Why is the typical, average American of today offended by or refrain from so many different kinds of foods enjoyed by other peoples of the world? What are some historical/cultural/social/economical factors that contributed to this?

What is a summary of the contemporary American palate anyway? What's your take on this?

I might ask why so many other countries only eat one kind of food. Like say, Chinese, or Mexican. Seems to me there is no "american food" because we eat everything.

It's true that the typical Chinese as a general rule does not eat raw vegetables and does not enjoy cheese. But he will most assuredly eat a burger or a steak, and whatever other "typical" American cuisine.

So would just about anyone from any country, barring religious reasons.

But the converse is generally untrue. A sample list of foods a typical American would likely refrain from eating:

-none-steak part of a herd animal
-whole fish, instead of fillets or fish steak
-any part of poultry that's not breast/drumstick/thigh/wings
-slightly fatty meat and/or skin, generally the preferred part in many countries

Trav, Chinese and Mexican cuisines are vast and varied, I don't get why you said they only eat one kind of food.

Oh giblets and pig ears and the like are big hits in many parts of the country, Dio.

I realize that my view may be biased due to the power of American chain restaurants, which would have you believe what's served there represent what the typical American eats.

But is that so far from the truth?

Why is the typical, average American of today offended by or refrain from so many different kinds of foods enjoyed by other peoples of the world?
I'm likely the best person to ask this question as I keep my food choices very limited. However, I can't really justify why I get the same thing every time I go to a restaurant. That, and food foreign to my system usually makes me vomit.

Trying Indian food was a literal blast...

Generally, the cuisine in an area must necessarily reflect what's readily available. An area that grows a lot of pigs, the people there are going to figure out how to use every single part of that pig to make a meal out of. These are things that wouldn't necessarily be available in a large chain restaurant. But the poor people must necessarily cook and eat them.

That's how Louisiana cuisine evolved, anyway. Now it's emulated across the country, but you can't get Louisiana taste inside a box!

It's true that the typical Chinese as a general rule does not eat raw vegetables and does not enjoy cheese. But he will most assuredly eat a burger or a steak, and whatever other "typical" American cuisine.

So would just about anyone from any country, barring religious reasons.

But the converse is generally untrue. A sample list of foods a typical American would likely refrain from eating:

-none-steak part of a herd animal
-whole fish, instead of fillets or fish steak
-any part of poultry that's not breast/drumstick/thigh/wings
-slightly fatty meat and/or skin, generally the preferred part in many countries

Trav, Chinese and Mexican cuisines are vast and varied, I don't get why you said they only eat one kind of food.

Now I see what you mean. Are you asking why Americans don't eat the parts of the animals that other countries do, like the tongue and the brain and the guts? If that is what you are saying then yes, Americans on average do not like those parts of the animal. I do not know why, we are just raised to see those parts as unedible. We prefer the filets and the steaks.

I think that most Americans' diets are quite varied, although I think your point might make sense in reference to processed food. I'm eating a plastic tray of chicken fried rice that I got in the freezer section right now... I was hoping it would be as good as take-out Chinese, but alas, it kind of tastes like plastic. :(

A sample list of foods a typical American would likely refrain from eating:

-none-steak part of a herd animal
-whole fish, instead of fillets or fish steak
-any part of poultry that's not breast/drumstick/thigh/wings
-slightly fatty meat and/or skin, generally the preferred part in many countries

Non-steak parts of a herd animal: Had a hot dog lately??
Whole fish: Ask any redneck/wannabe redneck and they'll probably tell you that they've been fishing and eaten most of that fish, probably in the last month.
Miscellaneous poultry parts:When my family has Thanksgiving dinner or cooks a whole chicken, you'd better believe we eat all the meat off that thing.
Fatty meat/skin:I LOVE the fatty parts of meat and the chicken skin, etc. The only people I know who don't eat them only refrain from doing so because they are on a diet and worried about the fat/calorie content and only want to eat the leanest parts of the meat...

