Do you not like foods/drinks for odd reasons?

[NotUrsula]

I've always thought of myself as a picky eater, but as I've gotten older I've realized that I'm not that bad off compared to what most people commonly define as picky. It is mostly a texture issue for me, too, and I've found that in many cases, if I change the preparation method I can reduce or eliminate the issue. There are some things that are impossible to change enough, but on the whole I manage quite well. (I have one heck of a powerful stick blender, though -- I recommend the KitchenAid KB300.)

The Wall Street Journal did a major article on this a couple of days ago. It turns out that Duke University is launching a major study of selective eating patterns in adults. Here is an excerpt:

People like Ms. Hill have long puzzled clinicians and medical experts because their behaviors don't fit the definition of a traditional eating disorder, in which people aim to achieve a certain body weight. But picky eaters' diets can be so limited that their food preferences interfere with their social and professional relationships, which is one of the hallmarks of a true disorder. Ms. Hill says she lies to her friends about what she eats and avoids parties and business lunches. And although she tries to hide her pickiness from her children, she frequently worries they will acquire her eating habits.

Now, health experts are seeking to get a better sense of the range of people's food restrictions and how it affects their lives. The first national public registry of picky eating, http://eatingdisorders.mc.duke.edulaunched last week by researchers at Duke University and the University of Pittsburgh, will allow people to log in and report on their unusual eating preferences and habits. Doctors also hope the effort will spur the development of improved treatment techniques for adult picky eaters. (The registry can be found online at eatingdisorders.mc.duke.edu. On the right side of the page, click on the Finicky Eating in Adults study link.) http://eatingdisorders.mc.duke.edu

The entire article can be found at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704699604575343130457388718.html?KEYWORDS=eaters (WSJ, 07/05/2010, D1.)
I'm not sure if this is subscription-only content; I'm a subscriber so I cannot tell. If you can't get to it directly, try going through your local public library's website; you may have to enter your library card number to get to it.

PS: I understand completely about the tomatoes/onions thing. I can eat them cooked and love them, but I won't touch either of them raw; the acid in them gives me mouth ulcers if they are uncooked. I suspect that a lot of people may have this problem, based on the number of people who've told me that they will eat them cooked but not raw.

 

[Dax]

I am a horribly picky eater & I'm honestly not sure if it's because of texture or taste.

I can't eat raw veggies of any kind. I only like corn & cooked carrots. I will eat other veggies cooked, but really don't care for them.

Can't eat salad. I order all tacos (actually chicken fajitas) without lettuce & tomato. If there is a stray piece of lettuce that ends up in my fajita I just about gag when I bite into it - the smallest piece will make me want to throw it out!

Mayonnaise grosses me out. Don't like pasta salad because of the dressing (even without the veggies). I don't eat sausage (italian or polish) because what I call "the little balls" in it completely turn my stomach. Can't stand raisins or nuts in foods but will eat them individually. Raisins in a baked good reminds me of a dead fly!!!

At 47 I seriously eat like a little kid. I could live on PBJ, pasta with butter or olive oil & bologna sandwiches. I like breakfast foods.

I really don't like being a picky eater, but that's me!

BTW - I read the cereal/milk thread. I didn't respond, but as I sit here finishing my bowl of cereal it is turning my stomach to even think about drinking the milk that is warm & contains cereal crumbs.

This sounds like me to a tee!

 

[DMass]

I can't eat creamed corn because...well if you've seen it you'll know why.

Peas freak me out for some reason. I'm fine with other vegetables but there's just something about peas.

 

[johnsontrio]

I don't like food with chocolate chips such as chocolate chip cookies or ice cream. Can't stand when the chips stick in the top surface of my molars. Funny, I guess, because the little "contact lenses" from popcorn don't bother me one bit.

 

[HelenePA]

I LOVE tomatoes... LOVE LOVE LOVE EM!! I'll eat them pounds at a time.. but i HATE anything that contains cooked or pureed tomatoes... OMG Tomato juice just makes me ill thinking about it.. I take all the sauce I can off pizza. (yes I'm fun to eat out with ) I also hate almost all cooked veggies. I'll eat them raw but forget it if they are cooked. Basically I eat chicken and fruits and veggies.... I hate beef, pork (unless its bacon.. that is meat candy) I'd never try venison, bison. I'd rather starve. there are many many others.. mayo, salad dressings, gravy. I dont like mushy or watery stuff. I do love bean soup though.. as long as I can pretend there are no veggies in it

 

[LiberalPrincess]

I will eat pretty much anything. I always like to try new things, and there is nothing really I won't eat. My one weird thing is with cottage cheese. I will eat it when the container is first opened, but that is it. When it has that layer of liquid on top, when you open it the next time, it totally grosses me out. Even pouring it off won't do it, because I know it was there, lol.

 

[Sparx]

If I don't like a food its almost 100% because of the texture most of the time.

 

[Christine]

PS: I understand completely about the tomatoes/onions thing. I can eat them cooked and love them, but I won't touch either of them raw; the acid in them gives me mouth ulcers if they are uncooked. I suspect that a lot of people may have this problem, based on the number of people who've told me that they will eat them cooked but not raw

I eat tomatoes raw. In July and August when it is tomato season, I eat too many. I always end up with a mouth full of canker sores. It's awful. I guess there's too much acid.

 

[sunnyday123]

Same here. Although, I can eat "loose" meat better than I can a burger or meatballs. All of it grosses me out, though.

And bacon is about as far as I will go into the pork front. And super well done/burned.

