“They’re Just Gross Little Explosions Of Salt And Sadness”: 30 Foods And Drinks People Are Only Pretending To Like

"Focus on whole foods, especially fruit and vegetables as well as getting enough protein and fiber to get you full so you don't crave the bad stuff. When your body craves something, even if it is a 'bad' food, it is usually because you are missing a nutrient that can be found in a 'good' food— you just have to decipher it," health and fitness coach Anna explained to Bored Panda, adding that your research can start with a simple Google search.

"Avoid sugar as much as possible and processed food. The more you look at labels (at least, or especially, in the US) there is sugar added to everything! So if you can avoid the most processed stuff, then everything in moderation works a little better," she said.

Quite a few people who start their fitness journey find it hard to suddenly start eating healthy, bland-tasting food. Bored Panda wanted to get the fitness coach's advice on how they might approach balancing taste and nutrition. 

"This was me! I only liked about 3 vegetables and let me tell you how fast carrot sticks get boring... try new things. Look up recipes online. Start with what you know and build from there," she gave some great tips.

"The foods will get better as you learn to cook with leaner meats and more veggies and the internet is a treasure trove of recipes and healthy ideas!"

Meanwhile, coach Anna said that the key to dealing with food cravings (e.g. sugary snacks, junk food) is to plan ahead.

"Knowing what you will eat throughout the day leaves less decision-making and fewer opportunities to break down and have the sugary stuff. That said, it is ok to have those foods sometimes—just make sure you're filling up on a colorful plate and not a bag of Oreos," she said.

"Tony Horton says 'do your best and forget the rest'— as long as you are really trying, having one scoop of ice cream or a cookie at the end of the day isn't going to hurt you."

When it comes to food, people tend to draw very firm battle lines. The kitchen is generally a very black-or-white, love-or-hate place to find yourself in.

For instance, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who ‘moderately enjoys’ olives. You usually see people who love ‘em so much they’ve got an ‘I love olives’ T-shirt hidden in their closet or you come across folks who detest them with a briny passion.

The same goes for oysters. Either you hear gourmands rave about what a delicacy they are or you have people who think they’re goopy snot shells. You won’t know which side of the sea fence you fall on until you give ‘em a try.

Oh, and don’t worry, we won’t judge any of you Pandas. For instance, yours truly really dislikes caviar, even though it’s supposed to be all delish and fancy. Personally, I think they’re tiny little salt bubbles that don’t taste any good. Sure, they’re okay on a bit of buttered toast, with a thin slice of lemon. But why would you choose caviar when you can eat something actually good like grilled prawns? Or, you know, proper fish!

We also hear that some of our fellow Pandas don't like onions and celery. And though it might seem a tad bizarre to avoid ingredients that are so ubiquitous, we totally get it. They're not for everyone!

Expanding your gastronomic experience is something that you should probably aspire to. You can’t really expect to live the rest of your life eating your favorite steak with a side of mac and cheese at your local diner. Sometimes, you’ve got to give vegetables a try.

You can’t really expect to like everything new from the get-go. It takes a while for your palate to adjust. Try just a nibble of broccoli or something else you’ve been avoiding for ages now. Then, move on to something more complex (or just take bigger bites). You might be pleasantly surprised.

Or you might realize that no matter how much you try, there are certain ingredients that you loathe more than getting up early on a Monday morning. Either way, you grow as a person. And, let’s face it, new experiences are what make life worth living.

We'd really love to hear about what foods you enjoy and can't stand no matter how many times you try, Pandas. Feel free to share your experiences in the comments.

Meanwhile, if you enjoyed this post, consider checking out Bored Panda's earlier article about the foods that people most likely pretend to enjoy right over here.