Hierarchy of Food Needs

The Satter Eating Competence Model (ecSatter) stresses joining with individuals right where they are and working within their constraints and circumstances. However, when nutrition educators attempt to apply ecSatter, many feel they are violating a deeply felt obligation to promote food-policy adherence. To resolve that dissonance, it has been useful to apply Maslow's concepts to food selection and acquisition. Abraham Maslow arranged basic needs in order of sequential importance to the individual and taught that needs at each level must be satisfied before the individual can become aware of and address the next level of need. Satter presents Satter's Hierarchy of Food Needs with application of Maslow's principles to food management drives or motivators and ranks them in order of basic importance for the individual. As with the Maslow model, primary drives or motivators--needs--at each level dictate food management behavior at that level.