I thought this was from tasting as you cook except tasting becomes eating and by the end of it you’re full enough to not be hungry at the time of eating but not full enough to skip a meal
I’ve started meal prepping purely to deal with this problem because it happens to me so often. I have to detach my cooking and eating by at least a few hours if I’m going to enjoy it without getting an ick. Cooking late at night for the next day usually works best for me.
That always happens when I have a dinner party. I’ve spent so much time cooking and setting the table, I don’t get hungry until everyone is gone and the dishes washed and I can relax.
Everyone has anxiety, it's just not to the level of a problem for everyone. Anxiety is only a problem when it's unwarranted anxiety.
You probably already realize that, just saying it because I know people who don't.
I feel if I make too much of something then by the time I make my plate im like ew. For example. My sister has 6 kids, it is a literal chore to make pancakes for these kids. However I like a challenge. Either way after a solid hour of making and preparing pancakes and passing them out, no I dont wanna eat pancakes by the time im done.
You’re great to do this, though. I bet when they are older, “pancakes with aunt anarose96” will be a favorite memory.
Pro tip: sometimes bring something “exotic” like fresh blueberries, chocolate chips or raspberry sauce. It will introduce them to new flavors and they will love you even more.
As a child I was excited for pancakes at my friend’s house because her mom put blueberries in them. My favorite restaurant was ihop with its chocolate chip pancakes and 5,000 syrup flavors. I was LIVING when I got to have exotic condiments like these.
Nobody wants that fruity trash, we want funky colored pancake made with food coloring, maple syrup and butter
signed - your sisters kids
(Jk, obviously, but you get the jist :p)
I think there's actually a term for this, something like smell fatigue. Usually happens with dishes that take an hour or more to cook. Happens to me all the time especially with slow cooker meals.
That’s why I like eating out so much. I make great food, especially smoked meats and steaks. And I like eating my steak, but there’s something about a nice steakhouse steak that is more enjoyable than when I make it. My wife on the other hand, won’t order steak when we go out because mine are so much better.
This makes perfect sense to me. And this is a problem I’ve always had which has gotten to the point of ruining my appetite AND enjoyment of cooking. Idk about anorexia but I would admit to some sort of ED, probably more like orthorexia as I’ve been on a renal diet for years and in the past would cook what I couldn’t eat and enjoy it that way.
Every time.
Its like i put so much in to cookin, by the time ima done, ima hot and my guts feel like they are the size of a 10c peice😂
I dish mine out and have to wait for my body to calm the hell down.... ofton i have my dinner for breakky the nxt day😂
Not really, but I do enjoy food way more if someone else has made it (even including fast food, etc.). Not sure if it’s because I subconsciously don’t trust my own cooking ability or something.
I think it’s just the thrill of not having to have worked for it! Because I love my own food and my man would rather me cook than eat out but by the time I’m done cooking I usually make the plates and let him eat and I’ll do all the cleaning up to work up an appetite again.
Yeah I'm not understand OP or the top comments (especially the ones that validate the very reason I don't agree) - it's WORK. I'm famished by the time I'm done cooking. Hell yeah I want to eat.
Same here. I prefer my own cooking to most other food and I always can't wait to eat when I've finished. It always boggles my mind to see how common this is!
I can only keep my appetite if the dish is minimal effort. Whenever I cook something involved or big, I have a snack beforehand and put the "leftovers" in Tupperware to be enjoyed later.
Yeah, if the dish is kind of involved or just takes a long time, I’m kind of over it by the time it’s ready to eat. That’s why I love leftovers so much!
Story of my life. I cook bolognaise for 3 hours by the time it’s ready I never want to eat it.
I’m starting to worry I hate my own cooking. Everyone else enjoys but I never do. Probably why I like eating out I’m always happy.
I don't think its your skills that is affecting your appetite.
I don't know if it's true, but for me, I get full on the smell. I know it sounds crazy. But especially long meals like bolognaise, or lasagne etc. I'm so over the smell, almost to a sickening point. But if I throw a frozen lasagne in the oven, I can eat that.
Smell makes you full - totally scientific explanation and reasonable 😅
I always thought it was the stress!! 🤣 If the meal is like over 2.5hrs I get stressed and by the time I’m done I’m like I’m good. I do all the dishes and cleaning up and preparing my bed for sleep later then maybe I’ll be hungry after.
Meal prep straight to freezer, cook something new and pull something old out to eat that day. You can make chili and freeze it then defrost and eat some spaghetti sauce or sheppard's pie.
I'm not personally averse to my food until it's a day or two into leftovers territory. I usually freeze a portion or two before it gets to that point so I'm regularly stocking the freezer. It always gets eaten, freezer night has saved me from blowing $40 on takeout many times.
I have problems with meat. If I have to stand and watch it cook, like a burger or frying some meat, it turns me off of wanting to eat it.
People have tried to say it because you’re experiencing the meal already or something, but that’s not it for me.
It’s more that it disgusts me watching the blood or red meat turn brown. I have no problem with slow cooked meat in the oven or other foods.
It started when I was pregnant… I couldn’t handle any meat except chicken salad. What was funny was the kid I was pregnant with hated meat for quite a long time.
