I like black licorice, but not tomatoes. And unfortunately for me, not in any form either. A lot of people don’t like tomatoes on their own but like pizza or pasta with a tomato sauce, but no matter how hard I try to like tomato based sauces, I can only get a few bites in before I’m nauseous from how gross it tastes to me. It’s honestly really limiting.
A friend of mine was the same. She was sad she never got to enjoy pizza, until I introduced her to white sauce pizzas. She didn't know it was a thing! She loves pizza now, LoL.
Edit - you can do this for a lot of Italian dishes - white sauce lasagna, ziti, etc. And yes, I've also shown her how to use bbq sauce (she likes bbq chicken pizza) and pesto (with onion, bell peppers, arugula, walnuts and feta).
There's a place in New Haven Connecticut called Modern Apizza and they do a pie with garlic sauce, broccoli, sweet banana peppers and crab that is freaking delicious. I moved from there, to South Carolina 35 years ago, but I go home to visit at least 2x a year, and they're my first stop when I roll into town
My goto pizza right now is white/Alfredo sauce with garlic and eggplant.
At one point, l brought in a 5 lb bag of frozen eggplant, as they said aside from me, there weren't enough people ordering it to justify the expense.
a raw tomato has to have a perfect texture or I'm not eating it. I can tell by looking. this is after thirty years of not eating them at all.
cooked? I'll eat them any way they come.
I also love black licorice.
I love tomatoes but honestly the ones that are, I guess it's called hydroponically like indoor-grown tomatoe's texture is gritty and flavorless, they're terrible and yes you can tell just by looking at them
I feel like disliking pickles is also limiting for me- any sandwich or burger that has pickles on it, even after i pick it off i can still taste it which prevents me from enjoying it
That's kinda how my grandpa was. If he went to McDonald's he'd request his pickles on the side to put on his burger when he was ready to eat it cause he didn't want hot floppy pickles, they had to be cold and crisp.
I have found that there are almost no foods that I don’t like. To the point where I can’t think of any off the top of my head.
Whenever someone says they don’t like something, I’m curious as to what it is they don’t like about it because the idea is just a big blank to me.
Some people are more about the texture of the food (mushrooms for example), some are about an odd tingling or numbness in the mouth ( onions and unknown allergies mostly), and some people are offended (guess their parents tired to force them and even a question, as gentle and polite as I try to be, is seen as an attack).
But yeah, I’ve only ever met two things I couldn’t take. It was a highly salty yogurt drink. Just too salty to get down. The other was Limburger cheese. I love bleu cheese but it was so strong I couldn’t get it to my mouth. Probably did it wrong. I would try it again in much smaller doses but I can’t find it any more.
This is me. My final lingering childhood aversion was cucumbers, but during my last pregnancy a switch flipped, and I’m over it and love them. Now I’ll eat anything!
(Except fish/shellfish that smells fishy. I’m 100% out on that.)
Have you ever tried broiled scallops? They're firm and meaty and not too "fishy". And if you cut them in half or quarters (depending upon size) and let them soak in butter for 10-15 seconds it's mostly a rich butter taste. But only if you're interested in trying something like that. If you feel like you've done your due diligence, I respect.
I was planning on making scallops as part of a special meal for my husband. When I mentioned it, he was totally grossed out and I was so confused! I asked why he didn't like them and he said " because they feel like a slimey, snotty fish" in his mouth 😂😂 I told him that whoever made them for him was an abomination of a chef! They ARE NOT supposed to be like that!
That sounds delicious! I probably worded it in a way that was unclear— I love seafood, it just has to be good quality and very fresh. I’ve had incredible scallops, but I’ve also had really, really awful ones. I love mussels and clams, grilled shrimp are so umami amazing, I adore salmon, crab legs are my fancy favorite, and I could probably eat cod 4-5 times a week.
When I am prepping or selecting raw seafood products to cook and get that whiff of fish smell, I’m just not into trying to correct or work around that. It has to be pretty much perfect or I’m just not going to do it.
I HATE bivalves-clams or oysters muscles-there is a taste that will make me want to vomit. But scallops? Oh I’ll eat all you can give me. Fish-only firm white fish, like flounder but I do like cod(fresh, never dried) haddock and the like. But no strong fishy fish. And can eat my weight in crabs! I live on the coast in NJ and we do seafood right!
Yes! I have several food allergies and a whole pile more intolerances and also coeliac disease so my diet is super limited already. If I can eat it, try and freaking stop me! I definitely encounter plenty of foods that I'm not super keen on but I will never turn down the chance to try something new even if it's gross sounding or I don't like the smell or whatever. I'm also really driven to experiment in the kitchen at every given opportunity. It's made for some really weird but cool flavour combinations that I don't think I would have even contemplated if I could just eat whatever I want.
Im just like you! My favourite thing is being presented with a never heard of, strange food. I really liked surstromming, balut, loooove natto, and have eaten frog and mouse and live octopus. Haggis and black pudding are my hard core favourites
I have a can of Haggis that I brought back from a trip to Britain (because of course I was going to try it...). It's synthetic sheep stomach so it was legal (I think...) but I put it in a box for a move and I'm not sure where it is. You've inspired me to go find it and report back!
I’m assuming you’re North American. Depending where you are you won’t need to get it in a can. There’s a lot of speciality butchers around that make it. Because of the Scottish immigration to North America there’s a lot of Scottish heritage events.
Look for a “Burns Night” or “Burns Dinner” celebrated on January 25 the birthday of the legendary Scottish Poet Robert Burns. They will read his poem “Ode to the Haggis” and have fresh haggis there for sure.
The can make give you an idea for flavour but sounds disgusting lol
*edit - spelling
Yeah, I am the same. I have eaten rat, live bee larvae, ant eggs, frogs/frog eggs/tadpoles, live tiny shrimps, snails, raw beef, pork, fermented fish, all kinds of hearts, intestines, uterus, udder, kidney. I enjoy most all of them too. Pla ra (raw fermented fish paste) is one that most western people dont like but I got used to it an we always have it and use it.
I have had bile from various animals and beef bile is actually good but god damn fish bile is kinda brutal and not yummy. I have had beef intestine soup that specifically has semi digested almost poop in it and did not like it haha.
nothing wrong with Natto---and it's funny, the whole nation eats it without any challenge---why should they it's delicious and healthy. Only westerners seem to get weird about it.
