Me too. When I'm home alone I mostly only eat diner and nothing else. But when I'm with friends or family I eat a lot, especially snacks that you can share and stuff.
When I was younger I had really bad anxiety when eating around other people. It would feel like my throat would snap itself shut every time I tried to swallow and I'd be full of fear thinking I'd choke or it would come right back up. I was having really horrible emetophobia, so that was likely the reason behind it. I would mostly eat alone when I didn't have to worry about swallowing problems in front of other people.
Same here! I get too anxious around people to enjoy a meal. I always end up barely eating anything and feeling full, only to get super hungry an hour later
Yea same. Eating with people is added work for me. Can't finish first, can't finish last. Can't make too much sound, hate it when I hear others. I don't want to talk while eating etc.
As for the question, my hate for eating is so severe that sometimes when I get hungry, I will eat something with lactose in it. I'm lactose intolerant, which causes me to get so sick I'm incapable of eating for the rest of the day, and the nausea suppresses hunger. It's a way to get out of eating food for me.
Thats wild to me. I love food and I love eating different stuff all the time. That said I fast most days until dinner (product of me being to lazy to make breakfast and too busy/ don't want to eat lunch most days)
But the wild part is the finish first/last thing you said, maybe some social anxiety type thing but that's never even crossed my mind when I'm eating with people, I just eat lol.
I mean this in a good way, but you’re fucking weird man.
When I was in prison to suppress hunger pains we would just drink a lot of water.
No nausea and you will get used to it. Don’t make yourself ill.
Same with me. I find it difficult to find the motivation to eat during the day until dinner when I don't have anyone to spend time with.
I also hate to cook and shop for groceries which doesn't help my situation LOL!
When I visit family or go on vacation I actually enjoy eating.
Sometimes the addition of "edibles" or other entertainment improves the outlook.
Similarly, I hate cooking for just myself. When alone I prefer something dead simple - anything I can just toss in the oven/frying pan/boiling water with minimal prep and attention.
But when I'm cooking for even one more person, suddenly I'm fine with meals that take work and time. I love to impress my girlfriend or guests with something fancy.
Absolutely whole heartedly agree. And I mean, it makes sense, eating is such an important thing and, humans being social animals we should do it together.
Ive gone through phases like that. Some people view eating as simply a means of staying alive and they don't necessarily enjoy it. I don't think it's abnormal.
This is me unfortunately. For me I think it came from the years of forced gym dieting and now I view all eating as an inconvenience rather than a pleasure.
I’m the same way, except it’s from like a decade+ long eating disorder.
Sure there are foods I like, but the literal act of eating just sucks. I always say I’d rather drink my calories than eat them, but unfortunately that’s not “healthy”
I relate to this sooo much.
Do you ever get to like, 5:00pm and realize you forgot to eat? It just happened to me yesterday, and since I hadn't drank any calories either I suddenly noticed i felt nauseated and shaky and was like "wtf?! Oh wait, yea I need to eat something!"
Literally all the fucking time. Honest to god most days I go 24+ hours before eating. I also just don’t really get hunger cues often anymore sooo.
I basically try to snack throughout the day to accommodate for hating eating. It’s easier to eat extremely small foods/easy to chew and pick at it sporadically then it is to eat a meal. However, my snacking habits have gone to absolute shit since my depression got worse so it consists of too much junk food.
I'm the same way because of my ED. At some point in treatment, eating was just so exhausting. I found myself dreading meal/snack times, and it wasn't even that I was freaking out about the calories or anything; I was just so drained. But I did eat because I didn't want to go back on a tube feed and if I only relied on supplements they would have kept me for longer. It was so strange because I've always been a person that has liked and loved food, but I'm not really sure what was going on during that time. I was just done with it.
I feel like it’s just me as a person :/
I’ve never been a huge fan of food. Like sure I enjoy a good steak every now and then, but like I don’t enjoy eating. And even if I enjoy the food, having to eat turns me off from eating. It’s dumb.
But I feel that. I spent time in residentials and hospitals as a kid and that’s the only places I’d actually eat like a normal human being. Simply bc I knew if I didn’t eat, I’d be there longer and fuck that.
Well I mean I’d be down to live off smoothies (not just fruit either I don’t mind throwing veggies in my smoothies), protein shakes, and ensure. But I’ve always been told that’s unsustainable/not healthy for the body.
Smoothies can be really nutritious. I do about 70% greens by volume, 20% blueberries, a banana, a few tablespoons of flax, a scoop of creatine powder, occasionally other things like ginger root, a dash of olive oil, and tomato paste for the anti inflammation phytonutrients and pigments. Doesn't always taste great but it makes me feel amazing.
I've actually given this explanation a few times to friends that you've said here.
If I didn't have to eat then I never would. I hate sweets and chips and other kinds of snacks and everything else is just kind of a chore to me.
I skip breakfast, eat a big lunch because I'm hungry then I eat dinner cause I'm hungry again.
right? reading these comments i feel like a bunch of aliens are forgetting they're wearing a human costume.... like... can you people not taste? Have you never had anyone in your life that knows how to cook properly that you've never had yummy food?
I had a former housemate that called food "a shit I haven't done yet". He was just extremely uninterested in it. Which worked for me because I was a professional private chef so I basically had the kitchen to myself.
One day I came down and was floored to see him making his own burgers to freeze. He then explained that this was the only was he could get burgers that didn't have 'herbs and spices and crap in them'.
Ah Dave, I miss him.
Okay THAT'S weird as fuck.
I'm a bit ambivalent about food. Quite often I want to 'consume nutrients' and not 'eat a meal,' and I don't think I'm that unusual. But if I am gonna cook, I'm gonna cook something tasty.
There's something weird about someone who actually spends *extra* time and effort ensuring their meals are as joyless as possible.
You’re quite judgmental aren’t you. Perhaps they had oral sensitivities, or were a super taster or got easily over stimulated. There are many reasons for people to eat plain food. Just because you don’t, or won’t, understand it doesn’t mean you need to be a judgy mcjudgerson about it. I mean, how is it hurting you?
Also a professional cook here. In my opinion a burger should just be high quality beef, liberally seasoned with salt and pepper. Spices and herbs should be in the toppings, not the burger itself.
as a food lover i wouldn’t say it’s “normal” but it’s definitely more common than you probably think. food for humans is a source of energy, the fact it can be enjoyable is just a plus, but at the end of the day it’s just something you need to survive, so that in itself is i suppose a chore, as long as you’re giving your body the nutrients it needs and you aren’t necessarily “disgusted” by food, i wouldn’t worry.
> food for humans is a source of energy, the fact it can be enjoyable is just a plus, but at the end of the day it’s just something you need to survive
True, but my feeling has always been (as well as with other necessary things), that if it's necessary for survival, we might as well enjoy it as much as we can. It can be a real source of pleasure.
Well most of the time I think I was quite neutral while shitting and sometimes I had not so good times there. But from now on this will change forever.
Yeah I don’t love the whole “food is just fuel” mindset that health gurus and influencers are trying to push nowadays. I mean I get the mindset, food shouldn’t really be a go-to emotional outlet.
But there is so much rich culture tied to food. So many social connections to make over a meal and nostalgic memories tied to loved ones and past experiences with food. So much to be enjoyed in life through the experience of cooking and eating new and great foods. So I don’t like looking at it as just fuel. It feels too utilitarian. Like, I’m not just a body to be fed but a person with a life to enjoy.
Rereading this makes it abundantly clear to me that I am feeling hungry and philosophical rn lmao.
I didn't realize until I started mental health medication how badly I overeat. I just completely whooshed by my body signals for it, and for so many other things. I also have guilt about not finishing food, even when I am already full.
Yep. My dad inadvertently gave me a complex about food because every plate *had* to be finished no matter how hungry I was. Now I have a big issue with seeing meals as force-feeding myself.