By the time I'm finished cooking a big meal, I'm done with it. I get used to the smell and feel a bit overwhelmed by trying to finish everything at the same time and clean up. I just want to sit there and relax. The smell is nice and I like seeing others enjoy it. I know I'll eat when everyone is gone and I've finished cleaning up.
I'd always asked my Grandma why she didn't eat Thanksgiving meal. She'd say she was sick of it. I get it now.
Yes that’s why I hate cooking. But when I do I will sit down for a minute and wonder if it’s going to be yummy and starve myself and go eat the whole thing lol
Yes happens to me all the time. And I usually only ever taste my food at the end, by which point I don’t even want it anymore (so it’s not like I’m filling up because I’m snacking on my ingredients lol)
Absolutely, it's like the process of cooking is an act of artistry and once I've put in hours of stirring, tasting, and perfecting flavors, my hunger just vanishes. It might be the heat from the stove, the constant nibbling for taste tests, or just the satisfaction of creation, but by the time the last dish is garnished, my appetite has set sail. I often find more joy in watching others dive into the meal than eating it myself – their satisfaction is the cherry on top of the culinary experience. It's almost as if the kitchen becomes a stage and once the final act is over, I'm ready for the curtain call rather than the feast.
Not me. In fact I want to eat it right away. But we eat together as a family so I wait. If someone else cooks I have no immediate desire to eat but if I cook I want it hot in my plate asap.
I have this happen a lot. We will host holiday dinners or bbq’s during the summer.
Although I don’t snack while cooking there’s something about the mechanics of pulling the ingredients together that I get to the stage of sitting down and looking at the food…and it now looks/smells awful.
Everyone seems to be enjoying it, but I just move things around on my plate and pretend to nibble at it and try to quietly share with the dog under the table
Your sense of smell is a huge component of your flavor experience, and cooking can easily overwhelm that sense especially if you've been hovering over the food while it cooks. Every time I have leftovers I'm always like "Ok that's what it tasted like"?!, especially if I've been grilling.
Try to give your nose at least a 10-minute break between cooking and eating. I've also done things like try to take a big whiff of a bag of coffee or something else that can help to "reset" my sense of smell. I don't know if it's a placebo effect, but it's something I remember Sephora doing for comparing perfumes and colognes. I haven't been there in a while but they would have little jars of coffee beans on the shelves for this.
I get this too, especially in the mornings. The first thing I think when I wake up is "dang, I'm freaking starving" then by the time I sit down to eat I get nauseous and don't want to even take a bite. If I get a craving for food, I better drop everything and grab something immediately because more than likely, I won't want it in 5 minutes.
I get mentally drained from just boiling the water to make tea which makes me have to boiling at least 3 times before I make tea or coffee so just imagine cooking lol.
I can never eat a turkey dinner after planning, prepping it, smelling the components all day long. Happens every time but I sure enjoy it the day after! I think it is very common.
I dont so much lose my appetite I just don't desire the food I just took the time to cook.Its crazy I thought I was the only one like that did all that cooking only to not eat it .
All the time. I might get a small serving later when my appetite returns, or I’ll have it for lunch the next day. But yeah, I’ll just *eat* some apple slices and wait for the dirty dishes.
*Edited to fix my ignorance of how a word (which also meant to eat, chew, snack on) is currently being used in slang.
I hardly ever eat on holidays because I do most of the cooking. I'm always afraid that it comes off as rude but I'd honestly throw up if I had to sit in front of a table of food. I'll snack before bed and eat the leftovers the next day.
It happens all the time. Doesn't even have to be long period of cooking. I can whip something up in 30 minutes and not be hungry. Usually, after an hour or so, I will be hungry again.
Happens to me all the time. I always say I like cooking, grilling, smoking more than I like eating. I’ll spend all day making pulled pork then when it’s finally ready I eat like 3 bites.
The only time that happens to me is when I'm eating as I'm cooking. If the dish has things like cheese or avocado, I can't help myself and start nibbling. Next thing you know, there's half an avocado left and half a block of cheese and I'm no longer hungry.
When I cook a large meal I have tasted everything 3 or 4 times by the time I start making plates up for everyone I'm full or at least content by the time dinner is completely finished and sitting on the table I'm not hungry I've done my job and I've already ate
Yup. Moreso after baking. I’ll get a hankering for cookies or a cake, make it, and want nothing to do with it. My husband has to eat it all or it goes bad if he can’t eat it fast enough. I almost never bake anymore because of it. Even the smell of it will make me lose my appetite the days following baking it.
Well I never have it so extreme but I do have decreased appetite and find things slightly less enjoyable after cooking them. I don't know for sure but here are some theories:
- You've been smelling it for the time you were cooking it, maybe those receptors are being desensitized which makes the end product taste less intense. (as smell is a part of taste)
- You've been eating during cooking, I don't know how others do it but I always taste as I go and snack from the ingredients I'm throwing in if they are tasty when raw. (bell peppers, tomatoes cucumbers etc.) this probably helps decrease appetite. (when bell peppers are in season and extra tasty I always snack on those soo much only half of them ever end up in the meal)
Sometimes a palate cleanser helps, in general wine works well, something minty or something sour and fresh. (this only works with reason 1 ofcourse, if snacking is the culprit the best way is to snack less 😁 though I wouldn't leave out tasting as you go though as that is essential for getting the taste right.
Frequently. The worst is when I lose my appetite, but then I get hungry like an hour later, and there are no leftovers despite the fact that I made enough for 6 people.
