I am *not* a foodie.

by

Im plain of tongue. colorful of tattoos.

plain of tongue. colorful of tattoos.

 

Moving to Oakland has been similar to the experience of adding a child to our twosome.

What people insisted Id struggle with (“you will never pee alone again!!”) Ive found to be experiences I dont mind.

Things no one thought to mention (“you wont ever sleep soundly again. if shes not sleeping then you wont. if shes too quiet then you wont sleep. if shes at a sleepover then you wont snooze deeply…”) have been the stuffs I still struggle with.

Back in the ATX people knew I was quirky.

Or, more aptly put,  people knew I possessed taste buds of the “boring” (their word) variety.

Invitations to join an exclusive, eclectic, fancy supper club? I was NOT insulted when one didnt make its way to my in-box.

Jokes at my expense about “we would have invited you out for Indian food last night but we knew there would be sauce involved.” Im not offended.

  • Im plain.
  • Im sauce-free.
  • Im more likely to devour conversation than try a creative new dish whose ingredients arent readily apparent.
  • I am not a foodie.

 

can I be a foodie with this?

plain ole HEAVEN

Ive been this way my entire life.

Tuna salad? Chicken salad? Egg salad? PASS.  Im not a fan of the mayonnaise.

Salsa? Salad dressing? Curry? CoveredInAnySauceStuff?  Thanks for offering!  I shall decline please and thank you.

Before I discovered mindful eating (and learned my body demands plain/not always amazingly healthy) I spent years gagging down food-stuffs eating food I did not adore ALL in the name of not wanting to hurt feelings.

I understood fancy-fare was a way of saying we are excited to have you to our home! and that others experienced foodpleasure in the same way I might ravenously consume a documentary or novel.

I am not a foodie.

I appreciate the visual delight of a photo of decadent food (it’s for that reason I love my friend Spabettie’s blog)– yet for me the OOOH THIS IS FREAKIN AWESOME sounds/statements/noises are more likely to be emitted after I open this:

 

I LOVE straight from bag.

from bag to spoon to mouth.

I am not a foodie.

Invite me out to a fancy restaurant while we’re at FITBLOGGIN? 

Im in!

Name the time!

Hold the sauce!

flemmings restaurant

Tower of SEAFOOD!

While youre detailing the flavors of your insert most likely anything other than what Ive ordered Im thinking the same about my PLAINfare punctuated by a big old YUM.

This was all brought to mind recently when we went on a family play date.

After we chatted for a bit the conversation turned to our new hometown and its amazing restaurants.

Our hosts, eager to give recommendations, asked:

What kind of food do you like?

I was stumped.

I like foodfood? I love nothing more than perfectly grilled fish/steak accompanied by veggies steamed to PERFECTION. I FREAKIN LOVE the decadence of not having to clean up afterward. I adore hiring a babysitter & getting uninterrupted time to talk about adult-things no matter whats on the table?

Without missing a beat one of our hosts *jokingly* added:

Well not you, Carla.  You dont eat.

It was only in that moment I realized Id not touched the proffered dip (yeah. I know. please to see above IM PLAIN and cross-reference under not-a-fan-of-mayo).

I’d been so HUNGRY for adult-connection/talk-time I was too busy devouring that to register the snacks.

I am not a foodie.

Youll never hear me breaking down the layers of flavor in my beloved sashimi in the same way I long to drag you into discourse about my latest book find.

I am not a foodie.

Im a plain yet mindful misfit eater who appreciates food, savors it, yet veers decidedly & intuitively toward the plain.

And now you:

  • By your definition can one be a “foodie” if s/he craves plain, fresh and never fancy?
  • Do you believe many “foodies” value flavor & flair over health?
  • Are you a foodie?

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Comments

  1. I think a foodie can just APPRECIATE food and how it nourishes our bodies. I consider myself as a “hold the sauce” type person most of the time. I usually keep it pretty simple (hence, my weekly KISS posts), but I think I’m a foodie. I enjoy learning about different types of produce and foods . . . . what’s seasonal, what’s healing, and what’s delicious.

