The perfect meal can be defined by the way the food is cooked or paired with side dishes or wine but psychologists tell us that the color and size of the dinnerware, and the lighting in the dining room can play a huge part in the way the food is perceived.
The shape and color of the dinnerware can affect taste as well. In general, round, white plates tend to enhance sweet flavors in food, whereas black, angular plates tend to bring out more savory flavors. And serving food on a red plate tends to reduce the amount diners eat.
It could be something deeply subconscious experts say. Studies show that people normally describe sweet tastes as round though researchers aren’t sure why. And we tend to associate red with danger, which may help explain why we tend to eat less when food is served on red dinnerware.
The hue of the lights in your dining room can also affect the way your food looks, and that can profoundly affect our perception.
Green and red lighting added fruitiness to red wine and get this, studies show that men will eat less under blue lighting.
One study found that people who like strong coffee tend to drink more of it under bright light, whereas people who prefer weak coffee tend to drink more of it under dim light.
Scientists can’t fully explain any of these phenomena but it may be that we expect certain foods to look a certain why — so blue chicken and yellow milk just look wrong.