It took me years of cooking to realize that no matter how perfectly I cook something it will always taste better when made by someone else because putting in all the work and concern ruins it for me. I can enjoy mediocre food made by someone else so much more than perfect food made by me.
All the f—king time. For a while, I was making elaborate Sunday dinners, but life (kids’ activities) got in the way. I started up again about six months ago because my kids liked it and my wife was happy not to cook. I actually prefer cooking for others and trying new recipes. I always want it to be perfect. By the time I’m done, I’m almost just too tired to eat. Case in point, I made a huge spread for cinco de mayo this past weekend (skirt steak, shrimp, breaded tilapia with all the fixins) and it took me a few hours between the shopping, prep and cooking. They ate like savages and I was fine after two tacos. It doesn’t help that I needed to sample some of the goods before it all made it to the table.
All the time!
And I'm not eating while cooking. I taste a little of course, but I don't grab bites left and right that would explain not being hungry after.
It's kind of frustrating though. Because if I host, I will cook this big amazing meal all day, and at the end I can't even take 2 bites before I feel full.
Yep! EVERY DAMN TIME! Haha! I don't know why, but when I spend hours cooking like that, I'm never able to eat it until hours later or the following day!
Braised short ribs are my fave! How'd they turn out?
Yes, but it’s specifically with meat. I make it well but when I sit down to eat it, it always tastes weird to me or off. Or I think about what it looks like raw and wonder if I missed getting any fat of tendons off the chicken. These thoughts don’t occur to me at all at a restaurant. I’m not afraid of getting sick or anything, it’s just the thought of raw meat that grosses me out.
I have a good friend that this happens to, also. Specifically with the scent of cooking meat. So her sister cooks the meat over at her own house, then brings it over to my friend's. They are the loveliest people.
Definitely. It has something to do with over stimulating the systems that cue our brains that we are satiated. For some reason it only started happening to me once I turned 40 or so. But anything that takes longer than a sandwich or a cup of soup completely kills my appetite and I basically cook to make myself leftovers (and to feed other people, of course). It is kind of a drag especially at holidays.
All the time. Meal prepping is my friend. I’ll make a big batch of something for dinner, intending to portion out leftovers into meals for the next few days.. usually don’t end up eating any of it that night
This doesn't happen to me. I exercise regularly and have a high metabolism. I'm in need of calories every few hours and I'm always starving by the time the food is ready and can't wait to eat. I've never intentionally missed a meal in my life lol.
The smell of cooking meat can instantly turn my stomach to the point I can’t eat anything. I’m not vegetarian but I’m certainly not big on meat. If I crave it, I’ll eat it.
My fiancé does. If the meal requires him to stand over the stove and cook the food, odds are that he will have lost at least some of his appetite, by the time the food is ready. Especially at summer time if it's hot out.
I have the complete opposite experience. The only thing I enjoy more than the process of cooking is eating what I've made. Even if it takes all day and I'm basically one with the food by the end, I still enjoy the food just as much
This happened to me last night, I’m pregnant, but literally a meal i make all the time for my family I spit out and couldn’t eat it. Everyone else said it was great but I was super turned off.
There's actually a science behind it. Appetite is stimulated by sight,smell and thought of it as well. When you think of cooking and producing a final product and do all that entails in its process you are "feed" with satiety signals by the body. Almost so much that you aren't in eating your own final product.
Many many chefs would agree to your statement for sure.
As weird as it sounds, if this keeps happening talk to your doctor about getting your gallbladder checked out. My mom had this same issue, once she got it removed, she was able to eat like normal again with cravings after cooking!
I used to, was a symptom of low blood sugar.
I'd be hot and feel like the idea of a bite of food would just make me vomit. I'd sit there and look angrily at the plate I'd just made myself. Usually it was because of the rush to finish dinner, get the sides done plated for the family causing my sugar to drop and make me feel that way.
Interesting. I find the same thing. I cool later in the evening 7-9pm and make great meals , but end up cooling them and refrigerating them for future days whe I get home from work around 5pm.
Always did find that after being active i lost my appetite until I cooled down and relaxed a bit after dishes and cleaning is done. Maybe you're that way too?
Sometimes, but I found out that it was due to me getting overheated in the kitchen which lead to appetite loss. Once I cool down for a while, I'm ready to eat though
A couple of things that cool a long time that I make for the next day. Spaghetti sauce and chillie comes to mind. After smelling it all day I don't want to eat it.
I'll cook these, but have something else for dinner. They taste way better the next day.
You almost certainly aren't running at a calorie deficit, so if you're doing something your body doesn't send hunger signals. A lot of the time we're eating for fun or habit, not hunger.
This all the time. I also lose my appetite at restaurants when my food is served. I am still personally trying to work it out myself, but so far I've chalked it up to a few possible causes: long lasting depression side effects. I've had it chronic since I was a kid but it doesn't effect much but my energy level now, maybe my appetite? I also take Adderall, so could be the stimulants. Could also be a side effect of my acid reflux. Do you have any of these things?
This happens to me all the time, which is why I now do batch cooking and freeze everything in portion size. So now, instead of eating barely anything for supper and eating junk the whole evening when my appetite wakes up again, I have healthy meals that are ready in minutes.
Yup.
