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We recognize five basic tastes: sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and savory. But we also identify an enormous range of flavors, as every variety of every ingredient has its own distinct characteristics.

We do this with our taste buds that are housed in the small pink bumps on the tip of our tongue. So while we might have an idea of whether or not we will like a certain food, we simply cannot be sure until we put it in our mouth.

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#1

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Green beans. Turns out fresh ones are a completely different taste from the canned ones.

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#2

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Cheesecake!! Cheese in cake form didn't sound appealing. I was 34 when my eyes were opened!!

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#3

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Scalloped potatoes. I had been made to eat the instant box kind as a kid, and the texture and taste made me gag.

Turns out that I love homemade scalloped potatoes.

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cerinamroth
cerinamroth
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also can't go wrong with butter, cream, garlic and potatoes!

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#4

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) I thought roasted potatoes must be horrible until I was in middle school. I ate over a friend's house and knew that, as a guest, it was impolite to decline any of the dishes, so I took a few red potatoes. And so the love affair with potatoes began! .

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#5

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Meat loaf. We had it as a kid and it made me gag. My wife then made it and I thought this is fantastic! Years later my mother made it for us again. I gagged. Sorry Mom.

FunnyStuff575 , Sanju M Gurung / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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Giovanni
Giovanni
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was around 27 when i found out that a lot of foods that "i didn't like" where actually pretty good when cooked properly.

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#6

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) My grandfather would never eat pizza because he didn’t like how it looked. In his late 80s we took him to dinner with us for my brother’s birthday for..pizza. So he ended up trying it. After that he loved it and said he wished he’d tried it years ago!

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UncleJohn3000
UncleJohn3000
Community Member
6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It took four of us to get the old military hard shoes off of "The Colonel" and into a set of New Balances. Picture skinny colonel bird legs waving in the air. Then the minute his feet touched the ground in the new shoes, he stepped about a bit, said "Hey, these are really nice!" and shuffled off to Buffalo out of the room.

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#7

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Indian food. A whole cuisine.

Edit to clarify: The smell put me off for years. Not because it was bad just because it was pungent I think. I adore Indian food now, nothing compares. Greek is a strong second.

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StumblingThroughLife
StumblingThroughLife
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm a Brit, and can't imagine not having full access to Indian food here. Bliss on a plate, yum.

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#8

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Pineapple on pizza. I was once one of you but I have seen the light. The trick is you have to have jalapeños on it too. You want that contrasting heat and sweet. I don’t do the traditional Hawaiian thing. Pepperoni, pineapple and japs is where it’s at.

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Passerby
Passerby
Community Member
6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I simply don't like pineapples, so I hate everything made from them. I don't mind if you like it. It's none of my business anyway.

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#9

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Green Eggs & Ham

Luckily, thanks to one almost-unbearably persistent little fellow, I eventually tried it and found that I do, I do like Green Eggs & Ham.

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#10

Salt and vinegar potato chips.

My sister had really bad ingrown toenails when we were kids and she soaked her feet in white vinegar every night. I couldn’t imagine why someone would want to put something that smelled like that on a potato chip. I found it revolting.

Then one day, I tried a vinegar chip accidentally and it changed my whole life. The sour flavor is actually amazing!

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Auntriarch
Auntriarch
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now try them in a sandwich, soft white bread, plenty of butter....

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#11

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Kimchi, turns out it’s delicious!

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#12

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Egg rolls. I didn’t like eggs.

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Tracey
Tracey
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The egg roll is a variety of deep-fried appetizer served in American Chinese restaurants. It is a cylindrical, savory roll with shredded cabbage, chopped meat, or other fillings inside a thickly-wrapped wheat flour skin, which is fried in hot oil. Egg rolls do not typically contain egg in the filling. In addition to the disputed origin of the dish, it is unclear how the word "egg" appeared in the name, since the predominant flavor in American egg rolls is cabbage, not eggs.

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#13

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Sushi, until i actually had it 10 years ago. its so legit. not an acquired taste at all. hits like a good steak , or lasagna or something. easy to enjoy.

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Justin Tyme
Justin Tyme
Community Member
6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I lived in Japan for several years. I gave sushi a fair chance but didn't like it.

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#14

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Pho. I didn’t know there was a version without tripe. The first time I had it a friend ordered for me and did ask beforehand if there was anything I don’t eat. I said no, not expecting tripe. I don’t like tripe. Hesitantly went again 10+ years later and got it with sirloin strips. Delicious.

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#15

Tzatziki!

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columbokateUK
columbokateUK
Community Member
6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How can anyone not like tzatziki! Im happy you changed your mind. Proper Greek recipe though. So good to dip freshly baked bread into 🤤

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#16

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) I grew up Muslim so bacon and whisky.

JayIsNotReal , Michelle @Shelly Captures It / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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cerinamroth
cerinamroth
Community Member
6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Glad I'm Jewish for the whisky but I'm more than happy to pass on the bacon, too :)

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#17

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Saurkraut and cabbage.
Then I ate at a German restaurant and the saurkraut was good and they had something called rokult(pickled cabbage) that is really good.

