My Cornucopia

It amazes me how much a person can change in just a few years. I have realized how much growth we experience during the ages 18 to 21. I don't think it is as drastic as the adolescent stage, but I can't help looking back and feeling like a different person in many ways. I can't believe I am 22 now. Does that make me a real adult? I still feel like a kid in a lot of ways, and I hope that never goes away. Then again, there are so many things that make me feel much more grown up. I remember being a kid and thinking, oh I'll never be like that...but what do you know...here I am. I do laugh about it now. I could ramble on with all kinds of examples and stuff, but that is not really what I wanted this post to be about, so maybe I'll save that for another time.

One of the things that does make me feel like an adult is the way my finicky eating habits are starting to fade away...and let me tell you, I am glad! As a kid, I used to hate being forced to eat things. I especially hated being told that I would have to sit at the table until I ate it. I was stubborn, too, so if I didn't want to eat something, it wasn't happening. I would sit there until finally someone said I could get up. I swore I would never make my own kids do that. I did not understand why someone should have to eat something if they don't like it. We all have different taste buds. I still don't think I would force a kid to eat something they really don't like, but I do wish I would have been more open-minded about food. If someone doesn't like a certain food prepared one way, they might like it a different way. You just have to keep trying to find the ways that work. If you keep making something the same way and telling a kid to keep trying it, that will just make them hate it more. Then they will have a negative association with that food, and it will only get more difficult with time. Maybe when they are older they will start to like more things, but until then, you just have to experiment.

I remember when I used to always order chicken nuggets and chicken strips at every restaurant. I remember when the only fruit I would eat were apples, grapes, bananas, and strawberries. The only vegetables I liked were potatoes and corn, and corn only if it was on the cob. I wouldn't eat spaghetti, chinese food, or venison and the list goes on and on. Most of these habits lasted well into my teen years, and some beyond. I've always hated having to tell waiters, "please don't put this, this, this, or this on it." If they forgot, I would freak out and not even want to eat it. I knew I could just take the veggies or whatever off my self, but just the thought that the vegetables were touching my food grossed me out. Wow I didn't realize how bad I was. I don't know why, but it was like I thought the veggies would hurt me if I accidentally ate a piece. I am talking about this like it was so long ago...when in reality, I still am like this with some foods, and I still do prefer to order some things 'plain'. But I am a lot more accepting of foods now, and just in this past year I have started eating a bigger variety. I will be trying more and more foods!

When I was 18, these were pretty much the only fruits and vegetables I liked to eat.


Now I like all of these. (click to enlarge)



I like to think of this as my ever-expanding Cornucopia! :)


Have you learned to like any new foods lately? What do you think I should try next?