The food we grow up with at home naturally sets the bar on levels of taste.
Curious to hear from strangers and their experiences with home cooking, Redditor Poecifer asked:
"What food did you think you hated for years until you realized your parents just couldn't cook it?"
Veggies can actually taste delicious...if prepared well.
Lack Of Taste
"Eggplant. My mom didn't know you're supposed to salt and blot it to remove the bitterness. She just cut it up and fried it. The only thing palatable about it was the batter."
How 'Bout Them Taters
"Potatoes. My mum would undercook them. Served them boiled with no salt or seasoning. Dad didn't do anything foodwise except burn steaks a few times a year outback on a grill. I now make various potato soup and whipped potatoes bits o'loveliness that would make an Irishman blush."
"To be fair, they were chainsmokers, so everything likely tasted like ash to them anyways."
– 13Lilacs
Slimy Spears
"Asparagus - had no idea you could get it fresh and crisp. We always had boiled, canned asparagus when I was a kid. Blech."
Healthy But Inedible
"Mashed potatoes. My mom's method: only a sliver of butter, no milk or cream, very little salt. Mine: lots of butter, whole milk, roasted garlic, salt, pinch of pepper."
How Popeye Likes It
"My mom bought canned spinach in my childhood. Slimy! Then my parents custom was to pour straight white vinegar on it. Picture Calvin's expression saying "Bleeehck!" to Hobbes."
Funny Face Calvin GIFGiphyCooking meat well is essential, but some people should never be in front of a grill.
If Coffee Were Food
"Bacon. I assumed it was the solid food equivalent of coffee when I was a kid - smells amazing, tastes like bitter, burnt ashes. My parents err on the side of burnt, and sometimes they err hard. When I was 12 my buddy made us some for breakfast after a sleepover and pulled it off the heat almost still pink and my mind was blown."
Former Anti-Vaxxers Explain What Actually Made Them Change Their Mind | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Burnt Pork Chops
"Pork chops, mom used to make them dry as a bone with only salt for seasoning. I had them at a friend's house once when I was in highschool and it blew my mind. My dad thought that if any type of meat had moisture it was raw so my mom burnt everything."
– Nothing_
Wife's Pork Chops Vs. Mom's
"Pork chops for me too. My parents would broil the heck out of them and I never once considered making them after I moved out. Then one day my wife came across a slow cooker pork chop recipe and it was/is incredible. Now pork chops are one of the meals I most look forward to, including salivating at the leftovers."
– NS8VN
Rubbery Chicken
"I used to have a roommate who, every Sunday, would bake chicken breasts for weekly meals. The problem was that he'd cook them to the consistency of shoe leather. This was also someone who cooked rice with way too much water and basically made gruel. I honestly think he was one of those guys who saw food as sustenance and nothing more. I don't think he gave a sh*t how it tasted."
Wearable, Not Edible
"STEAK. Turns out it's not supposed to have the taste and consistency of shoe leather."
Bad Poultry
"Baked chicken breasts. Overcooked and so dry that they sucked the moisture out of your mouth."
Crisp Catastrophe
"Fried chicken. I thought the fact that I was black had something to do with it."
"Turns out my mother was pretty and a sh**ty cook."
How bad can you ruin the first course? For some Redditors, the answer is: "very easily."
One Kind Of Soup
"Soup. Actually not because my parents couldn't cook it, but because they literally only ever made one kind of soup, and I didn't like it. So I grew up thinking 'I don't like soup'. Eventually I would taste other soups that are delicious, so I realized it was just that one specific soup I didn't like."
– Karzul
Apparently, It's Possible To Screw Up Salad
"Salads were iceberg lettuce, tasteless tomatoes, and a couple of unhappy croutons all covered in ranch dressing. Just awful."
This Salad Is Very Clean
"My childhood best friend's mom would make 'salad' by cutting a wedge of iceberg lettuce, dousing it in the same straight white vinegar she used for cleaning floors, and topping it with pre-ground black pepper. I have weird cravings for it from time to time."
Painful Topping
"Same! I forgot about the occasional crouton that would scrape the hell out of the roof of my mouth."
I have to admit, when it comes to traditional Japanese cooking, my mom excelled at it.
Because even when I would dine at Japanese restaurants, the dishes I enjoyed at home failed to satisfy my palate when prepared by professional chefs.
Gyoza, or potstickers for instance, that my mom made from scratch were far too superior than any I've had outside the home.
