Why dont black people eat tomatoes?

Question

I went to a barbecue at the weekend and there was a black man there with his wife. I was sitting near them and they were served with some chicken and salad with lovely fresh tomatoes.
As soon as the man saw the tomatoes he went hysterical and started going on about how 'they' dont eat tomatoes. It was just like you would see a vegetarian scorn being served meat. You should have seen his wifes face as well - just as if they had been insulted.
Is this some kind of tribal / custom why blacks dont eat tomatoes? I never heard of anything like this before and I thought it was rude of these people to behave like this when they had been invited to someones barbecue. They could have just left the tomatoe uneaten.

Answer 1

Blacks do eat tomatoes!! Just because one couple scorned at the sight of a tomato does not mean all black people do not eat tomatoes!! When he said 'we don't eat tomatoes' he probably meant just him and his wife, not the entire black population!!!

But yeah the over-reaction at the sight of tomato in their food was a little extreme, but funny!!

Answer 2

First of all TRIBAL Custom - now that is rude.

Second, I am African American/BLACK and I eat most vegetables and my diet does include tomatoes, lettuce, squash, cucumbers, and onions, just to name a few. Also African Americans and/or a lot of Black people have come from the south and are used to vegetables and farming or gardening and eat those things from their farms or gardens.

Why these people had the display that they had nothing to do with being black or offended they were just plain rude and obnoxious people and it wasn't really about the tomatoes either. There is something more inside of them that is broken and wanted attention.

My husband doesn't eat them because of being forced to eat certain vegetables when he was a child and given if we were in same situation he would have just placed them to side or on my plate if I was hungry enough for them- SMILE

This is the same way he does when we are in restaurants or over someone else's house or in the private. Also before whoever served him, he would let you know ahead of time what he doesn't eat so that you wouldn't put it on his plate.

Now for this couple it is funny that they don't eat tomatoes and are at a barbecue - because the base of the barbecue sauce is -- TOMATOES just like in ketchup.

Answer 3

I'm not black but have several black friends and I'm sure they eat tomatoes in different guises: raw in salad, as salsa with mexican food and even in pizza topping.

The only explanation is that the gentleman at the party was seriously allergic to them or has a phobia about tomatoes.

Of course he could also just don't like them and make a fuss in a very rude manner.

Answer 4

when faced with such behaviour:

1- tie offending guest's hand and feet.
2- remove clothing and body hair (use blowtorch on those stubborn areas and remember to cover your nose against the smell.
3- stuff animal full of tomatoes
4- place animal in the barbecue, turning occasionally
5- serve, with tomatoes in its mouth

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Answer 5

Are you saying that this one black man speak for all blacks?Allergies would be the first thought. You should be embarrassed. I am black and eat tomatoes all the time sometimes just with Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing. I also love fried green tomatoes. I once worked at a Toy Store and a white lady's daughter picked out a black doll and she went berserk I was very upset and felt that all whites were that way until I started seeing some that actually bought black dolls for their kids after all we have been playing with the blond hair blue eyed dolls for a loooong time. Open your mind step out the box. That was one couple in a world full of blacks.

Answer 6

Yes why woudnt they ?All people in different races like tomatoes.Thats the craziest thing Ive heard in a while.Just because one couple didnt eat tomatoes doesnt mean another one wont.I wouldnt have ate them and would have said no out loud if given the chance.

Answer 7

Hello,

If 'they' was supposed to mean Blacks, it is surprising that the enlightening work of George Washington Carver has not yet reached everyone. Back in the 1800's, Carver noted the poor eating habits of the officially emancipated Blacks, and strove to improve their condition with his brilliant inventions and discoveries. Among other things, he disproved the popular superstition according to which the 'love apple' was poisoneous by bravely eating one in front of an incredulous gathering! The benefits which accrued to this down-trodden group through Carver's simple gesture cannot be reckoned.

Answer 8

This has to one of the funniest (and perhaps most ignorant) questions I have come across so far on Answers. And that's saying a lot!

My family is from the Caribbean and I can tell you now that many black people use tomatoes in all sorts of traditional West Indian dishes.

It could just be that this person was allergic to tomatoes and when he said 'they' he meant he and his poor put-upon (by the sounds of things) wife.

There is no 'tribal'/custom. And even though he may have behaved rudely, you're even ruder for making so many assumptions and tarring a whole race with one brush on ONE semi-experience.

Did he say that black people don't eat tomatoes? It sounds to me like you are a very sheltered person who does not seem to have much experience of other races.

'Tribal'? Get out of the 1960s for goodness sake!

Answer 9

How do you mean they said "they" don't eat tomatoes? How do you know they were referring to thier skin color? Could they have meant "they" as in a certain religion, people with a certain health defect, or "they" as in the fact that they had specifically ordered "no tomatoes" to thier waitress and she brought them anyway?

I have never heard of one COLOR of people not eating tomatoes. Atop of that, asking if it is a cultural thing is silly because you didn't specify which culture these particular people were from. Were they from the south? Were they African? Were they Jamaican? etc...

I guess you should have asked them what thier problem was if you are so concerned.

Answer 10

I have never heard that and have black friends who do eat tomatoes. Perhaps it was just a problem this one man had with them for some reason. Maybe his "they" meant he and his wife. Maybe he is allergic and that was the reason behind his strong reaction. Maybe it was something even stranger. I have a friend who is scared of pepper. Not allergic just scared. I don't know why. Maybe he was scared of tomatoes.