Do you want to start eating and liking a food you've always hated? Or would you like to impress a suitor, family member, or business partner over dinner but cannot tolerate the food that will be served? Keep reading this article to be able to eat anything and not offend other people and, who knows, even learn to like this food!
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Disguising the Taste
Step 1. Cut the food into very small pieces
That way you'll be able to swallow it without having to chew as much, and it will blend better with the other items on the plate - swallowing whole pieces is also an option, but be very careful not to do this with pieces that are too hard or too big, or you may choke.
Step 2. Eat along with something you like
Mix food with tasty things - those who don't like asparagus, for example, can hide a piece of the vegetable in a generous forkful of mashed potatoes. Another option is to simply pop some tasty food into your mouth before taking a bite of the bad food, creating a barrier to your taste buds.
Step 3. Drink something before and after swallowing
Have a glass of water, soda, juice, or any other beverage before taking a bite of the dreaded food and then take another sip as soon as you put the food in your mouth - in addition to removing the bad taste, this will help you to swallow more easily.
Step 4. Disguise the food with sauces and spices
Add salt, pepper, butter, lemon juice, ketchup, mustard, or any other flavoring available. Be careful, however, not to let it be known that you are over-spicing, and don't ask for something that is no longer available or has nothing to do with the dish in question - this could offend the cook or others. the table.
Step 5. Control your sense of smell
Breathe through your nose before taking a bite and try to hold your breath while chewing and swallowing - this will soften the taste a bit.
Step 6. Eat just enough to be polite
Don't feel obligated to eat a whole plate if you're at a dinner party or other social event - instead, just eat enough to show that you enjoyed the meal, but that you're already satisfied and can't finish. Leave other food leftovers on your plate too, that way you won't give the impression that you've overlooked a single thing.
Method 2 of 2: Learning to Like Food
Step 1. Add it to other dishes
Look for recipes online that use this food - you might be surprised to find that a dish that looks delicious contains such an ingredient. It could be a dessert recipe that uses some vegetable, or a soup or stew that combines this food with several other ingredients, disguising the flavor.
- If you don't like a certain fruit or vegetable, try a recipe that uses such an ingredient, such as carrot cake, zucchini bread or avocado milkshake.
- You will hardly get used to the taste of this food if it's overlaid with other ingredients, but it will help you to accept the idea that such food can be part of tasty dishes.
Step 2. Add spices or other flavors
Try preparing or eating food using new sauces or seasonings, but don't overdo it to the point of completely obscuring the flavor. Use cookbooks or cooking websites if you want ideas for spices that go with the food - restaurants in different countries are a great way to try variations in preparations and flavors for the same ingredient.
Step 3. Talk to others
Talk to your friends, family, or even your dinner host about the food in question, and ask them how they like to prepare it - try new ways of preparing it until you find the tastiest one.
Step 4. Prepare the food yourself
Experiment or use recipes taken from cookbooks and websites, or suggested by friends and family, to prepare dishes with this ingredient. Notice how the taste of food changes with different types of preparation, such as grilled, steamed, boiled or fried; and experiment with any sauces and seasonings in your kitchen, or buy the spices suggested by the recipe.
Step 5. Try other varieties
If this food has different types, give each one a chance to find out which is best - try fresh and canned versions, or try buying a fruit or vegetable directly from the producer rather than the supermarket.
Step 6. Become an expert
Use books or the internet to learn all about this food - you'll appreciate the ingredient more if you understand its nuances and the ways it differs from other foods.
Step 7. Eat in the company of loved ones
Regardless of how you decide to prepare or eat such an ingredient, try to do it in happy situations, when you are surrounded by pleasant company - that way, your emotional response to food will be more positive.
Step 8. Eat as much as possible
Even if you don't find any way to make food taste better, keep eating it whenever possible, even if you need to completely disguise it with other ingredients - then you can condition your mind to like this food.
Tips
- Very strong spices, such as pepper sauce, and heavy drinks, such as milk, mask the flavor of food well.
- These suggestions may also help you to drink any unpleasant-tasting drinks.
- Talk about the food with someone who likes it to increase your interest in the subject.
- Use salad dressing if you don't like vegetables very much.
- Try new things - some foods may have strange smells or unpleasant appearances, but these factors are not always related to taste.
Notices
- Take small bites at first, particularly if you're not sure what to expect from the seasoning or texture - no one wants to take a giant bite out of something too spicy or hard to chew.
- Control your own reactions and avoid scowling or spitting food on your napkin - don't be rude to the person who prepared the food or to the person sharing the table with you.