Food Haters



Do you have a friend who says they "hate" everything? I am talking food here.

"Oh, I don't eat beets or Brussels sprouts". Well, have you ever tried them? Maybe when you were a kid you had a bad experience with a beet or a lima bean or a tiny, innocent pea.
Now that we are adults, it's time to try those things again that we thought we hated.



Since food is a big part of my life (you think?), I find it hard to be friends with a person who hates olives, nuts, blue cheese, avocados, anchovies, eggplant, artichokes, capers, raisins, mushrooms, most vegetables in general, & mayonnaise. GET OVER IT ALREADY.

I once dated a guy who proclaimed that he would never eat mayonnaise or salads of any kind. Ok, I am breaking up with you now.

For 20+ years, my husband was allergic to broccoli and most vegetables. Meat & potatoes were his faves. Since I became a food blogger (and he became an ADULT!), he now enjoys broccoli and almost every vegetable, once he learned that boiling them to mush is not the only way to serve them. Hallelujah. Mazel Tov.

I am not saying that we all have to like everything, but please, let's TRY the thing before we say we HATE it. HATE is a strong word. It's ok not to like something, but we HATE it, and WON'T try it? Come on now. Let's be brave.

I notice that many of my men friends don't like mushrooms, cucumbers, celery or beets. This seems to be a man thing. My brother and husband DESPISE funghi.

Sorry, no recipe to post today, just feel like ranting.

Tell us the thing you or your partner HATES (or THINKS they hate) to eat, and 2 random winners will win a bottle of my favorite FIG balsamic vinegar from Italy (no fig haters need apply).



By the way, I HATE bananas. I will not eat anything made with them or that has touched one, including banana bread.



Yes, I've tried them, the smell makes me sick and I gag thinking about them. That is the ONLY food I really HATE. I would try almost anything once.

Winners will be announced on Saturday. xo

Comments

My husband doesn't like coconut..amongst a few other things. He says he isn't picky and generally he isn't but he has a few things like this that he just won't eat...and I love....sauerkraut, cauliflower, mushrooms....I still make them, though.

Funny, I like pretty much anything, but bananas do the same thing to me...gag...I like them cooked though.
The Food Hunter said…
My husband won't go near broccoli...swears he hates it but has actually never tried it. Me on the other hand....I eat everything :). Great giveaway would love to try fig balsamic
Anonymous said…
I HATE bananas!
My husband cannot stand tuna fish
My husband hates acorn squash (which I've been roasting a lot of lately). I hat raw mushrooms - love them cooked, but raw ones freak me out a bit.
Gourmet Goddess said…
my husband hates peas ..... that hate has now infected our children - and he cannot even give me a good reason - so the rule at home is if i serve something you "hate" dont say it in front of the kids ....... because you see the kids love avocado - another food my husband hates ???

me... i draw the line at frogs legs !!
Anonymous said…
chelsea said...
i really hate okra! there is no point to it. it has a bitter taste
and it does not look appetizing
in your soup or as a side dish or even fried to cover it up!
and drum roll please... my husband
hates mushy grits! the run all over the plate, taste like cardboard and have no color!
Lynn C. said…
When we first married my husband used to say he disliked salad and would never touch it. 20+ years later - he loves it (with meat in it of course..). Now, if I could just get him to like onions. :)

Me - anise and curry.
Tracy said…
My husband is one of the pickiest eaters I know. I think the thing that drives me the craziest is his hatred of onions. I mean, they're used to flavor so many things! He says it's a texture thing for him. I think that's a weak excuse!
Krista said…
I'm with you on bananas. The texture kills me. My husband doesn't like spinach. Or SOUP! Come on, soup?
Robin said…
List of things my husband will not eat:
mayonnaise, cream cheese, sour cream, yogurt, vinegar, pickles, mustard, lemon, avocado, raw vegetables except carrots, soups and salads of all kinds...

At least he will eat most cooked vegetables and he usually will try something once before he decides he "hates" it.

I think the one that bothers me the most is lemon, because I love it! I think I'll cook myself some lemon chicken sometime soon and make him a burger. :)

I really hate turnip greens.
The JR said…
One thing that I absolutely cannot get my husband to eat is green peas.

