Are There Foods You Willfully Ignore?

By Julie

I didn’t taste asparagus until I was in college. I didn’t have a sweet potato that wasn’t candied, covered in marshmallows, and on Thanksgiving, until I started making them for my own family. Why? Because my mom didn’t particularly care for these foods, so she didn’t make them.

She also can’t stand peanut butter, but PB&J is about the easiest kid lunch this side of the McDonalds drive-through, so I did get to sample that.

As a grownup in charge of feeding other people both large and small, I find that I, too, have foods that I avoid. Peas. I just don’t like them. I’ll mix them in the occasional soup or make some frozen ones for the kids every once in awhile, but as a basic side dish at dinner, nope. Ditto mangoes. And watermelon (I KNOW). In fact, the only way watermelon enters this house is if my husband procures it.

There are also foods I don’t make because I’m a little afraid of them. I’ve seen lots of delicious-looking recipes for roasted beets and Brussels sprouts, but my memory has been traumatized by the boiled and pickled varieties, respectively, so I’ve been too scared (and scarred) to try. Perhaps one day.

So, tell me: are there any foods or dishes you avoid?

(Photo from: wikipedia.org)

 

Comments

[Kate]

I hard-core blame my mother for me being a super picky eater when I was younger. I'm almost 30 and still working on getting over all of these foods I thought I "didn't like" (which turned out to be false, mostly..I just had never tried them at home b/c SHE didn't like them!)

(Obviously I still have some feelings on the issue)

But yes, I didn't eat tomatoes, onions, squash, and fish until college. I still won't actively seek out tomatoes, but I will buy them b/c my husband likes them. Thankfully my list of acceptable foods has grown tremendously over the years, since I have been out of my mother's house.

[H]

My dad was cheap (not frugal or wise with his money - CHEAP!), although I didn't know it at the time. So, we ended up eating substitutes for real food. Granted, I grew up in the late 60's and 70's, but still. Our denver sandwiches had processed bologna, instead of ham, and pickles, instead of green pepper. I didn't have a cheeseburger until after college. I didn't have real cheese until college because my parents served Velveeta instead. The one thing we did have? LIVER. I was forced to sit at the table until I ate all the liver on my plate, which I doused in ketchup - each bite followed by at least 4 oz. of milk. (One time, I had too much milk and puked all over the table. Liver and milk puke. Yeah...take THAT, mom!) I will not prepare or serve liver ever ever ever ever, nor would I force my kids to sit at the table until they ate something. Yeesh.

[Mavsmom]

My mother was the same way. If she didn't like something, she didn't cook it in our house. And then told us we didn't like it either. After I moved out, I started to branch out a bit but it wasn't until I moved to a different state that I really started to try different foods and determine what I like. I still don't like raw onions but battered and deep fried are OK. I once had my mom try to send more order back at a restaurant because there were sauteed onions with my fajitas. I was close to 30 at the time and had to tell her, "No, really...it's OK. I want it that way." I think she held her nose the rest of the meal so not to smell the onions.

I don't like watermelon either. My brother says I'm a bad Southern. I say it has no flavor.

[Cynthia]

I too was forced to eat liver every week. My Mom was an original weight watcher and that was on the list of required foods. Haven't eaten it since my early 20's. I avoid scungilli and calamari, sardines, anchovies and capers. brains, head cheese, snails, frogs legs, gator and anything congealed. Some of these things I have tried, and that is why they made the list. Oh and beef tongue, I was forced to eat that as a kid too...my brother still loves it, ugh...

[Sarah Anne]

I willfully ignore things like McD's and other fast foods. I avoid the marshmallowy yams and until recently, my Mom's mayonnaise-y broccoli salad.

I'm kind of the person that will try things REPEATEDLY, because I hate disliking something. Black pepper, cilantro - both things I dislike but eat repeatedly, hoping that I"ll like it in THIS preparation! hah!