  2. I am not a foodie. Well, its always good to remain true to oneself. At least then you’ll keep your body in shape and not have to deal with excess fat baggage all in the name of trying to please others. I’m sure you appreciate good food so, be yourself

  4. I eat real simple food. But I love to cook now! So I am a sometimes foodie.
    PS – We Texans will try to “Keep Austin Weird” for ya!

  5. I love how every HLB I know has one stereotype they don’t fit. Your not a foodie, some aren’t runners (gasp!) some don’t crossfit … it’s our non-stereotypical behavior that makes us interesting 🙂

  6. haha this made me laugh – jonny and i always joke about how we would review new-to-us food and we are always like, “this is so good!” and that’s it…. like you though, we love food!!

  7. I’m not a foodie, but I’m starting to be adventurous with trying new food. I used to only eat plain foods but I’m starting to mix it up

  8. i think i’m a foodie because i love making food for others that they like. Well, myself included, but i think as food as a gift, to share. I love you because you are not there for the food, you are there for the quality time. Which in the end can be more nourishing

  9. I tend to believe foodies use the term as an excuse to eat what is essentially junk food.
    From what I have seen they hide under the term.

  11. I do recall you saying that on FB too!
    Are there different kinds of foodies I wonder?!
    ones who love to try all new, say, fried fair foods vs those who are high raw, clean, eatin’ foodies??

  13. Fantastic web site. A lot of helpful information here. I am sending it to a few pals ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thank you on your effort!

  14. You can absolutely be a FOODIE and enjoy plain food. Simple flavors are often the best flavors. Real food is simple, plain but delicious. I love food and appreciate the goodness of simple tastes. I loved Paris because food was simple yet amazing. I never thought a salad with warm goat cheese could taste so amazing. Or a dinner of bread, fruit and cheese. We go overboard on sauces and toppings here. Not that I don’t love a good curry on occasion too. I do love a little kick now and again from some Indian and Thai food. 🙂

  15. My dearest Mizfit,

    There is no singular definition of FOODIE. A foodie is someone who enjoys food. That’s it. Savoring. Enjoying. Hold the sauce. No mayo please. is all a form of foodie-dom, or so I believe.

    You don’t HAVE to try the exotic, I can’t pronounce whatever the hell that thing is, in order to say that you truly appreciate and love your food.

    I call myself a foodie, but I don’t eat out much. I don’t need the flair or the restaurant, or the ginormous plate with like 2 bites of food on it. I enjoy cooking and eating foods with taste, texture, and stories behind them. We’ve always cooked a lot in my household, and I enjoy food for that reason.

    A simple stir-fry with some cabbage, onions, and chicken is yummy enough for this gal.

    But, as with all things, eat what you enjoy. Not what other people tell you you should enjoy 🙂

    And if anyone breaks down the layers in sashimi, they’re just full of crap. It tastes like fish. Done.

  16. I kid you not, I just wrote a blog post about this (password “Africa” if anyone’s interested). I’m going to train myself to be like you – savoring plain, good quality fresh food. I always thought I was a foodie, because I love food, but I’ve recently realized that I loved what food represents. Now I’m going to teach myself to actually love the food and truly experience it.

    I think you can be a foodie and value health. You would have to be an avid cook though, because even the most exalted gourmet restaurants are not doing it for your health!

    • GREAT point about the gourmet restaurants, Hanlie! 🙂 I have had some really fantastic foods at a Five Diamond Restaurant (The Broadmoor in CS, CO) and I don’t normally consider myself a foodie, I’m simple and plain most of the time. But some of those dishes were to die for and they weren’t all unhealthy. Goat cheese parfait almost sent me into a swoon! LOL Grilled and roasted are my favorite methods of prep at home! Also not a sauce person.

  17. I’m not a foodie, either. My husband teases me about it because I like my food “plain”. I don’t need it drenched in butter sauce or anything like that. Yuck!! I would much rather eat roasted veggies and grilled steak or chicken everyday.

