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Original poster

Do you eat food you don't like?

109 replies

christmaspaws · 14/12/2023 12:37

Following a random conversation with my dad!
I was making a tuna sandwich with chopped onion, cucumber etc and I put red pepper in it
Dad says "I don't like red peppers, or green"
Neither do I but they're good for you so I eat them

I guess I have a kind of hierarchy of food
Love - pizza, cake etc
Don't mind and will eat - veg, apples etc
Wouldn't touch if you paid me - offal, pistachios

I say I'm not a fussy eater because I will eat 99% of stuff but I don't actually enjoy it. Like cucumber, carrots, broccoli are neutral to me

OP posts:
CharlottePimpernel · 14/12/2023 14:07

The only food I dislike is tripe, and I would still eat that if it was the only thing available.

pinkspeakers · 14/12/2023 14:07

So instead of just having tuna and mayo, I do a big tub with diced cucumber, pickles, red onion, tomatoes and peppers and any other random salad veg

But isn't that just much nicer than only having tuna and mayo? I get that you might not particularly enjoy a bit of raw red pepper on its own, but that doesn't necessarily mean you don't enjoy adding the salad stuff to the rest of the plate.

purplecorkheart · 14/12/2023 14:15

I tend not to eat food that I find meh to be honest. For example I find a lot of salad ingredients meh so I tend not buy them for me. I roast/grill veg instead and use that in a sandwich. To be honest it a lot to do with food waste.

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General food
Lemevoir · 14/12/2023 14:17

Bananas. I eat one or half of one (depending on size) every morning chopped up over my porridge, but I really don't like them very much.

I eat bananas more often than any other fruit, which is quite ridiculous really.

I am very very picky as to the ripeness and cannot bear them to be even vaguely spotted. Under-ripe rather than 'just right' or over-ripe every time. And there's no way I could eat a banana on its own. It's made tolerable by the porridge.

toastofthetown · 14/12/2023 14:28

I think there’s a difference between “don’t like” and “dislike”. I don’t dislike green beans for example, though I don’t like them either. I wouldn’t notice or miss them if I never ate another one. I do buy them every so often as having a variety of vegetables is important and they’re neither a chore or joy to eat. I wouldn’t buy or willingly eat a food I disliked though.

I’m sure people will make versions of food which they like less on account of taste because it’s healthier. My favourite egg fried rice only has garlic and spring onions as vegetables, but I know that’s not a good or balanced meal, so for midweek cooking I add peppers, carrots, peas etc into it to balance it. And it’s still good, but not as good as the plainer version.

LBOCS2 · 14/12/2023 14:29

I don't eat foods that I actively dislike - but they are very few and far between. Strong cheese is probably the only thing I actively avoid (I'm lactose intolerant as well, which helps).

I'm not keen on rhubarb, sweet potato, squash, but will eat them - either to be polite or because there's one looking sad in the bottom of the fridge! Some veg and a lot of fruit I'm a bit 'meh' about, but eat it because it's good for me - plus meals aren't complete unless there's veg in them!

Comedycook · 14/12/2023 14:31

I pretty much like most things that are well cooked/prepared. I only eat things I like. I also don't eat things just because they're healthy if I dislike them...there are plenty of healthy foods I enjoy so there is no need to imo.

mrsm43s · 14/12/2023 14:37

I understand what you're saying OP.

Most people eat a range of foods, including their favourite foods and foods that are not their favourite foods. They might have one or two items that they specifically dislike which they will avoid, but they will generally eat most foods, even if they aren't their favourite foods.

Fussy eaters tend to only eat their favourite foods, and won't eat anything that isn't their favourite. They don't seem to be able to make the distinction between "not my favourite" and "actively dislike". So therefore they tend to have very restricted diets as they won't eat anything outside their favourites.

It's the difference between eating everything that you don't actively dislike and only eating your favourite foods.

FinallyPregnant23 · 14/12/2023 14:38

I agree with you op, I would love to just eat pasta and cheese and bread all day every day but that doesn't make a healthy diet so I eat stuff I'd prefer not to. Like I add some spinach to my salads, or carrots or swede to a roast. DH only will eat thing he actively likes whereas I'll only not eat things I actively dislike.

SemperIdem · 14/12/2023 14:45

I don’t eat food I actively dislike no. I would rather starve than eat anything touched by mayonnaise, for example.

There’s plenty I merely tolerate though, because it’s healthy etc

MumoftwoGranofone · 14/12/2023 14:48

No, some foods turn my stomach so I can’t eat them.

Original poster
christmaspaws · 14/12/2023 14:56

mrsm43s · 14/12/2023 14:37

I understand what you're saying OP.

Most people eat a range of foods, including their favourite foods and foods that are not their favourite foods. They might have one or two items that they specifically dislike which they will avoid, but they will generally eat most foods, even if they aren't their favourite foods.

