Don’t Like That Food? Keep on trying!

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Don’t Like That Food? Keep on trying!

I’m a big believer that if you don’t like a food, you just haven’t had it prepared properly. 

Sometimes we decide we don’t like a food without even trying it. For instance, my brother says he doesn’t like guacamole because it’s green….what??? 

Honestly, I have no right to judge. Many cultures consume a variety of bugs in their diet and I’ve pretty much decided that I don’t like the taste of bugs. I am definitely not planning to test that theory either! My loss, I’m sure!

There are certain foods that I don’t enjoy due to the texture and there’s not much I feel that I can do about that---escargot and raw oysters come to mind---I guess I don’t like slime. There are however, a variety of foods that I don’t enjoy based solely on taste. Some of these foods I want to like because of their nutritional value . If foods offer excellent nutritional qualities, I’ll keep trying them, hoping one day I will suddenly find a pleasurable preparation for these rejected foods. 

Over the years I have had some victories. In an effort to learn to enjoy fish, I quit eating all other meat for a year. I realize that’s a bit drastic, but I was on a mission. And I did have some success with that strategy! During the course of that year, I found a small variety of fish that I enjoy. My favorites are trout and red snapper. I still prefer other meats to fish, but it’s a start. I make an effort to incorporate some fish in my diet now that I found some preparations that aren’t offensive to me. 

Recently I had another success. I found a preparation for beets that I actually like. I thought that would never happen! But yes, pickled beet salsa is a winner….that only took 50 years J.

Food preferences can change as we mature. Think of all the foods you didn’t like as a child that you enjoy now. Your palate continues to change and develop even through adulthood. The only way to know if you like a food at age 30, that you disliked at age 25, is to periodically give it another try. There’s no shame in never learning to enjoy a specific food. But sometimes you find a life changing discover. Mine was brussels sprouts, I absolutely hated them most of my life. Then I experienced them roasted….golden brown and delicious. Now I can’t imagine life without brussels sprouts….they’re fantastic!

The lesson here is that if there are foods that you don’t enjoy, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables, keep experimenting. They don’t have to become your favorite. But if you can find some preparations that allow you to appreciate them on occasion, and reap the nutritional benefits, your body will thank you!

NSB

https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-psychology-of-hating-food-and-how-we-learn-to-love-476720251

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