[dinnie]

Hi

Most of us have very unique taste preferences. A lot of us choose to stay away from foods that don't match our palate's criteria. However, we miss out on a lot of nutrients this way. But did you know it is possible to train your taste? We can learn to like foods that we want to eat. ( But, I only have surface idea of that so I won't go into details.)

Perhaps, you have already known this and tried out various tactics to get over our dislike towards particular foods. Well, I would love to know what you did. I am struggling to conquer my dislike for guards. I know its good for health (but awful to taste) and I want to incorporate it into my diet. Hmm, any suggestions?

 

[GhostUser]

I read somewhere that it takes eating something 10 times to "acquire a taste for it" (assuming that you don't like how it tastes). I'm not sure if that's true.

I used to really dislike certain vegetables, but after eating them frequently, I grew to like them.

 

[codemonkey]

I guess it's just a matter of try, try and try again. Try different recipes and cooking methods and stuff.

I made a deal with my daughter that if she could learn to like beans, I would learn to like sweet potatoes and pumpkin. She's been eating beans pretty happily lately so now I guess I have to suck it up and start trying sweet potatoes and pumpkin. *sigh*

 

[tiggybrown]

Great question. I wondered the same thing. I recently went Vegan and before all I ate was cheesy creamy type foods. I am training myself to love veggies as much as I used to love mac and cheese and cheese croissants. I think it is all what you are used to. The more you eat something the more you will like it.

 

[jeezycreezy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinnie

conquer my dislike for guards

What are guards?

What about if you have something you don't like in a small amount prepared in a dish full of things you do like and just increasing the amount every time you eat this dish?

Or else drink it with beer. Beer makes everything better in my world.

I don't know.

I don't even know why I am posting in here. About the only thing I don't like is some fake meat stuff. Especially hot dog and sausage substitutes. I'd have more luck acquiring a taste for garden hose. I guess I'm lucky. I can't think of a single vegan food I don't like. Really, I've known dogs who were more discriminating.

Cheers for

s!

TJ

 

[dinnie]

Oops, it should have been "gourds". Sorry.

 

[codemonkey]

It's okay, no one likes guards. They get all in your face when you try to break out of prison.

 

[kpickell]

That's a good question.

The two things that work best for me (although i'm still a very picky eater) is to add a new ingredient to something I already like, or to smoother it in a strong sauce.

So, for example...

Olives I started adding to my subs and pizzas, and quickly grew to love them!

Brocolli I started cutting up real small and adding to my pasta sauces, and found I didn't mind it so much any more.

 

[VeggieMath]

I don't really use tactics, but kinda

I mix things I don't like with things I really like and usually that helps. If I like the dish, then I up the stuff I don't like and lower the stuff I do until I can eat any of them. I wouldn't do that with any animal items though. I did do that Kale whose texture I didn't like to begin with. Now I add it to salads and it's good for me... (that's a good thing to say over and over again in your head)

 

[Quincy]

well, for me, I've done a lot of it with vegetables.

I admit that I'm still not a huge fan of most vegetables, but I used to dislike just about all of them.

I've started eating salad more and leafy vegetables when I can. maybe I don't love them, but now I can tolerate and actually enjoy eating salad sometimes!

there's just a couple of foods that I can't get myself to like whatsoever...

raw tomatoes and broccoli. lol

 

[dinnie]

Try again, try again. Hmm, I am kinda laughing at that. Eating gourds over and over again.

*scream*

 

[dinnie]

And I was just wondering if there is a psychological side to the thing.

Can auto-suggestion and affirmation kind of stuff help with this?

 

[compassionate1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeezycreezy

I'd have more luck acquiring a taste for garden hose.

Garden hose is quite tasty with a little bit of nutritional yeast sprinkled on.

It can be a little rubbery if undercooked tho.

 

[codemonkey]

Everything tastes better with nutritional yeast sprinkled on it

 

[Tesseract]

I have adopted an open-door policy for all plant-based foods since becoming a vegetarian, and I've successfully learned to like many things, including onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms (although I still can't stomach biting into a huge hunk of one). Some I'm still working on, like fennel and eggplant. And others are still going to be a while before I'm even prepared to tackle them, like okra, natto, and huitlacoche. (Maybe I'll get lucky and never in my life be called upon to eat either of the last two.) I think the keys are try, try again, cut it into smaller bits and mix it with things you like, and try cooking it different ways. I've also had some success trying it at restaurants. I had the most gorgeous eggplant and roasted pepper strata at a restaurant a couple months ago-- I could have eaten a whole pan of it. And Panera's mushroom bisque was so good it got me convinced mushrooms aren't so bad after all.

 

[GhostUser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinnie

Try again, try again. Hmm, I am kinda laughing at that. Eating gourds over and over again.

*scream*

 

[tiggybrown]

I wish I like broccoli, but I hate it!!!! I have been trying to train myself to eat it with a smile but it is so rough. It has so many health benefits I will never avoid it but it is taking awhile to acquire a taste for it!!! When I figure out the secret to enjoying it I will let you all know.

 

[spectrum42]

First, I try using different cooking methods and varying spices. There are things that I disliked when they were boiled or steamed, but don't mind if they are grilled or roasted. If that doesn't work, I add more spice or smother it in sauces. If you use a hot enough salsa, you can mask the taste of most anything. LOL.

If I still hate the food, I puree it or mince it and add it to a pasta sauce. Currently, my pasta sauces have teeny tiny pieces of minced mushrooms in them.

 

[dopedanny]

i just make myself eat things i dont like (sometimes bribery/blackmail is needed before the attempt) - after a few tries i start getting used to it, then a few more and i usually quite like whatever it is. so far its worked with tofu, olives, black coffee, brocolli, and lots of other weird and wonderful things.

this method has failed miserably to stop me gagging at brussle sprouts tho

 

[Tesseract]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tiggybrown

I wish I like broccoli, but I hate it!!!! I have been trying to train myself to eat it with a smile but it is so rough. It has so many health benefits I will never avoid it but it is taking awhile to acquire a taste for it!!! When I figure out the secret to enjoying it I will let you all know.

I'm convinced the secret to great broccoli is stir-frying it. You can add any of the following: soy sauce, sesame oil and/or seeds, sake or mirin, a minced Thai pepper, ginger, fresh Thai basil, teriyaki sauce, hoisin sauce. It's best when you add a little liquid and thicken it with cornstarch to make a great, clingy, yummy sauce.

But then I've always liked broccoli.

That just happens to be my favorite way to eat it. It's so much better than just about any other way.