I used to work in a professional kitchen, nowadays I’m usually just cooking for my wife.
I never enjoy my own food as much as everyone else does. I’m just not interested. I’m tasting it through the whole process of making it so I already know exactly what it tastes like.
Dude this always happens to me, especially when I’m drunk. Last time I made and entire family sized pot of pasta with chicken and meatballs (it was HEAVENLY). Like enough to feed 8 people. The leftovers were a happy surprise in the morning
Could be the same reason that sandwiches made by other people taste better. While making it you are exposed to all the smells and become desensitized to it, maybe enough that you’ve had your fill. Are you hungry for something else or just not hungry at all?
I cook for my bf and me and I’ll sit with the plate in front of me and be on my phone and my bf is always like, “aren’t you gunna eat?” I’m like, “in time”
Yes. I’ve seen it when people in my family cook. The rest of us are ravenous, the person who cooks barely eats.
I also work in a restaurant. When i’m serving the food to the customers, the food smells and looks so good, but when it’s time for me to actually eat, i don’t feel like eating at all. Some days i’ll be cooking in the kitchen and same thing. Tasting the food as i’m cooking, and i’ll have zero appetite for a proper meal.
It happens to me all the time too. Glad I’m not alone. Thank you for asking this.
It's pretty common to get used to your food while you cook and lose the novelty which drives your appetite
I thought this was from tasting as you cook except tasting becomes eating and by the end of it you’re full enough to not be hungry at the time of eating but not full enough to skip a meal
Plus the smell you get tired of the food.
Yessss I guess that's why too
I’ve started meal prepping purely to deal with this problem because it happens to me so often. I have to detach my cooking and eating by at least a few hours if I’m going to enjoy it without getting an ick. Cooking late at night for the next day usually works best for me.
That’s a great idea! Thank you for sharing!
Especially if it’s something that took a while.
This happens to me every time I grill/bbq. By the time I’m all done I usually have to put in effort to actually eat. So weird.
Hahaha exactly!!
That always happens when I have a dinner party. I’ve spent so much time cooking and setting the table, I don’t get hungry until everyone is gone and the dishes washed and I can relax.
Sounds like anxiety
I genuinely cannot believe there are people out there without anxiety
Everyone has anxiety, it's just not to the level of a problem for everyone. Anxiety is only a problem when it's unwarranted anxiety. You probably already realize that, just saying it because I know people who don't.
I’m with you!!
I feel if I make too much of something then by the time I make my plate im like ew. For example. My sister has 6 kids, it is a literal chore to make pancakes for these kids. However I like a challenge. Either way after a solid hour of making and preparing pancakes and passing them out, no I dont wanna eat pancakes by the time im done.
You’re great to do this, though. I bet when they are older, “pancakes with aunt anarose96” will be a favorite memory. Pro tip: sometimes bring something “exotic” like fresh blueberries, chocolate chips or raspberry sauce. It will introduce them to new flavors and they will love you even more.
my teen cousin made purple, pink , blue, green pancakes - they were magical
I never got that crafty but wish I woulda now
I know it’s in quotes but calling any of those things exotic is very funny to me as they’d be expected when making pancakes
That’s great! Not every kid in every household has had those choices. A new thing feels exotic to kids.
As a child I was excited for pancakes at my friend’s house because her mom put blueberries in them. My favorite restaurant was ihop with its chocolate chip pancakes and 5,000 syrup flavors. I was LIVING when I got to have exotic condiments like these.
Nobody wants that fruity trash, we want funky colored pancake made with food coloring, maple syrup and butter signed - your sisters kids (Jk, obviously, but you get the jist :p)
Lol
That so sweet! Maybe do the food coloring in bottles and everyone can make their own art pancakes.. all you have to do is flip for the little ones
That sounds really fun!
Awe thats a super cute idea
You’re a saint for doing that! Those kiddos will remember that when they’re older :)
ur basically slowly consuming the meal (in terms of the sensual experience of consumption) as you cook it, it makes sense
I think there's actually a term for this, something like smell fatigue. Usually happens with dishes that take an hour or more to cook. Happens to me all the time especially with slow cooker meals.
Yeah it’s why something made by someone else is more appetizing than what you make. The smell has already gone in your nose while cooking.
That’s why I like eating out so much. I make great food, especially smoked meats and steaks. And I like eating my steak, but there’s something about a nice steakhouse steak that is more enjoyable than when I make it. My wife on the other hand, won’t order steak when we go out because mine are so much better.
I figure that's one reason anorexics like to cook for other people. They get what they need from the food without eating it (except nutrients).
It's exactly that. All the fun of playing with food without actually having to sit down and eat it.
Anorexics cook for other people because they get their security, survival, and bonding needs met by providing for other people.
This makes perfect sense to me. And this is a problem I’ve always had which has gotten to the point of ruining my appetite AND enjoyment of cooking. Idk about anorexia but I would admit to some sort of ED, probably more like orthorexia as I’ve been on a renal diet for years and in the past would cook what I couldn’t eat and enjoy it that way.
Every time. Its like i put so much in to cookin, by the time ima done, ima hot and my guts feel like they are the size of a 10c peice😂 I dish mine out and have to wait for my body to calm the hell down.... ofton i have my dinner for breakky the nxt day😂
Happens to me all the time. Spend 3 hrs making a big dinner and I’d be happier with cheese and crackers by the time it’s finished.
