Picky Eaters/Food Snobs

[Mad Cook]

This is something that has been bugging me for a while now.

Why is it that some people are more particular about their food and the way it tastes than others?

I've come across people who will not eat something because it tastes different than what they make (potato salad, fudge, cookies). I've come across people who will only eat certain brands claiming it's the best.

I, on the other hand, will eat just about anything unless it tastes really, really bad (like if it's rotten or tastes like cigarette smoke). Something would have to be really sickening for me to turn it down. Sometimes I do notice the difference in the way certain foods taste, but it's not a big deal to me. As long as it tastes good I'm gonna eat it, even if it doesn't taste great. Daily life isn't Iron Chef America, we're not judging on taste here. I don't understand how people can be so friggin picky. It's gotten to a point where I really don't like to cook for other people anymore.

I'd like to hear what you all think. Where do you think this pickiness comes from? Are you picky? Does pickiness bother you?

I can understand kids being picky, that's normal. But I can't understand picky adults.

In my experience picky adults are picky kids grown up and picky kids are what they have been allowed to be, often by parental connivance. I'm not including genuine food dislikes here. I dislike bananas but I always have - apparently I spat out my first taste of mashed banana when I was being weaned! On the other hand my father didn't like mushrooms because his mother and grandmother told him he didn't. When he married my mother and she fried them in butter he changed his mind.

There's a big difference between picky-ness and disliking something. Picky-ness is often used as a weapon both by children and by adults.

As for different brands of a particular food. I don't go with snobbishness or the idea that something must be better because it's more expensive.. I much prefer Tesco Supermarket own brand "value" baked beans to Heinz because they taste nicer (to me). On the other hand Tesco's own brand tea is horrid (to me) and I much prefer Tetley's or Yorkshire Tea

 

[Mad Cook]

I actually met someone once who didn't like strawberry preserves. I was truly astounded.

I didn't like coffee till I met DH. Falling in love does strange things to a person! I do have to have 2 tsps of sugar and hazelnut creamer in it, though. Oops, I guess I've gotten picky about it!

I didn't like coffee until I discovered (from an American film IIRC!) that you can drink it without milk. I've never looked back.

However, there are some people who think I'm picky because I only like "real" coffee. This is because I like it so strong that if it's made with instant it's virtually undrinkable. I didn't really discover the difference between instant and "real" until I was about 20years old as my parents always had Nescafe instant which was considered the trendier choice back in the '50s

 

[cave76]

My ex-husband would NOT eat liverwurst. When I switched to braunschweiger he liked it!

 

[Kayelle]

When I married Steve I had already been cooking over 40 yrs for my late husband.

Steve said he didn't didn't like a multitude of dishes that were the core of my cooking. In truth he didn't like those dishes made by his late wife, but he loves mine. There ya go...the cook can make all the difference.

 

[Mad Cook]

I can see the point. It seems that lately, many people are much more vocal about their particular likes and dislikes, and expect them to be catered to. That can be annoying when you're planning a get-together.

.

As children when we went out to tea at a friends we were always told to eat everything on our plate as it was rude to the hostess to leave food but if it was something we really couldn't stomach just to leave it quietly on the side of the plate without comment.

It was called good manners. I certainly don't mind when a new dinner guest rings up to say s/he's allergic to shellfish or eggs or has coeliac disease and I'll always try to work round a genuine problem but anyone who sits at my table and causes a fuss about the food certainly doesn't get invited again. The good manners works the other way too. I have a friend who doesn't like pasta or tomatoes so I never serve either when he's coming for dinner - in return he always does two desserts if he's planning a new chocolate recipe because he knows I don't like chocolate. (Mind you, he'd bought me chocolates every Christmas for about 5 years before my mother let slip that she really enjoyed eating his Christmas presents to me!).

Must go now as I have to go and feed my very UN-picky horse. He even removed the cheese and onion sandwich from my hand and ate it while I was talking to someone outside his stable!

 

[Zhizara]

Thanks for the REAL definition of gourmand, Andy.

I have a different one.

Well, what is it?? I'd love to hear your definition.

 

[Andy M.]

...My definition of a gourmand is a gourmet that talks about food, past, present and future, while eating good food.

gour·mand
go͝orˈmänd/
noun
noun: gourmand; plural noun: gourmands

1. 1.
   a person who enjoys eating and often eats too much.
   synonyms:glutton, overeater, big eater, gobbler, gorger; Moreinformalpig, chowhound, greedy pig, guzzler...