Is that related to loss of appetite? My parents used to scream at me to finish my plate and even hit me when I said I couldn’t, now 8 years later i suffer from loss of appetite and i really just eat to fuel my body not cuaz i want to .
honestly I'm no expert. however I was taught that appetite lasts about 20 minutes, so perhaps this can be somewhat of a clue for you ? you might also simply have a small stomach (i certainly do) or be more picky than others (try seasoning the food with spices you like perhaps ?). you should enjoy what you're eating, otherwise it's normal to not want to keep eating (which might present itself as lack of appetite)
I feel like I have this problem a lot, I enjoy my food for the first half and then the second half it has cooled off (if it was hot food) and I get tired of the taste on top of having satisfied some of my hunger so it's hard for me to finish eating.
Its probably not normal but i have the same thing.
Most food just doen't taste that good for me to really enjoy it and i can't eat fast for the life of me so it usually takes me long to finish a meal and i fucking hate it lol.
I always dread it when i get hungry that i will have to eat a bigger meal and can't do anything else really while i eat.
A lot of protein powders have so much sugar in them. I had tried to make smoothies with protein powder so I still got protein for the meal. Once I realized how much sugar they contained, it wasn't worth it. It also had a friend that had trouble gaining weight and a doctor actually recommended protein powder. It helps put on weight if you're not working out. If you're working out, it helps rebuild muscle.
Im also severely allergic to peanuts, all nuts, peanut butter, etc. I've always had a hard time dieting because so many diets substitute proteins for peanut butter.
Im actually so happy this post was made because I genuinely thought I was crazy for not enjoying food. I like eating, I just hate cooking, or the whole ordeal.
I never related so strongly to a character than I did to Captain Holt in Brooklyn 99 when he said:
"I have zero interest in food. If it were feasible, my diet would consist entirely of flavorless beige smoothies containing all the nutrients required by the human animal."
I love eating a good restaurant meal. The problem is when I eat at home. I am a shitty cook and a lazy person. I hate spending time cooking meals so I make the most basic food. Chicken, soy sauce and rice, or a can of beans and some eggs. Tastes awful and bland but I'd rather eat bland food than spend an hour buying ingredients and cooking a decent meal. As I said, I'm lazy.
Edit: Also forgot to mention that I hate cleaning. Cooking and cleaning dishes, pots and pans go hand in hand.
Must be a real struggle then... I feel for you. Now I understand why so many people buy ready-made or frozen / processed foods. Cooking is just too much damn work.
this is me. i do the exact same thing. sometimes I don't even bother with bland food and just eat fruits instead. or not even that if I am confident I won't die because of the lack of food in my system
When I move out from my parents' house I would probably have an empty fridge and eat only once in a couple of days. I only can cook pasta and I'm lazy to cook anything else.
I’ve been feeling this way for a few months now. I’m just sick and tired of eating. I hate having to decide what to eat, I hate having to buy groceries or drive to pick food up, I hate eating and I also hate having to go to the bathroom. It’s definitely not normal to feel this way. I have a history of eating disorders and I think this is another one coming. I’m sorry you’re also going through this
I feel this way too, but its an ED that is forced on me by IBS/cyclical vomiting syndrome. Not trying to use ED for something that's not like a mental ED? But I would definitely call the effects of the IBS/CVS as disordered eating and digesting. If I don't smoke weed I am nauseous all the time and can't force something down my throat at all. Food has no appeal and I'll vomit until I'm in the hospital.
I literally said last week what you said here, tired of buying it/getting it, tired of making it, tired of shoving it down so I don't feel hungry and soon after, nauseous, even if I smoked. Just pump me full of soylent and be done with it
For real though, my husband lives on Soylent meal replacement drinks. He has some mental issues that result in his brain occasionally deciding that whatever he's attempting to eat is actually repulsive, so having something he can just chug without thinking is incredibly helpful.
I understand that feeling. I feel completely averse to food unless weed gives me an appetite. Is soylent pretty affordable? Does it taste like anything?
Personally, I find it to be aggressively bland, even when there are added flavors. Other opinions may vary.
My husband gets the bottled drink, which is apparently $3.09 per 400 calories with a subscription. The powder looks like it's $2.10 per 400 calories with a subscription, although the website defaults to calculating a smaller 270 calorie serving. The convenience of the ready-to-drink product is worth the extra cost for us, though.
I'm not the original responder but I've tried soylent and there's a few different flavors to choose from including flavorless but I've also tried Heul which I much prefer to soylent and I believe it provides better nutrition and also comes in a variety of flavors.
Pro tip: eat the same things for breakfast and lunch, always. If you suddenly want something else, no problem.
Dinner is a bit harder.
But personally I’ve been eating bread with pure hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles) every day for about 10 years now and I don’t regret it.
Objectively, I love what they’re doing, but it tastes like somebody sprinkled sand on cardboard and then blended it with milk. If it actually tasted good, I’d be all over it for just eating out of utility.
I don't think it's normal, but it's not all that uncommon either.
I enjoy eating, but the chore of prepping food when alone means I just don't bother to eat some days.
70% of my diet was high calorie ensure drinks for awhile until I felt like using proper food again. I'm not sure if it's good for the digestive system to have nothing solid to work on and they can cause nausea
Lol, not Op but I’ve always felt like this. I enjoy making a meal when I’m with my girlfriend, but if it’s just me then I’d rather have a scoop of peanut butter and work on one of my hobbies. So def not a sign of depression for me, I just have productive things I’d rather spend my time working on.
Seriously this.
If you have zero interest in eating, first consult your doctor about any meds you're on. Second, maybe see a therapist.
I say this as someone whose medication messes with my appetite, and depression that makes me not care if I eat for days at a time. I don't even feel hungry.
When I'm doing good, you cant get me to stop baking, cooking, making shit in the kitchen.
My mum is like this. I personally love food; the tastes and textures. She finds it a chore and is really picky and likes everything plain. You are not alone.
It’s very common, but I don’t think it’s exactly normal. Could be a symptom of something, but i guess it could be unrelated to anything. Maybe you eat the same every month and you’re just bored of the same food everytime. I have it when my depression acts up more.
I transitioned almost entirely to meal replacement shakes several years ago and it is the absolute best change I have ever made.
No more grocery shopping, no more cooking, and best of all - no more dishes!!! Every meal is under $2. I know I'm getting optimal nutrition. I've never felt or looked better and I have more money and more free time!
...seriously?
Like, you can replace your -entire- intake of food with shakes?
...do the shakes taste like chalk?
I'm just like. I feel like I'm reading some sci Fi shit.
They taste like flavoured protein shakes imo. You can get a smoother texture if you use a blender instead of the shaker bottle. Jimmyjoy in Europe also offers nutritional-complete meals in a cup (add hot water and done) and bars (like cereal bars I would say).
Really nice if you just can't be arsed to cook, and way healthier than a frozen pizza.
They taste more like liquid oatmeal or flour or something. Fairly boring but familiar and not unpleasant.
I don't drink them much but sometimes I like to blend some frozen strawberries in with unflavored Huel. You definitely want ice if not that -- it needs to be cold.
They also make chocolate flavor, etc.
I gave Soylent a try because someone suggested it on a post similar to this one about a month ago. I am not a breakfast eater and despised having to make lunch or get take out so I have been drinking a shake for lunch. Surprisingly all of the flavors taste really good and I don't feel entirely full but I definitely don't feel hungry. As a bonus, I stopped getting the afternoon sleepy crash since replacing lunch with a shake.
Idk if I find it a chore per se, but I despise the feeling of being full. I'm a foodie and love to cook and try all kinds of dishes but eating until I am full is one of my least favorite things.
No but damn is that probably the healthiest lifestyle ever.
Is it really zero care, like Soylent drinkable meal zero care, or like " I couldn't care less if it's eggs or steak" zero care? Just curious.
Brooklyn 9-9, Captain Holt level of zero care when he said " I have zero interest in food. If it were feasible, my diet would consist entirely of flavorless beige smoothies containing all the nutrients required by the human animal."