He wouldn't eat them as a child and got a whoopin'. He told his momma that when he was grown he wasn't ever going to eat another pea. As far as I know he's kept that promise.
I hate liver. My mother used to make me eat it as a kid and I remember eating all hte onions and bacon before gagging down the actual liver. I will try chicken liver pate but not calves liver. The husband used to be one of the food haters you are talking about but I changed him :) Thanks for the giveaway chance!
momof2boyz said…
It's bad enough to have two small kids who just about hate everything but when my husband tells me he hates something, It just drives me nuts!! He won't eat brussel sprouts and cauliflower and doesn't want me to cook with onions !! I also have a friend who is so picky that when we go out to dinner she will look up the menu online before we go.
Lindsay H said…
My husband hates mushrooms and won't event try a beet (both of which I love). I on the other hand would have to say I hate liver of any kind. Can't get over the taste AND texture.
kimt said…
i have tried to think of something i wouldn't eat...cant think of a thing. my hubby hates macaroni and cheese...why?
would love to try that fig vinegar. makes my mouth water.
Gail said…
My husband hates leftovers! If I don't eat them they go to waste and I end up throwing them out.

Not matter how good the food was the night before he won't eat it again.

I hate capers. ewwwwww.
Stacey Snacks said…
So far no one has mentioned stinky cheese, like gorgonzola or Roquefort, which I LOVE........
Linda said…
I don't hate anything. My husband doesn't hate anything.
We're picky, but I will tell you we LOVE seafood!
Especially if it's blackened and grilled and it's summer!
We are both vegetarians, so it's easy to like everything veggie!
Thanks for the give away!
Michele said…
Wow, so there is hope for my boyfriend? He won't eat eggplant, beets, brussels sprouts, broccoli rabe, nuts, cooked seafood, peppers, raw tomatoes, white or portobello mushrooms, squash, and most greens. He can get down the zucchini but he doesn't love it. Somehow I manage to cook dinner every night. Some things he just eats around but we manage.
I love your "rant" Stacey. I don't like the word hate either. It's way too strong a word, especially associated with food. Personally I've never met a food I didn't like, at least to some degree.

My husband says he doesn't like eggplant or brussel sprouts. His entire family loves eggplant and are always saying, "if you try my recipe for xxx, you'll love it." He may be finally coming around a bit.

I have a problem with dinner guests who declare they hate certain foods. My mother taught me to eat around things I didn't like and not draw attention to the fact. When it comes to food today, manners seem to be out the window. Just my two cents.
Sam
TheJimBar said…
Hi Stac, Jim from Montville. My kids HATE broccoli too, but we still serve it at least 2-3 times per week 'cause it's so damn good for you! See you at the Rez soon.
Natalie said…
My husband claims he hates cake. WHO HATES CAKE? drives me nuts!
Julie said…
My husband is a good eater in general, but he absolutely refuses to eat celery, raw or cooked, and applesauce of all things! His mom used to hide pills in it when he was younger to get him to take his medicine! Talk about bad food association! :)
--Julie
Joanne said…
Well, I have no partner but I absolutely HATE celery...have the same gag raection that you do. and my brother claims to hate eggplant and zucchini and stew. WEIRDO.
Rachel Wishum said…
My husband doesn't like green peppers- bummer! Funny thing, though...I made Chicken Cacciatore once and it had tons of green peppers in it, and he LOVED it. Thankfully, that's really the only food he's picky about and he adores anything cooked with balsamic vinegar. I think it's his favorite food.
Anonymous said…
Kim Says:
I don't like cooked raisins. Raw are great. My husband is only picky about candy. Jelly beans, marshmellows, candy corn. I just figure it is more for me.
Beth said…
My husband won't eat beets (which I love)or brussell sprouts OR cauliflower. In fact, he has to be coaxed to eat most vegetables. Big baby!
Anonymous said…
Matt hates lima beans and used to hate beets. He'll eat them under duress but I'm perfectly happy to pull them off his plate. I don't care for snails and frogs legs, otherwise eat everything not nailed down. And love figs. - Lisa--
don't know how to post through google/gmail so it's through my blog.
Well you know I hate anchovies, I don't believe when they say they melt and you won't even taste it, balony! Everything else I love!
My oldest grandaughter is a food hater, she dosen't like green or too much sauce,no other meat or fish just chicken, if her toast is too brown she won't eat it, I could go on for an hour but I don't have the time! If she sees basil flecks she'll stop eating. My little granddaughter on the oter hand is a food lover, thank goodness!!!
Lisa said…
My husband would never try his mother's brocolli salad and then finally this summer he tried it and was like, this is great. By the way, love your blog, thanks for brightening my day.
Anonymous said…
My best girlfriend hates avocados. She'll eat prepared guacamole but not avocado sliced on a sandwich or diced into a salad. That is just crazy - it is the SAME thing. Drives me nuts. I could (and sometimes do) eat avocados daily. Great giveaway!
Amy V. said…
Woops - that last Anonymous was me...Amy V.
Jenny B. said…
I think I love almost everything, that's my problem! However, I really dislike (HATE) stinky cheese! I just can't like it.
sauerkraut. I just can't and I'm German. :-)
Penelope said…
I cannot stand green/red/yellow/orange bell peppers. I've tried them a million times (just to see if my tastes have changed), but the texture or taste is not good. My husband, for whatever reason, does not like watermelon. Seriously.
Rachel said…
I hate orange flavoring in chocolate. Ugh. My husband has decided to hate garlic (sigh). My oldest son hates raw tomatoes (give him time). My daughter hates peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and my youngest son eats about 21 things total. Loser. But he's the youngest, so I figure he'll survive regardless.
Anonymous said…
Love this post, my hubs will not touch eggplant. Any suggestions? I love it.
Thanks,
Angela
Anonymous said…
Preaching to the converted - I have similar problems (the growing up bit is something I hope comes sooner rather than later). Very sad when food cannot contain 75% of the more interesting ingredients I've grown up with because my other half shares a palate with our 3 year old - although she has learned to try things!
Mollie said…
I have a close friend who will not eat most things. No Onions, peppers, raw veggies, avocado, many breads, chocolate, cinnamon, soda, alcohol, coffee, tea, whole milk, tomatoes, white rice, cheeses that are not annoyingly mild, anything even slightly spicy. She is also never willing to try anything new. When I have her over for dinner there is almost nothing she is willing to eat that can I fix.