Now I see what you mean. Are you asking why Americans don't eat the parts of the animals that other countries do, like the tongue and the brain and the guts? If that is what you are saying then yes, Americans on average do not like those parts of the animal. I do not know why, we are just raised to see those parts as unedible. We prefer the filets and the steaks.

Right, I'm saying that. But not just parts of animals, but the kind of animals. Americans seems to stick to beef, pork, and chicken...some people eat lamb, and rabbit is popular in some places. But there are many animals (that's available) the typical American does not eat.

Also one important point I want to bring up is that, the American's refusal to eat many things will not be based on experience. A lot of things an American would not even try. It's difficult to think of an American dish that a foreigner would not try before deciding whether they like it or not.

Why is the typical, average American of today offended by or refrain from so many different kinds of foods enjoyed by other peoples of the world? What are some historical/cultural/social/economical factors that contributed to this?

What is a summary of the contemporary American palate anyway? What's your take on this?


Because I can afford to be more selective than your average person, thus I am. Also because I live in Canada and enjoy a basically sedentary lifestyle 3RD world organ meat is not only unattractive to my palate, it is too fatty and caloric for my lifestyle.

Case in point: But the converse is generally untrue. A sample list of foods a typical American would likely refrain from eating:

-none-steak part of a herd animal
-whole fish, instead of fillets or fish steak
-any part of poultry that's not breast/drumstick/thigh/wings
-slightly fatty meat and/or skin, generally the preferred part in many countries


-none steak part of herd animal: hard to chew, full of gristle, fat and other parts hard to digest and unnecessary for my energy output.
-whole fish, instead of fillets or fish steak: too fishy for a discerning palette
-any part of poultry that's not breastdrumstick/thigh/wings other than the breast the meat tastes waaaaaaaay too full of fat it is highly caloric and too gamy tasting...an extremely unhealthy choice for my lifestyle.
-slightly fatty meat and/or skin, generally the preferred part in many countries: ditto all of the above

Conclusion: we are rich enough and aware enough to be selective.

note: this does not include your burger, fries and 2500 calorie a day mindless eating machine.

I do not know why, we are just raised to see those parts as unedible. We prefer the filets and the steaks.
I know that. But if you go back in history long enough, there must have been some factors that made the food culture this way. I know for a fact that Americans used to eat very differently 200 years ago. And I'm interested if anybody know what made the American food habit what it is today.

Personally I think a big factor is the power of chain restaurants, fast food restaurants, and TV commercials.

Seriously though, if you can afford to eat a ribeye, why eat a tongue?

Seriously though, if you can afford to eat a ribeye, why eat a tongue?
Because it does not taste like a ribeye. It tastes like tongue, and it is a taste I'd like to revisit every once a while.

I don't want to eat the same thing everyday even if I can afford it.

Personally I think a big factor is the power of chain restaurants, fast food restaurants, and TV commercials.

and ignorance... they are gonna get food related diseases and die young.

Right, I'm saying that. But not just parts of animals, but the kind of animals. Americans seems to stick to beef, pork, and chicken...some people eat lamb, and rabbit is popular in some places. But there are many animals (that's available) the typical American does not eat.
Beef, chicken, and pork are the cheapest. I would love to eat lamb more often, but my family does not buy it because of the prohibitive cost. We rarely eat beef or pork either. When we do have meat it is generally plain old cheap chicken breasts that are usually on sale.

Also one important point I want to bring up is that, the American's refusal to eat many things will not be based on experience. A lot of things an American would not even try. It's difficult to think of an American dish that a foreigner would not try before deciding whether they like it or not.
I do know a lot of picky people. But most of them say that they will try anything once, they just don't like most things they've tried. Many people don't want to try things that they have never eaten before, and I think this does have to do with how people are raised. My mom has always encouraged my brother and I to try new things and eat exotic foods, and we were not allowed to be picky and refuse food when we were little.

