HELP!!!

[Anonymous]

I have never met a flavor or spice I haven't liked. But, to each his/her own! There is no shame in having preferences and opinions about food and not liking certain things. Life is too short to suffer through eating foods that make you feel uncomfortable/sick.

Now to OP's question - I find that "make your own" bars, bowls, etc work well in these situations. Examples would be (1) a taco or burrito bar, or (2) a pasta or baked potato bar. For all of these, you could make plain grilled or shredded chicken as the protein. For taco/burrito, add sides of plain rice, corn, mild and hot salsas, diced avocado, shredded cheese, plain black beans, shredded lettuce, soft taco shells, etc. All of this are low effort and could be prepped ahead of time, and you just pull out at dinnertime. For pasta, cook a big pot of plain pasta, while it cooks heat tomato sauce and/or pesto, and have shredded parm cheese - you could also heat frozen meatballs. Make a mozz/tomato salad for the side and heat frozen garlic bread. You get the gist. Most of all of this can be prepped ahead and short-cut by purchasing rotisserie chicken, jarred sauces, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The amount of picky eaters is insane.

OP I love Indian food. Maybe I can come instead, and all the fussy eaters can go out together?

Yes! Train them young. My youngest had butter chicken for the first time (we are from a bland culture) and it was moderately spicy. He ate it and every bite he said "it's so spicy but I can't stop eating it because it is so so so so good!" - he discovered mango lassi as a cooldown and there is hope for him.

Adorable!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Salmon, baste with melted butter and sprinkle a little rosemary and basil. Bake uncovered at 450F for about 9 minutes (until it flakes). Serve with pasta bowties/olive oil, or rice pilaf (not one with garlic or onion or anything too strong in the flavoring), or couscous and a veggie like baked aspararagus or green beans or something

Most of my family can't handle most spices and this always seems popular and delicious

I'm the person who can't eat pepper, and I would totally eat this, even though I've never had salmon before.

Why would you not have had salmon before. If your body is that sensitive to pepper ok but your diet sounds really restrictive even outside of that

Any time my mom made it she added lemon which I hate, and I just don’t know how to make salmon in a way I’d like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are seriously multiple people on DCUM who find black pepper too spicy? OMG.

OP, I would struggle too. I love to cook and it would literally pain me to make such bland, boring food for a guest.

How about hamburgers and baked potatoes? That way you could add more toppings and she could have it plain?

I am a black pepper hater. It’s not just me saying I don’t like it. Spice like that physically burns my mouth for a solid two to three days, and that’s with chugging insane amounts of water. My body itself doesn’t react well to spicy things.

Black pepper is not “spicy.”

It is.
Black pepper is one of the most important spices of the original spice trades. It has spicy heat from the chemical piperine. It’s just different from the capsaicin heat of chili peppers.

NP. I happen to love salmon, but it isn’t a bland fish at all. It has a lot of flavor.
“Spicy” does not refer to any spice. If that were so, tarragon and parsley would be “spicy.” “Spicy,” in reference to heat level of food, connotes a heat level above that of black peppercorn.

If someone’s body interprets black pepper as a burn and they have literally never tasted salmon, a bland fish, I have to wonder if they are fit to go into public and eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know I’m a jerk because I would simply refuse to cook for these people

I would totally cook for someone who is a picky eater but otherwise nice. Telling an Indian person they don’t eat food with “weird spices” would definitely make me less likely to accommodate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If everyone eats pork, roasted pork tenderloins. You can rub some with rosemary and garlic but leave one with just salt and pepper, if that helps. Roasted baby potatoes or mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes, and roasted brussels spouts or broccoli (with or without lemon or parmesan cheese) for veg.

Roasted chicken breasts with s/p, lemon, maybe garlic. Serve with steamed green beans (with or without slivered almonds, a splash of olive oil or lemon), mashed potatoes or roast potatoes, and/or crusty bread.

This is a good idea, but check before seasoning. I don’t like spicy food, either. Garlic and rosemary are fine, and I actually love them. However, I have an extremely low tolerance for black pepper, which is too spicy for me.

Same issue with pepper.

Funny, my daughter is the same with black pepper. I always thought she was just being dramatic but then I noticed that her eyes start to water even when I put in a tiny amount that she couldn't see. Now I feel bad that I didn't believe her.

[Anonymous]

Echoing posters who suggested build-your-own as a good way to go. People enjoy customizing their meals.

[Anonymous]

I'm with others. Does she not eat anything spicy as in remotely hot or does she not like actual flavor. You may have to go out or cook nothing but plain grilled meat, a starch, a steamed veggie.

[Anonymous]

Chicken piccata

Chicken parmesan

Veal cordon Bleu

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

Chicken and dumplings

[Anonymous]

For ppl suggesting rosemary and basil - I'd rethink that. Although you might not consider them "weird", they are definitely spices that are very distinct and one either likes or very much dislikes - I wouldn't risk it.

[Anonymous]

I would just give them a grubhub certificate and make whatever you want for the real adults. Tell them what time you are eating, and they can order something.

[Anonymous]

I don't like anything spicy, I don't like salad dressing or oil in my food or even salt. So that is how I cook at home. When I visit people, I just eat what they provide even if it's not something I enjoy because it's their house and I don't want to put them to any trouble and it's not like I am allergic or otherwise incapable of eating it.

So unless your friend literally cannot eat it due to spice level or similar, I just say cook whatever you like. If she's a good friend, she won't care. That's the thing when your food preferences are more restrictive than average - you get used to (or you should) occasionally putting up with stuff that isn't to your taste.