schutz's conclusion (1988) that the context of food intake is a determinant factor of food selection led Rappoport and his colleagues to investigate the effect of the context (the time of day a meal is consumed) on the evaluative and the socio-emotional connotations of foods (Rappoport, Downey, & Huff-Corzine, 2001;Rappoport, Peters, Downey, McCann, & Huff-Crozine, 1993). They reported that the morning meal was perceived as quick and convenient while the evening meal was perceived as happy and family-oriented.…”

“…In addition to meal, gender, and age effects, the results in Rappoport et al (2001) suggested that ideal meals (what participants are motivated to eat) and actual meals (what participants most recently ate) should be examined separately because of the discrepancy between the two. Specifically, ideal meals were considered more expensive, less convenient, happier, more formal, more social, heavier, and more unusual than actual meals.…”