Do you think the over-consumption of processed foods has changed how food is judged? And do you think it has changed people's expectation of what food is suppose to taste like?

Yes.

Flavor additives are added to many packaged foods and our taste buds become accustomed to it. Aside from processing; foods in general that become available in great quantities have influenced our tastes. In the American culture where many people have little time, children eat processed and restaurant food much more than in previous times, and so even if they eat in expensive restaurants, I am not even targeting fast food, they are presented with meals full of fat, heavy sauces, tons of cheese, they barely know what the food actually tastes like it is so covered in everything else. That is the normal for much of America. Can’t eat a piece of broccoli without cheese on it, can’t eat chicken without a huge amount of cream mushroom sauce, huge portions of fettucine alfredo, steak with butter on it, so much unnecessary fat, cholesterol and salt.

When I was deployed (on a ship) we had fake potatoes for so long that after the cooks finally made real potatoes from scratch, not a lot of people liked them because they weren’t used to it.

Once you get used to eating processed foods, natural food starts to lose its allure, and that is obviously bad.

Seems likely. I can alter my taste for foods by switching and sticking to a particular diet for some time. For example, years ago I was eating a very high sugar, high carb, low fat diet. I was perpetually hungry and craved sugar. After 3 months on a modified South Beach diet, I had no cravings for sugar or carbs. And when I tried to eat sweets, I found it to be way too sweet and artificial. It almost hurt my tongue.

I have found what foods work for me, and this “diet” has altered my taste for food in such a way that makes the thought of biting into a Hershey bar a disgusting and painful experience.

Just stumbled across this. Somewhat relevant.

Yes, definitely. It is easy to get hooked on sugar, fat and salt.

Yes. The latest example was struggling with having my type 1 diabetic grandmother substitute her hot cocoa mix for almond breeze a tiny bit of honey. Also her high sugar yogurt or at least pairing it something that will slow the sugar.

We have tried to get her to eat healthier yogurts or pair them with something to slo the rush of sugar into her system.

@rosehips Will she eat plain Greek yogurt (much higher protein levels good for diabetics) with berries and artificial sweetener and a little vanilla?

@rosehips Type I? Did she just recently develop it? As far as cocoa, maybe use milk and Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder, no sugar. The milk has it’s own sugars. My dad ads a small amount of artifical sweetner when he makes it.

Sorry for the late reply’s. @marinecalled She doesn’t eat Greek yogurt.
@JLeslie I don’t know how long she’s been type I don’t really throughly understand the difference. I will check out the hot cocoa. Thanks for the suggestion. Despite insulin injections I have seen her sugar as high as 363 lately. That is crazy.

FYI: The cocoa is very dark, so you don’t need a lot of powder, and it dissolves better in hot liquid.

@JLeslie I tried it myself, it is dairy gluten fee! So I found out out the hard way about dissolving. I doctored it with a touch of honey and splash of vanilla. Delicous first time I have had hot cocoa in years. Thanks for the idea.

@rosehips Yay! My mom makes it on top of the stove stirring the whole time. She uses skim milk, a dash of evaporated skim milk, and a little artifical sweetner. The chocolate tastes like the real thing as opposited to instant cocoa like Swiss Miss or Nestle’s. Although, I drink the instant ones all the time. Still, doesn’t taste rich like making it from scratch from the unsweetened cocoa.

I’m glad you like it.