2.3. Meal Testing
Testing consisted of serving complete meals at lunch and evaluating the consumption, liking and perceived flavor intensity of each item and the liking of the entire meal. In addition, we evaluated appetite before and after the test meals using a visual analog scale (VAS) instrument. Lunch was chosen as the eating occasion to study because it has been identified as an underutilized meal for leveraging protein intake [For each test, the meals consisted of a protein entrée (M or V) and the same three accompanying side items (two butter lettuce leaves, two whole-wheat crackers and one half cup of seedless grapes). One version of the meal (NS) was prepared using only salt and/or pepper as added flavor elements (salt levels targeted to be consistent with current dietary recommendations) while the second version of the meal (S) was prepared with a more diverse blend of culinary spices to boost flavor. Test meals were served one week apart, aimed at determining the absolute liking of the meal/items vs. assessing relative liking by providing a side-by-side comparison at the same seating. This scheme is more relevant to a free-living condition in which people likely choose food items and recipes based on their absolute liking.