  18. I HATE that people who like junky crap have stolen the word foodie from us.
    They are not foodies.

  19. My food is plain, simple, easy to make and fancy (if I plate it so).

    I’m not big on sauces…I prefer dry rubs more than anything!

    If I had a choice between a sauce or a dry rub, I’d go for a dry rub all the way (that sounds bad lol)

  20. I think a foodie is someone that appreciates food no matter what. I’m not really a fan of the word though. I know, that sounds weird. I’m a chef and no I don’t consider myself a foodie. However I love food and I appreciate all ways of eating. 😉

  21. I’m not a gourmet, for sure. In some ways, however, I am a foodie. I figure it this way: those sauces? Those rubs? They’re made out of spices, out of oils from vegetables, out of other whole foods as well. I tend to buy sauces that are organic or have minimal ingredients, or I make my own. I do like a variety of flavor, although there are some things I like plain.

  22. I’m so the overthetop foodie bit I like my basics too! I think you’re on the perfect track for you and the fact that you crave macronutrients in their whole foodie state? Oh so healthy and fabulous! Though fats def help the antioxidants in veggies absorb, so maybe pair with a food that has fat naturally in it on occasion when you need an extra boost? Xooooo I’d love to be your restaurant dinner date and not clean and simply chat all night 🙂

  23. I feel like I’m at least in small part a foodie. I love to experiment with new recipes, change things, substitute…I usually don’t repeat very many dishes (just a few stand-bys).
    That being said – I don’t really fit in well around here because it isn’t clean food. We eat all the “bad” things (gluten, dairy, carbs, all types of meat) because at this point no one in my family has a need for any dietary restriction and we just apply moderation.
    Good that we can all be different!!

  24. I am not a foodie! In my post yesterday, I talked about how simple I am – VERY simple! 😉 I get how people like it & all that food porn out there & the visual display but I am simple like you. I do like my salsa & mustard & homemade guac that I use but even those are oh so simple! 🙂 I am trying to make pics of my food more visually appealing for the Instagram crowd… but I am still simple when I eat! 🙂

  25. Interesting, I always say I’m not a foodie because we don’t care for expensive dinners out or super fancy meals! However, I do enjoy hummus on my daily veggies and lots of garlic and pepper seasoning, so not plain per say but nothing fancy necessary to make my mouth happy

  26. Yeah, I’m a bit of a foodie. I keep things pretty plain M-F since time, ease, and cost are all factors. However, if you take me out, I like the good stuff. The spicy stuff. The gooey stuff. Anything that’s new or tried-and-true, just gimme something fun and delicious.

    • I think that is it for me too.
      “….the good stuff”

      for me that be the “hide in napkin and toss when no one is looking” stuff 🙂

  27. Being an intolerant girl, I TOTALLY get this. People always wonder how I can live so “boring,” but the truth is that I find no boredom in anything I eat. I also believe we’d all be healthier if we were more boring. Thanks, Miz!

  29. You’re a plain foodie. Doesn’t that make you a foodie? The best part about hearing what a foodie has to say is their opinions and ideas on what they like. The different things they like. That is what makes it interesting. So yes you are a plain foodie 😉 I am a foodie to because I love it all sauced, dipped, baked, sprinkled and fried. My foodie issue is getting it under control!

  30. Love this post!

    I definitely feel like you can be a foodie and not only value flavor over health. I am definitely a foodie and appreciate all types of flavors, flairs, and simplicity. I also love beer; hoppy beers aren’t my favorite, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate when I find a good one.. maybe I just don’t want to have more than a sip.

    Appreciation is the biggest part of being a fan.

  32. I am definitely a foodie. I grew up in other countries where food is loaded with different kinds of veggies, sauces, you name it. I love it all and I love learning and exploring new flavors and cultures. BUT I’m all for moderation and saving it for special occasions out. Most of the time we eat pretty plainly at home unless I get in a certain mood to cook. With a toddler and being pregnant and being a single married mom for most of the week, this is VERY RARE. But my God, do I LOVE food. No shame!

