Tuesday Tip Thanksgiving Edition : If you don’t want it, don’t eat it

One of the situations that pops up around the holidays when we’re navigating parties and functions that involve food, is encountering items we don’t want to eat.  I’m not talking about coming across a food item that you’re allergic to and therefore can’t eat.  I’m talking about food items we don’t like or have no desire to eat.

Auntie Andie is here to tell you that if you don’t want to eat it, don’t eat it.  Period. Full stop.  Sometimes we worry about how the person who made the dish is going to react and are they going to be offended if we don’t eat something.

I’ve been defending my eating habits my entire life.  No, seriously.  There are lots of things I don’t eat, but one thing that seems to baffle people the most is my dislike of sweets.  For instance, I don’t eat cake.  If you want me to be completely honest, I hate cake.  I think it’s gross.  It’s dry and then to cover up that dryness, an overly sugary thick layer of icing is put on top and sometimes in the middle for layer cakes.  I may have just gagged a little bit even typing that out.  My entire life I have never liked cake.  I will eat a cupcake because they tend to be a little bit more moist and it’s easier for me to scrape off the icing.  Growing up my mom made me cupcakes for my birthday.  At other kids’ parties, I just ate some ice cream.  The day the ice cream cake was invented and became common at Dairy Queen there was much rejoicing on my end.  A cake that is all ice cream?  I am totally all over that!  But my point, try explaining to someone you don’t like cake.

Exactly.

Most people don’t believe me.

To take it a step further, I also don’t like pie. Cooked fruit is something I’m very picky about and only like in certain situations.  Cooked fruit in pie that is sitting in some sort of very sugary and gelatinous substance? I will pass on that, thank you.  Again, I find that gross.

Cookies, pastries, and other sweets I will pass up as well.  Unless I know where they came from, how they were made, and how much sugar is in them, I won’t eat it.  Maybe that’s snobby?  But I know what I like and most sweets do not fit the bill.  Therefore I don’t eat them.

Most times people really push the sweets and when I don’t take it, I get questioned.  When trying to explain that sweets aren’t really my thing, I usually get dismissed.  Oh people are polite but you can tell that they think perhaps I’m trying to “stick to my diet” or “showing great moderation”.  Sorry peeps, I for real have no desire for sweets.

I have loads of other examples but this is already a bit lengthy. ;)  What I have learned over my several years of having to explain myself, is that the people who get offended, it’s all on them.  That’s a feeling that they own and it’s their problem, not mine.  And this is what I’m passing on to you.

If you don’t want to eat something this holiday season, DON’T EAT IT.  Be true to yourself and what you like, those that matter won’t care.  Those who get upset, remember that is their issue, not yours.

Have a happy holiday season this year and don’t stress the parties. :)  If you need to chat, I’ll be the one standing by the cheese plate while everyone else is over at the cake.

9 thoughts on “Tuesday Tip Thanksgiving Edition : If you don’t want it, don’t eat it

  1. I will be at the cheese plate with you. I hate fruit pies and hate cake as well. I can tolerate them sometimes (if they are loaded with frosting or ice cream) but I hate sugary frostings too. I am very picky about frosting.

    Love this post because I am relieved that I am not the only one!

  2. These are great tips. Thank goodness my family are not food pushers.

    We are bringing things to the feast that we like so there are food choices. That is how I solve this problem. I hate potlucks because people become food pushers and I get annoyed!

  3. DianaHayes says:

    Love cake and pies but maybe not if you add cayenne. My niece did that and I tried a piece but decided it wasn’t my thing. I don’t mind trying though. My husband was a little upset that someone would ruin a perfectly good dessert on purpose. Oh well.

  4. I HATE cake too!!!! Unless it’s carrot cake, it does absoultely nothing for me. I kind of regret even having a cake at our wedding. We should have done tiramisu or something more unordinary. Oh well, I guess not everyone can be as eccentrenic.

  5. I completely agree that if you don’t want something, don’t eat it out of obligation! I do however believe that it won’t kill you to have a small piece of something to make a family member see that you appreciate their cooking. Some cooks take great offense if you don’t even try something before deeming it something you in general, “hate”. I guess it’s all about balance right? Thanks for this thought provoking post!

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