Picky eaters.

[graciegirl]

I see a lot of different opinions here about restaurant food. Personally I think most of the country clubs serve decently tasting food for a reasonable price.

Sometimes I wonder what are the expectations for good food? And are you or anyone in your family a "picky eater"? Now I don't mean healthy diet choices, that doesn't count here in my question. Just for fun, tell us what you hate...and please exclude the obvious gross stuff like worms etc.

I don't like most slaw bought in the deli, but love Cane Garden's slaw and also slaw at The Lighthouse. I only like my own potato salad...only.(?!)

There are some tropical fruits I have never tried..such as a pomagranite. (I think that is spelled wrong)

So tell us. What do you not like to eat? What have you never tried?

Do you live with a picky eater? Do you have friends who almost always send food back at a restaurant?

[cappyjon431]

No brussel sprouts for me. Or green beans. Anything else is fair game.

[Happinow]

Diddo on the brussel sprouts! Don't like store bought salads, they seem to put a foreign mayo on them. One exception...a little mom and pop store near us...Lewis's. They make the best salads...real mayo. Not a fan of fish either. We eat fairly healthy, no fried foods, not a lot of fats, so I could be a "picky" eater. All sweets are fair game....I know that's not healthy and they are fatty! I usually bake and give most of it away, so all of you that get to know me will probably be getting home made baked goodies some day! Happy eating....:)

[aln]

No beets.... no hummus !

Aside from that............:icon_hungry:


ps I like KFC'S slaw!

[Uptown Girl]

I like most things when they are cleaned/cooked properly and presented well. Visuals are a big thing for me.
Can't do lamb however.... had a next door neighbor who boiled mutton regularly during my pregnancy. (a LONG time ago) Never quite got over the smell.

Also, I can't do passionfruit. They're pretty on the outside, but people cut them open and eat the contents with a spoon. No way could I do that.

Can't do anything that includes ingredients like beaks and feet either.... guess I am picky, huh?

Oh!Oh! and I can't bite the head off a crawdad and do whatever sucking thing you're supposed to do! (sorry, my cajun friends!)

[ducati1974]

Unfortunately I'm very fussy about fruits: I don't like any berries, the only melon I eat is watermelon, OJ but not oranges (don't like pulp), apple pie but not apples (strange, I know), pears but not cooked and must be hard, no grapes, no plums, peaches, I do eat a banana a day. i know I'm missing out on some very nutritious things- but who can explain the way our minds work?

[missypie]

Gracie, you always start interesing threads. Love it!

When eating out, I don't like luke warm soup. Like it hot.

Like my food hot as well, not cooled down from sitting under hot lights.

When I go to a salad bar, I like the plates cool not hot from the dishwasher.

Not a fried food fan.

Am I picky? Yeah guess I am,

I love to cook and feel blessed that I can go to the grocery store and buy what I want and make people fabulous food.

[Figmo Bohica]

No bell peppers of any color, other than that will try anything once.

[2newyorkers]

Another great thread Gracie. My honey is a very picky eater. His mantra regarding food is "no green, no marine, no embellishments!"

[lightworker888]

at least you won't get too much fruit sugar! My husband used to eat alot of fruit and then after much researching he decided to cut out his fruit and get his VIt C from other sources and it has really helped him keep his blood sugar under control. No more sleepy afternoons! I think that moderation is the best but he has a hard time with that so cutting out works better for him.

He is a picky eater but he does like my liver and onions which I got from a Mme. Benoit recipe.... cut like french fries and just sauted lightly (still slightly pink) in the pan and served with piles of onions. Can't get him to like brussel sprouts though he did eat them if I cooked them well and added lots of butter and salt. Haven't done that for ages though.

Keep well

LW888

[l2ridehd]

Don't like tripe, liver (except fresh deer liver), sweet breads, frie gra, duck, most pate or Duran fruit. Not a fan of snails or a few types of sushi. Most everything else is fine.

[Virtual Geezer]

Gracie
For me it is breakfast eggs. They have to be scrambled and dry or an omelet. I cannot stand runny scrambled eggs and don't even try poached or sunny side up (or over easy) as they will be left on the plate as delivered.

As far as meats go, liver of any type is not eatable. Also not a fan of wild meats such as rabbit or dear. Lamb depending it is prepared. Absolutely no chitlins.

In the seafood category I will stay away from anything raw. No oysters on the half shell but deep fried are okay. Seafood has to be broiled, fried or in a chowder.

On the veggie side I am not a fan of zucchini not matter how it is prepared (that includes zucchini bread). I also stay away from egg plant. And whoever dreamed up guacamole was not well and I never touch that stuff unless it is to move it to the side of the plate as needed. Anything else goes as long as there is butter to add or kill taste as needed.

