August is a good month to go on holiday, and on holidays many of us like to eat and drink well. And there’s this common belief that good quality comes at a price. This doesn’t only apply to food. But it this true? Does expensive food really taste better? 

Check out:  You Think Food Tastes Better If It’s Expensive

Intro

• What was the most expensive meal you’ve eaten so far? Was it tasty?
• What is your favourite food?
• What is your favorite restaurant? Why do you like it? What price range is it in?

Listen

Glossary

• shallow  – lacking intellectual or mental depth or subtlety; superficial
• predilections – a tendency to think favorably of something in particular; partiality; preference
• buffet – a counter, bar, or the like, for lunch or refreshments
• overeat – to eat too much
• pricey – expensive or unduly expensive
• dim – not bright; obscure from lack of light or emitted light

Think about it

Answer the questions below.

• How does our perception of food change in relation to its price?
• What do the numbers 139 and 11 refer to?
• What effect does pricing have on food consumption and the interpretation of the eating experience?
• Why do people enjoy their food more when it’s pricier?
• Can you think of other situations where correlation between price and experience is the same as the one described in the article?

Practice makes perfect

Fill in the blank spaces with the missing articles a/an/the or leave them blank.

Not only that, but people who paid for ________ cheaper buffet were more likely to report they felt like they overate and felt more guilty about ________ meal. But both groups actually ate ________ same amount of ________ food. “We were fascinated to find that ________ pricing has ________ little impact on how much one eats, but ________ huge impact on how you interpret the experience,” said study author Brian Wansink, ________ professor of ________ consumer behavior, in a statement.

Explore it more

TED Talk // Paul Bloom: The origins of pleasure

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