Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The food industry, and those with interest in it, will want this book about the influences on people's eating habits, and how these influences affect behavior -- particularly purchasing behavior. This book analyzes the meal as a critical eating occasion from a multidisciplinary standpoint. Readers will benefit from a uniquely practical overview of the subject and a thorough review of its large and growing literature.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Contributors (p. xi)
• Acknowledgments (p. xiii)
• Introduction (p. 1)
• Part I Definitions of the Meal (p. 5)
• Chapter 1 Cultural Definitions of the Meal (p. 7)
• Introduction (p. 7)
• Meal Format (p. 7)
• Eating Pattern (p. 9)
• Sociability of Meals (p. 10)
• The Meal in Transformation (p. 15)
• Chapter 2 The Psychology of the Meal (p. 19)
• The Meal as a Food Intake Pattern (p. 20)
• The Meal as a Natural Unit (p. 23)
• Psychological Determinants of Meal Initiation, Termination, and Size (p. 27)
• The Anomalies of Breakfast (p. 37)
• Conclusions: The Meal as the Privileged Psychological or Physiological Unit (p. 39)
• Chapter 3 Nutritional Definitions of the Meal (p. 47)
• Meal Frequency in Different Countries (p. 47)
• Distribution of Energy Intake across the Day (p. 50)
• Contribution of Meals and Snacks to Total Daily Energy Intake (p. 51)
• Macronutrient Composition of Meals and Snacks (p. 52)
• Micronutrient Composition of Meals and Snacks (p. 53)
• Breakfast (p. 54)
• Variability in Meal Intake (p. 54)
• Health Consequences of Different Meal Patterns (p. 56)
• Discussion (p. 56)
• Part II Biological Bases of the Meal (p. 61)
• Chapter 4 Physiological Controls of Single Meals (Eating Episodes) (p. 63)
• Objectives (p. 63)
• Terminology and Basic Physiology (p. 63)
• Organization and Approaches (p. 68)
• Methods of Study (p. 71)
• Descriptive Studies (p. 73)
• Construct-Driven Studies and Their Problems (p. 74)
• Mechanistic Studies and Mechanisms for Control of Eating Meals (p. 79)
• Applications (p. 85)
• Chapter 5 Sensory Combinations in the Meal (p. 92)
• Sense Modalities (p. 93)
• Mixture Interactions (p. 94)
• Sensory Adaptation (p. 97)
• Release from Suppression (p. 98)
• The Importance of Touch, Texture, Temperature, and Pain (p. 101)
• Texture Contrast Theory (p. 102)
• Meals as a Mechanism for Sensory Variety (p. 104)
• Chapter 6 Sensory-Specific Satiety and Variety in the Meal (p. 107)
• Sensory-Specific Satiety (p. 107)
• Variety and Food Intake (p. 112)
• Food Monotony and Intake (p. 113)
• Conclusion (p. 115)
• Part III The Meal and Culture (p. 117)
• Chapter 7 Sociability and Meals: Facilitation, Commensality, and Interaction (p. 119)
• Introduction (p. 119)
• Sociability and Meals (p. 119)
• Facilitation (p. 121)
• Commensality (p. 122)
• Interaction (p. 125)
• Conclusion (p. 127)
• Chapter 8 The Role of Flavor in the Meal and the Culture (p. 134)
• Chapter 9 Holiday Meals: Rituals of Family Tradition (p. 143)
• Introduction (p. 143)
• Foodways (p. 144)
• Family as Folk Group and Tradition (p. 147)
• Holidays and Rituals (p. 151)
• The Politics of Family Holiday Meals (p. 155)
• Conclusion (p. 157)
• Part IV The Meal and Cuisine (p. 161)
• Chapter 10 Chinese Meals (p. 163)
• Some Background (p. 164)
• Impact on Eating Habits (p. 164)