I eat everything. When I was 16 in traveling in Europe with my parents I tried to eat the most unusual things available just because I was curious. I had squid in it's own ink one night ... Yum
I'm lucky that my parents taught me well to try everything (although I did swallow my peas whole!) so there's very few foods I have any kind of aversion to . . . except for okra and sweetbreads. I know I've never had okra cooked "right" and sweetbreads, well, they just turn me off. My husband never ate a fresh mushroom until he met me. He's glad he found me.
Anonymous said…
My husband is not a fan of dishes that contain meat and a sweet sauce associated with it. My daughter loves everything except banana and yogurt, didn't realize there were so many non-banana fans out there. My son disguises his dislikes by spreading them around his plate, then claiming to be done! Thanks for the give-away opportunity! Lisa in Sag Harbor
yumyuminthetum said…
My husband hates plain yogurt. But when I mix it in with things he doesn't even notice :)
Can't complain though cause he pretty much will eat anything, especially healthy stuff.
Lisa said…
I won't eat: moussaka, anything made with leftover turkey (after Thanksgiving, Christnmas, etc.) such as turkey soup, or (gag) turkey tetrazini. And "no" to scalloped potatoes. Ick to capers. Don't give me Miracle Whip! People STILL use that stuff. My mother will not eat cooked oatmeal no matter how I doctor it with apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, walnuts. When she was a child, she had to sit at the table and eat it as it got cold even on her birthday. ha.
Rosanne said…
My husband claims to HATE egg salad, but will eat a whole dozen of deviled eggs! Makes no sense they are made with the same ingredients. When I point this out he has no answer.
Oui Chef said…
Life is too short to hate any food, unless of course it's salmon and them I'm all for it! You poor thing hating banana's, I weep for you.
vlnshosh said…
OMG!!!!!! I TOO HATE bananas!!! I used to eat them all time as a baby apparently (what baby doesn't eat mushy things...), but now I don't like the taste of them. Overpowers everything else that is paired with it. In smoothies or desserts its the only thing I taste! BUT, I love anchovies and olives and broccoli and used to not like the former first two but keep them regularly in my pantry now. My boyfriend doesn't really like capers. I throw them into things anyway. I realized if you mince them up they blend much better and don't bother him!
tasteofbeirut said…
I do not like oysters or slurping them. Don 't think that feeling will change, either!
I adore bananas!! I realize bees are not a food, but when the husband talks all the time, and when the food is really, really good, even chews with his mouth open - guess what can fly in. Yep, so now he won't ever, ever eat outside with our gorgeous lake in view.... and hates bees, having shared a mouthful with one or two. Outside of bees, he will eat everything.
michele m said…
I guess the closest I come to hating a food would be lox. I can't handle the texture of lox, or raw fish as in sashimi.

But I can't think of food that I truly hate.
Dana said…
I'm with you here, of course. Randy hates beets which kills me but he is a good sport about trying them about once a year to see if his tastes have changed. I'm always hopeful. I don't *hate* figs per se - they just gross me out. :)
Anonymous said…
I agree with another commenter that sometimes people with food "issues" are rude at a host's table. I had someone complain at my Thanksgiving table that too many dishes had mushrooms, which she hated. Another doesn't like onions of any kind. I've had to "sneak" them into food, otherwise where's the flavor?? Sheesh! Grow up peeps! You should keep quiet and let everyone else enjoy themselves....