Because it does not taste like a ribeye. It tastes like tongue, and it is a taste I'd like to revisit every once a while.

I don't want to eat the same thing everyday even if I can afford it.

geez learn to use spices dude....

I guess it is just another reason foreigners are better then americans

Because I can afford to be more selective than your average person, thus I am. Also because I live in Canada and enjoy a basically sedentary lifestyle 3RD world organ meat is not only unattractive to my palate, it is too fatty and caloric for my lifestyle.

Case in point:


-none steak part of herd animal: hard to chew, full of gristle, fat and other parts hard to digest and unnecessary for my energy output.
-whole fish, instead of fillets or fish steak: too fishy for a discerning palette
-any part of poultry that's not breastdrumstick/thigh/wings other than the breast the meat tastes waaaaaaaay too full of fat it is highly caloric and too gamy tasting...an extremely unhealthy choice for my lifestyle.
-slightly fatty meat and/or skin, generally the preferred part in many countries: ditto all of the above

Conclusion: we are rich enough and aware enough to be selective.

note: this does not include your burger, fries and 2500 calorie a day mindless eating machine.

I have read the theory of necessity and don't buy it. Eating is not all about nutrition but also about taste. And a lot of those foods you just crossed out right away for the reason of "there are more expensive, better alternative" are viewed as being genuinely tasty, not because that's the only thing an average citizen in another country can afford.

As a matter of fact here in the States (and elsewhere in the world), more upscale restaurants do generally feature foods of higher fat content. The wealthy are paying more money to eat fatty food because it's better tasting. These same upscale restaurants are the ones that offer what the average American does not like to eat--bone marrows, veal sweetbreads, whole roasted fish, sea urchin ravioli, blood sausage, and a slew of other things. It doesn't look to support the theory of necessity.

I do agree with you though that if a wealthy country's citizens just eat whatever taste the best, everyone will become very obese.

Because it does not taste like a ribeye. It tastes like tongue, and it is a taste I'd like to revisit every once a while.

I don't want to eat the same thing everyday even if I can afford it.
Well, back when people started agriculture, their diets were limited to what was grown. There were fairly few domesticated crops back then, and even now, we haven't domesticated much since then, just gotten better at bringing food in from other parts of the world. People generally did eat the same things every day. But there's remarkable variety even in American food. We have Western food like chili, burgers and steaks, Italian food, Chinese food, Southwestern food, southern food like collard greens, cole slaw, and fried chicken, northern food like deli sandwiches and bagels and hot dogs, all make regular rotations on the American dinner table. Add to that the traditional cuisine people are brought up with, usually some kind of European food, and you have an average American diet.

American food might seem bland and tasteless half the time, but that's because people don't know how to cook it!

geez learn to use spices dude....
Spices do not turn a ribeye into a tongue.
Both ribeye and tongue are prepared in many ways around the world.

Like I said my point is that the typical American would shy away from trying. He/she usually doesn't say: "I don't want to eat this because it doesn't taste good". He/she usually says: "It's not something I want to put in my mouth, no matter how good you say it tastes".

I know that. But if you go back in history long enough, there must have been some factors that made the food culture this way. I know for a fact that Americans used to eat very differently 200 years ago. And I'm interested if anybody know what made the American food habit what it is today.

Personally I think a big factor is the power of chain restaurants, fast food restaurants, and TV commercials.


I think you are correct in one sense. The chain and fast food eateries produce and sell what they know people will eat. It's almost like the media and their catering to the masses.

Therefore... no "Big McTripe's" and "Quarter Pounder of head cheese"

I grew up rather poor and will usually eat anything that does not eat me first. Case in point.... I still occasionally crave potted meat sandwiches and Vienna wieners with saltines.