Thanks for the REAL definition of gourmand, Andy.

I have a different one.

Cave, two very different definitions. If you use your definition with someone who knows the real definition, they will be insulted.

 

[cave76]

Andy and anyone else here: I'm sorry if my joke insulted anyone.

It was a joke, which I thought I'd made clear by putting a after my definition.

I wish I could say that I'd never make another joke---- but I'd be lying!

Conundrum: Now, did I mean that I was just joking about lying or what?

 

[bakechef]

When I married Steve I had already been cooking over 40 yrs for my late husband.

Steve said he didn't didn't like a multitude of dishes that were the core of my cooking. In truth he didn't like those dishes made by his late wife, but he loves mine. There ya go...the cook can make all the difference.

Same thing with Rob, I wonder what his mother and ex did to their food that made certain things so undesirable?

 

[GotGarlic]

Andy and anyone else here: I'm sorry if my joke insulted anyone.

It was a joke, which I thought I'd made clear by putting a after my definition.

I wish I could say that I'd never make another joke---- but I'd be lying!

Conundrum: Now, did I mean that I was just joking about lying or what?

I don't think anyone was offended. We'll get to know your sense of humor - no worries

 

[cave76]

Thank you GG.

As a wise man once said "It was a tongue in cheek comment".

 

[dragnlaw]

I "almost always" buy 'no name' or store brand goods. But there are exceptions. Green Stuffed Olives and Black Olives are an example. I don't know what the 'no name' brands do to them but they taste like salty cardboard.

Actually, some crackers too.... Christie's are good.

The list could go on - ad naseum -

 

[taxlady]

Stirling pointed out that there may be an evolutionary component to being a picky eater. It's good if the whole tribe doesn't try that new mushroom. The picky eaters might be the only ones who survive.

 

[Andy M.]

In the interest of saving money, I have tried store brands. Some are fine, others are awful. It's hit or miss. Their frozen vegetables are woody and tasteless, the OJ is good.

 

[taxlady]

In the interest of saving money, I have tried store brands. Some are fine, others are awful. It's hit or miss. Their frozen vegetables are woody and tasteless, the OJ is good.

That's kinda funny. Around here most store brand OJ is not nearly as nice as MinuteMaid and the store brand frozen vegis are usually fine.

 

[taxlady]

I just remembered the ice storm of 1998. We had no power for 8 days and no way to cook. The city was serving suppers and providing showers and maybe a place to sleep. We went for the showers and were going to stay for the supper. It was spaghetti with meat sauce. It smelled so unpleasant that we skipped it. We ate in restos the whole week. A friend called us bourgeois for not eating the free food.

 

[dragnlaw]

Goodness taxlady!

I was living in St Lazare during that storm. We were without power for more than 14 days. Luckily I had a propane stove, no oven thou, but two wood fireplaces. Luckily the temps were not horrid so we were quite comfortable. No hot water but at least hot food and warm place to sleep. And we did have water, the city was on a grid for the water. Kids moved out from the West Island for the duration. And Grandkids were kept busy cleaning the wax candle holders from the night before. (I didn't quite trust the little guys with refilling the oil lamps).

As the days went on I took my freezer goods and dumped them in the snow outside. We had a house full. Too bad we hadn't met then - would have found room for you and yours!

Even thou I now have a Generac generator (best investment EVER for country living)... I still keep a good supply of candles/oil on hand.

 

[dragnlaw]

Around here most store brand OJ is not nearly as nice as MinuteMaid

hee hee.... I find MinuteMaid far too sweet.

 

[taxlady]

hee hee.... I find MinuteMaid far too sweet.

Try the one with extra pulp and don't get the low acid one.

 

[Mad Cook]

I just remembered the ice storm of 1998. We had no power for 8 days and no way to cook. The city was serving suppers and providing showers and maybe a place to sleep. We went for the showers and were going to stay for the supper. It was spaghetti with meat sauce. It smelled so unpleasant that we skipped it. We ate in restos the whole week. A friend called us bourgeois for not eating the free food.

Some friend. I would have thought that if you didn't need to eat the free food then you did right not to do so. There would have been plenty of people who hadn't the choice because they couldn't afford restaurants.