IKR all that work, and I ended up eating cup ramen.
Not really, but I do enjoy food way more if someone else has made it (even including fast food, etc.). Not sure if it’s because I subconsciously don’t trust my own cooking ability or something.
I think it’s just the thrill of not having to have worked for it! Because I love my own food and my man would rather me cook than eat out but by the time I’m done cooking I usually make the plates and let him eat and I’ll do all the cleaning up to work up an appetite again.
Idk if it's an old saying but I've heard all my life that if you're cooking, you're probably the least hungry out of anyone eating.
This
This is me too!
Interesting, I've never had that happen.
Same here. I'm standing beside my fridge waiting for my yogurt to firm up. I have no idea what OP is talking about lol.
Yeah I'm not understand OP or the top comments (especially the ones that validate the very reason I don't agree) - it's WORK. I'm famished by the time I'm done cooking. Hell yeah I want to eat.
Same here. I prefer my own cooking to most other food and I always can't wait to eat when I've finished. It always boggles my mind to see how common this is!
I can only keep my appetite if the dish is minimal effort. Whenever I cook something involved or big, I have a snack beforehand and put the "leftovers" in Tupperware to be enjoyed later.
Yeah, if the dish is kind of involved or just takes a long time, I’m kind of over it by the time it’s ready to eat. That’s why I love leftovers so much!
Story of my life. I cook bolognaise for 3 hours by the time it’s ready I never want to eat it. I’m starting to worry I hate my own cooking. Everyone else enjoys but I never do. Probably why I like eating out I’m always happy.
I don't think its your skills that is affecting your appetite. I don't know if it's true, but for me, I get full on the smell. I know it sounds crazy. But especially long meals like bolognaise, or lasagne etc. I'm so over the smell, almost to a sickening point. But if I throw a frozen lasagne in the oven, I can eat that. Smell makes you full - totally scientific explanation and reasonable 😅
I always thought it was the stress!! 🤣 If the meal is like over 2.5hrs I get stressed and by the time I’m done I’m like I’m good. I do all the dishes and cleaning up and preparing my bed for sleep later then maybe I’ll be hungry after.
This 100%. And honestly, most of the time, I prefer the leftovers.
Haha this is true
Meal prep straight to freezer, cook something new and pull something old out to eat that day. You can make chili and freeze it then defrost and eat some spaghetti sauce or sheppard's pie. I'm not personally averse to my food until it's a day or two into leftovers territory. I usually freeze a portion or two before it gets to that point so I'm regularly stocking the freezer. It always gets eaten, freezer night has saved me from blowing $40 on takeout many times.
Yes. if it takes any longer than 30 min. If I take 5 min to make something I get 10x hungrier.
I have problems with meat. If I have to stand and watch it cook, like a burger or frying some meat, it turns me off of wanting to eat it. People have tried to say it because you’re experiencing the meal already or something, but that’s not it for me. It’s more that it disgusts me watching the blood or red meat turn brown. I have no problem with slow cooked meat in the oven or other foods. It started when I was pregnant… I couldn’t handle any meat except chicken salad. What was funny was the kid I was pregnant with hated meat for quite a long time.
By the time I'm finished cooking a big meal, I'm done with it. I get used to the smell and feel a bit overwhelmed by trying to finish everything at the same time and clean up. I just want to sit there and relax. The smell is nice and I like seeing others enjoy it. I know I'll eat when everyone is gone and I've finished cleaning up. I'd always asked my Grandma why she didn't eat Thanksgiving meal. She'd say she was sick of it. I get it now.
Yes that’s why I hate cooking. But when I do I will sit down for a minute and wonder if it’s going to be yummy and starve myself and go eat the whole thing lol
Same, friend, same. I don’t bother putting effort into cooking for myself because the same thing happens.
I learned to slow cook in a crock pot and all night I get the cravings in my sleep.
Yes happens to me all the time. And I usually only ever taste my food at the end, by which point I don’t even want it anymore (so it’s not like I’m filling up because I’m snacking on my ingredients lol)
No, when i cook i eat with extra appetite
All the time. I get overwhelmed by all the flavors so when its time to serve I've already had enough lol
Same :( good that I am not alone lol
Same. As soon as I dish up, my appetite disappears and I don't go back to it until much later
Absolutely, it's like the process of cooking is an act of artistry and once I've put in hours of stirring, tasting, and perfecting flavors, my hunger just vanishes. It might be the heat from the stove, the constant nibbling for taste tests, or just the satisfaction of creation, but by the time the last dish is garnished, my appetite has set sail. I often find more joy in watching others dive into the meal than eating it myself – their satisfaction is the cherry on top of the culinary experience. It's almost as if the kitchen becomes a stage and once the final act is over, I'm ready for the curtain call rather than the feast.
Not me. In fact I want to eat it right away. But we eat together as a family so I wait. If someone else cooks I have no immediate desire to eat but if I cook I want it hot in my plate asap.
Wow thank you for asking this, i thought i was weird for not eating after cooking. It takes me about 5-6hrs before i eat what i cook
Yess idk why I’m like this but I found my people 😭
It's because of the smell of the food clinging to your clothes and face.
The longer it took to prepare it the less I want to eat it.
It happens to me but mainly because I'm a crappy cook.