Now that comes from someone that knows the business end of the soup spoon and has not idea as to what an exercise regiment is.

VG

[collie1228]

All organ meats - yuck.
Alfredo sauce - retch.
Carrots - Forgetaboutit.
Those slimy mushrooms in Chinese takeout - Even the dog hates them.
Just about anything else is good (including Brussels Sprouts - especially after being halved, marinated in garlic olive oil and grilled!)

[cappyjon431]

No brussel sprouts for me. Or green beans. Anything else is fair game.

Forgot to add no organ meats: No liver, no tripe, no tongue, no sweetbreads, no blood sausage. Nope, won't do it.

[BeeGee]

Yeah, I've got to agree on the organ meats, liver is a filter people! Not a big fan of mustard, dill pickles (although I put both in potato salad). I am a slaw snob, I do like a slaw that is slightly sweet and just a touch of mayo, no vinegar and I like my own or my husband's though. Love most everything vegetable; brussel sprouts are a real treat, cut in half and sauteed w/shallots in olive oil..yum! Don't like the heavy sauces that a lot of meals seem to be served with when you go to a restaurant...seems like the food should be good without it, although I do like a nice bearnaise sauce with my steak. Love all fruits, and I think it's fun pounding on a pomegranate to get to the yummy "seeds", but if you're not up to it, you can buy them already removed and ready to eat. I hear a lot from some of my friends that they hate left overs....but I am so glad that we do.....some flavors just get better!!! Great thread!!!

[2BNTV]

I like to eat anything that doesn't bite back. :)

Unfortunately, three things that are troubesome for me are coconut, (something in the texture), anything with a lot of mayonaise and if something is spicy, (mom had high blood pressure and cook without much seasoning).
My attitude is if it doesn't taste right after being cooked, why do I need seasoning but that's me. Seasoning was on the side if that was someone's preference, (salt, pepper and hot crush red pepper). To each his/her own.

IMHO - Mom and dad owned a lucheonette where lunch was served and I think some people expect the food at a restaurant should be exactly like it is served at home. I remember some people ordering something and at the same time tell her how it should be made. Mom was a great cook and didn't need instructions. Hence a picky eater.

That was in the fifties and sixties so times have changed. I can't imagine anyone going into a restaurant today and telling the waitress/waiter how to prepare a meal and get a good reaction.

Just sayin...........

[Posh 08]

I will eat most anything or try it. Really don't care for chicken salad though. My sister gets a little touchy about her steak but if I order it med rare and it comes out different I'll eat it.

[ilovetv]

Good thread! I cannot stand the bagged lettuce salads...it all tastes "old" (and I have tried rinsing it with fresh lemon juice, etc.) I also don't like "limp" fresh salad greens. I like crispy, fresh iceberg lettuce with fresh leaf lettuce.

[redwitch]

A truly picky eater here. I have serious sensory issues -- both smell and texture. I also have a severe allergy to shellfish. Loathe the feel of mashed potatoes, hate the smell of mustard and so on and so forth. Now comes the strange part -- I LOVE liver and pate. I'll kill for escargot or almost anything with garlic in it. I hate cooked fish but really, truly like sushi. I think brussels sprouts are yummy but you can't get me to eat cole slaw because I don't like cabbage. I have yet to find a squash that is edible. You can't pay me to eat cooked cauliflower. There are a few fruits I won't eat, but not many (but can't think of one I won't eat right now). However, I'm very fussy as to their ripeness (prefer bananas just this side of green; pears almost but not quite ripe). I don't know if it is a California thing but I'm thoroughly unimpressed with Florida's fruit. I find most of them to be flavorless, so why bother? And so on and so forth. Oh, yeah, I'll kill for a good bbq (not the sweet sauce stuff you find around here, but the tangy Kansas or spicy California sauce). BTW -- Mexican food stinks (literally).

I really don't like to eat out or go to a friend's for a sit-down dinner (buffets work because I can pick and choose). If I'm going out to dinner, I'll stick with a burger or steak. At a friend's, I have the choice of being a good guest and eating food I don't like or making my hostess feel bad because I don't want to eat the food in front of me.

[Pturner]

I don't like raw fish or oysters, cooked or raw. I don't like mayo, though I like tuna and chicken salad and some cole slaws, as long as they just have enough mayo to hold together and are not swimming in it.

Don't like beets or Brussels sprouts.

Love most organic fruits and vegetables except as noted. I say organic because I agree with Red that much of the fruit you buy in a regular grocery store has little flavor. Edible yes, just not all that good.

