How to make Food taste nicer! The Definitive Guide!

So, you’ve got people coming over and you’d like them to leave with memories of eating all sorts of yummy (and if you’re really hardcore, nutritious) food at your party—and you definitely don’t want any hungry people at your party because hungry people are impatient and impatient people are not having a good time.  What should you do besides turning on the lists with the warm bulbs, or just as effective, lighting the candles?  The design of the place where people will eat in your home will influence how food tastes, science is definite on this point.

 

If you’ve got multiple sets of dishes, flatware, etc., at your disposal, and are wondering which ones to use at your party, or will be renting or buying disposables, etc., the following science can be useful, apply it to make your planned menu a hit, etc.:

• Across cultures, angular shapes are linked to bitter, sour and sharp tastes (for example, of dark chocolate and cheddar cheese), spicy and citrus smells and rounded shapes to sweet ones and smooth, creamy textures. So, if you make a crème brûlée for your party, make sure to serve it in curvy cups, it’ll seem just a little smoother and creamier in texture to your guests if you do.  If you’re going to label your offerings for guests, use pointy fonts/handwriting for spicy options and curvier ones for sweeter things, for example, also.
• Creating a more vertical display of whatever you’re serving will create a more luxurious impression than one that’s more horizontal. So, find a way to create tall tiers of coffee options or crème puffs for guests – build a display out of popsicle sticks if you must—a tabletop heap won’t seem to taste as good.
• Seeing themselves in a mirror will encourage healthy eating, particularly if you’ve had a buffet, so act accordingly if you want visitors to be healthy at your party.
• Warmer light not only makes people just a little bit friendlier to each other, it also boosts appetites and makes positive reviews of eating experiences more likely.Our self-control increases as lights get brighter.
• Seeing plants as we eat has been tied to feeling more positively about a dining experience as well as eating a little less, so plant-based centrepieces can be great options.
• If there are lots of nature images in the area where people are deciding what to eat (for example, near a buffet), healthier options are more likely to be selected, so plan accordingly.People are also more likely to make healthier choices when those healthier options are presented earlier (for example, in a buffet), than later.  Also, if things are generally neater, seem more organized/less cluttered, healthier choices are more likely.  When people see things that are cute, say centrepieces or party napkins, they are more likely to make indulgent choices.
• Typical party music, that is, music that makes guests feel good, puts them in a better mood, is your friend if you want partygoers to leave saying that your food taste delicious. You’ll get the same result if people are listening to music they like—but why wouldn’t you play music guests like at your party? Not surprisingly, when scientists used music to put diners in a better mood, their reviews of items consumed were higher.  Also, not surprisingly, when we listen to music that seems to share the attributes of the food we’re eating, food gets a better review.  So, if you listen to music that sounds “soft” and “smooth” a desert you’re consuming will seem softer and smoother.  Playing faster music encourages people to move, eat, and drink more quickly, so if you need people to show up, say “hello,” have a nibble quickly and leave fast (perhaps because you’ve actually invited more people than the comfortable capacity of the party location), select music accordingly.  Louder soundscapes have been tied to reduced consumption of healthier foods.
• Just having the place where you’ll have your party smell good to attendees will improve their mood and ability to get along with each other—make sure if you’ve burned the hors de-oeuvres you’ve had the windows open for a long time before guests arrive, so try to burn things long before company gets to your home, not just before they do so. Generally, the smells of oranges, lemons, flowers, vanilla, and lavender are relaxing/reduce anxiety.  Since being around other people is really energizing to people anyway, any additional, non-food scents you add to a place should be relaxing.  Lavender also increases trust levels.  Having bathrooms and similar spaces smell clean (and having them actually be clean is also a plus) is a good thing.  When we’re in a clean smelling space we will act “cleaner” as well, making sure that paper towels find their way into trash cans, for instance.  Brighter lights and being in a space that seems ordered/organized also encourage “better” behaviour.
• If you’re afraid you may run out of food or your budget is tight, have your guests eat standing up—they’ll rate whatever you’re serving them less positively while they do so, however. Bear in mind that when we feel crowded we consume more calories (in other words, we eat more).  Adding a warm scent, such as cedarwood, to a space, compared to adding a cooler one such as eucalyptus, will encourage people to eat less, it leads to fewer calories being eaten and a greater likelihood of lower calorie good options being selected.
• When selecting cutlery and dinnerware, all else being equal, select heavier cutlery as opposed to lighter options (people will respond more positively to offerings), people may consume less if offerings are in red cups, etc., and food should be positioned in the centre of plates, not off to one side on them.Also, when we have more formal cues around us—in cutlery, plates, or the clothes we have on—we are more apt to act with self-control, and that includes being more likely to eat healthy food.
• Don’t be surprised if the people who dine together bond/trust each other more and, if they work together, their cooperation and performance improves.It seems that eating with others today has the same sort effects on how we think and behave as it did in our early days as a species.

If you’re having a high energy party, you’ll want to do things such as feature saturated, darker colours in the decorations, etc., as discussed in this article. For more relaxed parties you’ll want to introduced colours that are less saturated and lighter, for instance, as described in this article.  Design can have a significant effect on how energetic or relaxed your guests feel, as detailed in the linked-to articles.

It’s a plus if the space where you’re having your party actually feels spacious—you can make it more likely that it does so by following the tips here.

Applying environmental psychology research can make your end of the year party a pleasant, and even, shall we say “positive,” experience for you and your guests.