Were you ever a guest at someone's house and just couldn't eat the food?

If it’s squash that isn’t well hidden, I just can’t stomach it (ha) and sweet potatoes and yams set off my gag reflex every time.

I used to attend volunteer-committee-related events at the home of a woman who touted herself as a gourmet cook. I don’t know where she got that idea, unless it was because she had a collection of so-called gourmet cookbooks. She insisted on serving a meal every time, and everything she made had a coarse, crude quality that I’m at a loss to explain or describe. Her appetite for compliments was hard to satisfy without brazen lies, so I always felt trapped.

She’s the only person whose actual cooking left me unable to find any path to comfort in a given meal.

However, there are some things I don’t care to eat at all, such as veal, ham, and roast pork. I can usually do just fine by substituting extra vegetables or some other dish, as long as someone doesn’t feel compelled to challenge what they see on my plate. I would like to sic the ghost of Dear Abby on people who do that.

I don’t eat meat or fish, so this happens all the time. My childhood pickiness is much improved, but onions can still ruin a meal for me unless they’re cooked into submission. I can’t eat pineapple, mango, or oranges either. Love orange juice. When I was fourteen, we were visiting friends who served fruit salad from a can. I couldn’t eat a single bite, even though I felt really bad about it.

I could pull it off. For the most part, as long as they don’t serve up salmon. Gag a damn maggot. Gag me as well.

Beans of any kind will do me in.

I can usually eat something and leave what I don’t like on my plate. Even if it’s something I don’t like, I might try a bite or two, unless it’s horrid like sardines. I have a few things I don’t like, for example olives, sardines, hearts of palm, artichokes, but for the most part I’m not terribly fussy. Sometimes I doctor things with salt.

McDonald’s on the way home is always a last resort.

This is why when I’m invited to someone’s house, I always bring dessert. My logic is that by bringing dessert, I know that no matter what, there will be a good dessert.

@jca2 Great idea! I’m stealing it!

As a child, my best friend and I would often alternate spending a weekend night at each other’s house. As much as I loved it, the downside was that the friend’s mom made a pitcher of powdered milk for each meal. It was watery and unpleasant.

Another friend’s mom would make us peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches for lunch. As much as I like PB, grape jelly has never held appeal. Last week (and 50 years later), there was a recipe posted for meat balls in a grape jelly sauce. I gagged reading the title.

Christmas was always spent at one set of grandparents’s home. Since my birthday is the day after Christmas, the cake was always the family’s favorite: homemade fruit cake. When I was about eight, Mom handed me a piece. My response, “No thank you.” Her surprised response, “What? You love it!” My reply, “No I don’t. I just didn’t know I had a choice.” I haven’t touched that rubbish since.

Mmmmm…..I hate it when they serve one thing. You can’t hide the fact that you don’t want it!
We were invited to a casual dinner by my husband’s daughter. The food was medicore. I just kind of picked through it.
However she served this potatoe dish that she’s served before and I know I don’t like it so I quietly didn’t put any on my plate….enter Rick. “These potatoes are so good! You have to try them Val!”
I just tried to smile politely but tightly.
He kept at it until I leveled an “I keel you!!!” look at him.
I was so embarrassed and mad.

Ha ha! When my son was 6 he was invited to dinner at a friend’s house. After a while I got a call from his friend’s mom. She said Chris was acting like he was scared of the food!
I said “What are you having?”
She said “Fish stix.”
Well he liked fish Stix!
I asked to talk to him.
He said “Well she tried to give me retarded sauce and I didn’t think I should eat that until I talked to you.”
When I recovered enough to talk I assured him that tarter sauce is perfectly OK to eat.
The trust our children have in us just humbles me.

I was called a picky eater by a lot of parents’ of friends as a kid. I just ate what I could out of the choices and declined the rest, or left it on my plate.

I was usually willing to taste, so I would take a small helping. I did eat some things to be polite or if I was very hungry, but if I really didn’t like it to the point of total discomfort I just said no.

Usually, there is something I can eat. As an adult I’m less picky.

I actually have problems as an adult with all the food being scary fattening at a party. I feel like I’ll have a heart attack that night. I eat badly plenty, it’s not like I’m all health food at home, but not everything fattening in huge quantities in one sitting and I don’t even love the taste. If I’m eating badly I like to love it.

I have a feeling I would love your mac and cheese.

Even at restaurants. The portion sizes are absurd.

I could never eat the food at my cousin’s house and my wife’s aunt’s house. Not because they were bad cooks or they made food I didn’t like — but because their houses were disgustingly dirty, particularly the kitchens.

I always made excuses that I had just eaten or wasn’t feeling well. Ultimately, I just avoided going to their houses.

Nasty.

The way the question is worded reminds me of Sugarhill Gang’s Rappers’ Delight:

“Have you ever went over a friend’s house to eat
And the food just ain’t no good?
I mean the macaroni’s soggy, the peas are mushed
And the chicken tastes like wood.

I don’t recall being unable to eat food, but this brings to mind a funny thing a friend said in high school. We were discussing something (I don’t remember what) and he said, “It’s like other families’ food. You know, it just seems wrong.” It’s a nice work of imagery.

Gosh. At this point I am constantly unable to eat food. As far as medical help, as of yesterday I’m at a dead end because I have no insurance.
But it’s cool. What I CAN eat is nirvana!

Bring on the fluff BTW!
One of my favorite dishes was Ramen noodles (without the seasoning packet) with Velveeta, butter and milk. It’s different.

@Dutchess_III I would say just do a Teledoc on your credit card, but I think you actually need to be seen by a doctor. I think you probably need blood work and some other diagnostics. My experience is Teledoc can’t order any of those tests, so that might be money spent that doesn’t help you, but also maybe better than nothing. I could be wrong, but that my experience. My own doctor for a video visit was cheaper than in person and she could order the tests, if you have your own doctor that might be an option.

My county has a fund for hospital care when people can’t pay, I’m not sure about regular doctor visits. Maybe there is something where you live or a doctor who will see you for minimal cost. Negotiate the price before going. Ask for the Medicare price. Call your state health department maybe.

This is a sad turn, from foods we just don’t like, to eating disorders and recommending how to see a doctor during the pandemic.

Keep us updated please @Dutchess_III

Nope, that’s never happened to me, and I’m kind of surprised that it hasn’t because I am in many ways a picky eater and I will not force myself to eat something I don’t like. But there’s always been something I can eat and I’ve so far avoided this awkwardness.

@canidmajor I don’t think the pandemic is making it more difficult. It sounds financial. All during the pandemic @Dutchess_III has said her community has been fairly normal.

@Demosthenes I envy you! Late summer dinners around here are the All Squash All The Time extravanzas!

@JLeslie “Teledoc” wasn’t really a thing before the pandemic.
And not my point, anyway.

Teledoc is one of the good things that came from the pandemic. I’ve been wanting to be able to have a phone or video call with my doctor for over ten years. I don’t think she should use “Teledoc,“ unless it’s her local doctor.

Oh yes. Salmon patties, liver, some of my ‘foreign foods’, etc… I literally can’t handle anything with globules of fat attached or floating, instant gag.

@KNOWITALL Some people harp about salmon like it’s food for the gods, but I cant stand it, it’s an instant vomit inducer for me.

@KNOWITALL Yeah, I can’t stand fatty meat either like beef stew with fatty or gristly parts.

@Nomore For me its the nasty canned salmon people use here for salmon patties. Even well off folks. Hot tuna casserole is also gross.

@janbb Unfortunately I love Asian food and spices but they tend to leave bone in and fat on.
My disgusting BIL loves eating fat, on steak, watching him is impossible.