Have you ever taken a bite of a familiar dish and suddenly found yourself back in your childhood home? The smell of freshly baked cookies might remind you of afternoons spent in your grandmother’s kitchen, while a single spoonful of soup could bring back memories of family dinners.
Food has a unique ability to transport us through time, evoking emotions and stories buried deep in our minds. But why does food have such a strong connection to memory, and what makes certain flavours so unforgettable?
The phenomenon of food choices being swayed by memories is a fascinating dance between our senses and our past. It’s like a time machine hidden within our taste buds.
According to Dr Paul Breslin, a Professor of Nutritional Sciences, the connection between flavour and memory is a powerful one. Our brains are wired to link the taste and smell of food to specific memories, places, or emotions. This is why a simple dish can evoke such a strong sense of the past.
‘You don’t remember every time you’ve seen a stop sign because there’s nothing distinctive about it. But you might remember the chicken soup your [grandmother] used to make you when you taste something similar,’ he explains.
This connection is largely due to our sense of smell, which is closely linked to the limbic system in the brain—the epicentre of emotions and memories. Up to 90 per cent of what we perceive as taste is actually due to our sense of smell.
Research suggests that when we encounter a familiar flavour or aroma, it can trigger a cascade of emotional responses—thanks to the activation of the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex in our brains.
Dr Megan Lee, a nutritional psychiatrist, describes this as ‘food-evoked nostalgia.’ She says, ‘It’s what happens when you eat something or smell food, and it automatically takes you back to a part of your past that you look back at in a bittersweet way.’
This emotional response to food can be so strong that it not only influences our present mood but also our future food habits.
Research conducted by Dr Lee and her team found that many people alter their food preferences to evoke nostalgic feelings. For instance, someone might drink gin and tonic to remember a departed parent who favoured the drink, despite not liking it themselves.
But it’s not just about reliving the past. Food nostalgia can also lead to less healthy eating habits. If someone associates junk food with positive childhood memories of rewards or treats, they might find themselves indulging in these foods more often as adults.
‘Our memories are very poor at remembering things accurately,’ Dr Lee cautions. Over time, as we recall a memory repeatedly, it can become distorted, further from the truth with each recollection.
Despite this, we have the power to shape our eating habits positively. By eating intuitively and choosing foods that make us feel happier and healthier, we can create new, positive food memories. This conscious effort can help us forge a better relationship with food, one that’s based on how it makes us feel in the present rather than how it made us feel in the past.
So next time you find yourself reaching for that nostalgic treat, take a moment to consider why. Are you seeking comfort from the past, or is it genuinely what you want to eat? By understanding the secret influence of our memories on our food choices, we can make more mindful decisions that benefit our health and wellbeing.
We’d love to hear from you, our YourLifeChoices readers. Do you find certain foods irresistible because they remind you of a special time or person in your life? Share your stories in the comments below and let’s explore the rich tapestry of food and memory together.
Also read: Taste can boost wellbeing, so here’s how to embrace food nostalgia
