Ever noticed how some foods just don't win the hearts of kids but have adults swooning? It's like a culinary rite of passage. As we grow, our taste buds evolve, embracing flavors we once shunned. Here's a look at 10 surprising foods that make kids scrunch their noses but adults can't get enough of.
AUTHOR: Daisy Frisch
Table of Contents
- 1. Spam
- 2. Brussels Sprouts
- 3. Parsnips
- 4. Lima Beans
- 5. Lentils
- 6. Onions
- 7. Beets
- 8. Green Olives
- 9. Cheese
- 10. Asparagus
- 12 Items That Were Once The Best But Aren't Anymore
- 12 Best American Foods According To Foreigners
- 12 Millennial Trends That Leave Baby Boomers Speechless
- 12 American Foods That Gross Out The Rest Of The World
1. Spam
The top user who mentioned this said their mom declared spam "disgusting." They added that their mother thinks anything not swimming in a sauce or butter or anything that has vegetables is gross. They concluded their childhood distaste for spam: "The more I'm thinking about it, the more I'm just realizing my mom has bad taste and isn't a fantastic cook."
2. Brussels Sprouts
The sight and smell of Brussels sprouts cooking made me feel sick as a kid before I even ate them. Growing up, if I'd had a dog, he would've had more than his fill as I "accidentally" dropped them. As adults, it seems like many of us realized that the method they were being prepared (boiled or steamed) was the problem.
3. Parsnips
Parsnips don't have much flavor on their own, which is likely why many kids found them bland or unsavory. However, roast them with plenty of spices or add them to a soup or stew, and you might enjoy them more than potatoes, as one user said they do.
4. Lima Beans
You might want to give them another shot if you hated lima beans as a kid. One food lover mentioned that they always hated them as a kid, only to accidentally eat one in a mix of vegetables and realize how tasty they are.
5. Lentils
Depending on how sensitive you were/are to the texture of the food you eat, it makes sense that people hated lentils as kids. Even if they're adequately prepared, lentils have a texture that can be unsettling to some. One of the best ways to prepare them is in a soup or stew so they can expand and soak up whatever spices you choose.
6. Onions
Onions were one of the top-hated items in users' childhoods. Some didn't care for them, while others stated that they felt they didn't get enough exposure to them or weren't cooked properly. One user even said they eat them daily despite their allergy.
7. Beets
If you've only had canned beets or "weird salads at the cafeteria," like one user mentioned having as a kid, it's no surprise you wouldn't enjoy them. It seems like most people who don't like beets have not had them prepared properly. (Hint: Slice them up and bake them, or look up a recipe for beet carpaccio.)
8. Green Olives
Multiple people mentioned green olives, but other salty, intensely flavored, and vinegary foods made the list alongside olives. One person said they loved black olives but found the green ones gross. As a kid, I was not too fond of green olives either, and I'm still not.
9. Cheese
A few people listed specific types of cheese they hated that weren't surprising to see on the list, like bleu cheese or Brie. However, I wasn't expecting to see how many people said they hated cheese in general or unoffensive types of cheese like Kraft singles or cream cheese.
10. Asparagus
I'm also in the camp of "I hated asparagus as a kid and love to eat it now," so I was not entirely surprised to see how many users mentioned it. Several people pointed out that they only like asparagus now because they know how to prepare it properly. (Hint: Try baking or sautéing rather than boiling or steaming.)
Source: Reddit.
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