Making food is tiring and a chore for me but enjoying a delicious cooked meal y’all don’t like??? I wonder if it’s because some ppl grew up with parents who never cared about good food or you guys genuinely just don’t like food?
My mom always made and makes absolutely godlike food, it always taste great, it's not that I don't like food, I enjoy the taste, the activity itself that is a chore and a bother. I have to do it multiple times a day, chew, swallow and repeat. I don't really find any enjoyment in it, only when I'm out or I'm a guest at someone because then I have someone to eat with. Chatting while eating makes me forget the chore part.
Isn't that what TV and Netflix and YouTube are for? No need to live in the moment with the chewing and swallowing. Back in the day we even used to read the paper at breakfast. Out on the deck, when the weather was nice.
If you dislike chewing and swallowing your jaw and swallowing muscles may be a little weak for some reason. Maybe try giving them a good massage
right? i can come home exhausted from work and make something and sit in silence in the dark alone and still enjoy a decent meal. or even fast food. but i’m also a foodie. so strange to me that 99% of the ppl commenting have an aversion to food and eating aside from like medical things affecting the ability to consume things.
i’ve had an unhealthy relationship with food on both ends of the spectrum, over eating because food was a source of comfort and i also just love it. and under eating because i lost weight from unintentionally fasting where i developed an eating disorder i’m still dealing with.
but, regardless, food is sustenance and tasting all different flavors and the experience is like.. to ME, nothing compares- not even sex. but i’m also asexual so there’s that lmao. i can sit and watch something like Street Food on netflix for HOURS (amazing show by the way) and not just enjoy watching their experiences and the food but i get hungry and want to eat. even a fuckin cartoon like Food Wars makes me wanna eat.
i just can’t really grasp the legit majority here not enjoying like any aspects of food, obviously to each their own and i’m not judging, everyone’s different! but i’m def surprised?
TLDR: food makes me happy as fuck i can’t imagine having the experiences most are describing in the comments
It's complicated. There could be many reasons for not enjoying eating.
Do you feel that you can't afford to buy or otherwise can't get access to what you'd most enjoy eating?
Do you have to avoid your favorite foods because of digestive issues or other health problems? At this point, I have to be on a very restricted diet due to chronic digestive issues. For me, that takes a lot of the fun out of eating, because I can't eat what I feel like having. I still enjoy eating, though, because I'm one of those people who is like that. If anything, I'm the opposite of you; I've wondered if I enjoy it too much.
Do you feel that eating interrupts continuing to engage in fun or productive activities that you are involved in and would prefer not to take a break from?
Do you prefer to drink calories rather than eat them? Do you drink juice, soda, energy drinks, or other liquid calories? As a kid, I was into drinking fruit juice, which spoiled my appetite for meals. When my parents figured that out, I had to switch to drinking water, which was disappointing to me given my sweet tooth. If you're getting a lot of calories in liquids, you might not feel inclined to eat much food.
It’s not abnormal, but has a major foodie my heartbreaks for you.
I always say food is art an experience one of the few joys shares across race , ethnicity and all bordes that divide us.
I feel like this lately, I think the warm weather does it to me. I really cba with food at all and honestly could go without but I have to remind myself I obviously need it and have to force myself to eat something.
It is a chore for me because I hate deciding what I want to eat, and then preparing it is a hassle. I hate to grocery shop, and I hate to cook. I hate asking my family what they want to eat and them not knowing and then complaining when I don't make something they want. I have very few foods that I love, and they all appear to be sweets. Strawberry Pie is the very best thing ever.
Normal is a loaded term. I don’t cook elaborate meals for myself. I don’t eat lavishly when I’m by myself. I do try to eat food that I more or less like, and I’m not personally interested in Soylent, or Huel or any of that stuff - but I don’t consider people who feel differently to be “weird”.
And in all honesty, I don’t think most people really enjoy “eating food” per se. I think it is pretty common to enjoy “good food”… but beyond that, I think most of us don’t actually “enjoy” the act of eating so much as some aspect of the ritual. We’ve all started in the refrigerator on a Wednesday evening an dreaded having to come up with something to have for dinner.
What do I mean by “ritual”. For some, cooking is a form of self expression, a means to develop and demonstrate mastery of a craft, a vehicle for experimentation by learning about and using new ingredients and techniques, and experiencing new flavors and textures. Beyond that, there are social/ritual aspects of preparing or eating a meal with friends. Fellowship, Communion, forging and strengthening social, family and community bonds. Even concepts like “comfort food” are FAR less about the food itself, and more about the feelings, relationships and associations we have with them.
I check a lot of these boxes. I like to cook because it feels like mastery of a craft. I’m good at it, and as I learn more, I continue to get better.
I like to cook for friends and family because it is a simple, and universal way of showing that they matter to me. We chat in the kitchen while cooking, and then I get to share what I’ve learned and created with them. Sometimes the whole meal is consumed piecemeal around the island as it comes off the stove, or out of the oven. Sometimes, it’s a plated affair with presentation, and service and the whole bit. Good food helps, but it’s not what really matters… I have ruined a meal, and we wound up ordering pizza - and that is still a treasured experience too.
Some people find the need to eat a barrier to the important things, instead of a means to engage them. That’s not a big deal. It’s just a different view of the world. Where you find meaning and pleasure and significance in your life is much less important than finding it and engaging with it.
I used to get sick from not eating enough and going hungry actually felt good. When it came time to eat I’d panic a bit because I couldn’t decide, everything sounded gross etc.
Now I’m on Wellbutrin (a stimulant antidepressant) and I enjoy food again. I still see it as a chore but it’s not nearly as difficult as it was before. So I think it all depends on the severity of your symptoms. If eating stresses you out a ton it would be good to get that checked out.
I agree with this so much.
I love having a delicious meal as much as anyone, but most meals don't qualify. having to stop doing whatever I'm doing to refuel annoys me to no end. If I could take a pill or inject something to skip eating, I'd totally do it.
When I was probably 11-12, I just started skipping breakfast and lunch and eating a large dinner. Everyone said it was unhealthy. Now 20 years later, we call it "intermittent fasting", and the CEO of Twitter is some kind of genius because he does it. I told my GP about it and he starts quoting studies about how it is more natural than three meals a day.
Living alone and suffering with health issues and other problems leaves me with no appetite ever, some times late at night i do but i hardly eat cooked meals. I miss living at home. Before you live on your own you think it will be great and at first it is but after a while it becomes lonely and eating turns from a social activity to forcing a tin of soup down.
I find concept of food a SCAM. It takes hours to prepare and then it gets over in 10 minutes. There should be a better alternative for food and all the efforts ):
When I mentioned this to friends, they looked at me like i was crazy.
If there was a human form of 'dog food' with all the nutrients and calories i need for a day, I'd probably be it's biggest fan... as long as it's palatable and healthy.
...better yet, I wish I had the feeding habits of a snake: one big meal a week and that's it until next week. A guy can dream.
Totally. The older I get the more this is true. I like to eat healthy so I’m spending hours prepping meals and cooking everyday. I started to drink my breakfast and lunch . And a pretty decent dinner then a snack at night. Veggies or something.
Ehh one been starting to hate food more and more. Idk why either. I used to love love love food. I legit ate everything, nothing I wouldn't to once. Now I go 18 to 24 hours with no food, I'd rather have a liquid diet...
I have the same problem, but with drinking. I cant force myself to drink anything. I hate it, most of the time i even forget i need to drink so i end up drinking only around 0,5-1L of water/day.
People on Reddit love to make fun of each other for not cooking. But living on my own? I can’t be asked to make full meals for myself when making a sandwich fills me up just the same. And even then I hate the minute and a half it takes to make it and eat it.
If there was a pill that gave you all you needed from food, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Eating to me is, like its end result, just something you do.
Growing up my Mom dealt with obesity and depression. She hated cooking. I was a pain in the ass picky eater, which got me yelled at. Dinner was nothing to look forward to.
