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That's interesting you would ask about this subject. In the last several years there are several foods I couldn't stand but suddenly one day craved them and have loved them ever since. Oddly enough, it seemed to happen right around menopause for me. I never like tomatoes and suddenly one day I had a taste for a tomato. I thoroughly enjoyed that tomato and have been eating them ever since. I know plant about 6 tomato plants in my yard every spring and I just eat the tomatoes as they ripen. Another food I've suddenly learned to love is watermelon and cantaloupe. I think I was the only person I ever heard of who didn't like watermelon. Same as with the tomatoes.....suddenly one day I ate some, loved it and have been hooked ever since. Lastly, I never liked peanut butter. I didn't like the flavor or the texture. Sometimes I would eat it on crackers but not very often. One day I made a half sandwich of peanut butter and jelly. It was delicious. Though I don't crave peanut butter as much as I crave tomatoes, watermelon and cantaloupe. I really didn't do anything at all to 'teach' myself to like them. It just happened. I don't know if it has to do with changes due to menopause or what. It was truly very odd, indeed.

Mine would be Peppers any kind of peppers I never liked them even as a kid. It was so bad that i would claim I was allergic to them at restaurants so that they would not put them in my salads or with the dish I wanted.
Then slowly I tried them again I started out with mild ones like green bell peppers. I kind of liked it but it was still a little gross to me. Eventually I learned new ways to make peppers so that I would eat them and enjoy them. One of my favorites was to take a bell pepper cut it in half clean the seeds out. Put goat cheese and Fontana cheese in the halves and grill them until the cheese was melted. I would eat both halves in no time.

December 9, 2008, I donated a kidney. The operation went well. I came home on the 11th, back at work December 29.

It started for me with the Virginia Tech University tragedy. In the face of the sorrow for the victims. I always felt a responsibility to the community, to be active, involved and share time and service. With the heartbreaking news which unfolded that day, it came to me to do something more, to
do something to create some good news; to do something to give life, as a way to counteract tragedy. A significant, lasting, positive impact on someone's life was an appropriate response, a return of good for bad.

On that day, I decided to donate one of my kidneys. I didn't know anyone specifically with need of a kidney transplant. It was an altruistic donation to an unknown, total stranger, a free will gift. In learning about the transplant process, I realize the significant need for donor kidneys and the
shortfall of transplantable kidneys. Even though dialysis can be a long term solution for kidney failure, people still need kidney transplants. There are about 82,000 people on waitlist to receive a kidney transplant in the USA, there are about 15,000 transplant operations per year, and about 4,300 people die of kidney failure each year, waiting for a transplant.

I had a very long preparation process with the Renal Transplant Division at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, NJ, including extensive medical evaluation. To be a donor candidate I had to lose a lot of weight, which would also reduce my blood pressure. After 9 months, I had lost 30
pounds and my blood pressure was down to a normal range, and I passed the extensive medical tests.The recipient was anonymous to me, all I was told was "a young married man".

I have sincere appreciation and thanks for the outstanding staff, doctors and nurses at Saint Barnabas Medical Center. Especially to my surgeon Dr. Stuart Geffner, and to Dr. Shamkant Mulgaonkar Chief, Transplant Division, as well as transplant staffers Patty Kotch RN, Marcia Rower, and Allison Valvano.

---
In March 2009, I met the recipient, nice guy, little younger than me.
He had progressive kidney failure for 23 years, and got very critical late in 2008.
His daughter's note:"I used to worry about Dad not being around to walk me down the aisle on my wedding, but that is no longer a fear. Thank you for giving my dad a fresh start."

Colleen - I would absolutely love to share my story with you! So that I don't provide too much or too little, would you kindly provide me with the writing parameters?

Best,

Diane Danois

I'm fairly certain that your quest is in search of people who hated-but-now-love foods such as butternut squash, cauliflower, or those almost-always-detested brussel sprouts. And I wish I could oblige. Unfortunately, the food I used-to-hate-but-now-love is butter.

Of all things people to learn to love, I can't believe mine was butter.

It was a gradual thing, and I don't recall exactly when it started. However, I do have a distinct memory of hating the stuff. I didn't like it on bagels or pancakes, didn't like to cook with it, and didn't like my food swimming in pools of the melted stuff.

Now I like it on just about everything! Lucky me.

Peanut butter and tomatoes! So noted. I know people who don't like PB because of the "mouth feel" -- which is why I like it so much!
And yes, tomatoes can be tough to love. Thanks for the suggestions.

Peppers -- especially the green ones -- seem to be a challenge for people (my Dad says they "take over" any dish they're in). Thanks for the suggestion -- we'll consider it for an upcoming issue.

Thanks for the entry. We'll consider for our 2010 Health Heroes awards.

Butter -- now that's an unusual one. I'm afraid I've always loved it to excess.

I'll take it to the editorial team for consideration. Thanks!

Hi Colleen. The first time I tried cilantro was when I was in college, working at Chili's restaurant. I didn't know what it was and thought the taste was so bad that until my coworkers convinced me otherwise, I thought I ate a bug! Fast forward a few years and I decided to give it another try. This time, I LOVED it! It is now one of my favorite ingredients in guacamole. The reason I tried it again even though I hated it so much the first time? My mom! My mom always told me that as you get older your tastes change. It makes sense. When I was little, I could -- and did -- easily eat three candy bars in a sitting (back then, we had a store nearby that sold three for $1). As an adult, I can't even imagine that anymore! My mom was right, my tastes did change...not for everything though. I am still one of the only Italians out there that does not like eggplant parmesan...but I do keep trying it! :)

You're not the only person who has recently confessed an aversion to cilantro. But most I know of have not yet crossed over from "I hate it" to "I love it." It does have an unusual flavor. I think it's a good food-challenge for an upcoming story. Thanks for the idea.

I can remember my very first bite of raw celery and how much I didn't like the taste of it! Since it was my sister's favorite snack I couldn't even stand to be around the smell of it and would go into another room when she would eat it! That was until I turned 30 and decided to begin eating healther. So as my sister and I began trading recipies, she sent me a recipe with celery, peanut butter and raisins. To my surprise I liked the taste of it and I began to eat celery with other dips and even by itself. To this day it's one of my favorite raw vegetables on the salad buffet!
Mechele
42 yrs/old
Medical Practice Administrator
Houston, TX

As a child I was made to eat peas, whether I wanted to or not. I used to put them in my mouth & then put a napkin to my mouth as if wiping my mouth & deposit them in the napkin. Then I'd hide the napkin behind the radiator.I don;t think my parents ever found them. But today I like peas, I even mix them with corn. It's a refreshing combination.I also use to hate beets, but love them now. We use to eat them heated but I prefer them cold. I really think alot of our tastes mature as we do.

A suggestion for peanut butter lovers/haters. Try a sandwich with peanut butter & crisp bacon.On whatever bread you like toasted or plain. My favorite is soft white bread.