[paul.fr]

I have never eaten certain foods, but i know i don't like them because the don't look nice. Why do we eat with our eyes? Is it an old trait, to prevent us eating dodgy looking foods that may be poisonous?

[another_someone]

We have to judge many things with our eyes, and no doubt food is an important part of our lives, and so something we tend to spend some effort in judging.

Interestingly, I actually tend not to be strongly influenced by the appearance of food; but then I have always had a week correlation between visual appeal and emotional response (likes and dislikes), and this even applies to women.

Other people tend generally to have a stringer correlation between visual input and emotional response, for food as for women.

Incidentally, I am also not particularly house proud.

It is not that I am indiscriminate, but my discrimination is far stronger for the olfactory and tactile senses than the visual ones.  If I don't like the smell of a food, or its texture, then I will not touch it; but visually, it has much less impact upon me than on most other people.

[neilep]

It all boils down to inbuilt proclivities, instincts and prejudices !!

I too eat with my eyes.....and I suspect that somewhere deep inside it's a defense mechanism to protect us from eating stuff which is going to cause us harm. (Like wifeys cooking for instance !!)

Some I speculate are very basic rudimentary instincts, others, from quite an early age are learned.

Culturally and anthropologically we all have ' learned ' instincts of what is attractive on the eye or not.

Though, it's interesting to know that once tried, the aversionary  (new word ?) instinct weakens and is replaced by a happy acceptance.

In some tribes they think nothing of eating a grub from a tree and may start to heave when they see us eating a chicken ....

[Carolyn]

It all boils down to inbuilt proclivities, instincts and prejudices !!

I too eat with my eyes.....and I suspect that somewhere deep inside it's a defense mechanism to protect us from eating stuff which is going to cause us harm. (Like wifeys cooking for instance !!)

Some I speculate are very basic rudimentary instincts, others, from quite an early age are learned.

Culturally and anthropologically we all have ' learned ' instincts of what is attractive on the eye or not.

Though, it's interesting to know that once tried, the aversionary  (new word ?) instinct weakens and is replaced by a happy acceptance.

In some tribes they think nothing of eating a grub from a tree and may start to heave when they see us eating a chicken ....

This is how I felt about oysters.  As a teenager my Dad paid me $50.00 to eat a dozen raw oysters.  I had to close my eyes and hold my nose to get them down.  But now I absolutely love Oysters Rockefeller.

[kdlynn]

i can't eat seafood. it all looks absolutely disgusting to me. on the other hand, mashed potatoes always look good but i can't make myself swallow them. way too mushy. same thing with oatmeal and bananas.

[another_someone]

I don't eat seafood (except tinned tuna, and roll mops - not together usually); but it has nothing to do with that they look like - I don't like the smell or texture (I'm told that seafood straight out of the sea does not have the strong smell we associate with seafood, but the texture still is wrong for me).

For the look of it, fish in batter does not look that different from meat in batter (e.g. wiener schnitzel) - yes, it is different, but not that much that I would worry about it - but I still cannot eat it.

When I was in Brussels (in 1994), my then French teacher had her boyfriend cook me a gourmet salmon and mashed potato - I tried very hard to get it down because of all the effort he had gone to to cook it, but I just couldn't - each mouthful was more difficult than the last, and after a few, I just had to give up.  It did not look bad at all, I just could not cope with the texture in my mouth.

[kdlynn]

so you see what i mean about mashed potatoes! lol

[another_someone]

so you see what i mean about mashed potatoes! lol

I understand totally []

[kdlynn]

good!!

[Karen W.]

I love mashed potatoes bananas and yogurt and lots of soft foods. I however am visually textureally as well as every other way attracted to food. I hate muscles tried them a couple weeks ago visually on my plate tried to get them close to me mouth and almost got sick.. LOL nope I hate em! No tasting involved! LOL!!

[Seany]

I love muscles! []

[Karen W.]

Do you really.. Me fourth grade teacher did also!

[JimBob]

I think most of our prejudices are inculcated, not only the ones about food, but about people, actions (moral & ethical behavior) and most other things we do or do not do.

As for food, The Australian natives eating grubs makes many civilized people squeamish. Dog is a staple food in many societies, baby ells in Spain, "fermented" duck eggs, duck feet, sea cucumber, etc. in China, seaweed in Japan (I have tried to eat some of this).

What we do is what we learned for the largest part.

If I were starving, I would eat anything that wouldn't kill me.

[neilep]

I don't eat seafood (except tinned tuna, and roll mops - not together usually); but it has nothing to do with that they look like - I don't like the smell or texture (I'm told that seafood straight out of the sea does not have the strong smell we associate with seafood, but the texture still is wrong for me).

For the look of it, fish in batter does not look that different from meat in batter (e.g. wiener schnitzel) - yes, it is different, but not that much that I would worry about it - but I still cannot eat it.

When I was in Brussels (in 1994), my then French teacher had her boyfriend cook me a gourmet salmon and mashed potato - I tried very hard to get it down because of all the effort he had gone to to cook it, but I just couldn't - each mouthful was more difficult than the last, and after a few, I just had to give up.  It did not look bad at all, I just could not cope with the texture in my mouth.

What about Smoked Salmon........Oh my agwwwwwwwwwwwwwwd !!..I luff that stuff sooooooo much !!


Fresh fish from the sea shouldn't smell that badh except be delicate and refreshing !

Leave it for a day or two and yes...it starts to go down Rank Avenue !

[neilep]

i can't eat seafood. it all looks absolutely disgusting to me. on the other hand, mashed potatoes always look good but i can't make myself swallow them. way too mushy. same thing with oatmeal and bananas.

But aren't ewe making the food in your mouth go all mushy anyway befire ewe swallow it ?

Hmmmm..mashed potato with butter....some black pepper...or even Creme Fraiche.....ultimate comfort food !!

[kdlynn]

well it's thick and mushy

[Bored chemist]

Ladies and gentlemen; I present Mushy peas
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/search.php?search=mushy+peas&match_type=all
In my opinion these are just as revolting as they look but I know people who love them.

[moonfire]

I am a texture person along with Georgie and Kadie....Tapioca Pudding....ick!  Creme of Wheat....Ick!  Jello or anything with Jello in it...Ick!! 
But I adore some Salmon Neilsy smoked, baked, and even BBQ...one nice little restaurant who makes an interesting Salmon with a BBQ mix along with Asparagus...it is incredible!

[kdlynn]

eggplant, while mushy, is still good