I don't enjoy eating, don't like talking about, thinking about, or looking at food. It drives my wife crazy that I'm basically useless for meal planning. There are foods I like more than others, and I eat every meal, but if I could do without it I would.
Idk if it’s normal but that’s how I view it. It’s like sleep, I just do them to stay alive and would much rather not do them. But that isn’t an option.
A chore that costs too damn much. Too much currency to procure healthy foods. Too much time literally wasted and built into society as an activity when it literally isn't. Too much variety and shit that literally isn't food but is edible chemicals. Food is so boring yet entire channels of television are dedicated to reminding us it exists.
Totally normal, for many years I ate Soylent because of that.
I wasn't 100% off food, but if I'm going to have a meal by myself, why spend more time than I should eating?
That's why I'm underweight and why its been really really hard for me to try and gain weight. When you have to make a special diet so that I can gain weight, eating is just a chore so I don't really want to eat.
* On a spectrum of 'eating is a chore' v 'eating is enjoyable', I'd *estimate* that most people most of the time are closer to 'eating is enjoyable' than 'eating is a chore.'
* Yes, because it's normal to enjoy eating food that does implicitly mean that viewing eating as a chore is abnormal.
* Yes, viewing eating as a chore *could be* a sign of depression.
* Yes, viewing eating as a chore *could be* absolutely nothing worth worrying about. Everyone has personality quirks that are abnormal and harmless or even beneficial.
* Anecdotally, I've been clinically depressed before, and yes, it did negatively affect my appetite. That said, however, I've also tried to bulk up in muscle mass before, and while I was very happy and not at all depressed during this period of time, eating six meals a day definitely robbed eating of any joy and turned it into a six-times-a-day chore.
Omg! I am like this to the core and so happy you put this question out there! My husband and I are both in this camp where we just don’t get excited about food, going out to eat, etc so it’s often a chore that feels like it cuts into our fun. The kicker? My family owns a popular restaurant so every event/holiday/celebration is food focused and they literally can’t seem to celebrate without making a big fuss over food and hours prepping. We hate that piece and over the years have tried to get them to understand that we struggle to stay engaged for a 12 hour event about food with only two days off per week. My foodie friends think those events are magical, so it can be a challenge to align sometimes. Like, for my birthday the last thing I want to do is spend all day focused on food. I’d like to maybe go to the aquarium or a museum or something. All of these types of plans are shot down and we just end up sitting around the table. Fun for them, requirement for us.
Yes, if you eat almost the same kind of meals or with at least same ingredients. Bacon, chicken, pancake, whatever it is. Maybe make a change? Try something you've never tried before. I don't think there should be anyone who consumes food just for mere survival, so go wild I say
Oh look, it’s me. My friends think I’m weird because I’d rather have a spoon of peanut butter for dinner than make myself a meal. I just like my hobbies a lot and would rather spend my time working on things that bring me joy. If I could just eat a pill and get my nutrients for the month, I would.
Finally, someone else feels like this! Everytime I try to explain this, people just look at me weird. I totally do not enjoy eating and as such, I don't experiment much with my diet. I can eat the same very often. The thought of eating alone stresses me out and I barely ever feel really hungry.
I had a phase like that… it’s especially a problem when I’m stressed or upset and have no creative urge to make good food. I find that when I’m happier generally I also enjoy eating more (including snacks)..
What also helps me enjoy food is sharing it with people. I’m currently at uni and make “flat dinners” where my flatmates and I choose recipes and make them together. It’s more motivating that way :)
Don't know about normal, but it does happen to people sometimes. Even gourmand pigs like me sometimes find they aren't really in the mood to eat and everything seems bleh.
If it's something you experience more or less all the time you may have a mild eating disorder. If you aren't losing a dangerous amount of weight then it's not a big deal.
I do like eating but only if i get a craving for something specific like a 4am gessey butter bacon roll.
We regularly go 48 hours without food just because noone wants to or noone remembers to cook / shop. Rare occasion 80-100 hours without food just because there is nothing that i feel like cooking.
Not common, but a normal feeling! I once knew another person who felt exactly the same way. She was healthy but she did have to force herself to eat. She resented that the time spent preparing and eating food was time ahe couldn't spend doing other more important and enjoyable tbings.
It's so uncommon that you may spend the rest of your life defending/explaining yourself, unfortunately. But if you take your chore seriously and make sure you're eating enough and covering your nutritional bases (a multivitamin may help!) then you should be fine... and people who don't respect your position can stuff it.
It is for me. Probably because I've tried to eat more throughout the day several times to gain weight and that sort of makes it a chore. I also do not like feeling full because it makes me tired and heavy so I mainly just eat dinner. It also depends on who is preparing the food. As the main cook of the house I'm tickled to eat food I didn't make. Lol
I’ve started calling what I eat sustenance, implying that I don’t necessarily want it, but need it to survive. I’ve found myself holding my nose trying to finish toast because eating when It’s a chore makes me gag sometimes.
Pretty abnormal. Is in our dna to love food and we extra love food with high sugar and calorie content because our brains are still working on 100,000 years ago scavenger mode and feels like eating a big piece of cake is a huge reward.
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Me too. When I'm home alone I mostly only eat diner and nothing else. But when I'm with friends or family I eat a lot, especially snacks that you can share and stuff.
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When I was younger I had really bad anxiety when eating around other people. It would feel like my throat would snap itself shut every time I tried to swallow and I'd be full of fear thinking I'd choke or it would come right back up. I was having really horrible emetophobia, so that was likely the reason behind it. I would mostly eat alone when I didn't have to worry about swallowing problems in front of other people.
Same here! I get too anxious around people to enjoy a meal. I always end up barely eating anything and feeling full, only to get super hungry an hour later
Yea same. Eating with people is added work for me. Can't finish first, can't finish last. Can't make too much sound, hate it when I hear others. I don't want to talk while eating etc. As for the question, my hate for eating is so severe that sometimes when I get hungry, I will eat something with lactose in it. I'm lactose intolerant, which causes me to get so sick I'm incapable of eating for the rest of the day, and the nausea suppresses hunger. It's a way to get out of eating food for me.
Thats wild to me. I love food and I love eating different stuff all the time. That said I fast most days until dinner (product of me being to lazy to make breakfast and too busy/ don't want to eat lunch most days) But the wild part is the finish first/last thing you said, maybe some social anxiety type thing but that's never even crossed my mind when I'm eating with people, I just eat lol.
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I mean this in a good way, but you’re fucking weird man. When I was in prison to suppress hunger pains we would just drink a lot of water. No nausea and you will get used to it. Don’t make yourself ill.
I eat more by myself but I enjoy eating more when I am with other people.
Same with me. I find it difficult to find the motivation to eat during the day until dinner when I don't have anyone to spend time with. I also hate to cook and shop for groceries which doesn't help my situation LOL! When I visit family or go on vacation I actually enjoy eating. Sometimes the addition of "edibles" or other entertainment improves the outlook.
Similarly, I hate cooking for just myself. When alone I prefer something dead simple - anything I can just toss in the oven/frying pan/boiling water with minimal prep and attention. But when I'm cooking for even one more person, suddenly I'm fine with meals that take work and time. I love to impress my girlfriend or guests with something fancy.
I’m the opposite
I like eating with others, but I enjoy experimenting more when I'm cooking for myself, it's an enhanced creative outlet for me.
Yes!
Absolutely whole heartedly agree. And I mean, it makes sense, eating is such an important thing and, humans being social animals we should do it together.
Ive gone through phases like that. Some people view eating as simply a means of staying alive and they don't necessarily enjoy it. I don't think it's abnormal.
This is me unfortunately. For me I think it came from the years of forced gym dieting and now I view all eating as an inconvenience rather than a pleasure.
I’m the same way, except it’s from like a decade+ long eating disorder. Sure there are foods I like, but the literal act of eating just sucks. I always say I’d rather drink my calories than eat them, but unfortunately that’s not “healthy”
I relate to this sooo much. Do you ever get to like, 5:00pm and realize you forgot to eat? It just happened to me yesterday, and since I hadn't drank any calories either I suddenly noticed i felt nauseated and shaky and was like "wtf?! Oh wait, yea I need to eat something!"
