Big problem! Need help on how to be culturally polite!!! I can't stomach their food!?

Question

I work at a store where 3 out of the 5 employees are from India. There culture is great and all, but they have ordered Indian food before and I cannot stomach it at all. I honestly cannot get past the taste and texture of anything they order. I cannot eat anything with vinegar (allergic), so that rules out some food, but I cannot eat spicy foods because it causes sores in my mouth later. Last time they ordered "Not spicy," and they thought it had no spice...but my mouth was burning! Anything that wasn't spicy was mushy and tasted like some sort of moss or fungus. It smells good, but is very decieving.
Yesterday they warned me not to have lunch because they are ordering Inian food again for an employee's birthday. I don't want to be rude (I guess turning down offered food is considered very rude in their culture) and I like the girl who's birthday it is, but I don't like the food and can't help but make a funny face when eating it. Any ideas or tricks to eating something I don't like???

Also, they are vegitarians, so if I bring anything, it can not be meat. It was my mistake not to tell them the first time that I didn't like it, so now they assume I don't like just a few things. I am not allergic to everything, just vinegar, and I can't stand spicy food. The food I can eat does not taste good at all.

Answer 1

I think your co-workers realize that their food hurt you... and they should not be offended. I am sure you told them of your allergies!

Next step, if you want to participate to the Bday, is to say "hey, I'd like to be with you guys - how about I bring something I can eat, so I can party with you?" - then come with - uhh, a small sandwich platter, or a homemade salad (maybe make some for 3, with some yummies in, so they can see that YOUR food is tasty too!!). Bring a cake as a present to the girl.

I'd bet that - quite fast, you will be a good cook, the girl a good friend, and the indian guys adept at healthy fresh food without spices...

Answer 2

You shouldn't eat anything that you don't like. Indian cuisine is not usually a very popular food so you are not alone in your distaste for it. I find the seasoning unbalanced. Either too bitter, too hot, or too bland and mushy.
You can either say you are full or you can try to stick to the most bland thing available like a rice or something. Don't feel bad. You are a genuinely considerate person.
Bring your own food and you can bring a gift for the girl.
Good Luck.

Answer 3

Here's a few things to do. First, go to a website for Indian food, see what the different foods are and what's in them, see which ones sound good to you. Next go to an Indian food restaurant and order some of the things you think you can eat, if you can't then oh well at least you tried. I say use this route because they're ordering things to suit THEIR cultural tastes, based on what they ate growing up, their pallets are different than yours. It's like I'm from a country where fish was a staple food, I can eat fish all day, the people I live with had red meat as a staple food, they can eat it all day, but for me it's not my thing. So expose yourself at your rate, see if there's something you like that you can then order, if not then that's fine.

The next step is to admit that Indian food is not your thing, tell them this, honesty is the best thing. It is NEVER rude to say that something is not for you, but it is VERY rude if you force yourself to eat it. It's like for me forcing myself to eat red meat, I'll obviously not like it, my displeasure will show, and my disposition will be bad. However if I turn it down and have something else while others have red meat, my disposition will remain the same, and it will be less rude. Basically you have to realize it's different strokes for different folks.

Now you have to find some middle ground. First introduce them to some foods that you love, chances are they won't be crazy for it either because it's just not suiting to their pallet, but so long as they try then it makes it all fair because you tried theirs. Then you can agree on a middle ground where likely you order something slightly different than them, or when you're primarily ordering then they can order something different and there's no hard feelings.

Basically, agree to disagree. And, it's more rude to be bitchy or mopey because of a meal, than to say that you'd like something else. Never lie to spare someone's feelings, it'll just hurt more down the line.

Answer 4

You are nice to worry about offending them. Just do like everyone advised and politely decline. I too, am not a fan of Indian food, so I feel your pain. You are not being rude by not eating it! People will be more understanding if you say you are allergic or can't tolerate spicy food vs. you just saying you don't like the food.

Answer 5

You just have to tell them, "Your food is just not my style." Try ordering a salad or something as a side dish to their meal (I mean for everyone) and you can eat that and still celebrate with them.

Answer 6

If I don't like something, I don't eat it.

Just say, " No thank you, it smells great but
my tummy has trouble dealing with new foods.
I lived and learned ", then rub your stomach
slowly.

Answer 7

allergies are allergies and have nothing to do with being pc or polite.

if you have an allergy to nuts, you don't eat nuts.

if you have allergies to curry or spicy foods then that's that.

Answer 8

PB&J's always a good choice.