Four Benefits of Trying New Foods

How many times have you looked at a new dish and turned your nose up at it? It’s not the right thing to do when presented with new foods, though it’s tempting if you’re not sure what you’re about to eat. Humans are creatures of habit: we like what we know and we know what we like – and we only eat things that make sense.

For example, squid rings are very much a love/hate food. Some people love them and others really don’t, so it makes sense that there are those who would love this easy to follow shrimp salad recipe while others would find it too exotic and refuse to eat it! The thing is, there are so many benefits to being brave enough to try new things. Never forget that it can take up to ten tries of tasting something new to fall in love with it, so something you tried once and didn’t like should be tried again later in life! So, with that in mind, let’s look at the four benefits of trying new foods.

Variety

You are so much healthier when you choose to diversify your diet. It can be tempting to stick to foods that are palatable and sweet, but palatable doesn’t always equal good for you. You may cringe at the idea of Brussels Sprouts on your holiday dinner, but learn to give them flavor and you will learn to love the world’s most hated veggies! Choosing different foods from different food groups will keep your diet healthy and balanced; it’s a good way to ensure that you get all your essential nutrients! 

Adventure

We do not get enough time in life to not try the many exotic and delicious foods in the world. Safety is nice and all, but your tongue will not fall off if you introduce your tastebuds to a food you haven’t tried before. Stepping out of the box and trying new restaurants like the places to eat in Lake Tahoe, can introduce some new and tasty foods that you would have never thought to try. Fishy fish such as salmon and trout may not smell good fresh off the catch, but they will smell excellent with a little vegan butter and lemon while they’re being pan-fried. Add some dill and you’ve given yourself over to adventure. Sometimes, it’s the way that you prepare the food that can really change the way you taste it. Case in point: canned, pickled beets vs. freshly roasted!

Social

How hard is it to go out to dinner with friends and family if you can’t eat anything off the menu? Sure, you can go to your old favorite restaurants, but that isn’t as exciting as discovering new things. You can learn to be less of a picky eater when you head out to new restaurants and try new foods. If you want to give it a go, get someone close to you to order something you like the look of but are too nervous to try – then take a bit from their plate!

Discovery

Honestly, the biggest benefit is that you will not lose anything by trying something new. You can be adventurous and make the effort to try something new by mixing up flavors and learning to dive right in!