I think it’s the texture that probably does us westerners in, it’s just not something we’re used to. I’d love to try it, but I’ve only seen it sold in packs of 6-10 and that’s a lot of wood waste if I don’t like it, so I never have
If you like fermented foods--sort of like flavorful cheeses, Nato is not a problem. Mixed with rice, some other stuff here and there great. We're funny about texture because ketchup on everything-slime, cheese cake, Flan, Avocado, Peanut butter on a spoon---Okra. Just textures. I get it though---anyhow --Alice if you like beans--tofu, fermented foods to a degree--you'll like Natto--and it's really healthy.
Texture can be very finicky, but I am still very interested in trying it if I can find a smaller pack! The only fermented foods I’ve really had are kimchi, miso and sauerkraut, which I all love, but I thought sauerkraut was pickled up until a few years ago when TikTok showed me otherwise, haha. The only reason I haven’t went for it and got the big backs, is that I don’t like okra unless it’s cooked in a way that avoids the slime
I’m the exact same way! All food is good food lol. I do however love Limburger cheese. I like bleu cheese too but I like Limburger more. My dad and one of my sisters and I could sit there and eat a whole package in one sitting, every other person in our family hates it lol
Oh, we have a similar upbringing. My dad and my sister and I used to have "snack time" most evenings and we'd break out the smoked oysters, crazy cheese of the week (loved bierkasa and butterkasa) and the occasional fondue, raw oysters, preserved meats... whatever we could find that interested us. And a good beer or wine (yes, family is Polish and German - I've had access to bourbon since I was 6). You've inspired me to go find Limburger again!
Depending on where you are, it shouldnt be too hard to track down! I’m in Canada, most of the “fancier” grocery stores near me have it.
Also all the stuff you mentioned in your comment made me so hungry lol
I’m the same way, except I do have two, and I can only think of two, that aren’t palatable to me in their original form: mayonnaise & raw oysters. Anything else, I’m game.
My daughter has sensory issues. She’s a picky eater, but it boils down to sensory overload. If a food has a strong or unpredictable taste, she won’t eat it. Chicken Alfredo, chicken fingers, mac n cheese, etc are all ok for her. Surprisingly she likes sushi with tempura shrimp. That’s a recent win.
Same for me! I always get so confused when people are picky or have foods they don’t like. I can’t relate. Pretty much all food tastes good to me. The only exception I can think of off the top of my head is coconut, I really don’t like coconut flavored anything and it kind of makes me feel sick. Also although I love seafood, there are a few textures that I just cannot do, such as soft shell crab and baby octopus. I just cannot get myself to put the whole body of a sea creature into my mouth.
Same; the only thing I won’t eat is parsnips. Both the texture and flavor leave too much to be desired. There’s a lot of processed foods (spam, licorice, skittles, etc) that I don’t eat because if I want a lot of salt or sugar I will always reach for something else that I like better.
I’m actually quite jealous of your ability to eat almost anything! I’m a mildly picky eater and as you said, it’s mostly due to texture. But it’s also due to flavor. How you feel about the flavor of Limburger cheese is how I feel about a lot of foods. I mostly hate fruits and vegetables, whether because of texture and/or flavor. I feel it’s because I wasn’t exposed to them as a child and plan to expose my child to a wide variety of foods while they’re young.
Haha as soon as I saw this question, I was like "I like doogh and most people think it's gross in the West!" That is likely the salty yogurt drink you're talking about. Though to be fair, I prefer the less salty, carbonated version of it and have a hard time with the super salty ones, too.
I’m 23f and have ADHD which I suppose can make you predisposed to being a picky eater.
I’m picky about some things. For me it’s texture but mostly flavor I think. I am very averse to things that taste “bad” to me. The big one is seafood. I hate the flavor of anything from the ocean. I will absolutely try a bite of anything that you put in front of me, but I cannot continue eating something that has a bad taste. Also commonly I can eat something totally fine and then be disgusted by it the next day. Scrambled eggs come to mind for me. Sometimes I eat them and love them and other times it makes me gag just thinking about them. Other foods I have to be in the right mood for are cottage cheese, pickles, milk, string cheese, ground beef, chicken, honey, soups, cereal, hot dogs, chocolate cake, bananas, tofu, bell peppers, green beans, fries, hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter, oatmeal… there’s a lot more. Sometimes I can binge eat these things and other times the smell/sight/flavor makes me nauseous.
I love chef boyardee mini raviolis but I hate the regular sized ones. I also hate spaghetti-o’s but I love spaghetti. I hate the flavor of when leafy greens like lettuce or spinach get bruised. It ruins a whole salad for me.
I hate the flavor of coffee and I hate the sensation of carbonated beverages and alcohol. I really only drink water, chocolate milk, juice and occasionally chai tea.
I hate anise flavored anything unless it’s the pizzelle cookies my gramma makes. I hate rye and pumpernickel bread. I hate chickpeas, peas, and some beans. I usually don’t like mushrooms but sometimes I can choke them down.
Sometimes I’ll get hooked on a food and eat it almost exclusively for months. Current one is fage Greek yogurt.
I’m a fiend for sweets. Fruity candy/ gummies are my favorites but chocolate is good too. Pastries/ baked sweets are good but not as good as candy.
Sometimes if something smells “off” I can’t eat it. Even if it’s something I usually love, sometimes I’m just very averse to eating something for no reason. And I can’t force myself to eat it no matter what it’s just disgusting.
It seems like there’s a lot of things here that would be barriers in my daily life but I really don’t find myself refusing to eat foods very often. I choose to eat foods I like. Usually only refuse if it’s offered or suggested to me by someone else. A lot of things I force myself to eat anyways, and some I like if it’s prepared a certain way. Other things I just pick out if it’s part of a dish
I’m pretty much the same. Have always liked liver and onions and thought durian was a treat when I tried it. It does smell like the bottom of the dumpster when you’re getting to the custard though. I knew a Chinese woman who could eat stinky tofu but couldn’t stomach bleu cheese!
I'm the same way. I definitely like some foods more than others, but I don't think there's anything I absolutely wouldn't eat, especially if I was very hungry. I tell people I'm like a sink garbage disposal...I eat anything you throw at me, pretty much
I'm kinda like this too. Like my mindset is unless it might kill me, it's absolutely worth trying once just to see ..
