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Order a pizza topped with pineapples at any restaurant in Italy, and you will regret every little step that led you to making this decision. Because if there’s something Italians won’t tolerate, it’s pineapple pizza and cappuccino in the afternoon. But while some of the most controversial food preferences have to do with local culture and its quirks, the rest of it comes from our weird and wonderful personalities.

The same goes with our food opinions. Like, saying that mint choc chip ice cream is gross, tomatoes ruin a burger, or that Greek yogurt is sour cream in disguise. You may not be the most popular person in the room for stating this, but you’re surely not quite wrong either.

So let’s dig deep into the often silenced world of controversial food opinions shared in this viral Twitter thread that will heat up the room temperature and will surely bring out your inner Gordon Ramsay.

Bored Panda reached out to Stefan Balkenende, a spokesperson of Greenpan.co.uk, a cookware manufacturer that specializes in ceramic-coated pans for healthier cooking. Stefan shared some insights on food opinions and preferences, as well as of ways we talk about food so that it won’t become a sensitive topic.

“No matter where you’re from or what kind of food you eat, the topic of food brings people together, acting as an easy ice breaker when meeting new people. It’s universally appealing,” Stefan said and added: “In fact, last year Dr. Amber Spry, who is the Politics and African American Studies professor at Brandeis University, went viral as she had asked her class ‘how does your family cook rice’ instead of traditional ice breaker questions, which naturally got the class talking, sparking debate and conversation over something so trivial but relevant to everyone.”

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People-Share-Controversial-Food-Opinions

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Lee F.
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The creators of food banks have the exact same sentiments as OP. They were suppose to be a short term solution but became part of the social fabric.

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I I
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

sad thing is most users are working , just shows trickle down isnt trickling far enough

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Scagsy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I guess this is geographically specific but, in my opinion, the need for food banks arises when the ruling classes let down the most vulnerable in society. And that really has to stop. Will it? I doubt it. The top 1% has all the cash and they fully intend to keep it that way.

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Glen MacLeod
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, they arise when the middle class disappears and all services cater to the rich, which means few opportunities to move to the middle class. Rich people pay the higher taxes to feel better about the poor, but simultaneously create a feudal system of very rich and very poor. Food banks become part of the daily landscape

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kjorn
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the failure of empathy and moral for the rich folks

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Sandhya Boyd
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would say this is exactly how capitalism works. It's a failure of society that we allow it.

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Philly Bob Squires
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Damned right... if everyone had enough food, there would be no reason for food banks. And n our "rich country" I can't see why this is a thing. 5 minutes of Bezos time could probably feed thousands.

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Suzanne Haigh
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What on earth has Socialism got to do with food banks? more like Capitalism but then Americans do not know what these words mean, don't you have dictionaries?

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Don't Look
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

IT would have to be considering that a food bank is primarily donations by private people of food they can afford but don't need given to people who cannot afford but do need.

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Sharon Ingram
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The existence is available because of capitalism. People with jobs are the ones filling it with food for those who don’t have enough.

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Nasren Jak
Community Member
2 years ago

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Ella Blackwood
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No. If capitalism was truly a "success", nobody would need to resort to a food bank. They would be making enough money to provide for their own food, clothing and shelter.

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F. H.
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's absolutely not. Food banks mean that there is enough food for everyone and they are a way to distribute it. A food distribution problem would mean that people in some areas would starve because they physically can't get food or the prices are too high due to lack of food. Food is neither expensive nor lacking in most western countries with food banks. It's an unemployment problem and a problem of too low wages.

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Norart
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2 years ago

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I'm no logician so I don't know if, based on this statement, the following could be proven or disproven: No one has been hungry under communism No one has been hungry under oligarch rule No one has gone hungry under ----?

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Sam Goerdel
Community Member
2 years ago

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Yes eating cats, dogs and zoo animals while they last is oh so better.

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Ryan Deschanel
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2 years ago

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Capitalism does not fail. Capitalism is the most perfect system one can imagine. The current american system is not capitalism, it is a distorted version of capitalism that only benefits the ones who take advantage of it. Remember : capitalism is "the government will not take over your business", nothing more. "Rich people are to be very rich, and poor people, very poor", as Don Salluste says in Delusions of Grandeur (1971), is not capitalism, it is pure bastardness.

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Leah Woodard
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Capitalism is, by definition, a system in which everything is run for profit to the individual, not the state. It requires a money-based hierarchy (not skill or aptitude, meaning familial ties are more important than ability) as well as constant demand from the lower classes. That demand is expected to ebb and flow, so it also requires a certain percentage of it's work force be perpetually uncertain, constantly facing job insecurity based on little more than the whims of those same third-and-fourth-generatio rich guys. Oh, yeah. PERFECT system. Also, we are 'officially a Democratic Constitutional Republic operating with capitalist economic system; though, realistically, government and economics go hand in hand, they aren't one and the same, except in totalitarian and communist systems.. Even in pure socialism, the government is involved in industries deigned by society to be the responsibility the government has to all citizens - basic Healthcare, food stability, and a place to live.