I hate the texture of meat. Blah.

I can't even touch a hot dog without gagging. Blech.

Oh My Gosh, you're my long lost food-twin!!! My bacon must be teetering on the edge of burnt beyond recognition. I want it to fall apart when I touch it.

If I think about any type of food that at one point was living, I get grossed out and can't eat it.

Oh, I forgot Shrimp. If I see that vein running down the back-I'm done.

 

[princesspiglet]

My biggest thing is that my food can not touch at all. I have a special plate at home that is a divider plate and has 4 sections with high walls. I take it with me everywhere I go and use it if I can. At buffets, I get seperate plates for almost everything. I look like a pig because I will have 6-7 plates piled high at my setting.

I also do not eat any seafood. I am a SCUBA diver and I have seen what those fish eat and do in the ocean and there is no way on earth I would eat anything that came out of water.

 

[AustinTink]

I associate certain foods with times I was sick, whether it had anything to do with that food, or not. Most of the time now I can't even look at it.

 

[KAMLEM]

I do not like to eat cute things - dogs, horses, goats, lamb etc.

Have eaten all of the above but could not get the picture of what I was eating out of my mind.

You have eaten dogs and horses?

I associate certain foods with times I was sick, whether it had anything to do with that food, or not. Most of the time now I can't even look at it.

I'm that way, too. I will never be able to eat Triscuits because I had the stomach flu one time and I saw a commercial for them while I was as sick as a dog. I know that sounds silly but it's true. The site of the box alone makes me nauseated.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

I don't eat pears because of their texture. I also won't eat mushrooms because I feel like I'm eating a sponge. Plus it's fungus!
I love tomatoes. I will eat them raw, but if they're cooked, I can't eat chunks of tomatoes.

I don't eat fruit in yogurt. I love the flavoring, but will strain out any little bit of the actual fruit before eating it. I don't know anyone else who would strain yogurt before eating it.

I love raw green peppers, but won't eat them cooked.

I won't eat fruit that's been either dried or frozen. It just turns into slime. I also don't eat fruit that's been cooked except apples.

I don't eat fresh peaches, I can only eat them if they've been canned in heavy syrup. The fuzzy thing grosses me out.

I don't eat fish or seafood because just the smell makes me sick to my stomach.

I also won't eat meat out of the ordinary. No buffalo, rabbit, deer, squirrel, etc. Cow, pig, chicken and turkey only for me.

I could go on. I have a lot of issues with food.

 

[Darsa]

I associate certain foods with times I was sick,

Ohh yeah; I won't ever eat a meatball. When I was a teen in Drum Corps, we were at a competition, and I had a meatball sub for lunch that was apparently bad. I had the WOOORRRST case of food poisoning, I'll never forget it. And to this day I can't stomach the thought of meatballs

 

[StarLight StarBright]

I can't eat cube steak because after you bite into it you have to gnaw on it to break up the stringy things in the meat. Also, baked sweet potatoes...again with the stringy stuff.
When I was a kid I took this asthma medicine for years that my mom would break the capsule and pour the little pellets into a spoon of applesauce or yogurt. To this day if I try to eat either one of those, I swear I can still taste that medicine!

 

[jimmalru80]

I abhor cheese. (Except on pizza). I won't eat cheese on a sandwich, on pasta or on anything else. The texture and smell are too much for me.

 

[LuvOrlando]

This thread is funny and it makes me feel better about my own issues
I have a problem with foods that combine textures like granola in yogurt... just thinking of it makes me cringe because it just SEEMS like it was pre-chewed

I also have a habit of eating the things on my plate in order. Not a particular order but when my plate is done I will pick 1 thing and eat all of it before moving on the the next thing then the third & so on. It's all about mixing textures, I just can't do it... gives me the willies.

 

[Ms.Grumpy]

I used to work with an older lady who would not drink a drop of water. I finally got the nerve to ask her why and she stated, " fish have s*x in water." I still laugh when I think of it.

I do not like he smell or feel of ketchup. I will eat it on my fries, but freak out when it gets on my fingers.

 

[LJC1861]

Ahhhh....food issues......I can relate to so many that have already been posted.

1. My food simply CANNOT touch, unless it is supposed to like gravy on mashed potatoes. If the gravy touches the meat I cannot eat it. I have several sectioned plates at home and my friends all have a sectioned plate at their homes for me to use when I eat at their houses. I am the laugh of the party at buffets when I take tiny drops of everything with lots of room around it on the plate. It is not uncommon for me to have several plates around me at a buffet.

2. Nuts of any kind. Don't like the taste, smell, texture, anything about them.

3. Egg Nog. When I was a kid I took lots of liquid antibiotics. Back then they didn't come in fun flavors like they do today. The taste reminded me of eggnog. To this very day the smell of eggnog sends my stomach into a whirl.

4. Wet bread. Tomatoes are fine on a sandwich as long as lettuce or meat protects them from the bread. The same goes with mayo. It has to be in between the meat. Oil and vinegar on a hero/hoagie/sub makes me cringe.

5. Toppings on a hot dog. Doesn't matter what it is, I simply cannot stand any sort of topping on my hot dog...it has to be completely plain and preferably grilled. Toppings on a hamburger are okay, as long as the bread does not get too wet.

6. Soggy french fries. I hate them, won't eat them and will send them back.


That about does it.

Linda

 

[NY Disney fan]

I will not eat tomato sauce with chicken (ie chicken parmasean). I don't think those two flavors go together.