food quirks ...

My eating habits are often critiqued by the people around me.

Some people think I don't eat enough (trust me I do). Some people can't understand why I don't eat "meat with feet" (I'm a pescatarian and I choose not eat meat with feet because I don't believe you need it to fuel properly and I've never been that big of a fan). Others think I'm crazy when I tell them I haven't had alcohol in seven years ( I just don't like the taste). And occasionally, people get on my case when they see how I control what my kids eat ("You get what you get and you don't throw a fit" is the law around here. But, they get their fair share of junk, too).

Most of the time, I ignore these comments. I don't let other people's opinions dictate the way I live. But, as I was digging every last piece of red onion out of my salad the other day, I realized I do have *some* food quirks. And I'm OK with that. In fact, I'm pretty sure I am not alone ...

1. As a child, I refused to eat any food that had touched something else on the plate. I was not a fan of contamination. I have grown out of this to some extent, but I really detest when sauces mix or when they get on items they are not meant for.
2. I eat my food off my plate in a clockwise pattern. I start at 12 o'clock and work my way around.
3. I will not touch raw meat. Just the thought of it makes me throw up in my mouth a little.
4. I do not like raw onion and will pick out every piece. But I will eat cooked onions, except if they are red.
5. I will put hot sauce on anything. Eggs, couscous, popcorn, sandwiches, vegetables, cheese. Like I said, anything.
6. I did not like coffee until I was pregnant with Dilly. Then I craved it. Now, I drink at least half a pot every day.
7. In high school, I ate a Burger King Bacon Double Cheeseburger with extra ketchup and pickles, fries and Dr. Pepper every single day during the school week. I also weighed 70 pounds more than I do now. Shocking, right? Now, just looking at the Burger King logo is enough to make me nauseous.
8. I am a creature of habit. I could eat the same three meals every single day and not complain. The only reason that my home cooking is more diversified than that is I am concerned that J would get bored if I ALWAYS made what I felt like eating.
9. In college, I was known to make a box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, load it up with hot sauce and eat the entire thing in one sitting.
10. I once ate 7/8 of a Carvel Smiley Face Ice Cream cake at one time because my dorm room didn't have a freezer. And because it tasted really good.
11. I often try to trick my guests into eating "meat substitutes" when they visit. No one has ever called me out on it, but I think they are just trying to be nice.
12. I used to be a far pickier eater. Although I will eat pretty much anything now, I used to *think* I knew exactly what I liked. Thus, when I was in England, I ate tons of Subway cheese sandwiches with pickles and yellow mustard, for no other reason than I thought everything else was gross.
13. Lobster is my all-time favorite food. It is the only thing keeping me from becoming a vegetarian, rather than a pescatarian.
14. I will try anything once. If I don't like it, I can almost guarantee I will never try it again.
15. I love eggs, and usually eat 6-8 egg whites with lunch. But, I hate quiche. It might be my least favorite meal. No, it's second to liver and onions.
16. I've always told J to "forget the flowers, and buy me a box of donuts instead."
17. I will not eat raw broccoli.
18. I almost never eat dessert while my kids are awake. Part of the reason is that I don't want them to think dessert is an everyday thing AND I often see dessert as my reward for making it through the day and it just tastes better when it's quiet.
19. I was the only child I knew who ate snails and frog legs on a regular basis. And I'm one of the few adults I know, that would jump at the opportunity to now (I would probably break my "meat with feet" rule for some frog legs).
20. I will not eat the ends of a loaf of bread. It grosses me out.
21. I refuse to share my food. It's mine. But I will happily sample yours.
    
22. I used to view food differently. Before I ran, I saw it as something you celebrated with, enjoyed and indulged in. Now, I know it can be all those things, but more importantly, it fuels me. And I want to be fueled well. Otherwise, my running is going to suck. And I'm not OK with that. Plus, I want to be a good example for my kids. I want them to see food as fuel, first and foremost.

What are your food quirks?

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