BLAND FOOD TEST WORKSHEET
Learning Cadence | Original exercise | 2 November 2026

STEP 1: IS IT THE DISH OR YOUR NOSE?
Do other familiar foods taste normal today? (yes / no)
Do you have a cold or blocked nose? (yes / no)
Nose check: chew a familiar food with your nose pinched, then let go.
Did the flavor arrive when you let go? (yes / no)
If familiar foods all taste flat, the dish may be fine. If it lasts, talk with a doctor.

STEP 2: THREE-SPOON TEST
Bowl A, unchanged:
Bowl B, a few grains of salt. What changed (fuller, saltier, no better)?
Bowl C, a couple of drops of lemon juice or vinegar. What changed (brighter, sharper, no better)?
Taste A again between B and C.
Which bowl do you prefer?

STEP 3: AROMA TEST, IF NEITHER HELPED
Bowl D, a little black pepper:
Bowl E, a few chopped fresh herbs:
Which bowl do you prefer?

STEP 4: THE POT
One change added to the pot, in a small amount:
Taste of a fresh spoonful after stirring:
Salt already in the ingredients (stock, canned food, sauces):

PRACTICE
1. You have a blocked nose and your soup tastes like nothing, but a friend says it is fine. What do you check first?
2. Bowls B and C both beat A, and you prefer C. Do you add a whole lemon to the pot?
3. A soup made with ready-made stock tastes flat. What do you check before adding salt?

ANSWER CHECK
1. The nose check. A stuffed nose stops odors reaching your smell cells, so the dish may be fine.
2. No. Add a little, stir and taste again. A spoonful test does not scale exactly to a pot.
3. The stock label. Packaged foods already contribute salt, so try sour or aroma first.

TRANSFER
A friend's coffee has tasted of almost nothing for weeks since an illness. Recipe problem or something else?
Answer: it points to their sense of smell. A lasting smell or taste change is one to raise with a doctor.

Check ingredients against your allergies and any dietary advice you follow. Do not return tasted portions to the serving pot.