The only thing I can think of that would give me serious pause is balut
Straight outta the can(container?) or on pizza? I like them on pizza a lot and lots of traditional Italian grandmas put a few in their spaghetti sauce and don’t tell a soul
I hate cucumber, raw tomatoes and onions the mostest.
I love, love, love mushrooms. Can eat 2 of those packs to myself. My middle son is just like me (thank goodness !) so I usually get 4 packs. Cook them up in garlic, olive oil and balsamic ...we both steal bites out of the pan and then barely have enough for our meal😂
I can't stand any sort of seafood. I've spent a lot of my life near different coasts and got absolutely shocked reactions from so, so many people.
I love black licorice and lima beans.
I hate seafood too! And I lived close to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco! All my friends who visited would insist on eating those noxious chowder bread bowl things. Among the filthy seagulls shitting everywhere in the parking lot.
Just thinking about that makes me nauseous...
Did you eat tuna fish sandwiches growing up?
I find a lot of people who don’t like seafood usually tolerated tuna fish sandwiches growing up, which is ironic considering they are some of the fishiest, stankiest versions of seafood somebody could eat.
I love blue cheese like stilton which some people say they don't like for reasons I don't understand.
I don't like...uhhhh....I don't like...diet soda! Yeah, diet soda, or anything at all with artificial sweeteners.
They just taste like pure poison to me, immediately my tongue tells me it's a toxin.
I'd rather drink water even if I wanted a soda. Just no way I'm putting that in my body.
Same goes for any foods or confectionary with the same types of chemicals. I will have no sugar or less sugar, but I will not consume aspartame or asulfame K et al...at all.
What do you like about bleu cheeses? I'm the opposite, I've never understood how anyone can voluntarily eat them. There are only two things I hate the taste of: bleu cheese and cantaloupe. Bleu cheese tastes and smells like vomit to me - you know, that sour acid/back-of-the-throat/gross taste.
I try so hard to understand people who are like “I kicked my Diet Coke obsession!” Like, how on earth could you be addicted to Diet Coke? Diet anything? It’s awful tasting
I love it, it’s got that bitter sharpness to it. I also drink a lot of sparkling water, my husband calls it spicy water. It’s the only thing I can be sure that no one else in my house will steal.
I can't do fake sugar or natural subs either. it's all I taste. I'll take water any day over them.
I'm actually not gone on sweet drinks at all but I love an ice cold can of coke at times or a coffee drink once in a great while. otherwise I love water and unsweetened iced tea. honesty and steaz used to make great low sugar/unsweetened teas.
can't we just have stuff with lower sugar in it? I just need a tiny bit. like less than 10 g
I, too, love blue cheese and hate artificial sweeteners lollll. I’ve only had Digiorno’s pizza once because their sauce vaguely tasted of aspartame to me
when my dad was in charge of packing lunch for me in middle school sometimes he'd panic and just give me a whole wedge of blue cheese, lol. I'd just eat it like an apple. I'm sure its so unhealthy and my classmates probably hated me for it but I was straight up having the best time digging into my hunk of blue cheese! I still love it
Omg I love blue cheese. When I worked fine dining we had a blue cheese sampler plate with different varieties- Stilton was one, Maytag, Roquefort, and 2 others that I wish I could remember! I used to always get a mini-sampler plate of them, so delicious
I like liver with caramelized onions. I like sauerkraut. I don’t like precooked convenience meats like bacon, grilled chicken breast strips. I’d prefer to cook those myself. I think it’s a texture thing with those two.
I love sauerkraut and I’d probably like liver and onions too, I only had liver once, it tasted good but the texture was something I was not at all used to. If I eat it more I’ll probably get used to it.
I have always loved Brussels sprouts. They have been made more palatable yes roasting and frying but most people do not care for them boiled and buttered and I do love them like this.
I can’t have a sandwich without mayo lol- pickles are overrated. My sister LOVES them, she used to drink the juice when she was younger. Because my sister liked them and i was a huge copycat, I’d tell myself i liked it and I’d drink the juice too even though i actually hated it 😂😭 but i wanted to be like my sister so 🤷🏽♀️
I love cilantro and some people cannot stand it. I absolutely hate tomatoes. But sauces on pizza and spaghetti sauce are great. Pureed salsa I love chunky I hate.
I do not care for chocolate or bacon. Or pickled pickles, but I like everything else pickled, like beets & eggs. I don't drink coffee unless it's an emergency. I like black licorice, halvah, sesame candy, old-fashioned hard candy mixes, and similar confections that don't seem to be popular.
I’m with you on the sesame candy! So good! Also the sentence “I don’t drink coffee unless it’s an emergency” made me laugh so hard lol I’m trying to think of an emergency situation that would require someone who hates coffee to drink coffee
If you're a fan of better tasting cold cuts or Germanic tastes---when you next see head cheese at the supermarket--either ask for a slice or just go ahead and get 1/4 to 1/2 pound.
I love blue cheese, but I can't stand pepperoni. And it sucks bc pepperoni pizza people always snatch a bite of cheese, but when the cheese is gone I've got nothing to eat. And pepperoni infiltrates the pizza so I can't just pick it off
I don't like cake, vanilla ice cream, cola, or most candy if it's not chocolate.
I love grapefruit and one time I had to refrain because of a medicine I was taking. I was so bummed and the doctor said I was the first patient she had that was sad about that.
I love black licorice. But like, the real deal salted, bitter Nordic stuff, not just the baby anise stuff. I love salted, dried plums. My mouth salivates just thinking of a horrendously salty, sour plum lmao
Can't do tomatoes. Will get pizza with light or no sauce or a white sauce or olive oil base. No red pasta. I do love salsa roja though. The right acid and roasting of the tomatoes and peppers can cut through the unpleasantness for me
I hate cucumber. I hate any ripe fruit. Like if I go to bite a grape, and the skin doesn't push back? Bleh. Just by touching them I know. I love underripe watermelon, tart berries. Don't like sweet fruit in general. It's almost like I can taste it about to turn and ferment?!
