Would You Choose Garlic Over a Guy/Girlfriend?!?

Hey Everyone,

I've been on a mission to try to eat healthier, and was thinking about this the other day while making a gulp, salad (my arch nemesis and one of the banes of my existence.)

I wish I were one of those people who just naturally liked vegetables, but unfortunately, I am not. However, I am trying. And I've discovered that I seem to like veggies much better when mixed with aromatics (most often, garlic and onions.)

Wouldn't this be the perfect setting for a kissing booth?

This got me thinking about how much (and for how long) I would sacrifice eating such things if I met a special someone. As it is, I do skip these kinds of foods when anticipating some social situations but if not, I brush my teeth constantly and carry gum and a stash of peppermint Tic Tacs. I'm sensitive to scents and some smells give me headaches, so I certainly don't want to cause that kind of distress on other people.

But what about having a steady significant other with whom you would spend a lot of time with?

* If you like foods that you think taste great but aren't exactly the best-smelling, do/would you skip them to go on a date?

* If so, how long/to what extent would you go to in order to spare your new boyfriend/girlfriend a serious (and near constant) case of garlic/onion/sardine/blue cheese, etc. breath?

* Would you eventually have to tell them, "Look, this is me, STENCH AND ALL, and you're just going to have to accept that!"

* What kind of compromise do you think you'd have to come to in the end?

Married friends are welcome to answer too, as you might/probably have some experience with this and will be able to tell us how it's done.

Just an amusing little thread to help get us through the rest of the week! I'm looking forward to hearing your answers.

I know of this one girl who is very, incredibly allergic to peanut butter. Like, if you eat it and she smells your breath, she has an allergic reaction.

She recently broke up with her boyfriend. Amicably, actually. A few months later she happened to see him at the store and asked, so what's it like to be able to eat peanut butter again?

He replied, oh wonderful! We should have broke up years ago!

She said, I can't blame him. Peanut butter is awesome. I can't compete with that. If you require your guy to give up peanut butter to be with you, you're going to have to bring a lot to the relationship.

Wow!

That's a perfectly legit reason but now I'm wondering how I'd feel about getting dumped for peanuts...

Like, literally.

(I'm not sure how popular the phrase "Working for peanuts" is in other areas, but it's a popular phrase I grew up with which means "for little to nothing.")

So in this case... "Getting dumped for peanuts," on the surface, means I'd be "getting dumped for little to nothing."

But yet in reality, it's a very big (and very valid) reason.

I do occasionally eat something for breakfast and it crosses my mind that it's a good thing I'm single.

The other day I mashed up tuna and smoked mussels in a bowl, with a little truffle mayo, and ate it with Pringles chips. Sure is good to be single. Nobody was around to complain about it. Only the dog, and he wanted a bite.

This one is a tuffy lol.

Looking at it from both sides of the plate.....

It would be hard to give a good food up. If it is something that I really enjoy would be even harder. I love to keep radishes in a bowl of water, in the fridge for about a day, then put some salt on them as I eat them. This can cause some really intense burps. Now something like this, I would not give them up but I would be respectable as possible.

From the other side of the plate, I wouldn't make someone give a good food up just because I don't enjoy it. Like lobster....I can't stand the smell or taste but I'd still be ok with them eating it....doesn't mean I'd be quick to give her a kiss lol.

Now if it was for an allergy, I'd stop eating that type of food and would hope for the same in return if I was allergic.

I have a strong dislike for the smell of garlic. A lot of people really like to put a lot of garlic in their food. The worst is when someone near me in church has recently eaten a lot of garlic and I'm exposed to the smell for the whole service. I use garlic in my cooking but just trace amounts.

I suppose that if someone is dating, or is married, you just have to make sure you're both eating the same stuff, then you probably won't notice it.

I love salads, I like to serve a small salad with the 1 pound rib-eyes that we often grill.

What in the world did I wake up to?

You had to do it, didn't you?

After my near garlic and butter related trauma yesterday, you had to start a thread with garlic in it. Okay, here are my serious answers.

I dated a woman in the past who was highly sensitive to all sorts of scents. Not just food related scents, but basically every type of scent imaginable. Although I did sincerely sympathize with her, while admittedly doubting the severity of her condition at times, it was rather trying. She would complain about the type of soap I used, my deodorant, my shampoo, my cologne, the laundry detergent that my clothes allegedly smelled like, the cleaning products that I used at home, and, of course, the slightest bit of anything that she detected on my breath.

Not only this, but her skin was highly sensitive to all sorts of fabrics, and she threw out every piece of clothing that I ever bought her except one. We eventually split up for reasons which were not related to any of this, but it was rather trying when we were still together. In retrospect, I do wonder if at least some of it was not highly exaggerated or just imagined in her mind because she seemed to function fine everywhere else but with me, and I am into pleasant smelling scents, and certainly not Oscar the Grouch living inside of a garbage can.

Turning specifically to food, if I liked garlic, and I do in small doses, and if I liked onions, and I do in small doses, then I would have no problem kissing a woman with those scents or tastes in her mouth. I mean, it would sort of be a win-win situation. Not only do you get a kiss, but you get a little snack of sorts with it.

Sardines and blue cheese?

I am not fond of either, but I would not end a relationship over either one of them. There are ways to kiss less passionately, so some old-fashioned pecks on the lips or cheeks could easily get one through momentary situations like that.

