What Childhood Foods Did You Dislike?

[Evo]

My aversion to beets has a similar beginning.

Lucky for me, my parents would *never* force a child to eat anything. Too bad one of my aunts had a different philosophy, and she forced me to eat beets once. It was the first and last time anyone had ever forced me to eat something...also the first and last time I ate beets.

I love pickled beets.

 

[Proton Soup]

Actually I must nuance myself, we do produce an enzyme that can digest chitin: Chitotriosidase. It however is mostly produced in activated macrophages and its specific function in humans is unknown. There is a related enzyme AMCase, that is present in the GI tract and the lungs. I don't think it is proven though that exoskeletons can be digested, it is more likely that the enzyme has an anti-fungal function.

http://www.jbc.org/content/276/9/6770.short?cited-by=yes&legid=jbc;276/9/6770

cleaning up dead parasites, perhaps?

 

[turbo]

In the winter when my mother made New England boiled dinners (sometimes with corned beef, sometimes with cheap shoulder/neck roasts), there would be lots of potatoes, onions, and root vegetables, along with left-over roast. She'd cut that up into a hash and brown it in a skillet, while cooking some fried eggs and making some toast. Best breakfasts ever. At school, I'd buy a can or two of corned-beef hash when it was on sale. It was never even close!

 

[FrancisZ]

My aversion to beets has a similar beginning.

Lucky for me, my parents would *never* force a child to eat anything. Too bad one of my aunts had a different philosophy, and she forced me to eat beets once. It was the first and last time anyone had ever forced me to eat something...also the first and last time I ate beets.

Yeah, I don't believe in that either. My grandparents--Depression era folk--were really good about eating habits. They never forced anything. You could eat or not. And my mother always tried (heroically, I would even say) to encourage us to eat better types of foods. My father on the other hand, was down right mean about food to the point of tears.

I think your eating habits just naturally change over time (hopefully for the better). I never used to like soup as a kid, now I love it.

If you have someone like my mother around, I guess you always end up hearing that little voice in your head (like a good conscience), reminding you to make better choices. Which is also why I hadn't eaten a Poptart until about age 22.

It happened one day in the Science building at Seton Hall. The school cafeteria was a bit of walk from there, and the food was usually rather expensive and flavorless anyway; so I decided just get something out of the vending machine instead making the trek and wasting my money.

Trouble is, after a while, there is only so much candy you can eat. And I started to fell bad about eating crap so consistently, after a week or so. So I tried the granola bars for a few days thereafter; and then the oatmeal raisin cookies, until that basically fizzled out. And then finally, one day, I remember looking at the Strawberry Poptarts (being my last choice) and wondering to myself out loud, if maybe that was semi-nutritious enough to eat. Almost instantly, I heard my mother's voice come to my imagination...

She'd say: "No, don't eat that! It's full of preservative! It's not even really food! Besides, they're lousy anyway!"

And I actually said to myself (after apparently YEARS of effective brainwashing): "No...I'm not allowed to eat that."

Then I felt sudden burst of pride: "Wait a minute? I'm 22 years old--I'll eat a damn Poptart if I want to!" So I bought it. And ya'know what? It did suck.

 

[jtbell]

According to my mother, when I was a little kid, I would eat everything in a fruit cocktail (the cubes of pears, peaches, etc.) except for the grapes. When she asked me why I didn't eat the grapes, I said, "Because they're round!"

 

[Dembadon]

I had an extremely difficult time eating pasta that didn't have a colored sauce (garlic & oil, alfredo, pesto, etc.). Now I love them, but still don't like ricotta cheese. All of the vegetables we ate were boiled to the consistency of mashed potatoes; I feel your pain, Georgina!

I also had a difficult time eating the meat in stews. When I was younger, probably 5-8 years old, I thought that the reason for chewing my food was to make it small enough to swallow. While this specific reason was certainly valid, believing that it was the only reason led to some issues. When I would chew on an irreducible piece of meat, I would enter an endless loop. Like a helpless robot, I'd chew and chew until my system administrator fixed the issue.

 

[mugaliens]

Hated collard greens; loved spaghetti.

Nothing's changed.

