# Tasteless or nearly tasteless foods **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 9, 2011, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705 "2011-09-09T07:49:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/21 "2011-09-09T14:00:13Z")
[Yuca (Cassava)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/22 "2011-09-09T14:04:35Z")
There’s a big difference between no taste and subtle taste. But I’ll agree that unripe fruit and store-bought tomatoes come as close to tasteless as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/23 "2011-09-09T14:13:15Z")
_Ha!_ When I saw this thread title my first thought was “matzoh!” My landlord gives me a box every Passover (thinking, “that’s what the Jews eat, right?” He’s so cute). And there it sits till next year. ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/24 "2011-09-09T14:13:22Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > White rice. You’re not having good rice! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/25 "2011-09-09T14:24:23Z")
Hey, I like matzos! And I’m not remotely Jewish. I eat them with peanut butter. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/26 "2011-09-09T14:33:17Z")
[Winter melon.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_melon) Tastes 99% like water and 1% like generic vegetable flavouring. Also the chewy rice cakes used in Chinese stir fries and Korean soups (among other places) are pretty bland. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/27 "2011-09-09T14:47:36Z")
If you let poi sour just a bit, it has a nice tangy flavor. But it has to be fresh. That instant stuff is crap. Table water crackers. I believe that they actually suck the flavor out of whatever you put on top. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/28 "2011-09-09T15:00:36Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Table water crackers. I believe that they actually suck the flavor out of whatever you put on top. A local “everything’s $1” _Salvage Surplus_ grocery store actually was offering individual table water crackers to customers, to snack on, while shopping there. No topping, no flavors, just a dry plain table water cracker. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/29 "2011-09-09T15:04:45Z")
Jellyfish doesn’t have much flavor. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/30 "2011-09-09T15:05:16Z")
I hope they at least had water to wash down the dry crumbs! ---
**Author:** ![Post\_Miss\_Post](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Post\_Miss\_Post](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Post_Miss_Post)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/31 "2011-09-09T15:06:09Z")
> [@Imasquare](#): > > Tomatoes and strawberries here in Australia have no taste. They look great but are almost flavorless. > > By contrast when I was in South Korea a couple of years ago the tomatoes and strawberries tasted wonderful. I think tomatoes can be good in Australia if you choose well. I’ve been living in Germany for the past year and a half though and I have to say the strawberries blew my mind. So juicy. So much flavour. Each bite pure delight. Don’t know if it was their superiority compared to Australia or the accessibility of direct farmer’s produce and the fact that they prioritise seasonal vegetables rather than offering everything all year round. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/32 "2011-09-09T15:09:32Z")
Strawberries are a funny creature. Supermarket strawberries, presumably shipped from California, are super bland. But I’ve had some from a farmer’s market, and they are bursting with pink yumminess. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/33 "2011-09-09T15:15:19Z")
> [@cckerberos](#): > > You’re not having good rice! :eek: Well, there are nice basmati rices out there, etc. But plain white rice is bland. My wife doesn’t like rice. I was amazed when she told me that, like 17 years ago. Who the hell doesn’t like rice? Any kind of rice? What a dingbat. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/34 "2011-09-09T15:25:40Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > My wife doesn’t like rice. I was amazed when she told me that, like 17 years ago. Who the hell doesn’t like rice? Any kind of rice? What a dingbat. [Mitch Hedberg] I like rice. Rice is great if you’re hungry and you want 2000 of something. [/Mitch Hedberg] My vote goes to canned chicken. Hey, canned chicken and tofu on white rice. Except for a vague feeling of fullness, you wouldn’t even be sure you ate anything recently. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/35 "2011-09-09T15:58:18Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > My wife doesn’t like rice. I was amazed when she told me that, like 17 years ago. Who the hell doesn’t like rice? Any kind of rice? What a dingbat. My ex-husband didn’t like rice. He always said, “I ate enough of it during the war!” :rolleyes: Now his son doesn’t like it. I’m like, “But it doesn’t _taste_ like anything!” ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/36 "2011-09-09T16:20:53Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > My ex-husband didn’t like rice. He always said, “I ate enough of it during the war!” :rolleyes: > > Now his son doesn’t like it. I’m like, “But it doesn’t _taste_ like anything!” Exactly. I can see maybe not having a taste for curried rice, or wild rice, or perhaps a recipe with fish or something you don’t like, but rice? Plain rice? Verifiable dingbat. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/37 "2011-09-09T16:33:57Z")
By the way, has anyone here been to [Cakewrecks](http://www.cakewrecks.com)? Plenty of tasteless food there. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/38 "2011-09-09T16:59:32Z")
Is water not considered food ? It usually is tasteless. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/39 "2011-09-09T17:04:31Z")
> [@Bri2k](#): > > Celery. That’s why I always salt it although others prefer adding peanut butter. > > Bri2k That’s fascinating I love celery and it’s naturally salty.. I can’t imagine UPPING the salt content. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/40 "2011-09-09T17:17:36Z")
Cucumber, unless you have a sensitivity to it; I know a few people who loathe it, while the rest of us wonder what there is about it to loathe. I once saw someone on here refer to ‘bland foods, like egg or cheese.’ I wondered what cheeses the poor man had been eating. > [@Leaffan](#): > > Well, there are nice basmati rices out there, etc. But plain white rice is bland. > > My wife doesn’t like rice. I was amazed when she told me that, like 17 years ago. Who the hell doesn’t like rice? Any kind of rice? What a dingbat. I don’t like rice. It’s the texture, I think. I don’t hate it, and wouldn’t refuse to eat it, but I don’t like it. Wholegrain rice is a lot better. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705.md?page=3)