To end on a very serious note, a good woman is so hard to find that a man would have to be an idiot to give her up for something as stupid as a scent of food on her breath or a taste of food in her mouth.

I don't dislike peanut butter, and I eat it occasionally*, but like I said yesterday, it is comparable to liquid cement waiting to harden in my throat. I would give it up in a second for the right woman.

*mostly in Reese's peanut butter cups as opposed to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich

Tough question. When I was living with roommates, I had one roommate cooking liver and another would say the apartment smells of dog food. I would not permanently give up any foods, and I would not expect someone else to give up any foods. This is assuming we do not have allergy issues. However, we can compromise on frequency if the smell bothers the other person so much.

I have noticed that some people give off worse garlic breaths than others, but this is only noticed if someone is right next too you.

I love salads but they have to first be mixed in the mixing bowl with the dressing. The veggies should be chopped in small pieces. I do not like ready to go or restuarant salads where the veggies are separate and you have to put the dressing on top.

I am really not a veggies or salad person myself. When given the option of a soup or salad at a restaurant, I always go with the soup unless the only soup options are some of the few types of soup I don't like. Like I mentioned yesterday, I am really not into dry and crunchy foods, so something like a lettuce and pepper-filled salad does nothing for me.

I do occasionally make my own salads, but they are a mix of my own choosing. I always omit the standard lettuce, and I go with a cucumber, tomato, and onion base instead. I then add to it things like fresh strawberries, freshly sliced mango, and fresh mozzarella cheese, and then I top it all off with some balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Maybe a little garlic bread to sop up the residue at the end. Oh, and a little splash of sea salt or regular salt.

I have read to have veggies (or fruits) of different colors in a salad. So, I use that as a guide. Make a list of veggies by color and use any combo to make the salad.

Is it just me, or are all uncooked veggies dry and crunchy by nature?

If I was a dog, then I definitely would not like dry dog food.

Give me some gravy, baby!!!

I love garlic!

My last relationship, which was the longest and best relationship I've been in (7 years), was with a gentleman who loves garlic as much as I do and maybe even more. I cooked many homemade meals in that time and was told the more garlic the better. We went through a lot of garlic and a lot of onions. In that regard, we were a perfect match lol.

In my next relationship (Lord willing), would I give up garlic? I dunno. I might. If they are pretty amazing, it'd be worth it. Right?
I'd sure miss garlic though!

There is one thing that I won't give up. Coffee! Not happening. This is an area I won't compromise.

it seems hardly anyone knows that the devil can con anyone into disliking vegetables, 1 of the healthiest foods on earth. & it's unusual for Christians to dislike vegetables. learn this: brushing your teeth, chewing gum & using mints does nothing for your breath. you have to attack by gargling. i know women who swoosh around mouthwash in their mouths but don't gargle & they smell bad. i only eat garlic when not going out.

I guess I am, and know, a lot of unusual Christians.

Most people at the church potlocks I grew up with weren't filling up on vegetables (unless smothered in sauce, cream, and cheese,) and their weight reflected that.

I've actually had discussions with other Christian friends about this, how churches often have a culture of eating (a lot of gatherings involving food,) and does little to foster healthy eating, because very few are gorging on plain vegetables, even in everyday life.

I don't gargle (unless sick, then I'll gargle with salt water,) but I do think that brushing your teeth does little without a good tongue scraping and cleaning, which I do every time I brush my teeth.

And unless people have been politely lying to me all my life, I've never had anyone tell me I smell bad, unless of course it's right after eating or for other obvious reasons.

I'm really enjoying how this thread has been turned into a sincere discussion about food preferences and how we can show consideration and compassion to others through them.

I had originally just meant for this to be a fun, little throwaway thread, but I love the deep thought and care people are putting into their answers. ❤️

This is why I really enjoy these discussions. My brain might not be fully awake this morning, but I'm glad to see so many others are thinking of things I was too tired to even consider.

If your next relationship is with a vampire, then definitely do not give up garlic.

I was thinking about this too, and how people's body chemistries are so different.

I've known alcoholics who literally sweat the smell of alcohol.

And then on the other hand... Here's a literal dirty secret -- I don't wear deodorant. I started to out of habit when I became a teenager, just thinking it was normal -- but after talking with my Mom, we realized I didn't seem to have a need for it. And I would ask my Mom to stay on high alert to let me know if that changed!

So I just figured, if I could get away with one less product and set of chemicals, I would. I do take showers every day, and twice if I feel I need to.

Of course, at the time, I was growing up, no one ever said not having to wear deodorant was possible, so I never told anyone. But lo and behold, all these years later, I've now read that it's not unusual for some Asians to not have to wear deodorant (I even follow an Asian dermatologist who says he's never worn it either.) But I was an Asian growing up in an all-white culture, so no one else had ever heard of such a thing.

And I've always been very self-aware of the situation -- I've always told people not to hesitate to tell me if I should need to make changes. I've also lived in places where a normal day's temperature might be 115 degrees -- in the shade -- and work out regularly. But as stated in another post, unless people have been lying to me all my life... I apparently keep passing the test.

However, I also have very sensitive skin, so if I'm saving myself from any chemical exposure, I more than make up for it with the skin care products I have to use!

Now, if anyone ever told me I could ward off an entire vampire coven because of my garlic intake, I would definitely make adjustments!

Date or no date, I'm not giving up my garlic or onions.

And I'm drinking my coffee black! 😀☕