 

[Evo]

I had an extremely difficult time eating pasta that didn't have a colored sauce (garlic & oil, alfredo, pesto, etc.). Now I love them, but still don't like ricotta cheese. All of the vegetables we ate were boiled to the consistency of mashed potatoes; I feel your pain, Georgina!

I also had a difficult time eating the meat in stews. When I was younger, probably 5-8 years old, I thought that the reason for chewing my food was to make it small enough to swallow. While this specific reason was certainly valid, believing that it was the only reason led to some issues. When I would chew on an irreducible piece of meat, I would enter an endless loop. Like a helpless robot, I'd chew and chew until my system administrator fixed the issue.

Stew meat has to be cooked a really long time because first it gets tough, then continued cooking breaks the tissues down and it gets tender again.

 

[Paulie323]

I personally hated ABSOLUTELY HATED!

- Mushrooms
-Onions
-Mayo
-Mustard
-Beets

and...
FIG NEWTONS!

 

[lisab]

I personally hated ABSOLUTELY HATED!

- Mushrooms
-Onions
-Mayo
-Mustard
-Beets

and...
FIG NEWTONS!

Mustard? Hmm, when I was a kid, I loved mustard so much that when we'd play Clue, I'd always want to be Col. Mustard.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

and...
FIG NEWTONS!

Blasphemy!

 

[Evo]

Blasphemy!

Ooooh Fig Newtons! The raspberry Newtons are great too.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Ooooh Fig Newtons! The raspberry Newtons are great too.

I loooooooved Fig Newtons with milk.

How can anyone here not like a product named Newton?

 

[GeorginaS]

All of the vegetables we ate were boiled to the consistency of mashed potatoes; I feel your pain, Georgina!

No kidding, huh? I recently visited my parents a few provinces over from me, and for dinner one evening they served store bought potato salad and store roasted chicken -- which, we were in good shape so far -- and asparagus.

Now, asparagus and I have long reconciled since my childhood when the stuff came out of cans and had the same consistency as boiled rhubarb. I've had it gently pan fried and grilled on a barbecue. Oh my. Asparagus is a lovely, bright, crispy, crunchy, rich vegetable. Very nice. And my parents had purchased a beautiful bunch of them from a farmers' market. I watched as my mother filled a frying pan with water and boiled the ever-livin' beejeebeez out of them.

To be fair, I gave it try when it was on my plate. I stuck a piece of asparagus with my fork and when I raised the fork, the vegetable remained on my plate. Bad sign. I scooped it up, and oh yeah, there was that crazy, bitter, flavour and squashy consistency that immediately engaged my gag reflex. My eyes watered. Oh jeez. And I had to sit and eat that crud when I was kid and not allowed to leave the table until it was finished. But now! Now I could say, "Uh, yeah. Who wants my asparagus?" My mother asked me if I didn't like the vegetable, and rather than say, "Only when you've had at it first" I just said, "No, I don't like it."

Topic. Loved, loved, loved Kraft peanut butter on buttered toast, topped with banana slices, and brown sugar. The mere thought of that makes me retch, now.

I can't stand Kraft peanut butter any more. All it tastes like is icing sugar. I couldn't stand natural peanut butter when I was a kid, and I can't tolerate anything but, now. I think our sweet tooths change with age, don't they?

 

[Math Is Hard]

Topic. Loved, loved, loved Kraft peanut butter on buttered toast, topped with banana slices, and brown sugar. The mere thought of that makes me retch, now.

You totally forgot the marshmallow creme!

 

[Evo]

The only thing I've ever used canned asparagus for is asparagus soup. That's not too bad. I cannot find anything that canned spinach can be used for except to become too thin. For a couple of years the only thing I ate was 2 hard boiled eggs and a small can of spinach, the only beverages were black coffee and water, per day. I actually lived on less than 200 calories a day! My metabolism shut down. And yes, I did end up in the hospital suffering from malnutrition.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Geez, evo! Were you in prison?

 

[xunxine]

I used to hate veggies. When my mum puts them on my plate, I'd get rid of them quickly out of my sight by eating them all first. Then on to whatever else on my plate that I don't hate.

Now that I can speak for myself, I tell my mum that I still hate veggies. She would say, "But you love them when you were little! You'd eat them first!"