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cerinamroth
cerinamroth
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Rohkost? Krautsalat? I'm not sure what the "rokult" is here. I love Krautsalat though - so cheap and easy to make. It's just thinly shredded white cabbage and white onion, salted and left for 30 mins before adding vinegar, sugar, oil and caraway seeds. I can eat kilos of it!

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#18

Guacamole.

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Kira Okah
Kira Okah
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Any advice on preparing it? Every variation that I have tried - premade and homemade - tastes the way that wet grass smells. What am I doing wrong?

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#19

Grits. I’ve lived in the south for most of my life and only recently cooked them myself- turns out I just dislike how they’ve been served to me.

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#20

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Rhubarb Pie.

phukerstoned , Rasmus Gundorff Sæderup / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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StumblingThroughLife
StumblingThroughLife
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6 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But even better with crumble (and hot custard), yum. As kids (60s/70s), we'd find this growing (looooong stalks) in bomb pecks (Brummie (UK) slang: areas that had buildings demolished/post-Birmingham Blitz), so we had a lot of rhubarb crumble. Then we moved, and we had apple trees and blackberry bushes in our new garden, so mum made a LOT of Blackberry & apple Jam. Can't stand it now, lol. Same with Mint Sauce, as she made that too. But I've never gone off Rhubarb Crumble & Custard. 😊 (sorry for the ramble)

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#21

COTTAGE CHEESE.

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Miryaa
Miryaa
Community Member
6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes!!!! My mom and sister hated it. Still do. My grandma convinced me to try it once. I fell in love.

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#22

Asparagus.

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geezeronthehill
geezeronthehill
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fresh harvested is not in the same universe as canned. It's beyond my comprehension why anyone would bother to can it.

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#23

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Cooked carrots, add some butter and salt, god damn!

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cerinamroth
cerinamroth
Community Member
6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is one I can't abide personally. Raw, yes. Cooked, bleugh! Whenever anyone gets the tzimmes out, I have to pass.

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#24

Chick peas.

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geezeronthehill
geezeronthehill
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Garbanzos, hummus, falafel. There is a whole cuisine based on chickpeas around the eastern Mediterranean.

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#25

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Eel.

I was with a friend eating from a big platter of sushi and telling him how I would never eat eel, because it just sounded gross and creepy. “Not like this - this is good. What is this?”

”Eel.”.

StarBabyDreamChild , Jojo Yuen (sharemyfoodd) / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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#26

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Spam!! I love it. I always thought it looked nasty. Then I grew up.

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Jeff Hunt
Jeff Hunt
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’ll have the spam,spam, potatoes, spam, eggs, and spam.

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#27

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Sushi, guacamole, hummus.

Gghaxx , Christina Rumpf / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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cerinamroth
cerinamroth
Community Member
6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love, love, love! In terms of green things I don't like: kale.

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#28

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Capers. I don’t like green olives and for some reason I assumed they tasted like green olives since someone told me that once.

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cerinamroth
cerinamroth
Community Member
6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

ADORE them! Lentils with lemon zest, olive oil, parsley, loads of capers and beetroot is a staple in our house. The kids love it too. In fact, we had it last night!

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#29

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) California rolls .

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#30

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Ceviche.

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#31

Brussels sprouts, nowadays I cant get enough litterly, living in South America, there hard to come by, when they been available it was just a couple pounds.

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Ace
Ace
Community Member
6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sprouts were modified within my lifetime such that the ones you buy today have much less of the bitterness that used to be so much a part of their flavour profile. Still only eat them as part of christmas dinner though.

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#32

Radishes, they are peppery and earthy and amazing.

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#33

Pecan pie. It just always looked nasty to me.

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#34

Split-pea soup.

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StumblingThroughLife
StumblingThroughLife
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pea soup is delicious, but nowadays, it seems all premade/fresh bought pea soup includes mint in the UK. ugh.

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#35

Tres leches. I hate soggy breads/cakes, so the thought of it grossed me out. But OMG, when you have someone who makes tres leches really well, it is delightful.

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#36

Sauerkraut.

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ElfVibratorGlitter
ElfVibratorGlitter
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I dare you to try a peanut butter and sauerkraut sandwich. I think it's really good.

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#37

Calamari.

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Me Oh My (He/They)
Me Oh My (He/They)
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Calamari! The fresh stuff is SO GOOD. Not rubbery at all, and also not even remotely fishy.

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#38

Sushi. So freakin good! Can’t believe I lived half my life without eating it. Sad.

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#39

“What’s A Food You Went Your Whole Life Thinking It Was Nasty Until You Tried It?” (30 Answers) Ranch. Mostly because when I was in a kid, I was in a busload of 15-16 kids in a van. Said van had NO air conditioning, and we were in a 4 hour road trip in the hottest month of the summer. Two girls were in a seat in front of me fighting over a ranch packet which split, and all of its contents plastered all over my head and torso. Luckily we only had to go another 3 hours before I was able to change….

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Ace
Ace
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Ranch packet"? They were fighting over a sachet of salad dressing?

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#40

Tongue. My son convinced me to try thinly sliced tongue at a Korean bbq and it was pretty good.

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