Food trends are supposed to be fun because you get new stuff to try & interesting ways to feel good. What could be better? Yet a lot of food habits make people feel kinda weird about disclosing in public.
Here are thirteen food habits that people told us they feel judged for, even if they’re not. Which one do you dislike?
People who bring their own hot sauce to restaurants
You’ve probably seen this. The little bottle comes out of the bag, and it’s tiny & cute. But everyone notices. Nobody says it’s wrong. Yet someone probably thinks you’re being dramatic about spice, and maybe you are. Still. That’s your business.
Drinking celery juice in public
People are going to stare when you walk around holding a cup of bright green liquid. And especially when it smells faintly like salad. They won’t ask questions, though. They’ll simply look & look again. It’s not that they hate it or anything. It’s that they think you think you’re better than them. But that’s probably not true.
Eating cottage cheese with fruit as a snack
Cottage cheese used to be a sad fridge item. Now, it’s all over TikTok, whipped & blended, topped with berries. But someone always stares at you when you pull it out at work. Perhaps it’s the texture. Perhaps it’s the word “curds.” Either way, you suddenly feel very exposed and like everyone’s staring at you.
Canned sardines with crackers at lunch
Crack open a tin of sardines at work & you’ll feel judged immediately. People stop chewing. Someone coughs. You’re just hungry, but they’re just uncomfortable about the fish and the smell it’s giving off. You pretend you don’t notice. However, you do, and you want to pack up & eat in your car.
Eating liver or organ meats by choice
Most people aren’t reaching for liver pâté or sautéed kidneys. At least, unless they grew up with it or got into it for health reasons. But it gets awkward when you mention it. Someone might even gag a little, which means you have to defend your food like it’s a controversial opinion. Nobody else wanted that conversation.
Using spirulina in smoothies or bowls
That deep green-blue color is hard to miss. Spirulina might be packed with whatever benefits, but people start commenting as soon as you add it. It stains your teeth for a minute. It smells a little weird the next. You’ll probably have to explain it to them. Even if you’d rather just drink your smoothie in peace. What’s wrong with being healthy?
Snacking on raw garlic for health
Some people really do chew on raw garlic cloves. It’s usually because of the supposed health perks, although they stop once someone sees. There’s no going back once they smell it. That’s why people keep their distance. You start wondering if you should’ve just brought gum & stayed quiet.
Eating freeze-dried fruit instead of candy
Swapping out candy for crunchy strawberry crisps or freeze-dried mango is a healthy switch. Perhaps it’s not a good idea during a movie, though. Or at a hangout. People will notice and either laugh or ask why it smells like cereal. You’re not making a statement because you just like it.
Choosing cauliflower crust when nobody else is
It’s on menus all over the place now. But ordering cauliflower crust pizza still makes the table go quiet. They might make a comment like, “Oh wow, good for you,” and some shifting in seats. They’ll eat their regular crust in silence. Your decision to be healthy has made everything awkward, which really isn’t fair.
Eating chia pudding for breakfast in public
Chia pudding is trendy & easy to prep. However, it doesn’t look like something most people would choose. The texture isn’t much better. That’s why you’ll hear comments if you eat it at work or post a photo. You were just trying to eat something filling. Sadly, you’re forced to field reactions because other people don’t know what to do with it.
Refusing to eat anything with seed oils
In theory, avoiding seed oils should be a personal choice. Yet saying it makes things change. Someone at the table starts Googling it & another mutters something about you overreacting. It’s enough to make you wish you’d just stayed vague. “I’m allergic to seed oils?” That’s a lot easier to deal with.
Saying no to food that’s not “clean” enough
You pass on the casserole & the cookies because you’re trying to eat clean. That’s all it takes. People feel judged without anyone actually saying anything, as if there’s something wrong with eating healthily. There isn’t. But you feel there is.
Gluten-free bread at non-gluten-free tables
Everything’s normal when you go out for lunch. Then someone asks politely if they can get something on gluten-free bread. The whole table goes quiet for a second. It’s not necessarily rude or anything at all, just different. Everyone picks at their sourdough for the rest of the meal. They may not say it, but they act like something’s wrong.