:D

Dio,

You are overgeneralizing. While beef, poultry and pork are the most popular American meats they are by no means the only animals we eat and even they are prepared in many different ways. Americans are probably among the most diverse eaters in the world. In my single town I can find, Chinese, German, Japanese, Thai, Mongolian, Polish, Kosher, Turkish, Argentinian, Mexican, as well as regional American restaurants. I have personally eaten, chicken, duck, quail, turkey, pigeon, goose, emu, ostrich, among various fowl, cow, pig, goat, kangaroo, tiger, bison, alligator, sheep, crocodile, snake, rabbit, squirrel, possum, ocean fish, fresh water fish, crayfish, lobster, crabs, conch, snails, clams, oysters, witchity grubs, squid, beche de mer, octopus, chicken eggs, duck eggs, quail eggs, goose eggs, fish eggs, and other foods I cannot remember at present.

I've eaten the loins, ears, snouts, tails, knuckles, ribs, and feet of pigs, just about every part of the pig but the squeal. Iv'e eaten internal organs of cows, and pigs.

I have eaten well over twenty different kinds of cheeses from cream cheese to Limburger cheese and more types of pasta than most people can name.

I have eaten oats, wheat, rice, spelt, sorghum, buckwheat, rye and other grains.

When it comes to fruits and vegetables I have eaten green beans, fava beans, wax beans, okra, peanuts,(both roasted and boiled), peas, pumpkin, zucchini, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, snap beans, kidney beans, black beans, navy beans, pinto beans, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, tomatoes, green peppers, hot peppers, corn, butter beans, red cabbage, white cabbage, potatoes, mustard greens, turnips both the root and greens, radish, lettuce, field greens, bananas, apples, kumquats, persimmons, pears, peaches, loquats, oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, key limes, jicama, plantains, cactus fruit, cactus leaves, tomatillos, pineapple,pomegranite, water chestnuts, and the list goes on.

I've eaten yoghurt, tofu, clabber, honey, spices beyond count.

I don't think any diet is a varied as the American diet. We have embraced the cuisenes of the world.

I'll bet others could name more foods that are commonly eaten in the United States.

I refuse to eat liver because it's the part of any animal's body where all the toxins accumulate. Other than that, I can't think of much I'd refuse to try if offered, but I'm not adventurous enough to find restaurants that offer unusual dishes. Too much work for a questionable payoff.

Like I said my point is that the typical American would shy away from trying. He/she usually doesn't say: "I don't want to eat this because it doesn't taste good". He/she usually says: "It's not something I want to put in my mouth, no matter how good you say it tastes".
Like Frogger says, you are over-generalizing. I don't know many Americans who wouldn't try things that they haven't tried, with the exception of things like dog or cat (since our culture looks at them as pets and companions).

I hate it when people say "the typical American" does this or thinks that... There really is no "typical" American. I can't think of anything that most Americans of all different races and from all different regions have in common (except that most of us speak some form of English...)

That's because you come from the Second City, Borg, not the Big Apple. You people in Chicago are so provincial. I lived there for two years and Shakey's and the Golden Bear are about as adventerous as Chicagoans get.:lolhit:

Come to The City and you will find restaurants from almost every country and every region of those countries in the world.

That's because you come from the Second City, Borg, not the Big Apple. You people in Chicago are so provincial. I lived there for two years and Shakey's and the Golden Bear are about as adventerous as Chicagoans get.:lolhit:
I come from St. Petersburg, FL, not Chicago. I've only lived here for a year. ;)
Like Frogger says, you are over-generalizing. I don't know many Americans who wouldn't try things that they haven't tried, with the exception of things like dog or cat (since our culture looks at them as pets and companions).
I'd eat dog. I'd eat cat (though not mine). Hell, I'd try human, were it available and legal at all.

I'd eat dog. I'd eat cat (though not mine). Hell, I'd try human, were it available and legal at all.
So would I. All my friends think I'm weird because I periodically say things like... "I wonder what human tastes like. Don't you guys ever wanna know??"

I admit I overgeneralize. But I have a hard time believing the average American person is as culinarily adventurous and willing as some of you say they will be when given the opportunity. In fact, 9 out of 10 people I see in real life (who admittedly only represent 20-something Atlantans, most of whom went to college, mostly Caucasian) on a regular basis would not eat or try an even larger range than of the foods I listed.

