Is it normal for a person with Alzheimer’s to experience a change in their taste in food?

My husband who had vascular dementia, never ate fish or seafood(other than scallops)the whole time I knew him(28 years), and it wasn't until about the last year of his life that fish was about all he wanted to eat. It seemed to come out of nowhere, and he talked about wanting fish a lot. I personally found it quite humorous.
In fact to celebrate his birthday after his death, my son and I had a fish dinner in his honor.
I found it easier when I found something he seemed to enjoy eating(like fish)to just make sure that's what was on his plate for supper.
So if your husband is now enjoying food smothered in BBQ sauce, just keep giving him foods smothered in it. There is no law saying that someone must eat something different every day, so just give him what he enjoys, and hopefully in time you too will be able to find the humor in it. Best wishes.

Yes, taste and smell are effected. Usually, early on because losing these indicates a Dementia.

Have no ideas how to help. Just like with a small child, itschit and miss.

I think trying to figure out what is going on in a brain affected with Alz's is a thankless and frustrating task.

Things my dad used to love he couldn't or wouldn't gag down. It became a daily trial. I see it now in mother. She swears she doesn't eat anything, literally, but she has not lost weight or become unhealthy. She simply forgets. Also, she barely moves during the day and that will cut into her caloric needs.

My sister took her a HUGE burger, fries, shake and apple pie on her birthday. Sis said she ate every scrap. I watched her eat her entire dinner and 2 desserts at my niece's wedding dinner. I think, for her, she's just sick of cooking for herself. I get that! When DH is out of town, I just forage around. After 45 years, I'm sick of cooking.

For mom, there are always protein shakes and she loves those. I wouldn't worry too much about this.

We just make sure mom has a selection of easy to prepare foods in her apt and let her choose.

My 90 yo old father hated the taste of all food until we took him off some meds like that nasty Liptitor. Once we removed that not only did his demetia symptoms drastically improve but his taste buds came back!
Other reasons for lack of taste and smell is having a sinus problem. Have a doc check it out and ask about cutting out unnecessary meds. At 90 we are going for quality of life over saving his cholesterol level!

they say the last sense to lose is sweets. Before a feeding tube I had to use ice cream and protein powders -- I used the feeding tube as a last resort so she would not die of dehydration which can take weeks.

Just as people forget more recent memories of events, memories of food flavors can be forgotten as well. Your husband may have been a bbq sauce fan when he was younger - or he likes the sweetness in the sauce. it might be better to just have a variety of good foods and let him "try" everything, even if he puts bbq sauce on it.

Thanks!

Just like kids that get on a "kick" eating 1 type of food this can happen with dementia as well.
Not recalling a particular food might just be the process of the dementia.
Now a change in taste might indicate a symptom of COVID and he might not be able to articulate what the changes are specifically so it might be worth getting him tested particularly if he has any other symptoms like:
fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, diarrhea just to name a few.
If all checks out then just keep trying other foods. But keep a few that you know he likes. And there is nothing wrong with giving him the same meal over and over if he is enjoying it and is getting a healthy meal. Make extra, portion it out and freeze it. Thaw a meal for him and make something else for yourself if you don't want to eat the same thing.

I don't think having alzheimers has all the credit for changing taste, just as we get older our taste buds change just like everything else in/on our body. If you ask him what he wants, does it give you an idea of what he might like that day. sometimes it works, other times not. you will just have to make something and hope he likes it and have something else ready just in case the taste has changed. wishing you luck.

i know someone mentioned he might have covid if he lost his taste. i can tell you than when I personally get a normal regular run of the mill cold......i can lose my taste for 3 or 4 days depending on how stuffed up my sinuses are. so if your loved one hasn't been around anyone that has been sick, i doubt if covid, but rather his old aged tongue is changing. wishing you luck. (this is not meant to offend anyone).