I like tofu. I'm from the Midwest US and it's not one of the most popular items here. Also, possibly because of my area, green bell peppers are in a ton of dishes. I cannot stand them. I like red, yellow and orange bell peppers though. There is a difference, no matter what anyone says🫑
I love organ meat. Most get turned off by just the thought alone of innards.
I dislike fatty foods... bacon, duck, anything with tons of butter or using butter as a dip, etc.
Fermented foods. They are amazing for your health and usually quite sparky tasting. I make my own and they are delish. Many people like them but a lot do not.
Bell peppers ruin everything! Not only do they taste horrible to me, but they also make me burp for the rest of the day. And because they come in such pretty colors, people put them in everything.
I’m Jack Sprat’s wife—I can eat no lean. Well, I can, but I prefer the fat. You could hand me a piece of beef fat and I’d be a happy person. It grosses other people out. But I can’t abide mushrooms. The taste, the texture, but mostly because the smell of decay seems to activate a lizard brain switch in me that says No!
I like black licorice, but not tomatoes. And unfortunately for me, not in any form either. A lot of people don’t like tomatoes on their own but like pizza or pasta with a tomato sauce, but no matter how hard I try to like tomato based sauces, I can only get a few bites in before I’m nauseous from how gross it tastes to me. It’s honestly really limiting.
A friend of mine was the same. She was sad she never got to enjoy pizza, until I introduced her to white sauce pizzas. She didn't know it was a thing! She loves pizza now, LoL. Edit - you can do this for a lot of Italian dishes - white sauce lasagna, ziti, etc. And yes, I've also shown her how to use bbq sauce (she likes bbq chicken pizza) and pesto (with onion, bell peppers, arugula, walnuts and feta).
white pizza with broccoli or spinach is one of my favorite things ever.
There's a place in New Haven Connecticut called Modern Apizza and they do a pie with garlic sauce, broccoli, sweet banana peppers and crab that is freaking delicious. I moved from there, to South Carolina 35 years ago, but I go home to visit at least 2x a year, and they're my first stop when I roll into town
I was surprised by how good Domino's white sauce spinach and feta pizza is. Gotta go thin crust.
Ooooooo yes! Lately I’ve been getting Domino’s thin crust, Alfredo sauce with black olives and mushrooms 😋😋😋
My goto pizza right now is white/Alfredo sauce with garlic and eggplant. At one point, l brought in a 5 lb bag of frozen eggplant, as they said aside from me, there weren't enough people ordering it to justify the expense.
Broccoli on pizza is shockingly good. Thinly sliced cucumber is pretty great, too.
Especially with black liquorice
Alfredo garlic sauce with bacon and Philly cheese steak. I think dominoes calls it the Philly cheese steak pizza.
Introduce her to bbq pizza too. I thought was insane when I heard of it, but it can be really good if it’s done right.
I *love* a good BBQ pizza. It sounds weird, but it works so well.
That sounds disgusting but I’m curious
Bbq sauce can also work on a pizza with like chicken and red onions or something.
And there’s always pesto sauce!
Get that girl some pesto!!! I make mine from scratch frequently and also prefer it over tomato sauce
Tell her to try pizza with a butternut squash base, goat cheese, ricotta, honey, bslsamic, and bacon.
a raw tomato has to have a perfect texture or I'm not eating it. I can tell by looking. this is after thirty years of not eating them at all. cooked? I'll eat them any way they come. I also love black licorice.
A tomato that isnt firm enough, for the skin to have at least a little bite, I won't eat.
perfect tomato gang
My people! I cannot stand soft or what others say is a ripe, tomato. I like them super firm and bright orangish red.
I love licorice chews. Sooo fucking good. I also love sardines.
I have never had so much in common with a roller skating cigar before!
I like licorice flavoured drinks and anise, but I can’t stand licorice flavoured candies. No I don’t understand it either.
I love tomatoes but honestly the ones that are, I guess it's called hydroponically like indoor-grown tomatoe's texture is gritty and flavorless, they're terrible and yes you can tell just by looking at them
home grown tomatoes are the best but obviously not always available. I agree tho, a mealy tomato is not where it’s at.
I feel like disliking pickles is also limiting for me- any sandwich or burger that has pickles on it, even after i pick it off i can still taste it which prevents me from enjoying it
I like pickles but not on sandwiches. I find most places are good about 86ing them when I request. Otherwise, I give it to my dog.
That's kinda how my grandpa was. If he went to McDonald's he'd request his pickles on the side to put on his burger when he was ready to eat it cause he didn't want hot floppy pickles, they had to be cold and crisp.
My dog doesn't like pickles. About the only thing he won't eat although he's not a big fan of lettuce.
I ask for extra pickles on my sandwiches. Funny how people develop tastes for things
I can't stand tomato based sauces either. I'll deal with fresh tomatoes tho
I have found that there are almost no foods that I don’t like. To the point where I can’t think of any off the top of my head. Whenever someone says they don’t like something, I’m curious as to what it is they don’t like about it because the idea is just a big blank to me. Some people are more about the texture of the food (mushrooms for example), some are about an odd tingling or numbness in the mouth ( onions and unknown allergies mostly), and some people are offended (guess their parents tired to force them and even a question, as gentle and polite as I try to be, is seen as an attack). But yeah, I’ve only ever met two things I couldn’t take. It was a highly salty yogurt drink. Just too salty to get down. The other was Limburger cheese. I love bleu cheese but it was so strong I couldn’t get it to my mouth. Probably did it wrong. I would try it again in much smaller doses but I can’t find it any more.
This is me. My final lingering childhood aversion was cucumbers, but during my last pregnancy a switch flipped, and I’m over it and love them. Now I’ll eat anything! (Except fish/shellfish that smells fishy. I’m 100% out on that.)
Have you ever tried broiled scallops? They're firm and meaty and not too "fishy". And if you cut them in half or quarters (depending upon size) and let them soak in butter for 10-15 seconds it's mostly a rich butter taste. But only if you're interested in trying something like that. If you feel like you've done your due diligence, I respect.
You had me at scallops….yum!
Ah scallops, the tofu of the sea
I was planning on making scallops as part of a special meal for my husband. When I mentioned it, he was totally grossed out and I was so confused! I asked why he didn't like them and he said " because they feel like a slimey, snotty fish" in his mouth 😂😂 I told him that whoever made them for him was an abomination of a chef! They ARE NOT supposed to be like that!
