Needless to say, I have never in my life gotten an ounce of sympathy out of that story, but that doesn't mean it still isn't a pain in the ass.
The way it works for me is that I am almost never humgry. I love food, and I like the feeling of being full, I just forget it eat. I frequently go more than a day without eating without noticing. Believe it or not, it is often the sugar from a soda, that shocks my blood sugar, and reminds me that I need to eat. Maybe I can get a perscription from my doctor to show at the deli or bodega so I don't have to pay the tax.