Monday, October 27, 2008

Mikey Likes It!!

I briefly wrote in a previous post about hating being called a "picky eater." My reason for this is because of picky eaters. I don't understand them. I do understand being a vegetarian or a vegan or having religious prohibitions or allergies, but I don't understand turning your nose up against a wide variety of things. My dad always preached to try something first before saying you don't like it. While this sometimes takes courage, it can frequently prove rewarding. Some of the best foods I have tasted were items I felt hesitant to try.
I believe there are various categories (for lack of a better word) of picky eaters. There is my personal favorite, the "no seafood" people. Really? You don't want to eat something from the ocean? I frequently wonder if these people have ever tried seafood or have tried something better than tuna in a can. Seafood produces many different flavors. To simply exclude seafood, misses out on great things like sushi, fried shrimp, sauteed scallops, mussels, grilled salmon or trout, raw oysters, or lobster. If you would you try a few things, ah forget it.
How about the "super cheap eaters?" Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with saving money except when you never spend a little extra for the better product. Some cuts of beef cost more, and believe me, they are worth it. Fresh produce might cost more than some of the awful produce
WalMart tries to peddle, and it's worth it. Using fresh herbs versus dried, powdery herbs will produce a better quality taste. Many quality ingredients cost more and sometimes it's worth the splurge. Don't look down your noses at people who spend more money on food.
The "fast foodies" are another good one. Del Taco is all they need. "Chili's makes the best fajitas ever!" "I think the pasta at Olive Garden is Amazing!" They think homemade pasta is a joke. Making your own fajitas, why? Fast foodies and super
cheaps will turn the tables on you. They will make you seem picky because Chili's doesn't do it for you or because you found a better restaurant than Olive Garden.
My last category is the "traditionalists." Apparently they decided what foods they would eat at age nine and haven't changed since. Nothing new has hit their mouth since that time. "Sushi? Sounds weird." "Gross, spinach." "
Guacamole looks like baby puke." "Pepperoni only on my pizza, thank you." These people cannot branch out because it scares them too much. Generally, if it doesn't look good or sound good, they're gone. They'll probably look for hamburgers on the menu at a French restaurant or ask for a cheese quesadilla at a Mexican restaurant.
I'd love to hear anyone's suggestions for additional categories. I'm sure there are more out there. If you're a picky eater and I've offended you, I'm not sorry. Become adventurous. Try something new this week. Guess what? You just might like it.

2 comments:

Todd said...

How about the "Eat to Live" group. They put no thought into their meal, they just cook it as quickly and as simply as they can so that they can eat and move on to the next task. Take a moment to think about what you are going to cook. How can you make it taste better and most importantly how can you wow those around you to say "this is you've got to be kidding me good!"

JAKE said...

Haha, I love that group too. You ask them what they're eating, and they usually don't know. Caution, these people do not understand the purpose of salt and/or pepper.