Same goes for miso soup. The way my mom makes it, she piles it on with cabbage, tofu, scallions, and onions, with various secret seasonings.
She remains unchallenged to this day!
Redditor mysterywife901 wanted to hear people's thoughts on opening their relationship status, so they asked:
"What would you say if your spouse said they wanted to try swinger lifestyle?"
Reddit was ready to rock and work through this thought experiment.
Try It
Old People Senior Citizens GIFGiphy"I would laugh my senior citizen @ss off and tell him to go for it, but the viagra stays home."
Careful-Self-457
Pull On
"I'd know she was pulling my leg; she is even less of a people person than me."
primal_machine_22109
"You would be amazed at how many shy women are into the lifestyle."
Island-Potential
"But what if it’s someone else’s leg… their third leg!"
SeveralEmployer
For the Marriage
"I would laugh and laugh, as they would never say anything like that to me seriously. 'Hey, you know what, I'd really like it if my intimacy issues gave me a lot more stress and anxiety, what's the absolute worst situation I could put myself in.'"
SaltyDangerHands
"I hope you're actively working on your issues and getting better. For your marriage."
PicanteDante
"I'm not sure what about that you're taking so deadly serious, but they're not my issues, they're my partner's, and the whole comment is tongue in cheek. The whole point is that the idea of cheating would stress them out immensely, that's... that's not a huge problem for a relationship in which neither party wants to cheat."
"I'm honestly not sure if you're insulting me or genuinely wishing me well, but in either event, I assure you it's not necessary."
SaltyDangerHands
“This One”
"I’d be interested in discussing it but cautious. I don’t believe anyone can fulfill someone else’s complete set of curiosities and desires and I am not a codependent type who sets all my expectations of happiness on someone else’s shoulders."
"We could identify what she wanted out of that lifestyle. How frequently. How we’d handle things if there was any change of heart or jealousies. Basically just communicate and explore."
"I’m into a relationship to help each other have the best life possible. Not to be 'the one' who has the expectation of being everything I dream them to be."
darinfjc
Good Luck
beyonce queen GIFGiphy"Help them pack their bags. I'd even help them load the bags in the car, and give them a hug, and tell them, Best of luck, because they're going to need it."
TripleAWingingIt
It certainly isn't for everyone. But communication and boundaries do seem to be key.
Contract Change
Sign Here Go Ahead GIF by Kat DurstGiphy"Tell her our relationship was not built that way. You can't switch up the terms after you are already in. If we had started this way then I am for it. After we have been living as if we both want to be monogamous? Nah. I can just go be with other people without her baggage."
vivazeta
What?
"I'd be very confused. My husband is open minded in the sense that whatever consenting adults want to do in their relationships is fine, but he has no doubt that he only wants a monogamous relationship. I'd wonder if maybe he'd been hit in the head."
Potential-One-3107
Let's Chat
"When she brought it up I said let’s talk about it. We talked through it for several months and decided to give it a try. It’s only been about 6 months and our relationship is better than ever. The communication we are experiencing as a couple is amazing, she is more my best friend than ever before. We have a complete open and honest relationship now."
tbed64
YASSS!
"Lessf**kinggoo! I mean 'sure honey, let’s try it out.' The wife and I communicate well. I’d be open to discussing it. We’ve had threesomes before. Communication and setting clear boundaries is key. The moment either one of us is uncomfortable or not cool with it, we both stop and Chuck it up as an experience we won’t be repeating. I’m not the jealous type and after 15 years of marriage have a solid foundation."
WindowlessCandyVan
Who are you?
What The Reaction GIF by MOODMANGiphy"I'd wonder who replaced my wife with a robot. She's got a very strict moral system and couldn't imagine doing something like that. Actually, neither could I."
Totalherenow
Now This?
"If they want to see other people they can just tell me they’d like to break up instead. No need to be so roundabout in telling me I'm no longer good enough."
"Why be in a relationship if you don’t want to be exclusive? That’s the whole point, unless you’re doing some kind of arranged / immigration marriage there was never any love in to begin with."
Yukisuna
If you're gonna do it, make sure you communicate and set some ground rules.
Well, dear reader, how would you respond in this situation? Let us know in the comments.
Redditor SilentPrints wanted to discuss what the future may hold, so they asked:
"What is something that is generally accepted today that in 30 years, future generations will find unacceptable?"