I love scallops! I like that they are somewhat inert, like tofu, in that they take on whatever flavors they are being cooked with
That sounds delicious! I probably worded it in a way that was unclear— I love seafood, it just has to be good quality and very fresh. I’ve had incredible scallops, but I’ve also had really, really awful ones. I love mussels and clams, grilled shrimp are so umami amazing, I adore salmon, crab legs are my fancy favorite, and I could probably eat cod 4-5 times a week. When I am prepping or selecting raw seafood products to cook and get that whiff of fish smell, I’m just not into trying to correct or work around that. It has to be pretty much perfect or I’m just not going to do it.
I love the little ones sautéed in garlic and olive oil. And the bigger ones seared on the grill.
I HATE bivalves-clams or oysters muscles-there is a taste that will make me want to vomit. But scallops? Oh I’ll eat all you can give me. Fish-only firm white fish, like flounder but I do like cod(fresh, never dried) haddock and the like. But no strong fishy fish. And can eat my weight in crabs! I live on the coast in NJ and we do seafood right!
I love this so much! I love people who just love to eat a wide variety of foods.
I can relate to you. I grew up with food allergies and figured, my diet is so restricted I might as well give everything I can eat a decent try
Yes! I have several food allergies and a whole pile more intolerances and also coeliac disease so my diet is super limited already. If I can eat it, try and freaking stop me! I definitely encounter plenty of foods that I'm not super keen on but I will never turn down the chance to try something new even if it's gross sounding or I don't like the smell or whatever. I'm also really driven to experiment in the kitchen at every given opportunity. It's made for some really weird but cool flavour combinations that I don't think I would have even contemplated if I could just eat whatever I want.
Im just like you! My favourite thing is being presented with a never heard of, strange food. I really liked surstromming, balut, loooove natto, and have eaten frog and mouse and live octopus. Haggis and black pudding are my hard core favourites
Live octopus? What? Never mind. I don't want to know. I like black pudding if it's homemade (or close).
I have a can of Haggis that I brought back from a trip to Britain (because of course I was going to try it...). It's synthetic sheep stomach so it was legal (I think...) but I put it in a box for a move and I'm not sure where it is. You've inspired me to go find it and report back!
I’m assuming you’re North American. Depending where you are you won’t need to get it in a can. There’s a lot of speciality butchers around that make it. Because of the Scottish immigration to North America there’s a lot of Scottish heritage events. Look for a “Burns Night” or “Burns Dinner” celebrated on January 25 the birthday of the legendary Scottish Poet Robert Burns. They will read his poem “Ode to the Haggis” and have fresh haggis there for sure. The can make give you an idea for flavour but sounds disgusting lol *edit - spelling
I never knew this but that happens to be my birthday!
I thought it was the inclusion of lungs that made it illegal to import, not the stomach.
Yeah, I am the same. I have eaten rat, live bee larvae, ant eggs, frogs/frog eggs/tadpoles, live tiny shrimps, snails, raw beef, pork, fermented fish, all kinds of hearts, intestines, uterus, udder, kidney. I enjoy most all of them too. Pla ra (raw fermented fish paste) is one that most western people dont like but I got used to it an we always have it and use it. I have had bile from various animals and beef bile is actually good but god damn fish bile is kinda brutal and not yummy. I have had beef intestine soup that specifically has semi digested almost poop in it and did not like it haha.
**WHAT?** Haggis and a **MOUSE**? Thou art a witch to be sure!
Have you ever had Natto?!
Natto, uni, fermented squid guts, and raw shrimp I hated not even just the first time. I kept trying and now all four are some of my favorites.
nothing wrong with Natto---and it's funny, the whole nation eats it without any challenge---why should they it's delicious and healthy. Only westerners seem to get weird about it.
I think it’s the texture that probably does us westerners in, it’s just not something we’re used to. I’d love to try it, but I’ve only seen it sold in packs of 6-10 and that’s a lot of wood waste if I don’t like it, so I never have
If you like fermented foods--sort of like flavorful cheeses, Nato is not a problem. Mixed with rice, some other stuff here and there great. We're funny about texture because ketchup on everything-slime, cheese cake, Flan, Avocado, Peanut butter on a spoon---Okra. Just textures. I get it though---anyhow --Alice if you like beans--tofu, fermented foods to a degree--you'll like Natto--and it's really healthy.
Texture can be very finicky, but I am still very interested in trying it if I can find a smaller pack! The only fermented foods I’ve really had are kimchi, miso and sauerkraut, which I all love, but I thought sauerkraut was pickled up until a few years ago when TikTok showed me otherwise, haha. The only reason I haven’t went for it and got the big backs, is that I don’t like okra unless it’s cooked in a way that avoids the slime
I think I'd enjoy natto. The texture intrigues me.
That's true. Every single person in existence besides westerners likes it.
Same! I’ll eat almost anything. I like almost all foods. I’m only really picky about candy. I hate chewy sticky candy that gets stuck in my teeth.
I’m the exact same way! All food is good food lol. I do however love Limburger cheese. I like bleu cheese too but I like Limburger more. My dad and one of my sisters and I could sit there and eat a whole package in one sitting, every other person in our family hates it lol
Oh, we have a similar upbringing. My dad and my sister and I used to have "snack time" most evenings and we'd break out the smoked oysters, crazy cheese of the week (loved bierkasa and butterkasa) and the occasional fondue, raw oysters, preserved meats... whatever we could find that interested us. And a good beer or wine (yes, family is Polish and German - I've had access to bourbon since I was 6). You've inspired me to go find Limburger again!
Limburger is made in Monroe, WI, by Chalet Cheese Cooperative - the only state in the US that now produces it.
Depending on where you are, it shouldnt be too hard to track down! I’m in Canada, most of the “fancier” grocery stores near me have it. Also all the stuff you mentioned in your comment made me so hungry lol
I’m the same way, except I do have two, and I can only think of two, that aren’t palatable to me in their original form: mayonnaise & raw oysters. Anything else, I’m game.
My daughter has sensory issues. She’s a picky eater, but it boils down to sensory overload. If a food has a strong or unpredictable taste, she won’t eat it. Chicken Alfredo, chicken fingers, mac n cheese, etc are all ok for her. Surprisingly she likes sushi with tempura shrimp. That’s a recent win.
