All the foods I hate

There is nothing quite as disgusting as blue cheese. And you know how I know that? I’ve tried it. Actually, I try it every time I have the chance. Every time I hate it just as much as that first CFA salad that had a distinct “feet” flavor. But if there’s one thing on which you can rely, it’s that I’m up-to-date on the foods I find to be repulsive. 

The natural response might be to avoid the foods you hate at all costs, to never cross paths with a kalamata olive ever again. But, you and I both know that things change. Taste buds are no different. So, while there are a few foods I abhor (matcha, calamari, and more) you better believe I never miss a chance to prove myself right (with a willingness to be proven wrong). 

I treasure the foods I hate because they each represent an area of my preferences that might change over time. I could use the story of how I’ve grown to like olives (some, at least) over the past five years, officially graduating them off my list of least favorite foods, but it’s not really about the food. It’s about facing the things that make us uncomfortable and checking our biases at the door. And sure, when I tried a bite of calamari last weekend, I gagged. It only solidified my dislike–but now, I can stand on that preference with confidence. 

What if today is the day when matcha stops tasting like grass? What if artificial grape flavoring suddenly makes my soul sing? Believing that things can change, even something as silly as the foods I dislike, gives me hope that there is more love and enjoyment to be found in life. 

So next time you refuse to try a new food just because you think you won’t like it, maybe toughen up and try it. I doubt it’ll kill you.