I'm hoping the two political party system sees some updates.
Breaks Required
Greys Anatomy Help GIFGiphy"Forcing doctors to work 24-hour shifts. Do you feel safe knowing that this happens all the time, folks?"
Dork_Magician_Girl
"I would definitely hate to think that the doctor doing my life-saving emergency procedure is on his 24th hour."
rowenaravenclaw0
Stay Home
"Going out/to work while sick. I thought we would already have seen this behavior driven out by the pandemic, but in our desperation for normalcy, we've largely chosen to revert to how we used to handle that, it seems. I think as time moves on and we develop better methods for handling this, such as social norms and testing, we will see future generations act more appropriately, given the general public is now more aware of how varied people's responses to a disease can be."
Techerous
Stay Private
"Posting kids on social media."
Anna_Rapunzel
"I find this one to be a truly interesting answer because of how the current younger generations (both young parents posting their children pretty much since birth and children/teenagers with phones) publicize most aspects of their lives on social media that it’s almost impossible for them to comprehend a time prior to them being on it - on the flipside internet privacy, safety, boundaries, and consent with children are becoming topics that are being explored a lot more than they may have even 10 years ago."
Wowufuh
Money Matters
"There will still be an overwhelming shortage of physicians with population growth and the continuation of profit driven healthcare. At least in America, if you don’t remove the profit model from medicine these things won’t change. A lawsuit is cheaper than the salaries, especially if you are at a teaching/ learning hospital that has caps on the amount that they can be sued. It shouldn’t be this way but unless you can come up with more money than the insurance companies, it won’t change."
FairReason
SCREAM!!
Episode 11 Mike GIF by Jersey Shore Family VacationGiphy"Hopefully collecting/selling data about people. Also telemarketers and spoofing numbers. Being on the Do Not Call List isn't enough."
idratherchangemyold1
"Just insult them or start to scream, they will never call again and you will have a good laugh. Got the last call 2 years ago and I kinda miss it tbh lol."
xBingChilling
This data collecting is scary. Not good.
Just a Hello
"$7 greeting cards."
boxcar-violet
"Holy sh*t right. I'll see the most basic cards for $7-8 from Hallmark and anything fancy is like $10-20. Hell I even saw miniature cards, the size of like 4 stamps for $5 there."
starfire92
Quality
"5 day/40 hour work weeks."
henshep
"The company I work for just changed over to 4 day work weeks. It’s amazing for quality of life."
"Hopefully it’s something that can get more traction, but I doubt it. Especially when so many people seem to be proud of working long hours to make others rich like it’s some badge of honor."
cha0ss0ldier
Save it All
"Being wasteful about resources, especially food, water, and energy. In 30 years, those things will be even more scarce."
Devi1_May_Cry
"Not necessarily disagreeing because idk, but the wording 'even more' doesn't make much sense here. Food water and energy are less scarce now than they've been in human history by a ridiculously large margin."
multiple4
"Exactly. And unless there's an absolute catastrophe, the continuing development of technology will make it even less scarce."
Zealousideal-Bell-68
It's my $$$!!
"ATM withdrawal fees."
steaknife2107
"Agreed I think there is going to be a shift with all the little extra fees, not just ATM. But all of those little extra service fees on things like delivery. I'm hoping for things to just be labeled as the exact cost across the board. like coffee is say $3 and everywhere you go coffee is going to be $3 enough with the math question everytime I try to exist please."
_rosie_365
Unlike...
Social Media Facebook GIFGiphy"The way in which people consume connection based social media on a pathological and sometimes addictive level. Some day we'll look back on how crazy it was how kids and grown people alike became infatuated getting likes on mundane posts. Craving social approval like a commodity."
Vupant
Labels
"Whatever inoffensive terms we have now for certain groups of people. They’ll be considered offensive labels thirty years from now. Just look back thirty years at terms we used then that we don’t use now."
tangcameo
Streamline Learning
"On a lighter note, those 4-5 useless projects given by schools for each subject that need craft supplies to be bought, need many hours of work, and are judged by the aesthetic/decoration rather than the content. After evaluating, they then get tossed out by the teacher in the next few months."
"Absolutely no respect for the time and effort spent on it. The same time could have been used for other actually useful tasks and enormous amount of wastes could have been prevented."
Competitive-Claim750
Well I don't know if this is all good or all bad for the future.
What predictions do you have? Let us know in the comments below.