Do Things Taste Differently These Days or Is It Just Me?

 

Do Things Taste Differently These Days or Is It Just Me?

Maybe it’s just a sign of getting older, but lately, I’ve noticed that many of my favorite foods and drinks just don’t taste the way they used to. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the change happened, but I’m starting to feel like the “kick” is gone from a lot of items that once packed a punch.

This change became more noticeable after the pandemic. I didn’t catch COVID myself, so I can’t blame my taste buds for going haywire due to the virus, and my wife still faithfully uses Sazon Completa in our cooking, so I can’t say the issue is a lack of seasoning. Yet, there’s something missing. Today, for example, I had a Mountain Dew. It had been a while since I last had one, and I fully expected to “feel the Dew,” but it just wasn’t the same. The sweet, citrusy zing I remember didn’t hit as hard. This has been happening more frequently in the past few months, especially when dining out. Many of the meals I’ve had around town just seem to fall flat, as if the flavors are weaker than before.

I’m not the only one noticing this, though. With so much of our food and drink shrinking in size, I wondered if others were picking up on the loss of flavor, too. Have our beloved products been changed behind the scenes? Or is it simply that our taste buds evolve over time, making the foods we once adored feel bland?

It’s not just the packaging and portion sizes that seem different. There's a distinct feeling that something has shifted. Whether it’s the result of changes in ingredients, food production processes, or even the lingering effects of a global health crisis, it’s something many of us seem to be experiencing. But what can we do about it? Maybe all we can do is hold on to the memories of the taste we used to love, while accepting that sometimes, our tastes change along with the world around us or use more Sazon Completa.