(right... misunderstood...)

 

[Evo]

Geez, evo! Were you in prison?

No, I was living alone age 16-18. I cannot believe that I was satisfied, but I was. I don't remember ever feeling hungry. Boy has that changed!

I could still live off of hard boiled eggs and canned spinach, I'd just need more.

Back then I'd open the can of spinach and pour in some vinegar and salt. I'd eat it standing over the counter, I wouldn't even sit to eat. Now I mix in lemon pepper instead. Yes, I still eat it, I confess, I had a can last week.

And I loved it!.

 

[Evo]

I used to hate veggies. When my mum puts them on my plate, I'd get rid of them quickly out of my sight by eating them all first. Then on to whatever else on my plate that I don't hate.

Now that I can speak for myself, I tell my mum that I still hate veggies. She would say, "But you love them when you were little! You'd eat them first!"

(right... misunderstood...)

That's so funny, I do that, I eat the worst parts first.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Back then I'd open the can of spinach and pour in some vinegar and salt. I'd eat it standing over the counter, I wouldn't even sit to eat. Now I mix in lemon pepper instead. Yes, I still eat it, I confess, I had a can last week.

And I loved it!.

Wow! I like to eat spinach out of the can, too. I never tried doctoring it up like you did. I'll have to experiment.

I'll also eat a can of peas for a meal sometimes.

I don't think I have met a vegetable I don't like. Except for green peppers - but I don't consider those vegetables - I don't know what they are, just something non-edible.

 

[Evo]

Wow! I like to eat spinach out of the can, too. I never tried doctoring it up like you did. I'll have to experiment.

I'll also eat a can of peas for a meal sometimes.

I don't think I have met a vegetable I don't like. Except for green peppers - but I don't consider those vegetables - I don't know what they are, just something non-edible.

We really were separated at birth! I've never known anyone else to eat spinach out of the can. I love it. And it goes right through you and talk about dropping pounds. It's like 40 calories.

I do eat bell peppers though, but no hominy!

I lived on canned peas as a child.

 

[xunxine]

That's so funny, I do that, I eat the worst parts first.

*high five!*

I don't hate veggies now, just choose to exclude them whenever I can.
But I love the green leafy ones.

 

[GeorginaS]

You totally forgot the marshmallow creme!

Um, I don't know that it had been invented yet. And even if it had been, there'd be no way my parents would buy something that cool.

Spinach out of a can. Okay, that ran up my spine like fingernails on a chalkboard. Ewyuck! Man alive, you two! Gack! I'm squirming in my chair. That stuff has the texture of vomit on its way out. Never mind the bitter aftertaste.

Yark!

 

[Evo]

I'm afraid to ask why for you'd do that.

To be honest, I might have been a tad bit anorexic then, but it wasn't commonly known. I grew up with the famous model Twiggy as the body type to aim for. As my mother said, she had legs you could ride a horse through, and so did I. Holding my legs tightly together my thighs were so thin, there was that gap between them. They still have that gap, I can close my fingers around my mid thigh.

 

[GeorginaS]

To be honest, I might have been a tad bit anorexic then, but it wasn't commonly known. I grew up with the famous model Twiggy as the body type to aim for. As my mother said, she had legs you could ride a horse through, and so did I. Holding my legs tightly together my thighs were so thin, there was that gap between them. They still have that gap, I can close my fingers around my mid thigh.

Possibly a tad. At that age, and 5'10", I kept myself at between 115 lbs and 117 lbs and didn't ever eat that little.

 

[Evo]

Possibly a tad. At that age, and 5'10", I kept myself at between 115 lbs and 117 lbs and didn't ever eat that little.

Whoa! That's way too skinny! That's like super model thin! I am only 5'3" and that's stretching it. My weight ranged from 92 to 102 pounds. Proportionally, you were thinner than me.

118 pounds and size three was were I was after my second child and that looked pretty good.

 

[GeorginaS]

Okay, but I ate more than canned spinach. And my job depended on it.

 

[Evo]

Okay, but I ate more than canned spinach. And my job depended on it.

