The food system is all of the people and activities that play a part in growing, transporting, supplying, and, ultimately, eating food. These processes also involve elements that often go unseen, such as food preferences and resource investments.
Food systems influence diets by determining what kinds of foods are produced. They also influence what foods people want to eat and are able to access.
The different parts of the food system include food supply chains, food environments, individual factors, and consumer behavior, as well as external drivers (factors that push or pull at the system). These different parts shape food systems and can lead to both positive and negative outcomes.