Why do people not like certain foods?

[Tinker Gnome]

Hehe, I know this is weird, but why do some people not like certain foods just on the basis of what it is? Such as not liking octopus just because it is octopus, even if they have never tasted it. I will even eat bugs provided they do not pose a hazard to my health(never had any, but I would try some), this goes for anything really though for me.

 

[Relique du Madde]

It's probably a psychological conditioning thing, like Cthulhu not wanting many people to eat his Star Spawn babies.

 

[megamania]

I'm no expert but I would think its a mixture of reasons-

1) psychology

2) ethicisity

3) open-mindedness

4) allergy fears

5) morality (veggie people)

6) past bad / good experiences with said food / food types

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Hehe, I know this is weird, but why do some people not like certain foods just on the basis of what it is? Such as not liking octopus just because it is octopus, even if they have never tasted it. I will even eat bugs provided they do not pose a hazard to my health(never had any, but I would try some), this goes for anything really though for me.

I'll eat anythiung once. If I don't like the flavor, I won't eat it again. There aren't many foods I don't like.

For example, unless its fresh from the Deli, I really don't like coleslaw.

 

[Blackrat]

I am willing to try one bite. What's more important to me than taste is the texture. If it doesn't feel "right" between my teeth then I won't eat it.

But I guess to your question the guys have already answered. It's a psychology thing mostly. It seems nasty so it must be nasty.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Smell also plays into it. I refuse to eat papaya because of how it smells when sliced.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Also.. morality isn't only a vegan thing because I won't eat any animal I had as a pet (unless if it was a bird, since I'm fine with eating poultry).

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Squeamishness can figure into it. Sometimes, the full realization of what you're eating can be a barrier.

I'm pretty good at trying things out, but I balked at trying some roasted Columbian Big-Butt Ants (hormiga culona). It was in a restaurant I frequent, and I know the family, including the chef...but I couldn't get past the look of the big critters. My dad tried one...said it tasted like a peanut.

Atta laevigata - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Colombia's Big-Butt Ants Entice Gourmets

Similarly, I once passed on eating Giant Octopus that was served up to me suckers up- it simply wasn't appetizing. Unlike ants, however, I currently eat Octopus quite happily. I did recently find a dish of baby squid a bit off-putting though...I did eat most of them, but couldn't finish.

There are health issues (parisitism, allergies & sensitivity to certain ingredients, diseases like diabetes), religious issues (Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Catholicism all have dietary restrictions), and the like.

I know that texture has a great deal to do with it for some. I have seven friends who refuse to eat many mushy foods- most notably bannannas and ice cream.

Smell is a powerful component in the enjoyment of food, and if you're repelled by a smell, you probably won't enjoy the food. For instance, the smell of the Asian fruit, durian, is quite revolting to many Westerners, and many hotels in tourist resorts restrict or ban the fruit from their premises.

At least one person I know won't eat meats unless they have been thoroughly cooked...I mean nearly dried to being jerky. She grew up on a farm, and often had to deal with slaughtering livestock, so she knew all about the mess that entailed.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Also.. morality isn't only a vegan thing because I won't eat any animal I had as a pet (unless if it was a bird, since I'm fine with eating poultry).

I ate a quail once. I've also eaten cactus.

 

[Blackrat]

I know that texture has a great deal to do with it for some. I have seven friends who refuse to eat many mushy foods- most notably bannannas and ice cream.

Interestingly weird. For me it's the chewyness. If food is too chewy then I get a gagging reflex and that pretty much finishes my meal right there. For that reason I tend to avoid most meats because it's too common for them to be done "badly".