Have Your Tastes Matured?

"I'm just over 40—and all my life I've hated bleu cheese," says librarianjen. "Then, a few years ago, I started liking bleu cheese dressing with my hot wings. Now, all of a sudden, I want bleu cheese dressing on my salads. And I don't mean just the dressing—I want huge hunks of bleu cheese in it as well. It just seemed like this happened overnight!"

"I avoided cilantro and ginger for years, and they've become near-staples in my kitchen," says onceadaylily. "And I just don't crave sweets like I used to. I can't remember the last time I made a dessert that didn't rely on fruit and/or cream. My stash of 'emergency chocolate' has gone unreplenished for the last year."

Tastes do change as we age, says Karl S. "Your senses of smell and taste start to get less subtle as you age. Things change. It's one reason why many people crave more seasoning as they get older," he says. Sweet stuff is less satisfying, and strong flavors become more delicious. "I recently saw a story about the sale of hot sauces in the U.S.," says jhopp217. "Many people thought it was the influx of people from South America but the real reason is the median age is rising in the country and like you say, older people need more seasoning." "Here I thought I was getting more adventurous—now I just feel old," says Cookiefiend.

Discuss: Wow – my tastes are really changing as I get older…anyone else?