My doctor told me that my metabolism was so slow that I could eat nothing but lettuce and gain weight, his exact words. My best friend ate like a horse and she looked anorexic. She was 5'8" and we could wear the same jeans because my legs were so long, that's how thin she was, we were both size zero, and she ate at least 3 times what I did and she didn't exercise either.

I discovered that sizes back in the 60's and 70's were smaller. I found a pair of shorts I wore in my early twenties and my daughter spawn, she's size zero, couldn't get into them, they looked like small childs clothing. Have you noticed that? Also designer clothes are much bigger for the *size*. The more I spend, the smaller the size is.

 

[Galteeth]

As a kid, I would dip my pizza in soda. No pepperoni though, I thought that was evil.
I also loved orange juice, but only in a crayon cup.

 

[turbo]

I have a friend who is a former cop (retired). Since childhood, he refused to eat macaroni noodles. No macaroni salad, no macaroni in soups, no American chop suey. However, spaghetti is one of his favorite meals, If we had him and his wife over for a meal, and served spaghetti with *exactly* the same spicy sauce that we would have put on American chop suey, he would have seconds and thirds. Serve the sauce with macaroni noodles instead of spaghetti, and he wouldn't touch it. My wife makes a wonderful macaroni salad with cheese, bacon, sweet peas, black olives, etc. All stuff that he likes, but he won't touch it because of the macaroni noodles.

 

[Evo]

I have a friend who is a former cop (retired). Since childhood, he refused to eat macaroni noodles. No macaroni salad, no macaroni in soups, no American chop suey. However, spaghetti is one of his favorite meals, If we had him and his wife over for a meal, and served spaghetti with *exactly* the same spicy sauce that we would have put on American chop suey, he would have seconds and thirds. Serve the sauce with macaroni noodles instead of spaghetti, and he wouldn't touch it. My wife makes a wonderful macaroni salad with cheese, bacon, sweet peas, black olives, etc. All stuff that he likes, but he won't touch it because of the macaroni noodles.

I was 28 years old before I found out that Americans make a tomato and hamburger casserole and call it chop suey.

Evo Child's boyfriend won't eat spaghetti noodles, it has to be penne or rotini, etc...

 

[hotvette]

hated (still do) - canned peas
loved (still do) - tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches

 

[Upisoft]

hated - everything made from eggplant, liver (except in pate)
loved - tarator, fried potatoes, grilled chicken, bananas

You may wonder about bananas, but when I was a child there was communist regime here and there were bananas available only for several days before New year. So, I had bananas once a year.

 

[lisab]

Um, I don't know that it had been invented yet. And even if it had been, there'd be no way my parents would buy something that cool.

Spinach out of a can. Okay, that ran up my spine like fingernails on a chalkboard. Ewyuck! Man alive, you two! Gack! I'm squirming in my chair. That stuff has the texture of vomit on its way out. Never mind the bitter aftertaste.

Yark!

+1

When I said I wasn't a picky eater as a kid and that I'd eat almost anything, I wasn't even considering vegetables from a can!

But that brings back a memory...the first time my step-mother cooked for us, she asked if we like corn. Oh yes, we love it, we said. She gave us canned creamed corn......!

 

[Evo]

+1

When I said I wasn't a picky eater as a kid and that I'd eat almost anything, I wasn't even considering vegetables from a can!

But that brings back a memory...the first time my step-mother cooked for us, she asked if we like corn. Oh yes, we love it, we said. She gave us canned creamed corn......!

Ewww, canned creamed corn.

I guess I was lucky as a child, my mother usually bought mostly fresh produce, and most of it was seasonal, we shelled our own peas, etc...

Fall was my favorite, that was when pomegranates and prickly pears hit the stores. They were a once a year treat.

I have eggs boiling and a can of spinach, I'm going to feast today.

 

[turbo]

Ewww, canned creamed corn.

I guess I was lucky as a child, my mother usually bought mostly fresh produce, and most of it was seasonal, we shelled our own peas, etc...

Fall was my favorite, that was when pomegranates and prickly pears hit the stores. They were a once a year treat.

I have eggs boiling and a can of spinach, I'm going to feast today.

The only time my mother ever used canned cream corn was when she wanted to thicken up a batch of corn chowder. We never got served that stuff on our plates.