Why does food taste different outside

Perhaps this is the best combination: getting a whiff of the outdoors, while staying safely inside. Maybe we should eat our picnics at home, looking out of an open window. Pavement tables, like balconies, have become far more prevalent in the past decade; even Britain, with its damp climate, now has a few tables on every shopping street, and they are not just popular with smokers.

In any block of flats, there seems to be at least one balcony where the owners have crammed in a barbecue, a table and two chairs, ever optimistic. But will they be rewarded? Will their food taste better eaten on that table, on that hopeful scrap of outdoors?

For most of human history the majority of people have eaten outside not through choice—a jolly Enid Blyton picnic—but because they had to. Agricultural workers have always carried their lunch to the fields.

And I wonder if their food tasted better to them than it would have done under the comfort of a roof. We remember it, and look forward to the next time. Meiselman, an American scientist who has spent much of his career with the Department of Defence Food Research programme, exploring how people choose food.

For example, someone going to a fancy restaurant expects to enjoy their dinner, so they probably will enjoy it. I can't really describe it. It's like a bad aftertaste whenever I open my mouth.. It happens every time I eat outside. Is it normal? Eating al fresco certainly isn't my cup of tea either. I found that if I ate outside, I wouldn't be able to fully taste the food that I was eating. This happens to me sometimes. Most smells make my stomach twist.

It doesn't matter if they're good or bad. If it's a food smell I often have to fight myself from vomiting! The memories that are tied to our outdoor dining experiences shape our opinions and expectations of future outdoor eating experiences too. For example, on most occasions, you will probably be meeting friends or family to share your outdoor meal with. Even on those occasions where you are eating alone, you might spend that time reminiscing on past experiences spent with loved ones.

Biophilia is the theory that humans have an innate affinity for nature, and that human productivity and creativity surges when surrounded by plants. Fresh air is even more important as buildings with poor ventilation can result in a build-up of carbon dioxide, causing tiredness and stress. This means that when you eat outside, your body is benefitting from the fresh clean air.