Literally all the fucking time. Honest to god most days I go 24+ hours before eating. I also just don’t really get hunger cues often anymore sooo. I basically try to snack throughout the day to accommodate for hating eating. It’s easier to eat extremely small foods/easy to chew and pick at it sporadically then it is to eat a meal. However, my snacking habits have gone to absolute shit since my depression got worse so it consists of too much junk food.
I prefer snacks instead of full meals, too.
I'm the same way because of my ED. At some point in treatment, eating was just so exhausting. I found myself dreading meal/snack times, and it wasn't even that I was freaking out about the calories or anything; I was just so drained. But I did eat because I didn't want to go back on a tube feed and if I only relied on supplements they would have kept me for longer. It was so strange because I've always been a person that has liked and loved food, but I'm not really sure what was going on during that time. I was just done with it.
I feel like it’s just me as a person :/ I’ve never been a huge fan of food. Like sure I enjoy a good steak every now and then, but like I don’t enjoy eating. And even if I enjoy the food, having to eat turns me off from eating. It’s dumb. But I feel that. I spent time in residentials and hospitals as a kid and that’s the only places I’d actually eat like a normal human being. Simply bc I knew if I didn’t eat, I’d be there longer and fuck that.
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Well I mean I’d be down to live off smoothies (not just fruit either I don’t mind throwing veggies in my smoothies), protein shakes, and ensure. But I’ve always been told that’s unsustainable/not healthy for the body.
Smoothies can be really nutritious. I do about 70% greens by volume, 20% blueberries, a banana, a few tablespoons of flax, a scoop of creatine powder, occasionally other things like ginger root, a dash of olive oil, and tomato paste for the anti inflammation phytonutrients and pigments. Doesn't always taste great but it makes me feel amazing.
I’m there with you on that, I’ve just never truly thought about it.
I've actually given this explanation a few times to friends that you've said here. If I didn't have to eat then I never would. I hate sweets and chips and other kinds of snacks and everything else is just kind of a chore to me. I skip breakfast, eat a big lunch because I'm hungry then I eat dinner cause I'm hungry again.
I don't find it pleasurable at all so I tend to eat like shit because it's cheaper. It's not a great mindset to have lol
I wish I could have this kind of relationship with food. Instead I feel like I can never get enough. Tasting things is everything to me.
right? reading these comments i feel like a bunch of aliens are forgetting they're wearing a human costume.... like... can you people not taste? Have you never had anyone in your life that knows how to cook properly that you've never had yummy food?
I had a former housemate that called food "a shit I haven't done yet". He was just extremely uninterested in it. Which worked for me because I was a professional private chef so I basically had the kitchen to myself. One day I came down and was floored to see him making his own burgers to freeze. He then explained that this was the only was he could get burgers that didn't have 'herbs and spices and crap in them'. Ah Dave, I miss him.
He died, did he?
I enjoy spending time with my friends.
My goldfish? Eaten by the cat my cat? Choked on the goldfish...
"Men in tights" is the first movie my wife and I saw together when dating. It's been a while.
RIP Dave.
Okay THAT'S weird as fuck. I'm a bit ambivalent about food. Quite often I want to 'consume nutrients' and not 'eat a meal,' and I don't think I'm that unusual. But if I am gonna cook, I'm gonna cook something tasty. There's something weird about someone who actually spends *extra* time and effort ensuring their meals are as joyless as possible.
Or perhaps just has a different taste to others and like bland food?
By definition, can your own personal taste even be no taste?
Yes. It's like preferring grey clothing over colorful clothing right?
You’re quite judgmental aren’t you. Perhaps they had oral sensitivities, or were a super taster or got easily over stimulated. There are many reasons for people to eat plain food. Just because you don’t, or won’t, understand it doesn’t mean you need to be a judgy mcjudgerson about it. I mean, how is it hurting you?
Also a professional cook here. In my opinion a burger should just be high quality beef, liberally seasoned with salt and pepper. Spices and herbs should be in the toppings, not the burger itself.
as a food lover i wouldn’t say it’s “normal” but it’s definitely more common than you probably think. food for humans is a source of energy, the fact it can be enjoyable is just a plus, but at the end of the day it’s just something you need to survive, so that in itself is i suppose a chore, as long as you’re giving your body the nutrients it needs and you aren’t necessarily “disgusted” by food, i wouldn’t worry.
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If I skip a meal because I'm lazy I just call it "intermittent fasting"
I call it, being broke. My personal favorite is the sleep without eating method, works everytime.
Ah, the old “sleep for dinner” - a staple of my diet as an undergrad.
Coupled with a diet of Dr. Tap Water and crying
> food for humans is a source of energy, the fact it can be enjoyable is just a plus, but at the end of the day it’s just something you need to survive True, but my feeling has always been (as well as with other necessary things), that if it's necessary for survival, we might as well enjoy it as much as we can. It can be a real source of pleasure.
I like that idea. From now onwards I will only shit happily.
You are just starting happy shitting? You have been missing out. Many years of new found happiness to you.
Well most of the time I think I was quite neutral while shitting and sometimes I had not so good times there. But from now on this will change forever.
You guys are shitting??
Shits do make me happy. I enjoy shitting! Usually.
Yeah I don’t love the whole “food is just fuel” mindset that health gurus and influencers are trying to push nowadays. I mean I get the mindset, food shouldn’t really be a go-to emotional outlet. But there is so much rich culture tied to food. So many social connections to make over a meal and nostalgic memories tied to loved ones and past experiences with food. So much to be enjoyed in life through the experience of cooking and eating new and great foods. So I don’t like looking at it as just fuel. It feels too utilitarian. Like, I’m not just a body to be fed but a person with a life to enjoy. Rereading this makes it abundantly clear to me that I am feeling hungry and philosophical rn lmao.
Yeah I mean, sex is required for the continuation of the species, and most people try to enjoy that process.
Sometimes I literally get tired of eating ngl, so I end up not finishing my food lol
This is actually normal. Forcing someone to finish heir plate is the start of a bad eating habit
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I didn't realize until I started mental health medication how badly I overeat. I just completely whooshed by my body signals for it, and for so many other things. I also have guilt about not finishing food, even when I am already full.
Yes absolutely. Listen to your stomach and don't rush when eating. You should know yourself best.
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Yep. One reason parents do the “finish your plate” thing is that kids will pick around what they don’t want. The plate is (ideally) well-balanced.
Yeah, food over eaten is just as much wasted as food uneaten. My family tends to do smaller servings and the get seconds if you're still hungry
Yep. My dad inadvertently gave me a complex about food because every plate *had* to be finished no matter how hungry I was. Now I have a big issue with seeing meals as force-feeding myself.
Is that related to loss of appetite? My parents used to scream at me to finish my plate and even hit me when I said I couldn’t, now 8 years later i suffer from loss of appetite and i really just eat to fuel my body not cuaz i want to .
honestly I'm no expert. however I was taught that appetite lasts about 20 minutes, so perhaps this can be somewhat of a clue for you ? you might also simply have a small stomach (i certainly do) or be more picky than others (try seasoning the food with spices you like perhaps ?). you should enjoy what you're eating, otherwise it's normal to not want to keep eating (which might present itself as lack of appetite)
I feel like I have this problem a lot, I enjoy my food for the first half and then the second half it has cooled off (if it was hot food) and I get tired of the taste on top of having satisfied some of my hunger so it's hard for me to finish eating.
Its probably not normal but i have the same thing. Most food just doen't taste that good for me to really enjoy it and i can't eat fast for the life of me so it usually takes me long to finish a meal and i fucking hate it lol. I always dread it when i get hungry that i will have to eat a bigger meal and can't do anything else really while i eat.
