We Jamaicans love to brag and boast about our cuisine so of course, many people think all Jamaicans like all Jamaican dishes. But that’s not true. There many Jamaican dishes that some people despise. And while adults are very good at keeping their preferences to themselves, Jamaican children will quickly tell you which dishes they hate. Many times, these dislikes annoy adults because the dishes their children hate are often ones that their parents enjoyed while growing up. Let’s look at 5 dishes I didn’t like when I was child:

1.Porridge
‘God bless’ the Jamaican children who actually liked porridge growing up. I don’t care what type it was- I didn’t want it! They were all just disgusting to say the least. I especially remember having a grave hatred for rice porridge. My, my! I can still remember my then very trying mother (bless her heart) forcing me to take mouthfuls of the despicable substance and just how repulsive it felt as the grains clung to the walls of my throat as they slowly made their way to my stomach. Come to think of it, it was quite traumatising and I need to have a talk with my mother… BRB!

2.Soup
You have never known disappointment if as a child you didn’t rush home hungry and excited for dinner after a long day of being at school, only to hear that soup is on the menu.

3.Callaloo/Cabbage
We knew it was good for us… we’ve heard the speech over and over… it didn’t make a difference. It still tasted nasty at the time and we didn’t want it. And no, it didn’t matter that you added saltfish to the mix… it was still green.

4.Sardine

Something about the way sardines lied in their tins, like men in a casket, staring back at me with big bold eyes as if beckoning for help just didn’t sit
right in my spirit. Like… No, thanks! A matter of fact, I still don’t mess with it.

5.Literally anything with beans

Beans with saltfish… beans with sausage? We don’t want it. Butter beans, broad beans, string beans, baked beans… We didn’t care, it was still a
resounding no.

Let me know which Jamaican dish you would add to this list.

Thanks for reading. Walk Good!