why? It's fuel. I don't take a moment to respect the water I drink, or the bed that lets me sleep. Irrespective of belief it's not obvious why I'd want to try and be appreciative of food regardless of whether it's actually tasty
Granted in this mechanized world, that might be misplaced as it might have been produced by a fleet of robots for a corporation. There might be more complicated factors regarding food wastage. And so on. But since me and my family have started thinking this way, we are more careful of how much we cook, what we buy and how we consume. That has resulted in us hardly throwing away food due to excess/carelessness etc.
1. If it's meat, then some animal gave its life and respecting that is part of treating animals with dignity.
2. From a Christian perspective, all good things are given by God. I suspect that many religions have some sort of parallel belief and even an Atheist could respect the science (e.g. animal husbandry) that allowed them to have access to the food.
3. I have heard that there is evidence that expressing gratitude promotes happiness.
4. Taking the idea of "respect" more abstractly, taking the enjoyment of food seriously is a big part of culture and what it means to be human.
You would discover that they're worthy of very much respect if you were to lose either, even for a moderate while...
Paul Klee, an Swiss/German painter took it even further when he wrote:
"Imagine you are dead. After many years in exile, you are permitted to cast a single glance earthward. You see a lamppost and an old dog lifting his leg against it. You are so moved that you cannot help sobbing."
Plentiful access or not, respect for what we get to have, has many other benefits, and goes beyond the mere satisfaction of our needs/desires.
You adapt.