Most Disliked Foods/Ingredients?

[TheVeganAtheist]

Everyone seems to have foods or ingredients they either don't care for, or are entirely repulsed by.

If you are a vegan, what vegan foods/ingredients do you dislike the most?
If you are a meat eater, what food/ingredients do you dislike the most?


For me, I can't stand:
- ginger (when its in chunks I can bite into)
- water chestnut
- watercress
- black licorice
- roasted chestnuts

[brimstoneSalad]

Provided a food product is healthy and ethical, I endeavor to be as un-picky as possible.

I see it as a personal failing and weakness to be unable to eat something I should otherwise have no problem with (from nutritional and ethical perspectives).

And as a vegan, I also see it as a moral failing- when we are picky about food that is otherwise vegan and healthy, and refuse to eat it on grounds of personal preference, it makes veganism seem more like a trivial matter of taste from an outside perspective, and makes us just look like picky eaters who are trying to mask that pickiness with pseudo-ethical sophistry.

Do we not eat meat because it's wrong, or do we not eat it because we just don't like it? How can we prove that if we're such picky eaters?

Too many vegans are picky eaters in top of being vegan, which makes the whole notion seem suspect, and makes it seem like they can't eat anything at all.

IMO, if you're going to not eat something, do it for a good reason- a real moral conviction, so people can understand that you are consistent on this point and that your veganism isn't just a matter of personal preference.

I have trouble with very fishy tasting seaweed, and that's something I'm working to overcome. And if presented with it, I'll put on my stoic hat and soldier through it. By no means can I not stand it, and I want to eat more of it until I love the stuff.

These are things that, with the right psychological outlook and mental preparation, are easy to do. And learning to enjoy new foods, from a personal perspective, is also a win.

Aside from points of moral conviction, there's pretty much nothing I really won't eat except those things that everybody won't eat. E.g. too much sand in my food, obviously rotten, very burnt, more salt than actual food, a spice level so high that it would make anybody scorch porcelain for a week...

[Volenta]

Whether you're picky or not, you just don't like all foods. Sure, you can learn to like some foods and this can be useful in social environments (where I'm less picky than most people, except for being vegan now ), but if you cook for yourself, why not make what you like?

I myself don't like cooked spinach, endive and Belgian endive/witloof, but have no trouble with eating it raw. I'm also not liking rhubarb. Can't think of anything else, although there are undoubtedly many things I haven't tried. I also have to say that after going vegan, I can't enjoy this fatty foods as much as I used to (like deep fried things). Also not a big fan of soft drinks.

I used to be more picky and didn't like sprouts, darker bread and I didn't eat much fruit either, but I got used to it and actually really like it now. It's part of growing up I guess.

[PrincessPeach]

Hydrogenated oils, particularly hydrogenated soy bean oils...

[brimstoneSalad]

Hydrogenated oils, particularly hydrogenated soy bean oils...

I'll see your hydrogenated oil, and raise you all trans-fats, regardless of source.

It's good to dislike dangerous, unhealthy, or unethical food.

Whether you're picky or not, you just don't like all foods.

Sure, but I don't think we should dislike any healthy and ethical foods. I could give you a very long list of foods I'm indifferent to.

But when I actually dislike a food which isn't unhealthy or unethical, I feel it's something of an obligation to challenge myself, and reach at least a point of indifference, if not appreciation for it.

I don't think we should celebrate disliking a food.

Sure, you can learn to like some foods and this can be useful in social environments (where I'm less picky than most people, except for being vegan now ), but if you cook for yourself, why not make what you like?

I think we can probably learn to like all foods - and disliking a food for no reason, I feel, gives carnists the opportunity to claim they dislike vegetables.

Naturally, I'll cook the foods I like. But I try to be indifferent at worst to the rest. And if I need to like something, I'll work on that and change my tastes- which is something carnists should understand is both possible and relatively easy.

I also have to say that after going vegan, I can't enjoy this fatty foods as much as I used to (like deep fried things). Also not a big fan of soft drinks.

Well, those are both fair, from a nutritional standpoint. I don't think we need to encourage ourselves to like unhealthy things.

But maybe you should work on the cooked greens a bit

I used to be more picky and didn't like sprouts, darker bread and I didn't eat much fruit either, but I got used to it and actually really like it now. It's part of growing up I guess.

