Foods I Hated as a Child But Love Now

Isn’t it funny how we all have foods that we hated growing up, but somewhere along the way they became the foods that we crave for nostalgia sake? As a teen, I often just wanted a box of pizza or a hotdog more than anything. I remember the disappointment I felt when instead of those, my mom offered up a bowl of borscht or aspic (kholodets). There were times I literally cried over the dinner options!

But, like many things in life, I really didn’t appreciate it when I had it. I didn’t think home cooking tasted as good as it does now. Nowadays I’m all about home cooking, especially my mom’s cooking! When I go to visit her, I often specifically request the foods that I once hated because those foods are the ones I find myself missing the most.

Foods I Hated As a Child but Love Now

1. Aspic (Kholodets)

The easiest way to describe aspic is “meat jell-o”. But that nickname does not do it justice! A few bites of this and you’ll see that it’s actually really yummy! It’s kind of like gelatinized soup, and “souper” tasty!

2. Shuba

In the Russian language, shuba is translated to “fur coat.” In this salad, the colorful veggie layers wrap the pickled herring in blankets of deliciousness. There’s creaminess, there’s tanginess, there’s umami!

3. Fish Soup (Ukha)

If you love chicken noodle soup, you’ll love ukha. Instead of noodles, it has potatoes, and instead of chicken, you’re gonna love the salmon bites. It’s a really light, tasty, herby soup!

4. Cabbage Soup Recipe

Cabbage is huge in the Slavic culture, so cabbage soup is a no-brainer. This soup is chock-full of cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, and either beef or pork cubes (your choice!). It’s in a flavor profile of its own when it comes to soup.

5. Mom’s Chicken Dumpling Soup

The dumplings in this dumpling soup are chewy and so so so addictive! (Almost like cookie-dough-addictive!). If you’re wondering what this soup tastes like, all you need to do is imagine a yummy, light chicken soup with soft pillowy pieces of cooked dough. You got it!

6. Salmon Caviar

It’s no surprise I didn’t like caviar as a child — most kids don’t! But I am so very glad I grew out of that phase because salmon caviar truly is a delicacy. I’m glad I’m not missing out on this anymore!

7. Pickled Cabbage

I told you — Slav’s love their cabbage! Think of this pickled cabbage as a vinegary, mildly crunchy salad. It’s sweet and tangy, making it a great addition to any meat dish on your menu.

More Childhood Favorites

• Strawberry Vareniki: Strawberry filled dumplings
• Vatrushka Buns: Eastern European version of Danishes
• Olivier Potato Salad: Eastern European potato salad
• Nalysnyky (Ukrainian Crepes): Sweet cheese filled crepes