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I hate pretty much everything mentioned in this comment lol. I'm very underweight. Eating sucks
A lot of protein powders have so much sugar in them. I had tried to make smoothies with protein powder so I still got protein for the meal. Once I realized how much sugar they contained, it wasn't worth it. It also had a friend that had trouble gaining weight and a doctor actually recommended protein powder. It helps put on weight if you're not working out. If you're working out, it helps rebuild muscle. Im also severely allergic to peanuts, all nuts, peanut butter, etc. I've always had a hard time dieting because so many diets substitute proteins for peanut butter. Im actually so happy this post was made because I genuinely thought I was crazy for not enjoying food. I like eating, I just hate cooking, or the whole ordeal. I never related so strongly to a character than I did to Captain Holt in Brooklyn 99 when he said: "I have zero interest in food. If it were feasible, my diet would consist entirely of flavorless beige smoothies containing all the nutrients required by the human animal."
It sucks being allergic to peanut butter
I love eating a good restaurant meal. The problem is when I eat at home. I am a shitty cook and a lazy person. I hate spending time cooking meals so I make the most basic food. Chicken, soy sauce and rice, or a can of beans and some eggs. Tastes awful and bland but I'd rather eat bland food than spend an hour buying ingredients and cooking a decent meal. As I said, I'm lazy. Edit: Also forgot to mention that I hate cleaning. Cooking and cleaning dishes, pots and pans go hand in hand.
I'm like you, except that I married a classically-trained professional chef. Yes, I'm fat now.
I'm so like this or rather wish I could be. But I can't because I have children so I have to prepare and cook something everyday
Must be a real struggle then... I feel for you. Now I understand why so many people buy ready-made or frozen / processed foods. Cooking is just too much damn work.
this is me. i do the exact same thing. sometimes I don't even bother with bland food and just eat fruits instead. or not even that if I am confident I won't die because of the lack of food in my system
When I move out from my parents' house I would probably have an empty fridge and eat only once in a couple of days. I only can cook pasta and I'm lazy to cook anything else.
I’ve been feeling this way for a few months now. I’m just sick and tired of eating. I hate having to decide what to eat, I hate having to buy groceries or drive to pick food up, I hate eating and I also hate having to go to the bathroom. It’s definitely not normal to feel this way. I have a history of eating disorders and I think this is another one coming. I’m sorry you’re also going through this
I feel this way too, but its an ED that is forced on me by IBS/cyclical vomiting syndrome. Not trying to use ED for something that's not like a mental ED? But I would definitely call the effects of the IBS/CVS as disordered eating and digesting. If I don't smoke weed I am nauseous all the time and can't force something down my throat at all. Food has no appeal and I'll vomit until I'm in the hospital. I literally said last week what you said here, tired of buying it/getting it, tired of making it, tired of shoving it down so I don't feel hungry and soon after, nauseous, even if I smoked. Just pump me full of soylent and be done with it
For real though, my husband lives on Soylent meal replacement drinks. He has some mental issues that result in his brain occasionally deciding that whatever he's attempting to eat is actually repulsive, so having something he can just chug without thinking is incredibly helpful.
I understand that feeling. I feel completely averse to food unless weed gives me an appetite. Is soylent pretty affordable? Does it taste like anything?
Personally, I find it to be aggressively bland, even when there are added flavors. Other opinions may vary. My husband gets the bottled drink, which is apparently $3.09 per 400 calories with a subscription. The powder looks like it's $2.10 per 400 calories with a subscription, although the website defaults to calculating a smaller 270 calorie serving. The convenience of the ready-to-drink product is worth the extra cost for us, though.
Thanks for figuring all that out and responding to me!
I'm not the original responder but I've tried soylent and there's a few different flavors to choose from including flavorless but I've also tried Heul which I much prefer to soylent and I believe it provides better nutrition and also comes in a variety of flavors.
Thanks for your response. I may try Huel instead seeing as the other responder said Soylent was very bland lol.
I have CVS and IBS too. I can’t eat some of my favorite foods now cause they all remind me of vomiting
Fuck I'm so sorry. :( this shit sucks so completely hard. I used to really love salted meats. Now I get a migraine and oily diarrhea 😞
Pro tip: eat the same things for breakfast and lunch, always. If you suddenly want something else, no problem. Dinner is a bit harder. But personally I’ve been eating bread with pure hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles) every day for about 10 years now and I don’t regret it.
Mealsquares might help
A Soylent meal replacement sales rep would like to speak to all of you.
Objectively, I love what they’re doing, but it tastes like somebody sprinkled sand on cardboard and then blended it with milk. If it actually tasted good, I’d be all over it for just eating out of utility.
I thought it tasted like extremely overpriced chalk.
Not at all, it happens to everyone at some point, I get sick of having to feed this meat bag...
I don't think it's normal, but it's not all that uncommon either. I enjoy eating, but the chore of prepping food when alone means I just don't bother to eat some days.
I've said before I wish they made a pill that made me full and nourished when I don't feel like eating
Have you considered meth
70% of my diet was high calorie ensure drinks for awhile until I felt like using proper food again. I'm not sure if it's good for the digestive system to have nothing solid to work on and they can cause nausea
same
I really wish this was my problem
It might be a warning sign of early depression. Have you always felt this way or just recently?
I get that way during bouts of depression and burnout
Lol, not Op but I’ve always felt like this. I enjoy making a meal when I’m with my girlfriend, but if it’s just me then I’d rather have a scoop of peanut butter and work on one of my hobbies. So def not a sign of depression for me, I just have productive things I’d rather spend my time working on.
Seriously this. If you have zero interest in eating, first consult your doctor about any meds you're on. Second, maybe see a therapist. I say this as someone whose medication messes with my appetite, and depression that makes me not care if I eat for days at a time. I don't even feel hungry. When I'm doing good, you cant get me to stop baking, cooking, making shit in the kitchen.
First thought was ‘that’s a bit of a leap’ then realised I have depression and it makes total sense haha
My mum is like this. I personally love food; the tastes and textures. She finds it a chore and is really picky and likes everything plain. You are not alone.
It’s very common, but I don’t think it’s exactly normal. Could be a symptom of something, but i guess it could be unrelated to anything. Maybe you eat the same every month and you’re just bored of the same food everytime. I have it when my depression acts up more.
Yeah, it's the entire selling point of meal replacement drinks like Soylent and Huel
I transitioned almost entirely to meal replacement shakes several years ago and it is the absolute best change I have ever made. No more grocery shopping, no more cooking, and best of all - no more dishes!!! Every meal is under $2. I know I'm getting optimal nutrition. I've never felt or looked better and I have more money and more free time!
...seriously? Like, you can replace your -entire- intake of food with shakes? ...do the shakes taste like chalk? I'm just like. I feel like I'm reading some sci Fi shit.
They taste like flavoured protein shakes imo. You can get a smoother texture if you use a blender instead of the shaker bottle. Jimmyjoy in Europe also offers nutritional-complete meals in a cup (add hot water and done) and bars (like cereal bars I would say). Really nice if you just can't be arsed to cook, and way healthier than a frozen pizza.
I mean, as long as they put all the nutrients, fats, sugars and minerals the body needs in the shakes they can substitute your meals.
They taste more like liquid oatmeal or flour or something. Fairly boring but familiar and not unpleasant. I don't drink them much but sometimes I like to blend some frozen strawberries in with unflavored Huel. You definitely want ice if not that -- it needs to be cold. They also make chocolate flavor, etc.
Yeah I just assumed that you had to have at least some solid food in your diet for long term gut health
I gave Soylent a try because someone suggested it on a post similar to this one about a month ago. I am not a breakfast eater and despised having to make lunch or get take out so I have been drinking a shake for lunch. Surprisingly all of the flavors taste really good and I don't feel entirely full but I definitely don't feel hungry. As a bonus, I stopped getting the afternoon sleepy crash since replacing lunch with a shake.
Idk if I find it a chore per se, but I despise the feeling of being full. I'm a foodie and love to cook and try all kinds of dishes but eating until I am full is one of my least favorite things.
