We eat with our eyes first. I have long since believed this, and there are a million and one studies that back this up. And that’s probably not even an exaggerated number. Most recently, Dr. Wansink agrees with me. At his Cornell Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University, and in his book, Mindless Eating, he reinforces the concept that if we make simple, small (read: doable!) changes in our food and how we present it, it’s received much more positively.

He calls it “seductive nutrition.”

Which means if you can present fruit and vegetables in a pleasing manner … to even the pickiest of eaters … they will be more inclined to eat it.

Now *that’s* some research I can get behind.

This explains why there are buzz words like “sizzle” or “hearty” used in food commercials.

And why ambient lighting, pretty plates, and attractive decor in restaurants is so important.

But we can translate all those to our very own kitchens too.

When it comes to restaurants, we all know how we can get quickly swept up in the menu description of something, and all the sudden, our taste buds are salivating. As Dr. Wansink pointed out, “Using words like creamy, hot, or spicy on a menu board have been shown to help increase food sales in restaurants by up to 28 percent; and, in one of our studies, we found it led people to view restaurants as more ‘trendy and up-to-date.’ It’s an easy change to make. For example, including descriptive adjectives can turn your everyday mashed potatoes into ‘creamy, whipped mashed potatoes,’ and a yogurt parfait into a ‘silken yogurt parfait.’

Sometimes a few fun, descriptive words can entice someone, whether young or old, to try something new. To intrigue them into a healthier option.

And then there is the presentation. A yogurt parfait suddenly appears way more alluring when it’s presented in a pretty glass with layers that you can see. The more colors on a plate, the more you’ll want to dive into it.

The group at Unilever Food Solutions recently hosted a “select group of chefs and restaurant operators at the Culinary Institute of America-Greystone (CIA) to highlight their efforts to help people choose delicious, slightly healthier meals when they eat out through ‘Seductive Nutrition.’ Developed by Unilever Food Solutions after the release of a global World Menu Report, ‘Seductive Nutrition’ nudges guests to choose top menu items made slightly healthier through small changes to ingredients and preparation methods, with more enticing menu descriptions.”

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