Rules for eating or arranging food?

[Sabrina]

I remember vividly getting confused with how I was supposed to eat. Like, one fork meat, another rice, another plantain. 'But wait. Am I following the right order? I think I ate rice twice'... and so on, so people would talk to me (of course, I hadn't heard a thing, I was concentrated in nourishing myself evenly) and then I would lose concentration again. And, of course, I would be scolded because "I was not paying attention" to what was being said to me.

Different foods could not touch, obviously, that would be too much mayhem. My sister (I think she did it to annoy me) would cut everything in little pieces, then MIX IT ALL (to my dismay) and to my total horror, she would add ketchup all over, mix it again, and eat it.

Then I found the solution for my problems: eat all the plantain, then all the meat, then all the rice.
Later, I decided that different foods could not share the same plate. So I would serve meat first, eat it. Then plantain, eat it. Then rice.
I was "cured" when visiting a friend of my mom's because she refused to all this nonsense and embarrassed me in public.

 

[Judge]

Growing up I always had kind of a phobia of one food touching another on the same plate. Probably why I used to be delighted in eating those classic old tv dinners. Mediocre food, but not mixed up.

When it came to food, segregation today, tomorrow, segregation forever!

Umm...maybe I should rephrase that.

 

[Katleya]

I did have my own set of rules. I'm embarrassed to say I still abide by them, but people don't seem to notice unless I point it out, or unless I'm confronted with fruit salad. All hell breaks loose if you give me fruit salad, especially the canned type.

Foods that aren't "dry" cannot touch. And anything that would make other foods mushy must be kept at a distance (who are those people who squirt ketchup all over their fries, and how do they enjoy watching the world burn, seriously?). Certain textures are absolute no-nos if they're combined, but fine on their own: mashed potatoes and meat, for example. One needs to be chewed, the other not so much, and yes, trying to have me eat shepherd's pie may cause a tantrum. Imagine my surprise when I was visiting my mother-in-law recently, and my boyfriend announced she had made exactly that. How could he let me down and not tell her I couldn't handle that dish? Turns out he didn't know. Somebody hasn't been paying attention...

Other than that, I have this internal "grid" of perfect ratios for different types of food, and I have to make sure every forkful has the same ratio of ingredient x, ingredient y and ingredient z, in order to achieve similar taste every time. I also can't have a forkful of just x, then a forkful of x + y, then a forkful of x + z... just typing it makes me nervous. I just need balance and symmetry, if that makes any sense?

I'm really not sure how other people manage not to notice every thing that's going on around my plate when I eat out. Perhaps they're too busy engaging in small talk for that

 

[Kisa the tea]

If one food touched another then all was lost.

 

[Keigan]

No rules other than "no ketchup".

 

[Momo]

All the rules, so many rules, too many rules. Because everything must be eaten to an even number, whether it be cheerios or grains of rice. Try maintaining that rule!

 

[Sabrina]

Other than that, I have this internal "grid" of perfect ratios for different types of food, and I have to make sure every forkful has the same ratio of ingredient x, ingredient y and ingredient z, in order to achieve similar taste every time. I also can't have a forkful of just x, then a forkful of x + y, then a forkful of x + z... just typing it makes me nervous. I just need balance and symmetry, if that makes any sense?

I do that too with salad or with food that's all mixed, like Chinese rice, or other Asian dishes.

 

[Katleya]

Oh yeah, me too. I hadn't thought of it.
I'm actually perfectly fine with any chop suey, fried rice or similar dishes, provided I can eat them "by the rules".

When I'm home, I also have other meal quirks: certain foods can only be eaten in certain plates (and I'm not even talking about soup in a deeper plate than French fries... I'm talking this color of plate for that dish, etc.), with certain cutlery, etc.

If I'm eating meat, especially chicken, there mustn't be anything that let me identify it was once alive. The Thanksgiving turkey is a nightmare for me: I have to eat meat while facing a carved carcass and looking at the inside of a dead bird. But turkey sandwich? Bring it on (just not with mayo. I can't stand to even look at mayo). I also can't have fish for the same reason, especially whole fish with the eyes still on. Or shrimp, or anything that you will need to dismember.

And a last rule (my eating is really neurotic, it seems) applies to the fruits and drinks I like the most: I can't stand to have them corrupted by another taste, e.g. mango and watermelon are my favorite fruit and I absolutely love coconut water, but if you offered me a smoothie made of those 3 ingredients, I'd think something is seriously wrong with you for messing with the individual goodness of each one of them. Don't know if that makes sense to anyone?

 

[Sabrina]

Oh yeah, me too. I hadn't thought of it.
I'm actually perfectly fine with any chop suey, fried rice or similar dishes, provided I can eat them "by the rules".

When I'm home, I also have other meal quirks: certain foods can only be eaten in certain plates (and I'm not even talking about soup in a deeper plate than French fries... I'm talking this color of plate for that dish, etc.), with certain cutlery, etc.

If I'm eating meat, especially chicken, there mustn't be anything that let me identify it was once alive. The Thanksgiving turkey is a nightmare for me: I have to eat meat while facing a carved carcass and looking at the inside of a dead bird. But turkey sandwich? Bring it on (just not with mayo. I can't stand to even look at mayo). I also can't have fish for the same reason, especially whole fish with the eyes still on. Or shrimp, or anything that you will need to dismember.

And a last rule (my eating is really neurotic, it seems) applies to the fruits and drinks I like the most: I can't stand to have them corrupted by another taste, e.g. mango and watermelon are my favorite fruit and I absolutely love coconut water, but if you offered me a smoothie made of those 3 ingredients, I'd think something is seriously wrong with you for messing with the individual goodness of each one of them. Don't know if that makes sense to anyone?