  33. In my book appreciating the true flavors of foods (some may call it “plain”) makes you a foodie! When I first met my husband I was struck that he always wanted to eat everything separate and without sauce, etc. He always said he wanted to really taste each component. I argued that he didn’t get the “full effect” of the dish. However, over the years I have realized that I make more and more “deconstructed” meals and keep things simple. I think I actually taste more different flavors now than before…

    I think the comments above about some people using “foodie” as an excuse to eat anything are very interesting, and I certainly know some people like that…

  34. simple is good! not so sure I’d be there with ya on the raw veggies (burp) lol Guess a lunch meet up will need to be BYO tums 🙂 hehe

  35. I think the term “foodie” is silly. Unless you DREAD eating, I would think we are all “foodies.” I enjoy cooking REAL, HEALTHY food and experimenting with them to create meals for the people I love.

  36. I am pretty much the opposite of you, except that I don’t like mayo either.

    To me, a foodie is someone who is interested in food and likes trying new things.

    I also don’t think that “flavor and flair” equals unhealthy. I’m all for eating in a way that works for you, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only way – which is something I’m pretty sure you agree with. 🙂

  38. Hah, I am sooo the opposite! I love flavorful food with tons of sauces and spices and everything in my kitchen I can possibly add. I love finding creative ways to make it healthy, and I totally unashamedly love food. It was a love/hate relationship for a while, but now I’ve just stopped denying my love, and accepted that I am a total foodie!

  40. haha we would fit so well together at meal times.
    as we are not really sauce girls either, well using have some type of oil involved haha
    but growing up we liked everything plain and simple, and usually ours eats to this day are the same, simple – boring- plain 😉

  41. this is a fantastic conversation and observation!

    I am a foodie, even if I dislike the term…

    a foodie enjoys food, and from there the word takes on a personality based on the individual. I am “vibrant and clean with room for indulgence” and still, the indulgence to me is at least somewhat healthy. my sauces are plant based, my food is sometimes raw.

    I celebrate food and love the gift of food, the ritual of gathering around food. having a plant based diet, I also delight in making and serving foods in “stealth” – letting the vibrant flavors wow them, rather than using another title I do not care for.

  42. I’m a bit of a foodie in that I ADORE that many Oakland restaurants can name the ranch/farm that grew their food. I LOVE really healthy, fresh stuff.

    I’m NOT a foodie in that I’m a bit of a picky eater. Allergic to dairy, tummy upset by wheat, hate cilantro,not fond of tumeric or mustard, and most green herbs kind of picky eater.

    But I appreciate how a plain food can taste, and how the right sauce can enhance that flavor! Bring out something subtle in a food that I hadn’t appreciated before. (NOT mask it). And don’t put me near any Thai peanut sauce you don’t want licked off a plate!

  43. totally a foodie. I admit, over the taste of the food (which is admittedly a bonus) I just love the prep and the whole process of cooking or baking something. It can still be healthy…and even a plain meal can be delicious. Some of my favourite foods are simple fare…it just depends on my mood.
    If anything I enjoy food too much, which is how i ended up changing my lifestyle in the first place. 🙂

  45. I think in our group it may be different?
    Most foodies I know are not at all focused on health.

  46. To me, the definition of ‘foodie’ is one who appreciates myriad flavours and textures in food. Nothing to do with plain or fancy, saucy or sauce-free!

    According to my definition, you belong to the ‘club’!

    P.S. What’s up with mayonnaise dips anyways? Every time I attend a party/pot luck/food event somebody brings that horrible spinach/mayonnaise thing served in a bread bowl. Yuck!

  47. I consider myself a foodie, but not a snobby foodie. I like good food, whether that is a perfectly cooked chicken breast on the grill or a multi star meal in New Orleans or the perfect homemade chocolate chip cookie. It doesn’t have to be fancy to be good food. It just needs to be good. Sometimes the simplest meal is the best meal.

    I used to have what I call “Hamburger Helper” palate because that was what I ate growing up. Now I am proud of how I have expanded my tastebuds to really appreciate good real food – and now I am willing to try many different cuisines that I was afraid of. Don’t always like them, but I am willing to try them.

