An interesting conversation came up on our Facebook page the other day about foods kids like to eat. We asked parents what their minions like to eat because we’re planning some kiddie menus for an upcoming project.

We’re kid-less, well at least with the two legged kind. We do have two of those four-legged kids but they eat just about anything, even the bark off our trees. So you see, we can use some help.


Thank goodness for you Parents. What would we do without your input? You can see some of the great insight here.

We grew up eating what ever our parents out on the table. If we didn’t eat, then we starved. There wasn’t such a thing as a “Kids Menu” for us when were growing up. We always believe that when we had kids of our own one day, they’ll eat whatever we eat as well.  Starting them when they’re young to become familiar and open minded to different flavors and textures is the goal. But we know there will be foods that they’d frown on and ultimately ask for a chicken fingers or mac and cheese. We’re totally cool with that because we love our share of chicken fingers and mac and cheese too.

While that my be our philosophy, we certainly don’t expect guest kids to eat the same. They grow up in different environments, different comforts so expecting these kids to eat our stuffed squid, whole fried fish and garlicky fish sauce is totally unrealistic. So we always have a back up menu because that’s the premise to a great dinner party– to have the everyone happy, including the kids.

But we also understand that kids aren’t the only picky eaters. Adults and grown-ups also have our list of things that we’d prefer not to eat.

It’s perfectly ok to have foods we don’t eat. For what ever reason, there are always some foods that don’t resonate with our taste buds or diets.

Food brings us joy, comfort and satisfaction. And most importantly, pleasure.

Don’t get us wrong. We’re pretty open to eating “almost” anything someone feeds us and are always grateful for good home cooked food. But if certain dishes don’t bring us pleasure or joy to eat, we just stay away. Or politely pass it up.

We don’t eat foods for competition, for shock value nor to prove a point. We eat foods that make us happy.

So we’re wanting all of us adults here to lay it all on the table and admit that we can’t scorn little kids for being picky. Adults also have things we don’t like to eat too.

“What foods would you rather not to eat?”

Here’s our list:

Diane: I won’t eat exotic zoo animals, nor most pets. Though if you had a cute pet pig, I’d probably play fetch with it then stay away from bacon for a few weeks.

And I was a vegetarian for almost 20 years and started eating simple meats again since 2008. So any game meat, exotic meat or even lamb and veal will be last on my list.  Lastly, I just don’t like to eat chicken feet. Dad loves it but growing up, I hated it. Gives me the eebie jeebies. No thank you!

Todd: There’s not much I won’t try at least once, although there are some things I won’t go out of my way to eat. I’m not a zombie so I’d rather not eat the brains of anything, although if it were an Indiana Jones moment and it was eat or else offend the host, I probably would try a bit.

Growing up on a cattle ranch, with neighbors few and far in between,  horses and dogs were my friends. No way I’d partake of them unless tricked into it. And fetal duck eggs. They just gross me out.

So whatcha got? What foods are on your “ick” list?

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