National Junk Food Day: Why the Conversation Shouldn’t Be About Restriction

With a Master’s in Food Product Development, Aisling explained that while much of the food industry has historically perfected the “bliss point” – the precise balance of fat, sugar and salt that keeps us reaching for another bite – her work sits at the opposite end of the spectrum. Her focus is designing food for satiety: food that is delicious first, nourishing always, and leaves us feeling genuinely satisfied rather than trapped in a cycle of wanting more.

Many ultra-processed foods are engineered for maximum sensory appeal. Their crunch, melt, mouthfeel, layered flavours and carefully balanced sweetness are all designed to stimulate reward pathways and encourage continued eating, often overriding our natural cues of hunger and fullness. By contrast, Aisling’s approach is to create recipes that satisfy both physiologically and emotionally – combining flavour, texture and nutrient density to help people reach that quiet feeling of “enough”.

The conversation also challenged the language we use around food. Labelling foods as “junk” or “forbidden” can unintentionally give them more power, creating an all-or-nothing mindset where people feel they need permission to enjoy them. That cycle can often lead to guilt, disappointment or feelings of failure after overindulgence, rather than supporting a balanced relationship with food.

Instead, Aisling encourages a more thoughtful approach: enjoy the foods you genuinely love, choose quality over quantity, and remember that these foods have a place as “sometimes” foods rather than everyday staples. The goal isn’t restriction – it’s discernment. When we stop placing foods on a pedestal, we take the power back.