Why are so many people in their 20s and 30s such picky eaters these days?

It seems like every time I go out to eat with or cook for people in this age range, many of them will not eat most vegetables (some won't even eat most fruits), and many only like the generic fast food/plain cheese or pepperoni pizza/chicken nuggets or tenders and fries/plain hamburger/mac and cheese type of food. Won't eat anything with vegetables or seasoning.

With the way some of them eat (almost exclusively fast/fried foods, junk food and soda), I'm surprised their bodies don't revolt against them any more than they do. 🤣 Many of them act like being asked to try one bite of a vegetable is going to kill them, on the other hand.

Is this a generational thing, or perhaps just a regional thing with people I know? I've noticed this with several people in my age group that are like this.

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ViciDraco · 41-45, M

Most were raised in homes with no one home most of the day and so tired exhausted parents who may not even know how to cook in the first place just bought convenient processed shit and didn't have their kids eating real food growing up. Their taste buds are probably so accustomed to foods engineered to be addictive that they don't even register regular food as having flavors.

I'm of the mindset that it's okay to not like things. But I want you to actually try a thing before deciding if you like it or not. The number of times I've heard someone say "I don't like X" and when I ask how it was prepared they respond with "I've never had it, I just don't like it" is absolutely crazy.

BnBSpringer09 · 26-30, F

@ViciDraco I don't understand not liking something without ever having tried it, either. I don't expect anyone to like every food, but it doesn't make sense to decide you don't like it if you haven't tried it. I even re-try foods I haven't had in several years since tastes can change with age, and I've found that certain things I didn't like as a kid, I do like now, and vice versa.

I also find that many people think they don't like a certain food even as an ingredient because they don't like it by itself, or don't like it prepared a certain way. I mean, I wouldn't eat a raw onion like an apple, but it's an essential ingredient for flavor in many dishes. Same with vegetables; I'm not a fan of them boiled with no seasoning, but roasting or grilling and adding seasoning/herbs/lemon juice/etc. makes a huge difference!

ViciDraco · 41-45, M

@BnBSpringer09 Much the same! Hah, it is funny you bring up onions as they were a thing I didn't like on my youth that I do now.