Strange ES observation/realization

Jella417

Before I learned so much about AD I thought it was mostly a disease about forgetting. We all know it’s so much more. One interesting realization I made was at Thanksgiving this year. My husband has always preferred the dark turkey meat. This year he put only turkey breast on his plate and I was very surprised. I understand that he may not remember that he likes the dark meat better if he was asked. What surprised me was that given a choice between the two, right in front of him, he wouldn’t choose the dark meat in the moment, seeing it and thinking it would be better. They more than forget. They become different people and you can never predict who they will be at any moment. Anyone else surprised at how their preferences and favorite things also change?

Buggsroo

My husband used to adore eating Kraft dinner macaroni and cheese. Since dementia though, his taste has changed. I made it for him, he took one bite and said he hated it. I was stunned at this. Apparently tastes do change.

CStrope

I think my husband's sense of smell has been greatly affected, which of course has affected his taste.  I remember when we ordered Mexican takeout and he asked me what the sour cream was (something he has always pushed to the side and not eaten).  He ate every last bit of the sour cream and couldn't stop saying how yummy it was!  

I kept wondering if he really didn't like it before, or if he had just never allowed himself to indulge in it because of the calories, etc.

Pat6177

Interesting topic, thanks! My DH will eat whatever I put in front of him (not unusual for him). The new thing is that now he likes spicy food. He even says how much he likes it. Before, he tolerated it up to a point. I wonder if it’s age and his taste buds are fading or if it’s ALZ.

ElCy

My DH was never a coffee drinker. Now, he drinks multiple cups a day.

White Crane

Thank you for starting this thread.  I thought maybe it was just my DH whose tastes had changed.  Several months ago, he suddenly stopped drinking coffee.  He would pour it down the sink if I gave him a cup.  That was strange as he has always wanted coffee with his meals.  Another change, he stopped using ketchup.  He always put it on his eggs and on fried potatoes.  Now he doesn't use it.  Horseradish.  He had to have it when we had pork.  Now he won't touch it.  Sour cream.  "Who would want to eat soured cream?"  So I try to adapt.  It is strange though.

ImMaggieMae

I wonder if part of it is like the Dr. Seuss “Green Eggs & Ham” story? I think we sometimes decide at some point that we don’t like a food and then go years and years without trying it because we remembered not liking it at an earlier time? Then with dementia, they forget the reason they didn’t like it, try it, and discover they like it after all? My DH never liked pickled herring. My mom loved it and it was always one of the things we ate on Christmas Eve. This year I had some on my plate and my husband was watching me eat it. I offered him a forkful and to my surprise he ate it and asked for more. I think he just forgot that he didn’t like it. After all, how could someone not enjoy pickled herring?

Joydean

My husband hasn’t been able to smell or taste anything for a bout 5 years. We had lots of tests run but doctors never came up with anything. He said he could remember what certain things tasted like so those were what he wanted to eat. The man would not touch a piece of candy and very seldom would eat ice cream. Loved eating fruit of any kind. Now all he wants is sweets, his favorite for now is chocolate covered raisins! Like a child I tell him you have to eat a few bites of food before your candy! Sometimes I just think what difference does it make at this point. Let him have what ever he wants.

HollyBerry

My partner is down to a few foods she will choose to eat and a handful of others she will eat if I put it in front of her. She likes toast, toasted sandwiches and dry crunchy things. Fried eggs and cheese. Granola bars.  Won't touch nut butter, yogurt, meat, most fruits and vegetables. Will eat frozen pizza. Will eat ice cream but has lost her taste for most other sweets. Has decided she likes Alfredo sauce but not tomato. I hide vegetables and fruit in other dishes when I can and I know there are days when she eats nothing but fried eggs and granola bars..

Belldream

This is a good thread! I've noticed the same thing with DH. He was always the breakfast maker and his specialty was waffles.  He wouldn't dream of eating a frozen waffle. Since I do all the cooking now, I found frozen Kodiak waffles which have added protein, so I gave that to him with his eggs. "These are the best waffles, they're so delicious!" Same with bagels, he was such a bagel snob. Had to have multigrain which they are often out of. So I'd stock up when I found them. Now since they didn't have multigrain, I bought blueberry and put peanut butter on them. He can't get enough of those either! He will also voraciously eat chicken, where before the only animal protein he'd eat was eggs and salmon. So weird

Elshack

My DH's tastes have changed and I think that is a common denominator for those with dementia. Now he eats many foods that he previously didn't like. Ex: any kind of fish. I think it is more of a taste bud change rather than not remembering what they didn't like.

He was really into salty things but as the dementia progressed he has gone overboard with SWEETS!! 

Davegrant

My DW eats mostly sweets and it is very hard to find things that she will eat. Everything is too hard, too salty, too spicy and even too sweet. She never ate the crusts but now only eats the center of a piece of bread. So when I prepare her a plate of food more that half of it is not eaten and is pushed to the top of the plate. Her eating is mostly grazing throughout the day. Cookies are her favorite and orioles top the list. She tells people that she loves my cooking but she actually eats very little of it and I know my cooking is nothing to brag about. I order the meals on wheels but she doesn't like them because her girl friend told her that she didn't like them. I still get them and we split the order and supplement other items. She does like mashed potatoes.

 Dave 

toolbeltexpert

I can say the same things. My dw always drank her coffee black with an ice cube. Now I bring her coffee with flavored creams and she loves it.  She puts maple syrup on everything at breakfast,eggs, bisquits and gravy, anything.

She used to like clam chowder no more.

Ch ch ch ch changes 

Stewart

Jeff86

Tremendous changes in DW’s food and beverage likes and dislikes.  A few examples:

Formerly in, now out:  pasta, tea, white wine, sandwiches

Formerly out, now in:  fish (even salmon), yogurt, cake