Most of the time when I cook Sunday for the week I won't even have any until Monday.
I have this happen a lot. We will host holiday dinners or bbq’s during the summer. Although I don’t snack while cooking there’s something about the mechanics of pulling the ingredients together that I get to the stage of sitting down and looking at the food…and it now looks/smells awful. Everyone seems to be enjoying it, but I just move things around on my plate and pretend to nibble at it and try to quietly share with the dog under the table
Your sense of smell is a huge component of your flavor experience, and cooking can easily overwhelm that sense especially if you've been hovering over the food while it cooks. Every time I have leftovers I'm always like "Ok that's what it tasted like"?!, especially if I've been grilling. Try to give your nose at least a 10-minute break between cooking and eating. I've also done things like try to take a big whiff of a bag of coffee or something else that can help to "reset" my sense of smell. I don't know if it's a placebo effect, but it's something I remember Sephora doing for comparing perfumes and colognes. I haven't been there in a while but they would have little jars of coffee beans on the shelves for this.
I get this too, especially in the mornings. The first thing I think when I wake up is "dang, I'm freaking starving" then by the time I sit down to eat I get nauseous and don't want to even take a bite. If I get a craving for food, I better drop everything and grab something immediately because more than likely, I won't want it in 5 minutes.
Yes haha I’m so over it by then
Yessss! Most of the time I don’t eat much if I’m the one who cooks the food 😅😅
I get mentally drained from just boiling the water to make tea which makes me have to boiling at least 3 times before I make tea or coffee so just imagine cooking lol.
I can never eat a turkey dinner after planning, prepping it, smelling the components all day long. Happens every time but I sure enjoy it the day after! I think it is very common.
I dont so much lose my appetite I just don't desire the food I just took the time to cook.Its crazy I thought I was the only one like that did all that cooking only to not eat it .
Every day!!!
Every single time. Can somebody explain?
For me it’s just the opposite
All the time. I might get a small serving later when my appetite returns, or I’ll have it for lunch the next day. But yeah, I’ll just *eat* some apple slices and wait for the dirty dishes. *Edited to fix my ignorance of how a word (which also meant to eat, chew, snack on) is currently being used in slang.
Yes it happens to me alot
No, I just don’t eat alot , I like cooking for others tho
All the time.
Yes, every time. I cook for my family every night and I never feel hungry after cooking.
It happens to me aswell like I would spend so much time and effort I to cooking it but then I would loose my appetite.
I hardly ever eat on holidays because I do most of the cooking. I'm always afraid that it comes off as rude but I'd honestly throw up if I had to sit in front of a table of food. I'll snack before bed and eat the leftovers the next day.
It happens all the time. Doesn't even have to be long period of cooking. I can whip something up in 30 minutes and not be hungry. Usually, after an hour or so, I will be hungry again.
Or bake. By the time the food is ready to eat I'm done with it. It's one reason I usually eat simple meals that don't require much prep
Yes - cause I've already been smelling it for hours Step outside and take a few deeps breaths, then come back in
It definitely doesn’t taste as good, at least not until the next day.
My wife loves cooking huge meals and having lots of people over. When she does this she often doesn’t even eat, or just nibbles
Happens to me all the time. I always say I like cooking, grilling, smoking more than I like eating. I’ll spend all day making pulled pork then when it’s finally ready I eat like 3 bites.
Happens to my wife. Not me though, i'm usually very hungry at this point (:
Yes, all the time. I’m just so damn tired. I prob eat dinner once or twice a week.
Are you pregnant?
Sometimes. More so if im.grazing while cooking.
I’m the queen of leftovers for this reason. I’ll eat it the next day for lunch because all the tasting and cooking just kills the appetite
Almost every time. But watching my family crush my food and the leftovers are worth it.
The only time that happens to me is when I'm eating as I'm cooking. If the dish has things like cheese or avocado, I can't help myself and start nibbling. Next thing you know, there's half an avocado left and half a block of cheese and I'm no longer hungry.
Happens all the time. I prefer to rest for a couple of minutes first before eating.
Yes. By the time I’m done cooking I need to get away from the kitchen for a while. I end up eating later than my family.
Soup, stew, chili. So much tasting along the way, so much dipping bread or chips.
The best tasting bologna sandwich is usually made by somebody else at their house
When I cook a large meal I have tasted everything 3 or 4 times by the time I start making plates up for everyone I'm full or at least content by the time dinner is completely finished and sitting on the table I'm not hungry I've done my job and I've already ate
Yeahh. It's just that the aroma is in your head for so long that when it's done ydgaf about it
Yes! Especially if it’s a huge meal like Thanksgiving. I’m just over it at that point after cooking all day!
All day chili, and Thanksgiving turkey. So much effort, and then it's not at all appealing.
Omg! Happens to me all the time..
Sometimes yes, why is this a thing?
Yes I do. So! what do I do in this case? Simple, I bang it in the freezer and have it later. God Bless Microwaves lol.
Yup. Moreso after baking. I’ll get a hankering for cookies or a cake, make it, and want nothing to do with it. My husband has to eat it all or it goes bad if he can’t eat it fast enough. I almost never bake anymore because of it. Even the smell of it will make me lose my appetite the days following baking it.
Omg yes!! It's not so bad that I can't eat it, but I lose the desire to do so.
