Hi kris,
Here is a list of tastes I have worked out, through my own experience and interactions. Pl test it if it works.
For taste in food, not only 2nd H but also 4th H must be taken. After all 4th H is Sukh Bhava, H of Happiness or things that make us happy.
So here are the influences of the planets:
Sun - taste for rich food, and also expensive food. Lots of spices, accompanyments, large no of dishes for a meal, etc.
Mars - More or less the same but may not be so elaborate. Have seen a special affection for hot foods, with extra pepper or chillies. (Btw my experience group is mostly Indian, with a sprinkling of foreigners).
Sun and Mars may give an extra affinity for meat and other animal items.
Jupiter - Taste for rich food but much less spicey. Like loads of oil, butter, ghee, milk, cheese, sweet stuff. Very fond of cakes and other confectionery. Also likes bland food but high calorie, with lots of oil and milk fat.
Moon - Has a special affinity for cold items and desserts. Normal food habits, does not like very spicey or oily food. Likes milk fats and other milk items. Special affinity for seafood and other fishes.
Venus - likes all things, but is usually moderate in taste. moderately spiced, lightly oiled dishes. Has a definite taste for fancy food or exotic foods. Has a taste for the exquisite, expensive and the elaborate. In this respect Venus induces a taste somewhat similar to Sun. How the food looks and how it is presented becomes very important.
Mer - indeterminate. If Mer is with any planet, is usually influenced by the taste of that planet. Otherwise, I have not been able to figure out.
Saturn - likes simple but wholesome food. Seriously dislikes an epicurian spread. Has a preference for simple Dal-Chawal, Dal-Roti, Bread and Soup, and salads. Likes everything but dislikes pomp and show with spices, fats and oils. Also not at all fond of sweets and other confectionery.
Rahu - Has a thing for the exotic and foreign. But an important trend is that Rahu becomes highly influenced by Sat and Ven. If influenced by Sat, goes to extremes of simplicity. If influenced by Venus, goes to the other extreme of luxury and elaboration. With other planets or if alone, Rahu is more like Sat with minor modifications as per the planet.
Ketu - Like Mars but without the finesse. Likes plain and rough food but highly spiced and hot. But can go to totally ascetic mode sometimes.
The above I give as per my experience, which is not much. Pl test it with the people you know and see if it works. Also planets indicate the kind of food preparation one likes but not necessarily the nature of food. It includes both veg and non veg. Although as said above, Sun and Mars induces an extra affinity for meat (surprisingly, not for fish).
What exactly makes a vegetarian or the contrary, must be seen from somewhere else. I don't know where. One thing is for sure, there are countless vegetarians in whose charts Jupi influences the 2nd and 4th Hs and Ls. And there are countless non vegetarians with the same combination.
This Sattvik, Rajasik, Tamasik or Triguna theory is nearly always applied wrongly in matters of food. But this is my opinion.
swamykool
Clarification - if there are influences of many planets on the 2nd and 4th Hs and Ls, calculate taste accordingly. Most likely it will be a cocktail.
It's better to rule in hell than to serve in heaven.