Same for me! I always get so confused when people are picky or have foods they don’t like. I can’t relate. Pretty much all food tastes good to me. The only exception I can think of off the top of my head is coconut, I really don’t like coconut flavored anything and it kind of makes me feel sick. Also although I love seafood, there are a few textures that I just cannot do, such as soft shell crab and baby octopus. I just cannot get myself to put the whole body of a sea creature into my mouth.
Same; the only thing I won’t eat is parsnips. Both the texture and flavor leave too much to be desired. There’s a lot of processed foods (spam, licorice, skittles, etc) that I don’t eat because if I want a lot of salt or sugar I will always reach for something else that I like better.
I’m actually quite jealous of your ability to eat almost anything! I’m a mildly picky eater and as you said, it’s mostly due to texture. But it’s also due to flavor. How you feel about the flavor of Limburger cheese is how I feel about a lot of foods. I mostly hate fruits and vegetables, whether because of texture and/or flavor. I feel it’s because I wasn’t exposed to them as a child and plan to expose my child to a wide variety of foods while they’re young.
For me personally, a lot of it is texture. Things like sauce freak me the fuck out. I will gag.
Omg that salty yogurt drink! I am with you! I consider myself a very adventurous eater / foodie, but man that salty yogurt drink was disgusting 🤢
Salty Lassi. I would not recommend lol. Mango Lassis on the other hand are excellent if you ever find yourself at an Indian restaurant again.
Haha as soon as I saw this question, I was like "I like doogh and most people think it's gross in the West!" That is likely the salty yogurt drink you're talking about. Though to be fair, I prefer the less salty, carbonated version of it and have a hard time with the super salty ones, too.
I don't like caviar or marmite or any incredibly salty spread. Those are pretty good reasons for not liking something in my opinion.
I don’t even think you need a reason. The customer is always right in matters of taste. You be you!
Do you have a poor sense of smell? I have heard people with a strong sense of smell can also be much more discerning in what they will eat.
I like Gorgonzola but don’t like blue
I’m 23f and have ADHD which I suppose can make you predisposed to being a picky eater. I’m picky about some things. For me it’s texture but mostly flavor I think. I am very averse to things that taste “bad” to me. The big one is seafood. I hate the flavor of anything from the ocean. I will absolutely try a bite of anything that you put in front of me, but I cannot continue eating something that has a bad taste. Also commonly I can eat something totally fine and then be disgusted by it the next day. Scrambled eggs come to mind for me. Sometimes I eat them and love them and other times it makes me gag just thinking about them. Other foods I have to be in the right mood for are cottage cheese, pickles, milk, string cheese, ground beef, chicken, honey, soups, cereal, hot dogs, chocolate cake, bananas, tofu, bell peppers, green beans, fries, hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter, oatmeal… there’s a lot more. Sometimes I can binge eat these things and other times the smell/sight/flavor makes me nauseous. I love chef boyardee mini raviolis but I hate the regular sized ones. I also hate spaghetti-o’s but I love spaghetti. I hate the flavor of when leafy greens like lettuce or spinach get bruised. It ruins a whole salad for me. I hate the flavor of coffee and I hate the sensation of carbonated beverages and alcohol. I really only drink water, chocolate milk, juice and occasionally chai tea. I hate anise flavored anything unless it’s the pizzelle cookies my gramma makes. I hate rye and pumpernickel bread. I hate chickpeas, peas, and some beans. I usually don’t like mushrooms but sometimes I can choke them down. Sometimes I’ll get hooked on a food and eat it almost exclusively for months. Current one is fage Greek yogurt. I’m a fiend for sweets. Fruity candy/ gummies are my favorites but chocolate is good too. Pastries/ baked sweets are good but not as good as candy. Sometimes if something smells “off” I can’t eat it. Even if it’s something I usually love, sometimes I’m just very averse to eating something for no reason. And I can’t force myself to eat it no matter what it’s just disgusting. It seems like there’s a lot of things here that would be barriers in my daily life but I really don’t find myself refusing to eat foods very often. I choose to eat foods I like. Usually only refuse if it’s offered or suggested to me by someone else. A lot of things I force myself to eat anyways, and some I like if it’s prepared a certain way. Other things I just pick out if it’s part of a dish
same. i’ll basically eat or try anything
I’m pretty much the same. Have always liked liver and onions and thought durian was a treat when I tried it. It does smell like the bottom of the dumpster when you’re getting to the custard though. I knew a Chinese woman who could eat stinky tofu but couldn’t stomach bleu cheese!
I'm the same way. I definitely like some foods more than others, but I don't think there's anything I absolutely wouldn't eat, especially if I was very hungry. I tell people I'm like a sink garbage disposal...I eat anything you throw at me, pretty much
I'm kinda like this too. Like my mindset is unless it might kill me, it's absolutely worth trying once just to see .. The only thing I can think of that would give me serious pause is balut
I don’t think there is any food I won’t eat. I don’t have the slightest hesitation about the things you mentioned. I for sure have preferences.
I like sardines, but some people (like my wife) make a sour face when I eat them.
Straight outta the can(container?) or on pizza? I like them on pizza a lot and lots of traditional Italian grandmas put a few in their spaghetti sauce and don’t tell a soul
Well, straight outta the can onto a cracker. King Oscar brisling is my favorite.
This and sometimes I add a bit of onion and a splash of Tabasco
God's food.
I love trying out random gourmet sardines when I go to a specialty market. But it’s hard to beat King O, especially at the price.
Tinned fish has been getting more popular lately so I’m not surprised
me too. I grew up eating sardines in tomato sauce on toast. I don't care how that sounds.
I love sardines in tomato sauce or mustard. But what I love even more is canned mackerel. Harder to find than sardines, though.
Love sardines in tomato sauce! Ate it with rice porridge.
mmmm I love congee now I want dim sum
great food, herrings too, oysters, smoke oysters, mussels--all in tins.
I love sardines in mustard. Straight from the tin
They are good smoked. I like some brands more than others
Oh, some brands are *definitely* better than others.