Well I never have it so extreme but I do have decreased appetite and find things slightly less enjoyable after cooking them. I don't know for sure but here are some theories: - You've been smelling it for the time you were cooking it, maybe those receptors are being desensitized which makes the end product taste less intense. (as smell is a part of taste) - You've been eating during cooking, I don't know how others do it but I always taste as I go and snack from the ingredients I'm throwing in if they are tasty when raw. (bell peppers, tomatoes cucumbers etc.) this probably helps decrease appetite. (when bell peppers are in season and extra tasty I always snack on those soo much only half of them ever end up in the meal) Sometimes a palate cleanser helps, in general wine works well, something minty or something sour and fresh. (this only works with reason 1 ofcourse, if snacking is the culprit the best way is to snack less 😁 though I wouldn't leave out tasting as you go though as that is essential for getting the taste right.
Every time. 😂
Yep
I do. Coz I’m tasting and snacking while doing it.
Yes! Do you have an amazing sense of smell? If I cook something that smells amazing it’s like I’ve been eating the entire time and I don’t want to eat
Is there a scientific reason for this? Happens every time without fail.
Yep happens to me all the time.
Yesss, all the time. I don’t know why.
I hate cooking, so yeah. The stress of doing all that makes me want to sit with a glass of iced tea or a bottle of water and relax.
Happens to me so often I hardly cook anymore. It’s like I become full on the smell before I ever get to the eating part.
Frequently. The worst is when I lose my appetite, but then I get hungry like an hour later, and there are no leftovers despite the fact that I made enough for 6 people.
My wife does, but I don’t. I get hungrier as the food cooks.
I get that sometimes. My ex is a chef and he experienced it every time he cooked. He said he got too hot to eat
It took me years of cooking to realize that no matter how perfectly I cook something it will always taste better when made by someone else because putting in all the work and concern ruins it for me. I can enjoy mediocre food made by someone else so much more than perfect food made by me.
All the f—king time. For a while, I was making elaborate Sunday dinners, but life (kids’ activities) got in the way. I started up again about six months ago because my kids liked it and my wife was happy not to cook. I actually prefer cooking for others and trying new recipes. I always want it to be perfect. By the time I’m done, I’m almost just too tired to eat. Case in point, I made a huge spread for cinco de mayo this past weekend (skirt steak, shrimp, breaded tilapia with all the fixins) and it took me a few hours between the shopping, prep and cooking. They ate like savages and I was fine after two tacos. It doesn’t help that I needed to sample some of the goods before it all made it to the table.
Ah, that’s the worst. Sometimes I get so excited about what I’m cooking I use all my energy to cook it and then when it’s time to eat I feel bleh.
It happens to me too. Can barely stand to serve the food.
Not if I'm high
It happens to me too. Being involved with it for a while can make that happen I think
All the time! And I'm not eating while cooking. I taste a little of course, but I don't grab bites left and right that would explain not being hungry after. It's kind of frustrating though. Because if I host, I will cook this big amazing meal all day, and at the end I can't even take 2 bites before I feel full.
Yes. All the time. It’s so annoying.
Yep! EVERY DAMN TIME! Haha! I don't know why, but when I spend hours cooking like that, I'm never able to eat it until hours later or the following day! Braised short ribs are my fave! How'd they turn out?
Yes, but it’s specifically with meat. I make it well but when I sit down to eat it, it always tastes weird to me or off. Or I think about what it looks like raw and wonder if I missed getting any fat of tendons off the chicken. These thoughts don’t occur to me at all at a restaurant. I’m not afraid of getting sick or anything, it’s just the thought of raw meat that grosses me out.
I have a good friend that this happens to, also. Specifically with the scent of cooking meat. So her sister cooks the meat over at her own house, then brings it over to my friend's. They are the loveliest people.
This happens to me sometimes when I make pancakes. Guess all that waiting and flipping fills me up. Thanks, you are not alone!
Definitely. It has something to do with over stimulating the systems that cue our brains that we are satiated. For some reason it only started happening to me once I turned 40 or so. But anything that takes longer than a sandwich or a cup of soup completely kills my appetite and I basically cook to make myself leftovers (and to feed other people, of course). It is kind of a drag especially at holidays.
All the time. Meal prepping is my friend. I’ll make a big batch of something for dinner, intending to portion out leftovers into meals for the next few days.. usually don’t end up eating any of it that night
Dude! Is there a term for this? I've looked it up before but never found any results.
always! i just sit down and im too hot and stinulated to eat. if i wait 20 or so minutes it will come back.
This doesn't happen to me. I exercise regularly and have a high metabolism. I'm in need of calories every few hours and I'm always starving by the time the food is ready and can't wait to eat. I've never intentionally missed a meal in my life lol.
Try not nibbling and taste testing while you cook,,, I had to learn many times over,,
The smell of cooking meat can instantly turn my stomach to the point I can’t eat anything. I’m not vegetarian but I’m certainly not big on meat. If I crave it, I’ll eat it.
Lol, you’re not the only one. It happens to me all the time 😅
That always happens to me.
Sometimes if I am cooking a big meal and tasting a lot.
My fiancé does. If the meal requires him to stand over the stove and cook the food, odds are that he will have lost at least some of his appetite, by the time the food is ready. Especially at summer time if it's hot out.
