# Slightly unusual eating habits you (or someone you know) has **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 17, 2026, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370 "2026-08-17T01:07:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mortimus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mortimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mortimus)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/21 "2026-08-17T06:51:31Z")
Eat the hot stuff first, while it’s still hot. Usually that’s going to be the entree. I might peck at the side dishes a bit but won’t get serious about them until the entree is gone. It’s okay if sweet stuff touches other sweet stuff, sour stuff touches sour stuff, etc. But savory items need to be kept separate both sweet and sour, with exceptions based on cuisine. Beets, spiced apple slices and cranberries leak red juice which tends to befoul everything else on the plate. They may be placed on a plate with other food only with great caution. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/22 "2026-08-17T09:18:02Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > My only personal food thing (that I’m aware of) is I don’t mix sweet and not-sweet. > > IOW, don’t mop up the last of the beef gravy with my dessert cake. Uggh! I’ll second this one. Mixing sweet and savory in the same dish just does not work for me. ---
**Author:** ![themapleleaf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/themapleleaf/32/14349_2.png) [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/23 "2026-08-17T09:21:43Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I’ll second this one. Mixing sweet and savory in the same dish just does not work for me. Same here. I don’t even like cheesecake (though I’ll have tiramisu). ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/24 "2026-08-17T09:30:49Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I’ll second this one. Mixing sweet and savory in the same dish just does not work for me. Heh. Savoury pork sausages or bacon with sweet maple syrup on pancakes is a perfect breakfast for me. Well, with orange juice and coffee, of course. Not sure is it’s unusual, but I’ll offer regular rippled potato chips with Heinz chili sauce as a dip. I really don’t know how I came up with that one, but I did, and it’s a good combination. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/25 "2026-08-17T09:33:33Z")
My brother had a GF who used to pour 7-Up into a bowl of Jell-O (any flavor). If she didn’t have any 7-Up, she’d substitute milk. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/26 "2026-08-17T10:37:22Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > I eat every item on my plate individually. My wife does this too. It puzzles me. Surely the idea of having several different items in a meal is that the flavours are supposed to complement each other? Oh well… ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/27 "2026-08-17T10:47:55Z")
Can we agree that not letting foods touch on the plate is not all that unusual? I also know several folks who follow this practice. As for me, I don’t think I have any. I do love a tall, cold glass of buttermilk; is that weird? mmm ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/28 "2026-08-17T11:41:55Z")
My grandpa always poured his coffee from the cup into the saucer, then sipped (slurped) it from there. This seemed like a wasted step to me. He also swirled (real) butter and sorghum into a mix on his plate, then spread that over his biscuit. That was really good, and I do that sometimes still. I have a co-worker whose spouse will not allow any item which has been touched by the dog to remain in the “human” cutlery/dish group. If their dog has touched it in any way, the fork, or plate, or whatever is permanently relegated to second class status, and is not even allowed in their dishwasher. They probably shouldn’t eat at our house… ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/29 "2026-08-17T11:42:45Z")
I always want to save the thing I am enjoying the most for my last bite. It feels a little unsatisfying if I don’t do this. When I am eating a sandwich and there is one bite left I will more often then not eat it piece meal: eat a piece of bread, the cheese, the other bread then the meat for example. and I will eat whichever component I liked the most last (see item one). ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/30 "2026-08-17T11:56:51Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Heh. Savoury pork sausages or bacon with sweet maple syrup on pancakes is a perfect breakfast for me. Me too. But don’t get syrup on the meat. Don’t make a forkful of meat and pancakes w syrup. Alternating bites is fine. Together is bad …very bad. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/31 "2026-08-17T12:19:25Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > He also swirled (real) butter and sorghum into a mix on his plate, then spread that over his biscuit. My mother does that. She’ll also make a cornbread smoothie — fortunately, not consumed through a straw. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/32 "2026-08-17T12:32:04Z")
When Mom makes Christmas sugar cookies, she has to burn an entire tray of reindeer for Dad, who has to bite off the antlers first. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/33 "2026-08-17T12:43:11Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > In my youth, I would group my M&Ms by color and eat whatever was necessary so there were equal numbers of each. Then they had to be consumed in a strict color order, starting with brown and finishing with red. Nowadays, I just cram random handsful into my face. At a job long ago I had a manager who would get a pack of M&Ms out of the vending machine every day. She insisted that the different colors were flavored differently, and she didn’t like the brown ones (neither the dark brown nor the tan color). So she gave them to me. At first I tried to convince her that they all tasted the same, but then I realized, hey, free M&Ms. And no, I never asked her what she thought the brown ones tasted like 😏 ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/34 "2026-08-17T12:51:01Z")
Just remembered - pizza must be eaten crust first. That’s because the pointy end has the best of the toppings! I will eat in the traditional manner sometimes, but my way is the obvious correct way. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/35 "2026-08-17T12:58:07Z")
My mom always made a two layer chocolate cake for anyone who had a birthday- chocolate was everyone’s favorite. I liked the frosting the best, so I would always carefully eat all the cake filling out of the triangular wedge first, leaving the frosting walls for last. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/36 "2026-08-17T13:17:01Z")
The ‘pizza bones’ left after the pizza slices are eaten wedge first are delicious dipped into ranch, blue cheese, or Italian salad dressing. Or even pizza sauce from a squeeze bottle of same. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/37 "2026-08-17T13:20:15Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Me too. But don’t get syrup on the meat. Don’t make a forkful of meat and pancakes w syrup. Alternating bites is fine. Together is bad …very bad. Well, I wouldn’t say _very bad_, but you make a good point. As I recall from my days driving truck, you take what you can get, and you’re glad of it. You learn to put up with crossovers, in other words. Or in more succinct, get-to-the-point words, “Aw, shit. The sausage is touching the pancakes. Well, I’ll deal.” I love American road side diners. I’ll take what I can get, because it’s always going to be good. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/38 "2026-08-17T13:23:01Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > If dinner is steak, baked potato and green beans I will eat all of my green beans first, not touching the steak and potato, then I’ll eat the potato, not touching the steak, then I’ll eat the steak. Yeah, that is weird. You eat the steak first. Then the green beans. Baked potatoes are last. Then again, I know that my eating habits are unconventional. I usually eat 6 small meals throughout the day. The last one (about 9:30 pm) is 6 scrambled eggs with a side of sauerkraut and some pickles. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/39 "2026-08-17T13:28:34Z")
I will eat my main protein in a meal first, if I have meat/fish. Then the potatoes, veg, or salad… I often take half the bread off a bun or sandwich, or tear off the crusts and a good portion of the bread edges. I just don’t like bread. I try not to be messy and do it discreetly when eating with others…And since I don’t have a microwave oven, I have to cook and heat things on the stove in a pot or pan. Leftovers? Meh, I will often just eat them cold. Meatloaf, fish sticks, hot dogs, tater tots - cold. Seems like too much work to dirty a pan for just a few little bites. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370/40 "2026-08-17T14:16:22Z")
I thought that most people grew out of these food fads by the time they started school. Try saving the best bit until last at any school I ever went to, and it was likely to disappear: “Don’t you want that?” Whoosh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slightly-unusual-eating-habits-you-or-someone-you-know-has/1032370.md?page=3)