Oddly, I don't like grits and I don't care for my vegetables overcooked and smothered in cooking oil (i.e., Southern style). Go figure, y'all.

[getdul981]

I don't eat chicken and very little turkey. No lamb either. I love broccoli, cauliflour and brussels sprouts. No innards from anything either!!

We were in Jamaica once and we were going through a buffet line. Most everything had a small sign indicating what the dish was. One didn't and I asked the server what it was. He said "Curried Goat" and I said "No Thanks".

[lovsthosebigdogs]

I have allergies to things I can't eat (chocolate, seeds, nuts, beans) so that's out and tastes I absolutely loathe are caraway seeds and curry. There are things I prefer and dislike. I am not a fan of chunks of meat like steak, pork and thick cuts of chicken. I prefer seafood (raw or cooked) or fish to those but will eat the former if sliced thin enough. I can't think of any veggie I hate or won't eat except the things I am allergic to, or fruit I don't like. I do prefer things that have complexity of flavor and loved it when we spent summers in New Orleans with over 300 restaurants in a half square mile, or something like that. I just love good food so I guess you could call me a foodie and I also love to cook.
Isn't it funny how varied people's preferenes are? If invited to a friend's house for a meal I can always eat dinner with a smile unless it's on my allergy list which my friends usually know ahead of time. Oh, I do LOVE the smell of chocolate. And BTW, I take a chocolate bar with me on a plane. If that plane's going down I'm dying from chocolate, not from impact. My only fear is they'll pull it out of a nosedive and I'll be the only casualty with chocolate smeared all over my face, :laugh:!

[CaliforniaGirl]

BTW -- Mexican food stinks (literally).

I love, LOVE, love Mexican food...but you're so right, it does stink. It's the cumin. Smells like dirty feet.:evil6:

[Trish Crocker]

I LOVE steak...medium to medium rare...as long as it doesn't take gamey...I hate venison, liver, fishy tasting fish, raw onions, and lamb. I also don't care for beets or peas...other than that I'm good. The funny thing was, the very first meal I cooked for Steve was a pork loin with rosemary and fresh green beans....later I learned that two the he really doesn't like are rosemary and green beans! And to think, he stuck with me anyway!

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Do a bit of research on the topic of "Selective Eating Disorder". Here's a glimpse:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_eating_disorder

That's me almost to a "T" only I don't have any sort of 'social stigma' associated with it. It's always a topic of much humor and joking around with people who know me.

My mom never made me eat things I didn't care for when I was little thus I wasn't exposed to lots of different foods. Very very few fruits, same with vegetables, no salads (never had one in my life), no pies (maybe chocolate would be o.k.).......it's a lot about how some foods taste but more to their consistency. If it's plain, bland, etc., I'm probably o.k. with it. If it's something sweet, I'm there! :D

Sandy, on the other hand, will eat ANYTHING........but liver.

Bill :)

[angiefox10]

Never saw a food I wouldn't eat! :icon_hungry:

[mayBavillager]

Never saw a food I wouldn't eat! :icon_hungry:

The only thing I do not like is cooked soggy peppers or mushrooms. Will eat stuffed mushrooms though. Oh, no liver either. Thats it.

[Posh 08]

I love, LOVE, love Mexican food...but you're so right, it does stink. It's the cumin. Smells like dirty feet.:evil6:

I think Mexican food just went to my no eat list. :laugh:

[graciegirl]

I think Mexican food just went to my no eat list. :laugh:


My kids would make negative remarks about food sometimes that would be a comparison to something yucky. Right after I killed them for it, I would sweetly explain that that kind of talk ruined that food forever for people present. (Remember they called me the warden)

I made my kids taste a tiny bite of things. I didn't stand at the stove slaving away for no audience. They both turned out to be pretty comfortable with almost all foods which was my goal. But they may have anyhow. It gave me, the larger person, a sense of power forcing my ideas on my captives.

But everyone hates some things to eat. Who knows why.

[collie1228]

Forgot to list the food I detest the most: Cilantro. I recently read a New York Times article that said cilantrophobes are common, with up to 10% of the population having a genetically based aversion to the stuff. Whenever I order Mexican food, I always warn the server that I'll return any dish with cilantro in it. Unfortunately, when it's already chopped up in the fresh salsa, there's no removing it.

[Happinow]

I just thought of something. Back when I was a kid, believe it or not my dad and I ate pigs feet and lambs tongue with saltine crackers and ketchup! OMG! I can't even think about that today. What was I thinking??? :icon_hungry:

[Carla B]

I've noticed that cilantro evokes strong reactions in people. Some say it tastes like soap. To us it's almost a staple, it goes in lots of dishes besides just Tex-Mex...soups, salads, whatever. And guacamole is one of my favorite things. My husband doesn't need cilantro to be in food, he can just munch on it.