  50. I’m not a foodie, because to me the word implies fancy. Give me good old home cooking: meatloaf, roast in the crockpot, stew, and spaghetti (paleo of course). I’m in awe of some of the fancy foodies, but I’m just a home cook. I’m OK with that.
    I think the message here is to be OK with you no matter your tastes.

  52. I hate the term “foodie”. Only because a VERY VERY pretentious former acquaintance of my husband’s used to call himself that, and practically wet himself over ever morsel he ate. MANY years ago, when Dennis and I were first dating, I had a few of his friends over. “Foodie”, actually opened and looked in my fridge then proceeded to tell me that the 3 mustards in there were “ok” but he could tell me where to shop for “better” – and he also said as he ate the meal I’d prepared “this is pretty good considering your cookware is “mid range”. It was ridiculous and needless to say, he wasn’t ever invited back to our home and he is no longer in my husband’s life. He impressed nobody but himself – hence, my cringe at the word. BUT that said, I guess many would consider me a foodie, I LOVE to shop for fresh ingredients, I read cookbooks like novels to get ideas for meals, I love menu planning and grocery shopping and cooking for my friends and family. And if you and your gang came over Miz, I’d cook you a plain meal that you’d love! Protein and steamed veggies for all!! 🙂

    • LAUGHED OUT LOUD at the mustard comment. It’s like mama always said 🙂 stereotypes exist for a reason?
      wow…

    • I think that person deserves a different title, but I won’t put it in writing. 😉 That would definitely put me off the term, but it all comes down to – labels are usually stupid and end up meaning nothing when it means 5000 things to 5001 people! 🙂

  53. I think a “foodie” is anyone who sincerely loves delicious food- whatever kind of food that may be. I also would much rather a plate of simple foods than some strange-but -good concoction of a number of different ingredients. I HATE mayo, and was so excited to discover that plain greek yogurt can be a much better substitute. I think a lot of traditional “foodies” favor flavor and flair over health, but these days there are more who favor both. I don’t think I’m a foodie for the simple fact that I’d rather eat the same, delicious and easy meals I know I like rather than experiment endlessly in the kitchen.

  54. I wish at times I was more like you. I wish I could look at food exclusively for fuel and nourishment. But I am a foodie… I like fancy dishes and sauces. But I am picky too – I hate white sauces. 🙁 I loathe mayo. I liked this post!

  55. I agree with everyone else, foodie isn’t liking exotic or new trends of foods, but thats what the mainstream media tells us a foodie is.

    My husband is not a “foodie” in that sense either. I made shepards pie when we were dating (a staple when I was growing up) but he had never had it, ever. I would say he is a foodie though when it comes to ethnic Greek food, that’s what he was brought up with.

    We are all foodies, because we all eat food ha.

  56. I think you ARE a foodie because you discover/try new things often (the chia seed, coconut oil) and tell others about it so that they try new things.

    I’m a foodie. New food, old food, bacon wrapped food….all good. 😉

  58. Who cares if you’re “sauce-free” or a “foodie”, you’re a “friendy” and that’s what’s truly important. You are a beautiful reminder about how labels and constructs that others devise more often serve to separate than help congregate.

  59. You might actually LOVE the foodie of all foodies Alice Waters who is ALL ABOUT the fresh, the seasonal, the plain, the absolutely perfect because almost nothing is done to it food – at Chez Panisse.

    AND: anytime you want some raw fish I am so down with that.

  60. I’m a plain eater, too–chicken, tuna, turkey, chicken, tuna, turkey, cupcake, chicken… I have branched out into lentils these days, and I have to say, I’m enjoying life on the wild side. But I still don’t eat brussels sprouts or creamy sauces.

  61. I hate the term foodie. I love food. I will eat anything and I will disect the layers beyond what a sane person would condier normal. Food is my hobby. So is weight lifting. Just beause you like running or baseball or stamp collecting doesn’t mean I’m going to make comments about it though. I don’t want to be judged for what I love, so I try not to provide uincolicited commentray on others’ preferences. unless that’s a preference to go to the smelling so bad you make me want to hurl. Then I judge openly.