A lot of it is pickiness, but I'm interested in when people don't want to try something because it's culturally "taboo" in some way. I want to know why this sort of custom developed. Did some plague result from people eating animal organs? Has the culture so anthropomorphized animals that people have a hard time associating the meat/fish on the plate with a real animal (hence the dislike for eating foods that resemble their still-alive form, because it reminds them of the real animal, whose cartoon form children since several generations ago have grown used to befriend)? Is it because the restaurant corporations found steaks and chicken breasts to be most profitable, not just from a popularity stand-point, but also from a profit-margin stand-point, and so begot the continual shift to a public restaurant culture where what's sold and marketed are foods that would, ultimately, make the most money? Is there some other possible reason? Perhaps the idea that some of these foods are simply inedible? If so how did such notions come from?

I know that. But if you go back in history long enough, there must have been some factors that made the food culture this way. I know for a fact that Americans used to eat very differently 200 years ago. And I'm interested if anybody know what made the American food habit what it is today.

Personally I think a big factor is the power of chain restaurants, fast food restaurants, and TV commercials.

The success of the country, especially after WWII, has defined the American food habit. The automobile has had a tremendous influence as well. It's an ever-changing menu. We want it fast, good tasting and inexpensive.

We want it fast, good tasting and inexpensive.
Fucking Americans can't even get two out of three anymore.

You are right about the cultural part. Most people don't want to see the eyes of the animal they are eating, and we don't want to eat their brains or hearts. I guess this is kind of like superstitions against eating the souls of animals or something. And there's the fact that we respect animals a lot and, like you said, have anthropomorphized them.

You are right about the cultural part. Most people don't want to see the eyes of the animal they are eating, and we don't want to eat their brains or hearts. I guess this is kind of like superstitions against eating the souls of animals or something. And there's the fact that we respect animals a lot and, like you said, have anthropomorphized them.
But this is almost a unique quality found on modern day Americans. Not Americans from a century ago, and not Europeans, South Americans, Africans, or Asians (discounting Indians, who are mostly vegetarians). I would love to find out what, other than Disney movies, contributed to this change.

It may well be a reaction to what we feed our children. When I was a kid (in the rural south) I pretty much had to eat whatever my mom and/or mammaw cooked for me. My family hunted and fished a good bit, so I experienced quite a variety of game also. I also was taught to "clean my plate". I ate things that I really didn't like at times (but some that I grew to like as my taste matured).

Many kids now are "fed" through a drive-thru window and get the "kids meal" consisting of what they want. I took extra time with my children to try to cook different things and eat different cuisines when the opportunity presented itself. We also almost always ate together at the table... no TV or other interferences (I always enjoyed listening to the table discussions while a child and wanted the same for my kids). Other than having to listen to me ramble during dinner... both my children now enjoy eating a variety of things and almost always want to "try something different" when we go out.

Of course they are a bit deranged from all the times I threw the toaster in the bathtub with them.... but that's another story :)

This topic reminds me of a Food Network show that's been airing on Mondays for a while: Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern.

Granted some of the stuff eaten is truly weird and not mainstream even in the culture where it's found. (I probably wouldn't eat big, live worms) But most of the food is simply what regular Joe's in a different country eats, and there's a poignant sense that few or no country but the US would make a show like this.

It may well be a reaction to what we feed our children. When I was a kid (in the rural south) I pretty much had to eat whatever my mom and/or mammaw cooked for me. My family hunted and fished a good bit, so I experienced quite a variety of game also. I also was taught to "clean my plate". I ate things that I really didn't like at times (but some that I grew to like as my taste matured).

Many kids now are "fed" through a drive-thru window and get the "kids meal" consisting of what they want. I took extra time with my children to try to cook different things and eat different cuisines when the opportunity presented itself. We also almost always ate together at the table... no TV or other interferences (I always enjoyed listening to the table discussions while a child and wanted the same for my kids). Other than having to listen to me ramble during dinner... both my children now enjoy eating a variety of things and almost always want to "try something different" when we go out.

