Dietary Globalization in Chinese Breakfasts

Abstract

Demand for nontraditional foods is on the rise in China. Data from household surveys and consumer food diaries in Beijing, Nanjing, and Chengdu are examined to measure the effects of demographics on consumption of nontraditional food products. We focus on bakery and dairy products, two categories of foods that are rarely consumed in traditional Chinese breakfasts. We find that income, time constraints, and education positively affect the inclusion of nontraditional foods in the breakfast meal. Our results suggest that younger consumers are leading the transition to new global consumption patterns that integrate nontraditional foods into urban Chinese breakfasts. The implications of these findings for wheat and milk production and processing industries are discussed.