5 ways to trick your brain and make food tastier

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Even if you do not know how to cook deliciously, you still have a chance to please your loved ones.

Two weeks ago, I started to keep a diary of my body changes together with a trainer. I can't say sticking to a schedule is difficult, but if I were asked to choose the hardest part, I would choose food. It is monotonous, but most importantly, there is a lot of it. Therefore, after seeing an up-to-date article by our colleagues on how to make food tastier, I decided to read it, and it turned out that it contains really useful tips. Here they are.

The food should look good

If you've watched a cooking show, you know how much attention chefs pay to the appearance of food. And research by Charles Michel has shown that the appearance of food affects its taste. Here are some tips:

The plate should be of a pleasant color. White is the best option.
Do not over-pile food.
Use contrasting colors, sizes and shapes.
Use decorations: vegetables, herbs, sauce.

The setting is also important

Designers pay special attention to how the restaurant will look. This directly affects the desire of visitors to order and eat food. Subconsciously, you want to think of your kitchen, room or room as a small restaurant, and if you can achieve this, the food will be more enjoyable.

It's worth starting with music. Scientists have proven that moderate volume music has a positive effect on the way we eat. Christopher C. Novak - the author of another study - was more accurate and found that music, the volume of which ranges from 62 to 67 decibels (the volume of normal conversation), makes a person more satisfied with their food. At the same time, too loud music affects exactly the opposite.

Here are some more tips:

Reduce the temperature. The body will think it needs more energy to stay warm.
Put out the lights or use candles.
Use social distractions like TV or chatting.

Use heavy utensils

Another work by Charles Michel showed that we enjoy food more when we consume it with heavy cutlery.

Moreover, the silverware allowed the respondents to enjoy their food even more. People were even willing to pay more money for it. Heavy silverware is the key to success.

Food is nicer if it evokes nostalgia

I'll explain. The result of a study by scientists from the University of Illinois showed that a person is much more pleasant to eat food if it brings back memories. For example, Granny's Chocolate Chip Cookie will taste better than regular store-bought cookies. Even if they are no different.

The same goes for farm food. A person thinks, “This chicken was raised under normal conditions,” and he gets more pleasure from eating, knowing that his conscience will not bother him.

And finally, if, for example, you say that pasta is made "according to the old family recipe", it will also taste a little better, since now its taste is associated with history.

Adapt to the psychology of the eater

A very curious study has been done at Cornell University. The respondents were served two bottles of wine for dinner. One from California (famous for its vineyards), the second from North Dakota (not associated with wine at all). The respondents were much more enthusiastic about the former, and most importantly, they ate more food on average than those who drank wine from North Dakota.

Characteristically, both bottles were purchased at a regular store for three dollars apiece. If you want to impress with a dish, play on high cost or elitism. After all, to be honest, we are all led to this.