• Food Traditions Practiced at Meals (p. 166)
• Regional Variations (p. 166)
• Meal Patterns (p. 167)
• Ordinary Breakfast Meals (p. 168)
• Dim Sum (p. 168)
• Usual Main Meals (p. 169)
• Beverage Consumption (p. 170)
• Banquet and Formal Family Meals (p. 171)
• Festival Foods (p. 171)
• Table Manners (p. 172)
• Chopsticks and Other Table Implements (p. 172)
• Chinese Meal Identifiers (p. 173)
• Conclusion (p. 173)
• Appendix 10-A Sample Chinese Menus (p. 176)
• Chapter 11 Japanese Meals (p. 178)
• Introduction (p. 178)
• Rice and Sushi (p. 179)
• Fish: Sashimi and Tempura (p. 180)
• Tofu and Other Soybean Products (p. 181)
• Wheat and Noodles (p. 182)
• Japanese Seasonings and Cooking (p. 183)
• Dashi (Soup Stock) (p. 185)
• Nabemono (Hot Pot Meals) (p. 186)
• Modern Japanese Eating Patterns (p. 186)
• Conclusion (p. 188)
• Appendix 11-A Menu of a Week at a Japanese Home (p. 189)
• Chapter 12 North European Meals: Observations from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden (p. 191)
• Introduction (p. 191)
• Traditional Meal Patterns (p. 192)
• Current Meals and Meal Patterns (p. 193)
• Changes and Variation in Meal Patterns (p. 197)
• Chapter 13 British Meals and Food Choice (p. 202)
• Eating Patterns (p. 204)
• Meal Formats and Structured Choices (p. 207)
• Social Organization of Eating (p. 208)
• Proper (Family) Meals (p. 210)
• A Speculative Classification of British Meals (p. 211)
• Discussion (p. 216)
• Part V Designing and Producing Meals (p. 221)
• Chapter 14 Food Service/Catering Restaurant and Institutional Perspectives of the Meal (p. 223)
• Introduction (p. 223)
• A Historical Perspective of the Meal (p. 224)
• Meal Names and Times (p. 225)
• The Eating Out Occasion (p. 225)
• The Meal Provision (p. 226)
• The Structure and Nature of the Catering Industry (p. 228)
• Preparation of the Meal (p. 231)
• Styles of Service for the Meal (p. 235)
• The Male-Female Divide When Eating Out (p. 236)
• Legal Considerations (p. 236)
• Changes in Meal Patterns When Eating Out (p. 237)
• Restaurant and Institutional Perspectives of the Meal--The Future (p. 240)
• Chapter 15 Integrating Consumers, Developers, Designers, and Researchers into the Development and Optimization of Meals (p. 245)
• Introduction (p. 245)
• The Traditional Approach (p. 245)
• Today--Team Development (p. 246)
• Part 1 Case History Illustrating How a Meal Product Is Created by Corporate Marketers and Developers (p. 246)
• Part 2 Basic Research Foundations Underlying Applied Meal Development (p. 261)
• General Discussion--Basic Research Issues in the World of Business Applications (p. 267)
• Chapter 16 Meal Design: A Dialogue with Four Acclaimed Chefs (p. 270)
• Introduction (p. 270)
• Historical Perspective (p. 270)
• Early Influences on Meal Design (p. 271)
• Basic Principles Leading to Good Meal Design When Planning a Menu (p. 272)
• Albert Roux, CMA, MCF (p. 276)
• Shaun Hill (p. 286)
• Anton Mosimann (p. 293)
• Anton Edelmann (p. 301)
• Conclusion (p. 308)
• The Meal: An Integrative Summary (p. 311)
• History of the Meal (p. 311)
• Biology and Physiology of the Meal (p. 313)
• The Psychology of the Meal (p. 316)
• Culture and the Sociology of Meals (p. 317)
• Meals in Different Cultures (p. 323)
• Food Service/Catering of Meals (p. 327)
• Product Development of Meals (p. 328)
• Creative Meal Design (p. 330)
• Index (p. 335)