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Suzanne Haigh
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2 years ago

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Existence of food banks is to feed the foreigners who come to England and do not wish to spend the benefits or work

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Tobin Kern
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2 years ago

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The only reason a food bank exists is because Capitalism has produced so much, that it can feed those who cant feed themselves.

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Ella Blackwood
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The reason they can't feed themselves is because they can't earn enough to feed themselves and their families. The food banks are necessary because otherwise they would starve to death.

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Craig Silberman
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2 years ago

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asking capitalism to do something it's not intended to do shows an ignorance of what capitalism is

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Dee on bikes
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Creating a class of people unable to earn enough money to eat while a select few hoard most of the wealth seems like capitalism working exactly as intended,

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Dillon Hughes
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2 years ago (edited)

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Well said truth monster! Food banks are a simple way to help them with leftovers. It's the same as me giving my leftovers to a neighbor. Why on earth does he have -60 already for an honest fact! What is wrong with all these stupid pandas!

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Truth Monster
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2 years ago

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The existence of food banks means there is enough food to feed those who are hungry. That there are food banks is a failure of socialism, which, despite billions being spent, has yet to alleviate all poverty by providing an adequate safety net so that food banks are not necessary.

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According to Stefan, even if a particular food preference seems unusual now, it could easily become more mainstream as time passes. “For example, the idea of drinking bone broth might have seemed odd a few years ago; in fact, in 2016, Google Trends identified an interest score of just 21. Fast forward to January 2020, and it hit a popularity score of 100.”

Moreover, unusual food preferences can be an exciting challenge for a cook. “Part of creating a great recipe is combining different flavors and textures in new ways, perhaps unimagined. What might seem like a bizarre preference could spark inspiration for an exciting new dish,” the spokesperson of Greenpan.co.uk explained.

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vogonpoet
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Took me years in the USA to find a bread that had no sugar. And then I moved back to NZ. I miss that sourdough so much.

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Friday
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is if you are eating something rare, exotic or not humanly killed. There is no reason anyone needs to consume something like a beating snake heart.

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When asked whether a chef could refuse to cook a very unusual order made by a client, Stefan said that “unusual food preferences can be a tough pill to swallow as a chef, but it can be a positive challenge.” “That being said,” the spokesperson continued, “customers should be aware that professional kitchens will have prepped their menus and food orders in advance, so last-minute changes can be difficult to overcome. Likewise, some chefs may find it hard to deviate from what they’re used to, as their menu is an art and experience.”

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“Depending on how obscure the food order is, chefs can use it to their advantage and make use of existing ingredients they have and try and incorporate what they would have served in a slightly different way,” Stefan concluded.

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Jon Steensen
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually all the differnt pasta shapes each have their own specific purpose. They are each speciallised for a particular task, and cannot be interchanged if you are after the best result. E.g. if you cook lasagna with farfalle (butterflies) the result will be wierd (or actually a wrong interpretation of pasta bolognese), as the plates are what holds a lasagna toghether, so it can be cut into blocks. Some of them, like the shells and cannelloni (large tubes) are actually meant to be stuffed. Each type of pasta will interact with the sauce diffently, which will have an effect on the experience of eating the dish. So yes diffent pasta shapes makes the pasta(dish) taste differently, but the shells are not always the best.

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Sum Guy
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love raisins... I even have some in my desk. Next thing you'll say biltong is a waste of meat

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Bored Panda also talked to Alex Gunz of "Gourmand Gunno," a London-based professional food reviewer and the winner of Square Meal's 'Critic of the Year' 2014 award.

When asked whether talking about food, especially if one has unusual opinions when it comes to eating, can sometimes turn sour, Alex Gunz told us that it should not and does not need to be a sensitive topic. “The more people are open and willing to discuss their opinions, the less sensitive the topic becomes,” he added.

#13

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#14

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UncleRussian
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah... I asked a Mexican friend of mine who lives in USA if Taco Bell was authentic when it comes to tacos and he said no, because Tacos aren't supposed to be in a hard shell

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Moreover, “Everyone will have their own view on what constitutes 'unusual.' Always important to make a distinction between what preferences might be a function of either religion or health relative to just more personal reasons,” Alex explained.

When it comes to chefs preparing very unusual orders, Alex said that whether the chef would agree to make a special order or not “totally depends on the circumstances (type of restaurant, price point, and expectation of the consumer).” Having said that, he added that “menus exist for a reason, in most cases.”

#19

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Pungent Sauce
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love a deep dish, but I love pizza. Even those greasy crackers that are NY style slices are good if you put one on top of another like a calzone.

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Truth Monster
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You're eating it wrong. Change your bread to something like toasted ciabatta.

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#25

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People-Share-Controversial-Food-Opinions

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UncleRussian
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, I do love tea. But uuuuuh, I used to work as a baker and when you wake up at 4 in the morning tea isn't enough to wake you up

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Carmen Sandiego
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

On the fence. Maybe they are too sweet, but they are so soft! They are literally air and sugar.

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Eslamala
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tomatos ruin sandwiches most of the time, not cause of the taste, but cause of the extra moisture

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Sum Guy
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Someone has horrible taste buds... I will say, sweet potato fries are horrible and seem like something the Americans invented...but sweet potatoes are awesome

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Note: this post originally had 52 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

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