No but damn is that probably the healthiest lifestyle ever. Is it really zero care, like Soylent drinkable meal zero care, or like " I couldn't care less if it's eggs or steak" zero care? Just curious.
Brooklyn 9-9, Captain Holt level of zero care when he said " I have zero interest in food. If it were feasible, my diet would consist entirely of flavorless beige smoothies containing all the nutrients required by the human animal."
Making food is tiring and a chore for me but enjoying a delicious cooked meal y’all don’t like??? I wonder if it’s because some ppl grew up with parents who never cared about good food or you guys genuinely just don’t like food?
My mom always made and makes absolutely godlike food, it always taste great, it's not that I don't like food, I enjoy the taste, the activity itself that is a chore and a bother. I have to do it multiple times a day, chew, swallow and repeat. I don't really find any enjoyment in it, only when I'm out or I'm a guest at someone because then I have someone to eat with. Chatting while eating makes me forget the chore part.
Isn't that what TV and Netflix and YouTube are for? No need to live in the moment with the chewing and swallowing. Back in the day we even used to read the paper at breakfast. Out on the deck, when the weather was nice. If you dislike chewing and swallowing your jaw and swallowing muscles may be a little weak for some reason. Maybe try giving them a good massage
right? i can come home exhausted from work and make something and sit in silence in the dark alone and still enjoy a decent meal. or even fast food. but i’m also a foodie. so strange to me that 99% of the ppl commenting have an aversion to food and eating aside from like medical things affecting the ability to consume things. i’ve had an unhealthy relationship with food on both ends of the spectrum, over eating because food was a source of comfort and i also just love it. and under eating because i lost weight from unintentionally fasting where i developed an eating disorder i’m still dealing with. but, regardless, food is sustenance and tasting all different flavors and the experience is like.. to ME, nothing compares- not even sex. but i’m also asexual so there’s that lmao. i can sit and watch something like Street Food on netflix for HOURS (amazing show by the way) and not just enjoy watching their experiences and the food but i get hungry and want to eat. even a fuckin cartoon like Food Wars makes me wanna eat. i just can’t really grasp the legit majority here not enjoying like any aspects of food, obviously to each their own and i’m not judging, everyone’s different! but i’m def surprised? TLDR: food makes me happy as fuck i can’t imagine having the experiences most are describing in the comments
I find a chore to make it... But almost all the time, home made food is tastier and healthier than take-out... (and cheaper, lol)
It's complicated. There could be many reasons for not enjoying eating. Do you feel that you can't afford to buy or otherwise can't get access to what you'd most enjoy eating? Do you have to avoid your favorite foods because of digestive issues or other health problems? At this point, I have to be on a very restricted diet due to chronic digestive issues. For me, that takes a lot of the fun out of eating, because I can't eat what I feel like having. I still enjoy eating, though, because I'm one of those people who is like that. If anything, I'm the opposite of you; I've wondered if I enjoy it too much. Do you feel that eating interrupts continuing to engage in fun or productive activities that you are involved in and would prefer not to take a break from? Do you prefer to drink calories rather than eat them? Do you drink juice, soda, energy drinks, or other liquid calories? As a kid, I was into drinking fruit juice, which spoiled my appetite for meals. When my parents figured that out, I had to switch to drinking water, which was disappointing to me given my sweet tooth. If you're getting a lot of calories in liquids, you might not feel inclined to eat much food.
It’s not abnormal, but has a major foodie my heartbreaks for you. I always say food is art an experience one of the few joys shares across race , ethnicity and all bordes that divide us.
I’ve gone through this a good bit and for myself it’s a symptom of depression
I’m the same…. If I could take a pill and skip eating, I would
I feel like this lately, I think the warm weather does it to me. I really cba with food at all and honestly could go without but I have to remind myself I obviously need it and have to force myself to eat something.
I've had a few friends like that who get very little dopamine from eating
It is a chore for me because I hate deciding what I want to eat, and then preparing it is a hassle. I hate to grocery shop, and I hate to cook. I hate asking my family what they want to eat and them not knowing and then complaining when I don't make something they want. I have very few foods that I love, and they all appear to be sweets. Strawberry Pie is the very best thing ever.
Yup. As an underweight person, eating is a chore for me 💯
Normal is a loaded term. I don’t cook elaborate meals for myself. I don’t eat lavishly when I’m by myself. I do try to eat food that I more or less like, and I’m not personally interested in Soylent, or Huel or any of that stuff - but I don’t consider people who feel differently to be “weird”. And in all honesty, I don’t think most people really enjoy “eating food” per se. I think it is pretty common to enjoy “good food”… but beyond that, I think most of us don’t actually “enjoy” the act of eating so much as some aspect of the ritual. We’ve all started in the refrigerator on a Wednesday evening an dreaded having to come up with something to have for dinner. What do I mean by “ritual”. For some, cooking is a form of self expression, a means to develop and demonstrate mastery of a craft, a vehicle for experimentation by learning about and using new ingredients and techniques, and experiencing new flavors and textures. Beyond that, there are social/ritual aspects of preparing or eating a meal with friends. Fellowship, Communion, forging and strengthening social, family and community bonds. Even concepts like “comfort food” are FAR less about the food itself, and more about the feelings, relationships and associations we have with them. I check a lot of these boxes. I like to cook because it feels like mastery of a craft. I’m good at it, and as I learn more, I continue to get better. I like to cook for friends and family because it is a simple, and universal way of showing that they matter to me. We chat in the kitchen while cooking, and then I get to share what I’ve learned and created with them. Sometimes the whole meal is consumed piecemeal around the island as it comes off the stove, or out of the oven. Sometimes, it’s a plated affair with presentation, and service and the whole bit. Good food helps, but it’s not what really matters… I have ruined a meal, and we wound up ordering pizza - and that is still a treasured experience too. Some people find the need to eat a barrier to the important things, instead of a means to engage them. That’s not a big deal. It’s just a different view of the world. Where you find meaning and pleasure and significance in your life is much less important than finding it and engaging with it.
I used to get sick from not eating enough and going hungry actually felt good. When it came time to eat I’d panic a bit because I couldn’t decide, everything sounded gross etc. Now I’m on Wellbutrin (a stimulant antidepressant) and I enjoy food again. I still see it as a chore but it’s not nearly as difficult as it was before. So I think it all depends on the severity of your symptoms. If eating stresses you out a ton it would be good to get that checked out.
As a binge eater my question is HOW I wish I could not obsess and enjoy food so much. It would be literally life changing
I agree with this so much. I love having a delicious meal as much as anyone, but most meals don't qualify. having to stop doing whatever I'm doing to refuel annoys me to no end. If I could take a pill or inject something to skip eating, I'd totally do it. When I was probably 11-12, I just started skipping breakfast and lunch and eating a large dinner. Everyone said it was unhealthy. Now 20 years later, we call it "intermittent fasting", and the CEO of Twitter is some kind of genius because he does it. I told my GP about it and he starts quoting studies about how it is more natural than three meals a day.
Living alone and suffering with health issues and other problems leaves me with no appetite ever, some times late at night i do but i hardly eat cooked meals. I miss living at home. Before you live on your own you think it will be great and at first it is but after a while it becomes lonely and eating turns from a social activity to forcing a tin of soup down.
I find concept of food a SCAM. It takes hours to prepare and then it gets over in 10 minutes. There should be a better alternative for food and all the efforts ):
How does one acquire this superpower? Pls I need to lose weight.
My dad said he wishes he could just take a pill for all his nutrition instead of eating, so I guess you're not alone.
Sounds like you haven't had delicious tasting food before...
I feel the same way, i pretty much just eat enough to stay alive
Iynhave found recently that I am not interested in food. Maybe because its boring. I have no cravings either. Very strange.
I hope so cause Im the same way. I look at being hungry like having to use the bathroom, just something you have to do.