    If you ever come to ATL, I’ll take to to a place where you can get perfect, sauice-free steak. You shouldn’t have to cover up a good meat with too much sauce in the first place. 😉

  65. I would call myself a foodie, although I definitely also value quality of food over elaborate preparations.

  66. I think we are all foodies in our own right. I like plain and simple as well as fancy with a sauce! Cooking is a fun hobby for me and I try to make our food adventures healthy as well as eye appealing. When you cut out the junk food and overly processed food what use to seem like plain food suddenly is quite flavorful!

  67. I consider myself a foodie… but my sauces usually come from infused oils or vinegar, lemons, etc. I think some of my meals are plain… but NEVER boring. Rosemary really makes me happy and cinnamon is divine. Our palates may differ, but as a farmer’s wife I know good, fresh food in it’s purest form can’t be beat. Mother Nature had it right.

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  69. I’m honestly not sure if I’m a foodie or not. I’m absolutely fine egg whites, tuna fish, and salmon for my meals every single day. However, I do love cooking and experimenting with recipes. I think there are lots of talented chefs out there and when I travel I try to go to at least one restaurant that features one of these outstanding chefs. At the same time, for the most part I see food as fuel. I want something lean, healthy, and filling to get me through my day.

  72. excited to read your post and mine back to back! it sounds like you are not a foodie but you know what you like and unapologetically like it – even if it doesn’t fit the stereotypical foodie blogger mold. THAT is the most important thing! my little sis is the same way – i eagerly try to get her to go outside her box, and she tries but just likes it inside her box much more than outside. and i used to be JUST like you! no sauce, plain jane. now i am foodie me, and that’s who i love to be, just like you love to be the carla who takes her salmon sans sauce, thank-you-very-much. and hey, that means more sauce for me 😉

  73. By your definition can one be a “foodie” if s/he craves plain, fresh and never fancy?
    Yes – absolutely! If you ever regard food as something pleasurable and not merely fuel, then you are a foodie!

    Do you believe many “foodies” value flavor & flair over health?
    I think that there are as many different foodie values as there are foodies. However, flavor and health do not have to be mutually exclusive, of course.

    Are you a foodie?
    Abso-freaking-lutely. I adore food. I love finding new flavors. I love making fancy dinners for my friends. My moderation issue has nothing to do with my foodie-ness and more to do with my clean the plate mentality, since I grew up in a meat & potatoes type household where spices were never fresh and seldom used.

    ]

  76. I don’t really like the term “foodie” because it has taken on this arrogent and pretentious tone. I think that what we’re all taking about is someone who loves and appreciates good food (and that can take many different forms and preparations), sharing good food and the preparation of food.

    Also, I was just thinking about the whole idea of food flair/flavor vs. health last night when we went out to dinner and I ended up eating fried things and beef short ribs. I NEVER eat short ribs but kind of felt compelled to do and realized that I was justifying it because we were at a “foodie” restaurant and I consider myself a “foodie.”

  77. I truly believe that natural food cooked to perfection contains all the true taste without any additional sauces or other flavouring, and of course goodness. I do love foodie but appreciate the affect it has on your body good or bad and therefore I do consider myself as a ‘foodie’

  79. Hi, great post, just thought I would add my dilemma, I like to look after myself and appreciate the sentiments regarding plain, fresh and simple, but it is difficult when married to a man who loves to cook big, fancy meals and is offended if you leave any – bless 🙂

  80. I am amazed at your dedication to eat simply to nourish your body. The older I get, the more I put this into perspective. I am the type that shoves food down my throat just to get the feeling of hunger to retreat but I never think about what this feeling is actually telling me. I eat to eat but I am now working on eating less for pleasure and more for nutrients, the way we were meant to eat.

  82. I am absolutely a foodie but that doesn’t mean that I dont like a simple grilled fish. this is actually a debate that I often have with my husband who is much more sauce/frills…whereas I go bananas over simpler preparations.

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