Picky eaters of Lemmy: Why?

[sayjess@lemmy.blahaj.zone]

I just overheard a coworker saying “Oh, I would never try that in my life!”, in a discussion of food. (This was about consuming a steak cooked less than medium well). It made me wonder what life is like for those who refuse to try new food, especially those who refuse to try mundane things like fried shrimp.

Why limit yourself? It seems like such a closed-minded way to view food. Help me understand?

[nighed@feddit.uk]

For that example - I might go blind (or at least towards it) if I eat a rare steak. I keep having to send back burgers because they don't cook them through despite me requesting that.

[remon@ani.social]

There is plenty of food that I like, so I don't really see a reason to eat something I don't enjoy or try something that doesn't seem appealing.

[sayjess@lemmy.blahaj.zone]

Interesting, this is a medical issue? If so, do you feel like you are missing out? Or is it a “whatev” kind of thing?

[tabbsthebat@pawb.social]

I tried a lot of stuff, and a lot of it ended with me throwing up, or coming close.. there's just certain textures I can't handle and certain flavours don't enjoy, so seeing anything that is similar to something I know I won't like makes me less willing to try it, especially because trying new food usually entails either spending money on it, which then makes me feel horrible for throwing it out if I can't handle it, or makes me feel like I have to force it down; or it involves someone buying/making the food for me, in which case I have a similar situation where I don't want to offend them, so it's easier just to say I don't want to try something or im not hungry etc. and avoid it in the first place

[muhyb@programming.dev]

I think bring picky is about food types, not being about if it's cooked enough or not.

[nighed@feddit.uk]

https://ophthalmologybreakingnews.com/ocular-toxoplasmosis--causes-treatment-and-prevention

Once you have it, exposure that your body would fight off can cause a reactivation or immune overreaction that causes problems.

I think I originally caught it as a child in the sand pit (cat poo). Reactivated it from a rare burger maybe as an adult that caused problems.

[bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de]

Some foods just make me gag. Don't know why. Of course my life would be fuller if I wasn't such a picky eater. And it did get much better with age. But some things I just cannot tolerate. I know that I'm allergic to shellfish. But that's just a small part of stuff I don't eat.

But I do like pineapple on pizza. Especially because uncooked pineapple likes to digest my mouth.

[bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de]

To add, there are also many things I like that self proclaimed non-picky eaters would never touch.

I especially prefer most of my food without any sauces. A burger or döner is so much better without any goopy sauce because then you can actually taste all the different yummy ingredients.

[daggermoon@piefed.world]

I'll eat my own cum but won't touch ranch dressing. Do with that what you will.

[nathanderweise@feddit.org]

I'm a picky eater, but it's mostly because of texture-related issues. (However, I am also picky about flavors.) Wrong textures make me want to gag. I don't actually gag, because I've learned to suppress it.

I have no problem trying new things. I just often immediately hate the new things. However, I will try it again after enough time had passed. Sometimes, it will be prepared differently enough to be appetizing. Other times, I will start to like a flavor that I once hated. I have never had my texture preferences change.

Which texture do I hate? I call it the "wrong kind of mushy." It's hard to explain, because I do like some mushy foods. Mashed, baked, or boiled potatoes? Almost always gag inducing. Oatmeal? Wonderful. Hiding small amount of wrong mushy foods among foods with a better texture sometimes helps, but only if I like the flavor despite the mush.

Edit to add: I hate onions with a burning passion. Every way except powdered. Onions induce the strongest gag reflex, and many people think I'm weird for hating onions. I've come to hate the flavor of (anything but powdered) onion by association, so I often can't eat foods that once had onion in them even after being completely removed.

[nikki@lemmy.blahaj.zone]

My girlfriend is really picky, a lot of it is the texture of foods making her uncomfy. Its really subconscious, and that impacts what you try because you already know what textures you don't like

[determinist@kbin.earth]

Autism.

Textures & temperatures are problematic. I stay with what I know so minimise the chance of freaking out.

[matelt@feddit.uk]

I'm genuinely scared of eating eggs, don't know why I've always been like that even as a baby. The texture, the smell of plain eggs are just unbearable and if I eat a food that tastes eggy I might have a slight panic attack. Mushrooms as well, I hate them with a burning passion. Can't explain why.

[finjaminpoach@lemmy.world]

“Oh, I would never try that in my life!”, in a discussion of food. (This was about consuming a steak cooked less than medium well).

This is a more specific and understandable case. He's probably afraid of disease, it being too hard to chew, or simply having an upset stomach from eating it.

[finjaminpoach@lemmy.world]

Jesus christ I hate cat shit so much

[tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works]

Well, that's a new fear unlocked

[zxqwas@lemmy.world]

I'm not a picky eater. The 5 second rule is replaced with "if I get it before the dog does" and I'll eat just about everything except olives.

Having spent time with several picky eaters it's generally because they have through trial and error found out that they for some reason (texture being as common as flavour) don't like most foods and are quite good at predicting what they will like.

In case of flavour being the reason it's usually because they find some hint of a taste that you and I can detect if we think about it but it becomes front and center of the experience for them.

[tal@lemmy.today]

I just overheard a coworker saying “Oh, I would never try that in my life!”, in a discussion of food. (This was about consuming a steak cooked less than medium well). It made me wonder what life is like for those who refuse to try new food, especially those who refuse to try mundane things like fried shrimp.

I mean, they might be concerned about health risks. Cooking is part of our process for making a lot of food safe to eat.

I mean, I wouldn't worry about a medium steak, but I wouldn't eat steak tartare. It isn't because I'm worried about the taste or texture, but because I don't want to pick up parasites or similar.

[huudaharkiten@piefed.social]

I'm not a picky eater, I think. I'll eat insects, weird sausages, odd fruits etc... But there's just some things that I know I don't even want to try. Like my mums cabbage casserole. It smells like farts. Why would I want to eat fart smell? Sure, my dad likes and good for him, I'll let him enjoy the whole thing. I can go a couple of days without eating. Luckily I'm not 15 anymore and don't have to rely on mum for food.

Anyway, there's other stuff that I wont eat, not because I think I wont like it, but because I have no interest in trying it. And add to that those people who just will not let go, "come on, try it! You'll like it!" fuck you, I don't care, leave me alone lol. The more someone pushes things on me, the more I will not try them.