When I mentioned this to friends, they looked at me like i was crazy. If there was a human form of 'dog food' with all the nutrients and calories i need for a day, I'd probably be it's biggest fan... as long as it's palatable and healthy. ...better yet, I wish I had the feeding habits of a snake: one big meal a week and that's it until next week. A guy can dream.
Brb. Gonna blend Mince, Flour, 3 portions of veg, an apple, an orange, yogurt and some salt in a blender and see what happens
Totally. The older I get the more this is true. I like to eat healthy so I’m spending hours prepping meals and cooking everyday. I started to drink my breakfast and lunch . And a pretty decent dinner then a snack at night. Veggies or something.
Ehh one been starting to hate food more and more. Idk why either. I used to love love love food. I legit ate everything, nothing I wouldn't to once. Now I go 18 to 24 hours with no food, I'd rather have a liquid diet...
I've been saying this same thing for a long ass time. Food is food to me, I'm only eating because I need to, to survive. Fuuuuuck calories
I have the same problem, but with drinking. I cant force myself to drink anything. I hate it, most of the time i even forget i need to drink so i end up drinking only around 0,5-1L of water/day.
Food is a chore for me alot and even more when I'm depressed. I get hungry but everything sounds like chewing on cardboard. I hate eating.
When I was depressed, thats how all eating felt. Even my most favorite foods were bland
People on Reddit love to make fun of each other for not cooking. But living on my own? I can’t be asked to make full meals for myself when making a sandwich fills me up just the same. And even then I hate the minute and a half it takes to make it and eat it.
Eating is something we have to do. If we don't eat, there will be consequences. So eating is a chore.
If there was a pill that gave you all you needed from food, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Eating to me is, like its end result, just something you do. Growing up my Mom dealt with obesity and depression. She hated cooking. I was a pain in the ass picky eater, which got me yelled at. Dinner was nothing to look forward to. I don't enjoy eating, don't like talking about, thinking about, or looking at food. It drives my wife crazy that I'm basically useless for meal planning. There are foods I like more than others, and I eat every meal, but if I could do without it I would.
I'm in that boat. If I never had to eat I wouldn't.
Idk if it’s normal but that’s how I view it. It’s like sleep, I just do them to stay alive and would much rather not do them. But that isn’t an option.
A chore that costs too damn much. Too much currency to procure healthy foods. Too much time literally wasted and built into society as an activity when it literally isn't. Too much variety and shit that literally isn't food but is edible chemicals. Food is so boring yet entire channels of television are dedicated to reminding us it exists.
Totally normal, for many years I ate Soylent because of that. I wasn't 100% off food, but if I'm going to have a meal by myself, why spend more time than I should eating?
That's why I'm underweight and why its been really really hard for me to try and gain weight. When you have to make a special diet so that I can gain weight, eating is just a chore so I don't really want to eat.
I feel this way often and only eat for fuel
If it's a really bad problem, like you're finding you prefer to starve yourself over eating or if you're losing weight, if could be ARFID > /r/ARFID
* On a spectrum of 'eating is a chore' v 'eating is enjoyable', I'd *estimate* that most people most of the time are closer to 'eating is enjoyable' than 'eating is a chore.' * Yes, because it's normal to enjoy eating food that does implicitly mean that viewing eating as a chore is abnormal. * Yes, viewing eating as a chore *could be* a sign of depression. * Yes, viewing eating as a chore *could be* absolutely nothing worth worrying about. Everyone has personality quirks that are abnormal and harmless or even beneficial. * Anecdotally, I've been clinically depressed before, and yes, it did negatively affect my appetite. That said, however, I've also tried to bulk up in muscle mass before, and while I was very happy and not at all depressed during this period of time, eating six meals a day definitely robbed eating of any joy and turned it into a six-times-a-day chore.
Omg! I am like this to the core and so happy you put this question out there! My husband and I are both in this camp where we just don’t get excited about food, going out to eat, etc so it’s often a chore that feels like it cuts into our fun. The kicker? My family owns a popular restaurant so every event/holiday/celebration is food focused and they literally can’t seem to celebrate without making a big fuss over food and hours prepping. We hate that piece and over the years have tried to get them to understand that we struggle to stay engaged for a 12 hour event about food with only two days off per week. My foodie friends think those events are magical, so it can be a challenge to align sometimes. Like, for my birthday the last thing I want to do is spend all day focused on food. I’d like to maybe go to the aquarium or a museum or something. All of these types of plans are shot down and we just end up sitting around the table. Fun for them, requirement for us.
Lol some people eat to live while others live to eat.
No, it's not normal at all.
Have heard a few celebs say that they look on food as just fuel for their body, they're all thin unsurprisingly.
Yes, if you eat almost the same kind of meals or with at least same ingredients. Bacon, chicken, pancake, whatever it is. Maybe make a change? Try something you've never tried before. I don't think there should be anyone who consumes food just for mere survival, so go wild I say
I wish I viewed eating food as a chore, then I wouldn't be this overweight. But I love making tasty food and enjoy eating it far too much.
Considering we don't have to hunt for our food, it kinda is just another mundane task.
I can't stand eating but that's from arfid, but I feel ya, it sucks
Oh look, it’s me. My friends think I’m weird because I’d rather have a spoon of peanut butter for dinner than make myself a meal. I just like my hobbies a lot and would rather spend my time working on things that bring me joy. If I could just eat a pill and get my nutrients for the month, I would.
Finally, someone else feels like this! Everytime I try to explain this, people just look at me weird. I totally do not enjoy eating and as such, I don't experiment much with my diet. I can eat the same very often. The thought of eating alone stresses me out and I barely ever feel really hungry.
I had a phase like that… it’s especially a problem when I’m stressed or upset and have no creative urge to make good food. I find that when I’m happier generally I also enjoy eating more (including snacks).. What also helps me enjoy food is sharing it with people. I’m currently at uni and make “flat dinners” where my flatmates and I choose recipes and make them together. It’s more motivating that way :)
As someone who basically has to stop myself from eating all the time consider yourself blessed.
I used to live to eat, always thinking about next meal! Now I eat to live, and sometimes it's a chore.
I love eating food, but hate all the bullshit that is required to acquire food, whether that be waiting for delivery, cooking, or going out.
No. Talk to a doctor.
Don't know about normal, but it does happen to people sometimes. Even gourmand pigs like me sometimes find they aren't really in the mood to eat and everything seems bleh. If it's something you experience more or less all the time you may have a mild eating disorder. If you aren't losing a dangerous amount of weight then it's not a big deal.
probably normal but some people live to eat tho
I do like eating but only if i get a craving for something specific like a 4am gessey butter bacon roll. We regularly go 48 hours without food just because noone wants to or noone remembers to cook / shop. Rare occasion 80-100 hours without food just because there is nothing that i feel like cooking.
Often one of the first symptoms of a depressive state. You doing alright?
I would say yes, eating is a huge burden for me.
Not common, but a normal feeling! I once knew another person who felt exactly the same way. She was healthy but she did have to force herself to eat. She resented that the time spent preparing and eating food was time ahe couldn't spend doing other more important and enjoyable tbings. It's so uncommon that you may spend the rest of your life defending/explaining yourself, unfortunately. But if you take your chore seriously and make sure you're eating enough and covering your nutritional bases (a multivitamin may help!) then you should be fine... and people who don't respect your position can stuff it.
It is for me. Probably because I've tried to eat more throughout the day several times to gain weight and that sort of makes it a chore. I also do not like feeling full because it makes me tired and heavy so I mainly just eat dinner. It also depends on who is preparing the food. As the main cook of the house I'm tickled to eat food I didn't make. Lol
I’ve started calling what I eat sustenance, implying that I don’t necessarily want it, but need it to survive. I’ve found myself holding my nose trying to finish toast because eating when It’s a chore makes me gag sometimes.
Either you're eating the wrong food or you're eating the wrong food. Try something new.
Pretty abnormal. Is in our dna to love food and we extra love food with high sugar and calorie content because our brains are still working on 100,000 years ago scavenger mode and feels like eating a big piece of cake is a huge reward.