Food is food, but the flavor and level of enjoyment can change depending on where you eat your meals. Science has essentially proven that food tastes better when we feel good, and since we are programmed to relax in nature, eating outdoors is enjoyable.
You may have noticed that popular restaurants tend to have outdoor seating spread across large patios, complete with propane-powered, freestanding heaters. Yes, people will choose to eat outside even when it’s cold.
The following foods are always good – but taste even better when you eat them outside.
1. Pizza
Almost everyone loves pizza. If someone doesn’t like pizza, they’re the exception to the rule. Pizza is one of those universal comfort foods you see at parties, celebrations, gourmet restaurants, and cheap eateries – it even makes its way into homes as a Friday night ritual.
If you don’t already have an outdoor pizza oven, it’s worth getting one because your regular oven won’t cut it for making the ideal pie. To maximize the taste and experience of a pizza party, you want your guests to smell it cooking in the oven.
Cooking your pizza outside is a double benefit. First, you’re outdoors, and people will be feeling good. Second, when your guests can smell pizza baking in your backyard, they’ll be even happier.
The smell of pizza cooking in the oven is alluring, and according to a DiGiorno study, it has the power to influence how a person perceives their level of happiness. In this experiment, DiGiorno used Google’s Vision API to scan people’s faces every five seconds to measure their emotions. The study found that people show more happiness while eating pizza, but the most happiness came when guests could smell the pizza cooking, followed by taking it out of the oven.
2. Camping food
We’ve already established that food tastes better outdoors because nature makes you feel good, but it can taste even better when you’re camping for several reasons. It doesn’t matter what you choose to eat by the campfire; the flavor will seem kicked up a notch.
Toasted marshmallows, s’mores, chili, hot dogs, and anything else you take with you will taste better simply because you’re on a camping trip. The reason is mostly psychological. When you don’t need to be concerned about eating healthy or counting calories, it’s easier to enjoy your meals.
Food tastes better when camping because eating around a fire is a great way to bond with people. You’ll feel even better when you connect with others and start sharing stories about your lives while seated around a campfire.
3. Tacos
For many families, tacos are a staple meal. Some have “taco Tuesdays,” while others make tacos on the weekend. Either way, what’s great about eating tacos outside is that you can create a truly gourmet experience. For example, you probably don’t have a large space in your kitchen or dining room to lay out a bunch of toppings and have room for everyone to sit at the table.
Hosting a taco night inside will limit the ingredients you can offer. When you move your tacos outside, however, you’ll have endless space for all the toppings you want.
In addition to a table for eating, it’s easy enough to set up a separate, long folding table with all the taco toppings you can think of, like:
· Lettuce and tomato
· Sliced avocado and guacamole
· Pico de gallo
· Various salsas, from mild to spicy
· Chicken, ground beef, steak, or fish
· Yellow and white corn tortillas, soft and crunchy, in all different sizes
· Cilantro, parsley, basil, and other herbs
· Green, yellow, white, and red onion
· A variety of shredded cheese
· Sour cream and other creamy toppings
· Hot sauce options
If you have more than a few people to feed, you’ll need plenty of room to hold these ingredients in sufficient amounts. Most people can eat a lot of tacos. When you want flavor, options, and second helpings, the best place to have taco night is outside.
4. Gourmet meals
Have you ever gone to an upscale restaurant and sat on the patio to enjoy your meal? This is one of the most pleasant ways to have a meal. Not only are you outside in nature, but you aren’t confined by any walls, which makes you feel a sense of freedom.
Combine the sense of freedom with amazing gourmet food, and you have the perfect recipe for an enjoyable meal.
Start cooking and eating meals outside
Whether you opt for a barbecue, a gas grill, or a pizza oven, eat some meals outside and experience the heightened flavor of whatever you consume.