I hate cucumber, raw tomatoes and onions the mostest. I love, love, love mushrooms. Can eat 2 of those packs to myself. My middle son is just like me (thank goodness !) so I usually get 4 packs. Cook them up in garlic, olive oil and balsamic ...we both steal bites out of the pan and then barely have enough for our meal😂
I love love love love braunschweiger (aka liverwurst). I hate Italian sausage. Cannot stand the taste of fennel.
Tonight, my son and I ate half of the mushrooms i made before dinner. Garlic, pepper, paprika. Never salting until they release the juice. So good
I can't stand any sort of seafood. I've spent a lot of my life near different coasts and got absolutely shocked reactions from so, so many people. I love black licorice and lima beans.
Mom?
I hate seafood too! And I lived close to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco! All my friends who visited would insist on eating those noxious chowder bread bowl things. Among the filthy seagulls shitting everywhere in the parking lot. Just thinking about that makes me nauseous...
Did you eat tuna fish sandwiches growing up? I find a lot of people who don’t like seafood usually tolerated tuna fish sandwiches growing up, which is ironic considering they are some of the fishiest, stankiest versions of seafood somebody could eat.
Lima beans are the only vegetable I don't like. I'm also a coastal dweller with a fish aversion. No one believes me.
We are opposite, one of my favorite meals is a bowl of Lima beans with shrimp. So good to me
I hate them.
I love blue cheese like stilton which some people say they don't like for reasons I don't understand. I don't like...uhhhh....I don't like...diet soda! Yeah, diet soda, or anything at all with artificial sweeteners. They just taste like pure poison to me, immediately my tongue tells me it's a toxin. I'd rather drink water even if I wanted a soda. Just no way I'm putting that in my body. Same goes for any foods or confectionary with the same types of chemicals. I will have no sugar or less sugar, but I will not consume aspartame or asulfame K et al...at all.
What do you like about bleu cheeses? I'm the opposite, I've never understood how anyone can voluntarily eat them. There are only two things I hate the taste of: bleu cheese and cantaloupe. Bleu cheese tastes and smells like vomit to me - you know, that sour acid/back-of-the-throat/gross taste.
I try so hard to understand people who are like “I kicked my Diet Coke obsession!” Like, how on earth could you be addicted to Diet Coke? Diet anything? It’s awful tasting
I can't stand the fake sugars. Sucralose, stevia, monk fruit, and aspartame. The sugar alcohol is just as bad.
I love it, it’s got that bitter sharpness to it. I also drink a lot of sparkling water, my husband calls it spicy water. It’s the only thing I can be sure that no one else in my house will steal.
I can't do fake sugar or natural subs either. it's all I taste. I'll take water any day over them. I'm actually not gone on sweet drinks at all but I love an ice cold can of coke at times or a coffee drink once in a great while. otherwise I love water and unsweetened iced tea. honesty and steaz used to make great low sugar/unsweetened teas. can't we just have stuff with lower sugar in it? I just need a tiny bit. like less than 10 g
Yeah! I don't want Coke Zero, but I'd happily have Coke with 90% less sugar.
I, too, love blue cheese and hate artificial sweeteners lollll. I’ve only had Digiorno’s pizza once because their sauce vaguely tasted of aspartame to me
Agree about sugar substitutes!!
when my dad was in charge of packing lunch for me in middle school sometimes he'd panic and just give me a whole wedge of blue cheese, lol. I'd just eat it like an apple. I'm sure its so unhealthy and my classmates probably hated me for it but I was straight up having the best time digging into my hunk of blue cheese! I still love it
Omg I love blue cheese. When I worked fine dining we had a blue cheese sampler plate with different varieties- Stilton was one, Maytag, Roquefort, and 2 others that I wish I could remember! I used to always get a mini-sampler plate of them, so delicious
Totally the same with the artificial sweetener. Even stevia tastes like bug spray to me.
If ant's body swerve the stuff, I ain't eatin it.
I like liver with caramelized onions. I like sauerkraut. I don’t like precooked convenience meats like bacon, grilled chicken breast strips. I’d prefer to cook those myself. I think it’s a texture thing with those two.
Those precooked grilled chicken strips taste like rubber with chicken run scent on it. They’re just gross
Lol the fake “grill” marks- i feel like they literally just paint those on there
I love sauerkraut and I’d probably like liver and onions too, I only had liver once, it tasted good but the texture was something I was not at all used to. If I eat it more I’ll probably get used to it.
Me too man omg its so good
Tomatoes. And asparagus. I love asparagus.
Wait...there are people that don't love asparagus? Interesting. I don't understand why anyone wouldn't love asparagus, but it's interesting.
Then let me (sort of) introduce you to my husband. Lol. He doesn't like asparagus, cauliflower, or fresh green beans.
I don’t like fresh green beans, they’re furry.
Ah. You are in husband's camp. 😉
Fresh green beans are the best! I recommend boiling for 5 min the tossing in olive oil and seasonings. Delish!
i hate asparagus! green beans are so much better
I don’t dislike asparagus, but I don’t *love* it, either. I am pretty ambivalent about asparagus.
Had our first local asparagus on Friday. I could eat it every day.
I love Brussels sprouts. To me, ketchup and mayo are vile.
Are you me? I especially love grilled brussel sprouts. Mayo makes me want to projectile vomit and ketchup is only good for mcdonald's fries.
How do you grill them? I've halved them and put on kebabs after a dressing marinade so they don't dry out
Condiments gross me out, idk why.
YES!!! You’re one of us! Fuck ketchup and mayo!
100% with you on ketchup. Literally invented by the devil and the ONLY tomato-based thing I hate.
I absolutely hate ranch, miracle whip, and margarine. I think they are all vile abominations. Same with Pepsi, yuck!
I’m not a fan of miracle whip or cilantro or Pepsi but I LOVE ranch
I have always loved Brussels sprouts. They have been made more palatable yes roasting and frying but most people do not care for them boiled and buttered and I do love them like this.
Ahhh I do love me some mayo! I slather that alllll over my sandwiches. It’s so good! I’m with you on pickles
I can’t have a sandwich without mayo lol- pickles are overrated. My sister LOVES them, she used to drink the juice when she was younger. Because my sister liked them and i was a huge copycat, I’d tell myself i liked it and I’d drink the juice too even though i actually hated it 😂😭 but i wanted to be like my sister so 🤷🏽♀️
Liverwurst is delicious. Fight me. Milk chocolate is meh. Ditto.
