Think the soundtrack they play at Starbucks is random? Think again.
It’s an interesting concept called multisensory dining, and it’s gaining momentum as research to support it continues to grow.
The principle of multisensory dining is that the enjoyment of food is not just affected by how it tastes, looks, and feels, but can even be affected by the sounds you hear when you are eating, and the texture and color of the dishes it’s served up in.
Some interesting research findings can be read about here – for example, higher pitches of sound may emphasize sweeter flavors in food, and lower sounds may emphasize bitterness. As previously blogged, music can also affect how much food we consume at a meal.
Food may also taste different depending on what color of dish it’s served in. Color of plate can also affect how much we eat – having contrast between food color and plate color can help to keep portions under control (read more about this here).
The psychology behind eating patterns is fascinating, and there is still so much for us to learn!
Thanks to my friend Priti for the heads’ up on this article.
Dr Sue Pedersen www.drsue.ca © 2013
Follow me on Twitter for daily tips! @drsuepedersen
