"Alan Warde outlines general theories of change in the late twentieth century, and considers the parallels between their diagnoses of consumer behaviour and actual trends in food practices. He argues that dilemmas of modern practical life and certain imperatives of the culture of consumption make sense of food selection. He suggests that contemporary consumption is best viewed as a process of continual constrained selection among an uprecedented range of generally accessible items which are made available both commercially and informally. " "Consumption, Food and Taste will be essential reading for students and academics in the sociology of consumption and the sociology of food and eating, and will also be of interest to academics and students in sociology, cultural studies, home economics and consumer behaviour. "--Jacket.