Fussy eaters tend to only eat their favourite foods, and won't eat anything that isn't their favourite. They don't seem to be able to make the distinction between "not my favourite" and "actively dislike". So therefore they tend to have very restricted diets as they won't eat anything outside their favourites.

It's the difference between eating everything that you don't actively dislike and only eating your favourite foods.

Thank you Grin I really need some more sleep

That's what I was trying to get across to my dad. Like sure I wish I could only eat cereal and pizza but it's not a balanced diet
I don't actively love any vegetables

OP posts:
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 14/12/2023 14:57

No. I wouldn't eat a tomato if you paid me. I don't care how healthy they are, I just couldn't do it.

I went through a stage of eating porridge as it's good for you and then wondered what on earth I was doing it for as I can't stand it!

Pinocolada · 14/12/2023 15:05

I do as I have children and I am not going to cook separate meals. They have to have meals served that I or DH like that they don't but that means sometimes I have meals that they like that I don't.

However we all have things we really hate which are never served or are eaten if the person who hates them is not at dinner for some reason.

CoatOfArms · 14/12/2023 15:11

To be honest there's not much I don't like and my dislikes are things like lamb, goats cheese and brussels sprouts. I don't eat those things because they are relatively unusual and it's hardly impacting anyone's life that I choose chicken or fish rather than lamb on a menu. In fact, in all my 50 years it's been an issue once, at a wedding with a set menu where it was goats cheese followed by lamb.... so I ate all the salads and bread and vegetables and DH's pudding too.

It's when your list of dislikes is extensive and your likes are a handful that you have the issue and may have to make yourself eat things you don't like to achieve a balanced diet. I mean, if I ONLY ate goats cheese, lamb and sprouts i'd have an issue.

ElaineMBenes · 14/12/2023 16:38

I have ARFID so really, really struggle to eat things that I don't like.

MotherofPearl · 14/12/2023 17:50

I eat anything and everything. Like most people, I have my preferences, but there is nothing I won't eat, especially if someone else has prepared it. I wouldn't ever choose baked beans for myself, but if someone puts them in front of me (as part of a cooked breakfast, say), I'll eat them.

NancyJoan · 15/12/2023 07:38

No, but there are few things I don’t actually enjoy. I don’t have a sweet tooth, so never eat cake unless in a birthday situation where I have some to be polite. Despite this, I still weigh more than I would like, because I enjoy all the non-sweet things too much.

Malarandras · 15/12/2023 07:42

No. But the only foods I cannot stand are pretty easy to avoid: marzipan, sultanas/raisins and bananas.

ArchetypalBusyMum · 15/12/2023 07:45

I think it depends on what food is for you.
Your approach makes sense to me op.
The way I am is that I love food, there are very few foods I don't like, and I'm not overly keen on processed foods... So I only eat food I like, but that still gives me a great diet.
My mum isn't fussed about food, it is a necessity - fuel and nutrition. Meals to her are now like taking your car to the petrol station. 🤣

TheFluffiestCat · 15/12/2023 07:52

Yes if good manners require it. I don't buy or cook things I don't like, but if somebody cooks for me, I'll eat the parsnips because I'm not a toddler. I'm vegetarian, and that's enough for people to have to deal with.

Tatumm · 15/12/2023 07:56

Eating a varied balanced diet is a basic requirement, and for most people it’s possible to do this whilst avoiding a few things they actively dislike.

Tessisme · 15/12/2023 09:05

I think, for the majority of people, there is a hierarchy of food preferences. Things you love. Things that taste good but aren't necessarily your favourites. Things you aren't overly keen on, but eat because they're good for you. And things you hate. I eat regularly from the first three groups and only very rarely from the last. I think it's important to accept that, while YOU might place peppers or cucumber in the 'tolerate' category, someone else might find the taste or texture completely revolting.

I have tried to explain to DS2 that you can't eat your favourite thing all the time because we all need balance in our diets. But he is really tricky around food. He has OCD which contributes to the fussiness. Most days I count it as a win when he eats anything at all. DS1, thankfully, eats whatever I put in front of him. He has a small number of absolute no-no's, mostly around texture, but generally just scarfs the lot.

EtiennePalmiere · 15/12/2023 09:18

Yes, if someone serves it to me. I also train myself to eat things, like I hated eggs but now I can have scrambled and omelettes, and am starting to be ok with a runny one. baby steps ! Fried with runny yolk is probably never though lol.

Catsmere · 15/12/2023 09:33

Food I don't like means something with a revolting texture, like tapioca 🤢 or anything remotely peppery or spicy. I have no tolerance for it and since I'm not a masochist I don't get any pleasure from the pain of having my mouth burnt. I also dislike fat or gristle - that crunch of unchewable stuff in my mouth makes me gag - but I don't even count those parts of meat as food.

Pumpkin I avoid because its sweetness doesn't belong with meat and veg imo.

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