Term paper: Household food security and food choices Word Count Index Title Page #Introduction 3MethodResultsDiscussionConclusion 12References 12IntroductionFood security is defined when all people, at all times, have physical access and affordable to sufficient resources, safe and nutritious food for a healthy and active life (World Food Summit, 1996). Household food security is the application of this concept at the household level. Households that have ensured access to sufficient food throughout the year are considered food secure. Household food security requires adequate domestic food production and adequate economic and physical access to food. This economic access refers to the household's purchasing power, whereas physical access refers to proximity to markets and distribution channels where food is purchased. The concept of access to food is the ability of households to regularly acquire adequate quantities of food through a combination of their own production (crops and livestock) and purchases made on the market. Own production depends on the availability of inputs such as seeds, agrochemicals, family assets (land, equipment) and money to purchase other inputs. Food purchases depend on cash income, prices, and other major competing expenses such as healthcare, utilities, housing, non-food needs, education, and household debt repayment. Cash income can come from the sale of agricultural products grown, from paid work, from part-time work and from money received from social networks. Food utilization refers to households' use of the food they have acquired. Food consumption is the food that is actually consumed by households and its... medium of paper... which household members stated that the health properties, energy content and environmental, political and religious variables have not no influence on the food choices of the family.ConclusionThere are many influences on the food choice of a rural family. Household agricultural production contributes to household food security by providing them with direct access to food that they can harvest, cook and feed their family members. Since the family income is derived from the sale of grown products and other work activities, the family is relatively food secure during certain periods. They may be vulnerable if their agricultural production is adversely affected as it contributes largely to the overall level of household income. The food choices made by these families aim to maximize their utility under whatever income constraints exist.