Hungry for new foods
Question
I am a very fussy eater and always have been. As a child my parents used to force me to eat my food and tell me if I didn't eat what was on my plate, I wouldn't get anything else. But if I didn't like the food, I would choose not to eat.
Now I find that even though I often try new foods, I don't like the way they taste, especially very strongly flavoured foods like curry. I feel that the restricted range of foods I like is having an effect on my social life and is making me feel like a freak. Do you have any advice on how I can get used to new foods?
Answer
It's understandable that you are concerned about being fussy about the foods you eat. Being a fussy eater doesn't necessarily mean that there is something wrong with you and you shouldn't have to feel like a freak because of this.
Food is a very individual preference. Not everybody will like the same foods, as we all have varying taste buds. The fact that we all like different types of food is good as it would be pretty boring if we all ate the same. It is more important to have a healthy, balanced diet than it is to eat the same foods as everybody else. This means eating a variety of foods in regular meals to ensure your body is getting all the nutrients it needs.
Instead of tasting new foods on their own, you could try introducing small portions of new foods alongside larger food portions that you already know and like to make the process a little easier. Don't try and taste too many new foods all at once, aim to try new foods one at a time as it can be overwhelming being faced with a whole range of new foods. Also, give yourself time to adapt to a food that you have never tried before and allow for a few days to pass before trying anything else.
If you really don't like a food then you shouldn't force yourself to eat it. Your friends will hopefully understand and won't want to see you making yourself ill by making yourself eat something you don't like.
If you are still concerned about this then it would be a good idea to go see a dietician to discuss this further. You can contact a registered dietician via your local hospital or local doctor (GP) practice so please make an appointment to see them if you would like further advice. You could also take a look at the healthy eating section of the British Nutrition Foundation website for more information.
Updated: 06/06/2011
Question answered by bss