Of course they are a bit deranged from all the times I threw the toaster in the bathtub with them.... but that's another story :)
You're spot on with this. Most people from about 15 years older than me on have been spoiled by their parents and given what they want. The prevailing parental attitude until about 30 years ago was what your parents (and mine) thought - eat what's on your plate or eat nothing. Since then, it's been more acceptable for children to be picky.

So would I. All my friends think I'm weird because I periodically say things like... "I wonder what human tastes like. Don't you guys ever wanna know??"
like pork..but sweeter.

DarkFantasy96[/B]] So would I. All my friends think I'm weird because I periodically say things like... "I wonder what human tastes like. Don't you guys ever wanna know??"

It's best when raw, but must be (ahem) properly warmed up.


:woohoo:

The subject of what people WON'T eat has always fascinated me. I remember one time when there was some sort of crisis in one of the Russian states and a donor sent over a whole plane-load of rice. It ended up rotting in the warehouse because, even though people were starving, they 'didn't eat rice.'

Strange, eh?

:)
SMW

My dad always tried to get me to eat 'calf fries', or bull balls, or mountain oysters, or whatever the hell you want to call them....it's bull testicles. I couldn't ever get past that fact, even though everyone who ever ate them assured me that they were delicious. I think the mental block about certain things is what keeps us from eating those things.

I have a friend who hates pork, says he doesn't like the taste and in any case pigs are disgusting.

I did some tests on him. A lot of times when we go out, I would order something with pork in it, but hard to tell, and get him to eat it oblivious to the fact that it's pork. He usually has no problem eating them.

What's incredible is that he would stop eating once the truth is revealed, regardless of taste!

I have a friend who hates pork, says he doesn't like the taste and in any case pigs are disgusting.

I did some tests on him. A lot of times when we go out, I would order something with pork in it, but hard to tell, and get him to eat it oblivious to the fact that it's pork. He usually has no problem eating them.

What's incredible is that he would stop eating once the truth is revealed, regardless of taste!

That's what it is with me and the 'calf fries'. I've heard so many people say how really good they are and I believe them, but I can't get past what they are.

like pork..but sweeter.



eeewww.....I don't even want to know how you know this:@@:

I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to food. I will try it if it looks appealing. I've eaten octopus.....wasn't thrilled with it,too slimy. But I love squid...eh...

I have a friend who hates pork, says he doesn't like the taste and in any case pigs are disgusting.

I did some tests on him. A lot of times when we go out, I would order something with pork in it, but hard to tell, and get him to eat it oblivious to the fact that it's pork. He usually has no problem eating them.

What's incredible is that he would stop eating once the truth is revealed, regardless of taste!


haha...my mom says she hates salmon even though she's never eaten it in her life and refuses to try it. But one time we all went to dinner and my dad had some and he told her it was halibut and she ate it! She liked it! No one has told her it was salmon either,we're waiting for her to go on her salmon hating rant to tell her:lolhit:

These kinds of purely mental dislike of certain foods, I really want to know how it develops in a person.

These kinds of purely mental dislike of certain foods, I really want to know how it develops in a person.

With me and the testicles....well, I grew up around cattle and such and I can't get past the mental picture of a bull with his testicles still attached. I have an aversion to rabbit, because even thought "it tastes just like chicken", my boys raised rabbits for 4-H years ago and they're just too darn cute to eat.

These kinds of purely mental dislike of certain foods, I really want to know how it develops in a person.


to me,it's all about how we're raised. If your parents only served and ate certain types of foods,chances are that's all you ate too. So,when you're older and on your own and you see these weird dishes on a menu in a restaurant,you're either gonna think to yourself "eeww,gross,I'm not eating that" or "hhmmm....that might be pretty good". Just my take on it*shrugs*