Abstract
We examined beliefs about appropriateness of situations for eating whole-grain foods by asking where, when, and who does and does not consume whole-grain foods. Dietitians, health club members, and Women, Infants, and Children/state fair participants were surveyed. Whole grains were represented as likely to be consumed at home, at breakfast, and by health conscious people, and unlikely to be consumed away from home, as snacks, and by children. Dietitians reported more detailed beliefs than other groups. These findings suggest that social representations of whole-grain food consumption prescribe some situations and proscribe others, which can be used to influence whole-grain consumption.