That's great! Now rinse and repeat with spinach, etc.
You can grow to appreciate anything which significant numbers of other people can (maybe not a mouth full of sand, but anything within reason that many other human beings generally enjoy)- and I think we should, provided it's healthy.

[PrincessPeach]

I'll see your hydrogenated oil, and raise you all trans-fats, regardless of source.

It's good to dislike dangerous, unhealthy, or unethical food.

I love foods high in polyunsaturated fats, SEEDS and nuts are a big part of my diet... Flax, hemp, sesame, poppy, & pumpkin seeds are so easy to add any meal. For example I just ate a peanut butter & celery stick with sesame seeds sprinkled on top of it. Extra calcium and protein! Adding seeds to your nut butter sandwiches is also a really good idea!

I agree with you completely on this subject the only foods we should be complaining about are animal products and dangerous ingredients. I eat vegan food to stay healthy and be alive regardless of how it tastes....
I don't even complain when I make a meal that tastes less than great, I eat it and take comfort in how nutritious it is for my family and I..

On the seaweed subject, I bought a pack sesame roasted seaweed sheets a week ago & have not tried it yet I will admit I am a little scared to try it, mind giving me a few suggestion on how to eat it because; I am clueless.

Ohh and DYES!!
I hate artificial RED BLUE YELLOW & all other dyes..

[brimstoneSalad]

On the seaweed subject, I bought a pack sesame roasted seaweed sheets a week ago & have not tried it yet I will admit I am a little scared to try it, mind giving me a few suggestion on how to eat it because; I am clueless.

Oh, that kind of seaweed (the Nori sheets, right?) isn't actually very fishy. It's a decent snack
But if you find it a bit strong, you could cut it up and eat it with some extra nuts or something like a trail mix.

If it's flexible enough, you could make sushi. Although if it's toasted, it might be too crispy. Not sure of the brand you got.

Ohh and DYES!!
I hate artificial RED BLUE YELLOW & all other dyes..

Oh, yeah. Such pointless ingredients, with still unanswered questions regarding health effects.
There are plenty of decent vegetable derived colors, they're just not as bright- why do we need food to be neon-bright?

Here's a great site:
http://chemicalcuisine.org ( http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm )

[thebestofenergy]

I have trouble with very fishy tasting seaweed, and that's something I'm working to overcome. And if presented with it, I'll put on my stoic hat and soldier through it. By no means can I not stand it, and I want to eat more of it until I love the stuff.

I actually like seaweed. I know it tastes fishy, but I don't associate it with fish when I eat it.
I usually eat Nori. I just toast it a bit, not excessively. You can also make some great sushi with vegetables instead of fish.

The only thing I really can't stand eating is broccoli. And that's really the only thing.
I eat them raw, but when I try to eat them cooked I almost puke. Probably some bad memories associated with them when I was younger.

[PrincessPeach]

The brand is ' gimMe organic '
Roasted seaweed full sheets.. Seven comes in a pack I wanted to make sushi, I saw that idea on the back of another seaweed package, did I get the correct seaweed to make sushi ? I've never had sushi before and I am excited to try vegan sushi if I got the right kind of seaweed to make it...!

[brimstoneSalad]

I actually like seaweed. I know it tastes fishy, but I don't associate it with fish when I eat it.
I usually eat Nori. I just toast it a bit, not excessively. You can also make some great sushi with vegetables instead of fish.

I like Nori
I'm just still working on the stronger fishy tasting varieties. I'll get there!

Which reminds me, I need to go buy some, since I haven't eaten it in a while.

I'll try toasting it -- that's a good idea.

The only thing I really can't stand eating is broccoli. And that's really the only thing.
I eat them raw, but when I try to eat them cooked I almost puke. Probably some bad memories associated with them when I was younger.

But it's really good for you, and less gassy when it's cooked.

How is it cooked that you have the bad associations?
Can you try cooking it another way?
Like toasting it a little instead of boiling/steaming?

Maybe you can try just cooking it a tiny bit. Then a tiny bit more. Etc. until you can eat it cooked.

Best to overcome these strange issues, phobias, etc. I think it makes us stronger people.