December 13, 2021
Time recently interviewed Carey Morewedge, Professor of Marketing, about his recent study examining how often people eat the same meal every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Professor Morewedge’s research studied the food diaries of 2,624 people living in France and 1,275 people living in the United States.
The data shows 68% of all participants choose to eat the same thing for breakfast every day, with varying meals for lunch and dinner. The lack of variety in breakfast meals as Carey explains, can be caused by biological and cultural factors, but mainly stems from the two goals people pursue when eating meals.
“Hedonic goals drive people to eat foods that provide pleasurable experiences and sensations and utilitarian goals drive people to eat to efficiently fulfill other objectives such as weight control, health, convenience or efficiency.”
Carey Morewedge
Professor of Marketing
Carey concludes although habits are difficult to change, they are easy to maintain. By eating something for breakfast often enough, although it may be less appealing but is overall better for you, the diet should be easier to maintain.