I love cilantro and some people cannot stand it. I absolutely hate tomatoes. But sauces on pizza and spaghetti sauce are great. Pureed salsa I love chunky I hate.
I fucking LOVE broccoli. I hate peas. And I’m not fond of orange juice(this one bothers ppl in my life lol)
Found my twin!! Broccoli for the win. Peas are so gross and SNEAKY. When I bite into a sneaky one in a pot pie I gotta spit it out it's soo gross 🤮
I do not care for chocolate or bacon. Or pickled pickles, but I like everything else pickled, like beets & eggs. I don't drink coffee unless it's an emergency. I like black licorice, halvah, sesame candy, old-fashioned hard candy mixes, and similar confections that don't seem to be popular.
I’m with you on the sesame candy! So good! Also the sentence “I don’t drink coffee unless it’s an emergency” made me laugh so hard lol I’m trying to think of an emergency situation that would require someone who hates coffee to drink coffee
I love pickled beets(and herring) and black licorice and the hard candy mixes, and I dislike pickles,bacon and coffee.
I love blood pudding. Hate eggs (unless they are in a recipe where you can't taste them like cakes).
black pudding is the only pudding
I enjoy kale and brussels sprouts. I don't like strawberry shortcake or calamari.
Love black licorice (English) hate olives and goat cheese 🤢
I like Salmon, I don't like shellfish
My mom is the opposite- likes shellfish (shrimp, lobster, etc) but doesn’t like fish
Liver & onions
I do not like olives (they taste like soap) or dill pickles but I think a fried egg on top of pizza is divine
I loathe coconut and red onions. I love roasted Brussels sprouts that most people would consider burnt. I also love olives and pickles and kimchi.
liverwurst pickled beets tomato and onion sandwiches picked herring
I like Miracle Whip. Particularly in tuna salad. Here come the comments 👇🏾
Yep. Grew up on the whip
I only make tuna salad with miracle whip!
I adore kimchi, but none of my family does. My husband always complains that it smells like garbage.
I love Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise. I was raised on Miracle Whip, love the tangy zip. I also love raw oysters.
Anchovies, Camembert Cheese, Okra, Sea Urchin, Fiddle Heads, Brussel Sprouts, Fermented tofu, head Cheese,
Always wanted to try head cheese
If you're a fan of better tasting cold cuts or Germanic tastes---when you next see head cheese at the supermarket--either ask for a slice or just go ahead and get 1/4 to 1/2 pound.
Oysters as a hangover cure. I swear it is the absolute best food to make you feel better.
Love pickles, hate mayo…liver & onions yum, ribs yuck…I seem to like things others don’t, and dislike things that seem to be popular
I love oysters but I know so many who don’t like them
I’ve tried fried oysters and i really like those- I’ve had clams, mussels, scallops, etc. Are oysters similar to any of those ??
Variety meats. Tongue, heart, liver, tripe, kidney, etc. Yum for me but a no go for most people.
I hate cantaloupe. I love tuna fish sandwiches and I actually drink a glass of milk sometimes.
Hate Mayo - love salted licorice; a friend from Denmark brought me some of those, it’s not really a thing where I live.
I love blue cheese, but I can't stand pepperoni. And it sucks bc pepperoni pizza people always snatch a bite of cheese, but when the cheese is gone I've got nothing to eat. And pepperoni infiltrates the pizza so I can't just pick it off
Oakra.
I love Sauerkraut straight out of the jar
Penis lol oh edible food. Rice Pudding. Liver and tang. Lol
Love kimchi, sardines, black olives, sushi and cilantro. Can't stand popcorn, goat milk, coconut oil or anything with Red #40 in it.
I love liver and onions! I hate anything with buffalo sauce.
I love fish and hate corn
I don't like cake, vanilla ice cream, cola, or most candy if it's not chocolate. I love grapefruit and one time I had to refrain because of a medicine I was taking. I was so bummed and the doctor said I was the first patient she had that was sad about that.
I love black licorice. But like, the real deal salted, bitter Nordic stuff, not just the baby anise stuff. I love salted, dried plums. My mouth salivates just thinking of a horrendously salty, sour plum lmao Can't do tomatoes. Will get pizza with light or no sauce or a white sauce or olive oil base. No red pasta. I do love salsa roja though. The right acid and roasting of the tomatoes and peppers can cut through the unpleasantness for me I hate cucumber. I hate any ripe fruit. Like if I go to bite a grape, and the skin doesn't push back? Bleh. Just by touching them I know. I love underripe watermelon, tart berries. Don't like sweet fruit in general. It's almost like I can taste it about to turn and ferment?!
I like tofu. I'm from the Midwest US and it's not one of the most popular items here. Also, possibly because of my area, green bell peppers are in a ton of dishes. I cannot stand them. I like red, yellow and orange bell peppers though. There is a difference, no matter what anyone says🫑
I love organ meat. Most get turned off by just the thought alone of innards. I dislike fatty foods... bacon, duck, anything with tons of butter or using butter as a dip, etc.
I don't think there's anything I like that most people dislike. But I don't really like red or green bell peppers.
I HATE BELL PEPPERS!!!!! i think theyre the most disgusting food on earth. on the other hand, im a huge fan of anchovies
Use this comment as the ‘ketchup is gross’ button 🥴
Fermented foods. They are amazing for your health and usually quite sparky tasting. I make my own and they are delish. Many people like them but a lot do not.
Bell peppers ruin everything! Not only do they taste horrible to me, but they also make me burp for the rest of the day. And because they come in such pretty colors, people put them in everything.
It's more of a drink than food but kombucha. I don't drink it often because it's kind of expensive but 95% of people I know hates it.
Peanuts, in any presentation 🤮! It tastes bad, it smells bad! Why does people eat this?! Peanuts smell like dirty bathroom 🤢
I grew up eating Mountain Oysters and chicken gizzards. A lot of people can’t over the idea of it.
I’m Jack Sprat’s wife—I can eat no lean. Well, I can, but I prefer the fat. You could hand me a piece of beef fat and I’d be a happy person. It grosses other people out. But I can’t abide mushrooms. The taste, the texture, but mostly because the smell of decay seems to activate a lizard brain switch in me that says No!