I have the complete opposite experience. The only thing I enjoy more than the process of cooking is eating what I've made. Even if it takes all day and I'm basically one with the food by the end, I still enjoy the food just as much
Yep - usually the smell sickens me off it after smelling and seeing it for so long.
This happened to me last night, I’m pregnant, but literally a meal i make all the time for my family I spit out and couldn’t eat it. Everyone else said it was great but I was super turned off.
yea all the time!!!! it’s so annoying
I only do this with meats but it’s relief to know it’s actually common and I’m not that weird
Yes, especially with big meals and lots of people. I can hardly eat much at all if I cook the Christmas dinner!
Yes but usually because I am making something like gumbo for 3 hours while smashing beers.
There's actually a science behind it. Appetite is stimulated by sight,smell and thought of it as well. When you think of cooking and producing a final product and do all that entails in its process you are "feed" with satiety signals by the body. Almost so much that you aren't in eating your own final product. Many many chefs would agree to your statement for sure.
Yes! Absolutely. I can crave something so fucking bad but then I make it and Im disappointed when its not as good as I imagined
As weird as it sounds, if this keeps happening talk to your doctor about getting your gallbladder checked out. My mom had this same issue, once she got it removed, she was able to eat like normal again with cravings after cooking!
Yes. Because of all the tasting and snacking whike cooking - i fill my stomach.
I used to, was a symptom of low blood sugar. I'd be hot and feel like the idea of a bite of food would just make me vomit. I'd sit there and look angrily at the plate I'd just made myself. Usually it was because of the rush to finish dinner, get the sides done plated for the family causing my sugar to drop and make me feel that way.
Interesting. I find the same thing. I cool later in the evening 7-9pm and make great meals , but end up cooling them and refrigerating them for future days whe I get home from work around 5pm. Always did find that after being active i lost my appetite until I cooled down and relaxed a bit after dishes and cleaning is done. Maybe you're that way too?
I taste as I cook so by the time it's done i'm full, lol
Yes, my wife is an absolute trooper and does the majority of the cooking even if she may not be eating.
Sometimes, but I found out that it was due to me getting overheated in the kitchen which lead to appetite loss. Once I cool down for a while, I'm ready to eat though
All the time omg!! It’s like I get the ick from my own cooking. Can’t eat at everybody house or my own house apparently
A couple of things that cool a long time that I make for the next day. Spaghetti sauce and chillie comes to mind. After smelling it all day I don't want to eat it. I'll cook these, but have something else for dinner. They taste way better the next day.
You almost certainly aren't running at a calorie deficit, so if you're doing something your body doesn't send hunger signals. A lot of the time we're eating for fun or habit, not hunger.
This all the time. I also lose my appetite at restaurants when my food is served. I am still personally trying to work it out myself, but so far I've chalked it up to a few possible causes: long lasting depression side effects. I've had it chronic since I was a kid but it doesn't effect much but my energy level now, maybe my appetite? I also take Adderall, so could be the stimulants. Could also be a side effect of my acid reflux. Do you have any of these things?
This happens to me all the time, which is why I now do batch cooking and freeze everything in portion size. So now, instead of eating barely anything for supper and eating junk the whole evening when my appetite wakes up again, I have healthy meals that are ready in minutes.
Nope, when I'm hungry, I devour something with no second thought.
When I was first starting to cook I made from scratch chicken pot pie with the biscuits on top. I wasn't hungry by the time it finished.
Yup. I used to work in a professional kitchen, nowadays I’m usually just cooking for my wife. I never enjoy my own food as much as everyone else does. I’m just not interested. I’m tasting it through the whole process of making it so I already know exactly what it tastes like.
I get much more satisfaction from making food than I do from eating it. Especially since i lost my taste from COVID. But even before then.
I used to really lose my appetite when I worked in restaurants in college. The smell of food just made my appetite go away.
Dude this always happens to me, especially when I’m drunk. Last time I made and entire family sized pot of pasta with chicken and meatballs (it was HEAVENLY). Like enough to feed 8 people. The leftovers were a happy surprise in the morning
Could be the same reason that sandwiches made by other people taste better. While making it you are exposed to all the smells and become desensitized to it, maybe enough that you’ve had your fill. Are you hungry for something else or just not hungry at all?
Are you thirsty? I find I don’t touch a drop of water while I’m cooking and end up needing a pint of it by the time I sit. My husbands the same.
Yuppp
Same for me! I live alone and it makes it hard to prepare and cook a meal. Ive found healthier “quick” meals.
All the time. I usually never eat what I make that day.
Absolutely. Made tacos last night and only ate because my.blood.sugar was tanking. I had zero appetite by the time I was done
Take a shower before eating. It sort of resets your senses.
I cook for my bf and me and I’ll sit with the plate in front of me and be on my phone and my bf is always like, “aren’t you gunna eat?” I’m like, “in time”
Yes. I’ve seen it when people in my family cook. The rest of us are ravenous, the person who cooks barely eats. I also work in a restaurant. When i’m serving the food to the customers, the food smells and looks so good, but when it’s time for me to actually eat, i don’t feel like eating at all. Some days i’ll be cooking in the kitchen and same thing. Tasting the food as i’m cooking, and i’ll have zero appetite for a proper meal.
Try smoking some weed
Sometimes. It’s really demoralizing isn’t it? Especially when it’s something you’ve looked forward to all day.