It's hard to think of foods not to like, except I'm allergic to and repulsed by peanuts and peanut butter. They evoke a severe reaction. I don't really likeThai food because I fear there'll be peanuts in everything.

All in all, not too picky about the kind of food, but very picky about how it's prepared. Please, no well-done steak, no overcooked or undercooked fish, very limited fried foods.

[batman911]

Picky eating is usually an indication of poor training as a child. I believe in some ways it may be a control tool used by the immature child in some of us. I may eat out once with a picky eater but will not make that mistake twice. If one person can eat the food and like it then the food is good. The problem is in the head. Every meal will not be exactly the way you like it, get over it. You can tell a lot about a person by how they act around food.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Picky eating is usually an indication of poor training as a child. I believe in some ways it may be a control tool used by the immature child in some of us. I may eat out once with a picky eater but will not make that mistake twice. If one person can eat the food and like it then the food is good. The problem is in the head. Every meal will not be exactly the way you like it, get over it. You can tell a lot about a person by how they act around food.

Not real sure I'm understanding the rationale behind some of your points. Any further insights would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Bill :)

[pooh]

Picky eating is usually an indication of poor training as a child. I believe in some ways it may be a control tool used by the immature child in some of us. I may eat out once with a picky eater but will not make that mistake twice. If one person can eat the food and like it then the food is good. The problem is in the head. Every meal will not be exactly the way you like it, get over it. You can tell a lot about a person by how they act around food.

I have to disagree with what you've said about poor training. My son was an extremely picky eater. He would ABSOLUTELY NOT eat anything he did not like. This started when he was one week old. Trying to feed an infant with fussy taste buds became a quest...maybe he'd like this food, maybe this one...and so on and so on. Husband has food likes and dislikes, as do I. There were times when I was making three meals when dinnertime rolled around. Breakfast was even more of a challenge, but we survived. Today that little boy is an executive chef and he eats a variety of foods, not always the most nutritious, but very, very delicious. As a youngster, we noticed he enjoyed restaurant dining. He could find the most expensive item on the menu, order and enjoy every morsel when it arrived at the table. He now has two children, one is a very good eater. She doesn't have too many dislikes, then there's the other one....a more fussy eater, but following in his Dad's footsteps...he enjoys eating out and especially at Dad's restaurants( pricey dining establishments ) where he, too, can manage to pick the most expensive item on the menu and enjoy each and every bite... ;)

[The Village Girl]

People have different number of taste buds in their mouth. People with a lot of taste buds will not be able to tolerate certain foods.

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/taste-buds-and-your-weight

I wouldn't be to fast to be so hard on the picky eater.

[CaliforniaGirl]

I have to disagree with what you've said about poor training. My son was an extremely picky eater. He would ABSOLUTELY NOT eat anything he did not like. This started when he was one week old. Trying to feed an infant with fussy taste buds became a quest...maybe he'd like this food, maybe this one...and so on and so on. Husband has food likes and dislikes, as do I. There were times when I was making three meals when dinnertime rolled around. Breakfast was even more of a challenge, but we survived. Today that little boy is an executive chef and he eats a variety of foods, not always the most nutritious, but very, very delicious. As a youngster, we noticed he enjoyed restaurant dining. He could find the most expensive item on the menu, order and enjoy every morsel when it arrived at the table. He now has two children, one is a very good eater. She doesn't have too many dislikes, then there's the other one....a more fussy eater, but following in his Dad's footsteps...he enjoys eating out and especially at Dad's restaurants where he, too, can manage to pick the most expensive item on the menu and enjoy each and every bite... ;)

Your son and grandson remind me of my daughter. My ex and I used to have to do a lot of entertaining, and if clients had kids we would always take our daughter. By age 4 she had developed tastes for escargot, lobster and caviar. When it was just us going out to eat, we had a hard time convincing her that Denny's didn't have any caviar. :laugh:

[pooh]

Your son and grandson remind me of my daughter. My ex and I used to have to do a lot of entertaining, and if clients had kids we would always take our daughter. By age 4 she had developed tastes for escargot, lobster and caviar. When it was just us going out to eat, we had a hard time convincing her that Denny's didn't have any caviar. :laugh:

LOLOLOL.....I TRULY understand..... ;)

[jackz]

Enjoy a wide variety of foods especially ethnic types.

Two biggest turnoffs: overcooked vegetables and pasta not served al dente.