We recognize five basic tastes: sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and savory. But we also identify an enormous range of flavors, as every variety of every ingredient has its own distinct characteristics.
We do this with our taste buds that are housed in the small pink bumps on the tip of our tongue. So while we might have an idea of whether or not we will like a certain food, we simply cannot be sure until we put it in our mouth.
#1
Green beans. Turns out fresh ones are a completely different taste from the canned ones.
78points
#2
Cheesecake!! Cheese in cake form didn't sound appealing. I was 34 when my eyes were opened!!
76points
#3
Scalloped potatoes. I had been made to eat the instant box kind as a kid, and the texture and taste made me gag.
Turns out that I love homemade scalloped potatoes.
Report
71points
#4
I thought roasted potatoes must be horrible until I was in middle school. I ate over a friend's house and knew that, as a guest, it was impolite to decline any of the dishes, so I took a few red potatoes. And so the love affair with potatoes began! .
68points
#5
Meat loaf. We had it as a kid and it made me gag. My wife then made it and I thought this is fantastic! Years later my mother made it for us again. I gagged. Sorry Mom.
66points
#6
My grandfather would never eat pizza because he didn’t like how it looked. In his late 80s we took him to dinner with us for my brother’s birthday for..pizza. So he ended up trying it. After that he loved it and said he wished he’d tried it years ago!
52points
#7
Indian food. A whole cuisine.
Edit to clarify: The smell put me off for years. Not because it was bad just because it was pungent I think. I adore Indian food now, nothing compares. Greek is a strong second.
45points
#8
Pineapple on pizza. I was once one of you but I have seen the light. The trick is you have to have jalapeños on it too. You want that contrasting heat and sweet. I don’t do the traditional Hawaiian thing. Pepperoni, pineapple and japs is where it’s at.
44points
#9
Green Eggs & Ham
Luckily, thanks to one almost-unbearably persistent little fellow, I eventually tried it and found that I do, I do like Green Eggs & Ham.
Report
43points
#10
Salt and vinegar potato chips.
My sister had really bad ingrown toenails when we were kids and she soaked her feet in white vinegar every night. I couldn’t imagine why someone would want to put something that smelled like that on a potato chip. I found it revolting.
Then one day, I tried a vinegar chip accidentally and it changed my whole life. The sour flavor is actually amazing!
Report
42points
#11
Kimchi, turns out it’s delicious!
40points
#12
Egg rolls. I didn’t like eggs.
40points
#13
Sushi, until i actually had it 10 years ago. its so legit. not an acquired taste at all. hits like a good steak , or lasagna or something. easy to enjoy.
34points
#14
Pho. I didn’t know there was a version without tripe. The first time I had it a friend ordered for me and did ask beforehand if there was anything I don’t eat. I said no, not expecting tripe. I don’t like tripe. Hesitantly went again 10+ years later and got it with sirloin strips. Delicious.
34points
#16
I grew up Muslim so bacon and whisky.
33points
#17
Saurkraut and cabbage.
Then I ate at a German restaurant and the saurkraut was good and they had something called rokult(pickled cabbage) that is really good.
Then I ate at a German restaurant and the saurkraut was good and they had something called rokult(pickled cabbage) that is really good.
32points
#19
Grits. I’ve lived in the south for most of my life and only recently cooked them myself- turns out I just dislike how they’ve been served to me.
Report
31points
#20
Rhubarb Pie.
28points