The availability and cost of food have been influenced by a wide variety of factors throughout history. In pre-modern times, the availability of food was often limited by the local climate and the availability of arable land for farming. In some cases, food was also limited by the ability to store and preserve it, as well as by the availability of transportation to bring it to market. As a result, the types of food that were available and the way they were prepared were often dictated by the local environment and resources.
In the modern era, advances in transportation and refrigeration have made it possible to bring a wide variety of foods to market, and advances in agriculture have made it possible to produce more food than ever before. However, the cost of food is still influenced by a variety of factors, including the price of raw materials, the cost of labor, and the cost of transportation. In addition, the demand for certain types of food, as well as government policies, can also affect the price of food.