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The Science And Culture Of Picky Eating

NPR

Published May 10, 2016 at 1:40 PM EDT

Pizza slices and french fries are seen as they are served during lunch at Everglades High School on November 18, 2011 in Miramar, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

What foods do you love that other people just cannot stomach?

Google tracked food-related searches over the past two years, and found our tastes are as fickle as ever. Trending ingredients included pork shoulder, cauliflower rice, and cheese curds. That list may make your mouth water, or you might find it nauseating.

Food preferences and food aversions are hyper personal, but scientists have tried to figure out why some people become picky eaters. Jane Kauer discusses the science and culture of picky eating with Jeremy Hobson. Kauer is a board member of the youth nutrition company Rebel Ventures, and she has studied this topic at the University of Pennsylvania and the Monell Chemical Sciences Center.

Jane Kauer gave us some additional resources for picky eaters:

Guest

Jane Kauer, board chair of Rebel Ventures.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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