I can't stand mayo either, makes me feel nauseous. At restaurants I always have to ask if the plate has mayo (because sometimes it's not listed in the ingredients) and I tell them that I'm allergic to it, even if they say it doesn't have mayo, because it's the only way to make the waiter take me seriously.

I have no problem mixing fruit, but I relate to the fact that I don't like to remember that what I'm eating was an alive animal.

 

[Judge]

Seems like a number of us are all on the same page here. So when NTs ask, what is common to many of us?

Here ya go.

 

[Thursday]

I hate mayo's slimy texture. Come to think of it, I can't stand slimy or oily stuff on my hands either and wash my hands a few times to get rid of it.

As for meat, I could never eat while a dead fish was whole in front of me. A whole pig too...and people like serving the latter with apples in their mouths. Dead fish eyes has made me throw up more than once.

 

[Judge]

As for meat, I could never eat while a dead fish was whole in front of me. A whole pig too...and people like serving the latter with apples in their mouths. Dead fish eyes has made me throw up more than once.

Oh geez. Reminds me of when I was nine years old and we went to the Flagship Restaurant in Washington DC.
Back then I loved filet of sole. Made the mistake of ordering filet of flounder which wasn't breaded, but essentially just a pan fish on the plate with the head, tail...the whole damn thing. Yeah, I didn't eat it. Somehow I managed not to hurl though.

 

[Jet Weiss]

My foods cannot touch each other or I will have a meltdown of catastrophic proportions.

 

[Thursday]

Oh geez. Reminds me of when I was nine years old and we went to the Flagship Restaurant in Washington DC.
Back then I loved filet of sole. Made the mistake of ordering filet of flounder which wasn't breaded, but essentially just a pan fish on the plate with the head, tail...the whole damn thing. Yeah, I didn't eat it. Somehow I managed not to hurl though.

Good for you! I was young then. I think I was thinking about the pet fishes we have at home and felt really awful for them.

Breaded meat is heaven. I know it's fried, but as long as I can pat it with tissues, I'm good.

 

[SameStars]

My food couldn't touch. And often there was an order in which I ate it.

 

[Maelstrom]

I am not too picky but I really don't like sauces touching things they do not belong on.
Also pancake syrup on my eggs or potatoes is just gross.

I do eat bits of my mashed potatoes with other things like corn or peas.

I tend to eat one item at a time in little bites...it annoys my family...they will slop sauce all over their toast like a dam broke but I put just the right amount on so it tastes good but I can still pick it up and eat it in my hand.

I will carefully season my food with this and that just right and they look mystified and ask what I am doing, I am doing what I always do making it perfect!
There is a perfect amount for everything if you look for it.

My order depends on a items desirability usually best for last...unless there is a item I really just don't wish to eat and dread...glass of water to choke down maybe Items?

 

[SusanLR]

Foods not touching seems to be a common trait. I grew up this way. I had to use a plate that was divided like a TV dinner so each section seperated one from the other.
I lost the plate when I was young, but, still keep the portions seperate. Then I eat each one at time. I get asked if I'm not going to eat the whatever and I reply: "yes, when I get to it. But, right now I'm eating the rice." They don't understand.

I also have two odd things about eating I haven't seen on this thread and wonder if anyone can shed light on them or have the same traits....
I can't seem to make myself eat the tips of things like french fries or the sandwich edge where I held it.
French fries end up a pile of little ends left. Sandwiches, cookies, etc. I leave the part I held in my fingers.
I don't think of germs either, not consciously anyway. Just always did this. Don't know why. But, people notice. Same with the last sip of a drink. I've been told to drink the last drop. And there's always a few pieces of anything I eat even with utensils left. I see people scraping the plate clean. I just can't do it. It makes me feel sick to try. Anyone else like this?

 

[xudo]

I'm still the same way now. I won't eat two things on the plate together, and I would prefer that they didn't touch although that's not always possible, for example if I go out to eat. I will eat one thing at a time.

 

[tree]

I didn't care if food touched.
I didn't eat things in any strictly regulated order.

I liked to eat stuff that was nice together, combination bites.

I thought it was better to eat the leaves off the celery first because
they weren't as good as the rest of the celery. I saved most of
the meatballs until the end when we had spaghetti and meatballs,
because I liked the meatballs.

I didn't weird out over mayo, not that we ever had mayo. We
had Miracle Whip.

This wasn't a "rule," but when things were tense at the table,
(when my father was anxious or angry about his business/work)
I swallowed my food with minimal chewing
or as nearly 'whole' as would work
so that by concentrating on it,
I wouldn't cry.

 

[Sabrina]

I also have two odd things about eating I haven't seen on this thread and wonder if anyone can shed light on them or have the same traits....
I can't seem to make myself eat the tips of things like french fries or the sandwich edge where I held it.
French fries end up a pile of little ends left. Sandwiches, cookies, etc. I leave the part I held in my fingers.
I don't think of germs either, not consciously anyway. Just always did this. Don't know why. But, people notice. Same with the last sip of a drink. I've been told to drink the last drop. And there's always a few pieces of anything I eat even with utensils left. I see people scraping the plate clean. I just can't do it. It makes me feel sick to try. Anyone else like this?

My son always leaves something on the plate after eating. A little piece of sandwich, or pizza, for example. Since he doesn't eat much, I've never wondered why he always does that when he's eating a regular meal. But he loves pizza and also his jam sandwiches, and they are usually a small portion, so I once asked him about it and didn't answer. But I suspect he's got an inconscious rule about it.