Suddenly Hate What’s on Your Plate? You May Have a Food ‘Ick,’ Say Experts

It’s another night of scrolling TikTok in bed and you come across an oh-so-relatable video: Someone is digging into a delicious sandwich that suddenly becomes off-putting to them—or lamenting about how even veggies can become a turn-off in an instant. This type of commentary has been on the rise on social media as of late, with videos on the topic racking up millions of views. 

Food disgust sensitivity increases with age—and is typically higher in women—per an August 2018 study in the journal Appetite. But there’s often more to the story, from how you feel to how your past experiences have shaped your current eating habits. Here’s what to know about food “icks” and why they may be striking mid-meal.¹ 

1. You’re just bored of that food

If you’re three bites into the chicken salad sandwich you’ve had for lunch every day this week, and you suddenly can’t stomach it any more, boredom may be to blame. 

“When you eat the same thing over and over, it starts to lose its appeal,” says Sal Raichbach, LCSW, PsyD, Chief Clinical Officer at The Recovery Team. “What used to be comforting or tasty just doesn’t hit the same way anymore.”

It’s kind of like hearing your favorite song on repeat until you can’t stand it anymore. The same thing can happen with food, especially when there’s no variety or you’re eating it out of habit instead of actually enjoying it.  

Common culprits of boredom “icks” are meals that are quick and easy—think chicken, pasta, or sandwiches. “You might end up eating them so often that they lose their charm,” says Dr. Raichbach. 

What you can do about it: 

Change things up. Even a small swap or addition like a new seasoning, sauce, or side can revive meals and keep you from feeling grossed out by the monotony, says Dr. Raichbach.   

2. You’re suddenly focusing on your food

Many of us in today’s world eat without paying much attention to our food. If you’re always swigging a smoothie on your way to the office or downing a wrap in front of your computer, your focus is elsewhere as you just try to banish hunger pangs.

“But once you have already eaten a bit of your food and the hunger subsides, your attention can shift to your food itself—to its taste or texture,” says Jordan Conrad, PhD, LCSW, founder and clinical director at Madison Park Psychotherapy. “When the spotlight of your attention lands on this, it can make it seem more unusual or distorted than it actually is.”

You might also start to ponder what your food is made of, and depending on your preferences, it might gross you out.“Your brain starts overthinking—like, ‘Wait… this is shredded meat,’ and boom, appetite gone,” says Carolina Estevez, PsyD, psychologist at SOBA New Jersey. “That mental shift can be enough to make something you were enjoying suddenly feel unappealing.”

What you can do about it: 

Try to generally shift your focus, says Dr. Estevez. Play music, watch a light video, or casually converse while eating. It’s not about zoning out completely, but a little distraction can relieve the pressure causing your “ick.” 

3. You have a lot on your mind

If you are anxious, tired, or not fully present, your appetite can flip (or disappear) quickly. “Eating can suddenly feel like too much when your brain is busy juggling stress or fatigue,” says Dr. Estevez. “Even a favorite food can feel off if you are not mentally there.”

Physical disruptions can also play a role: Hormones, digestion, or side effects from medications can change your appetite and how you react to food. “If you are already feeling off, it does not take much for your body to say, “Nope, I am done [with this food],” adds Dr. Estevez. 

What you can do about it: 

Take a quick pause before eating. Breathe, sip water, or do something grounding for just a minute, says Dr. Estevez. Getting into a calmer headspace helps your body shift into ready-to-eat mode.

4. Your brain remembers a bad experience

Even if food doesn’t make you feel sick on a given day, your brain may remember a time when it once did. “For some people, certain foods are tied to past experiences, like getting sick after eating something once,” says Dr. Estevez. This is called conditioned taste aversion: Your brain essentially files a food under “danger” to protect you in the future. 

“The amygdala, which handles emotional memories, plays a significant role here,” adds Dr. Estevez. “So even if you are not thinking about that one bad experience consciously, your brain might react with an instant ‘ugh, no thanks’ as a kind of survival reflex.”

What you can do about it: 

Go slow and try a small portion of the food prepared differently than how you’ve had it in the past. Dr. Estevez recommends eating it in a setting where you feel calm. If a strong aversion affects your eating habits, talk it through with a therapist to get to the root of the reaction.

5. You may be experiencing symptoms of disordered eating patterns

While boredom or bad experiences with specific foods can certainly cause food “icks,” it can also be a sign of a more serious eating disorder, like avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).

“Many individuals with eating disorders or disordered eating have a limited list of ‘safe foods’ they are comfortable eating,” says Casey Tallent, PhD, National Director of Collegiate & Telebehavioral Health Initiatives at Eating Recovery Center. “As we see eating disorders progress, we see the list of safe foods becomes smaller and smaller, leading to the person feeling a period of distress and feeling out of control.” 

During this time, someone may return to the eating patterns that previously worked for them to reduce stress, meaning another food may be eliminated from their safe list. While Dr. 

Tallent notes that this might lead to some relief, it is ultimately followed by more distress until the process repeats. “With both anorexia and ARFID, the restriction by eliminating more and more foods has dangerous medical and psychological consequences,” says Dr. Tallent. 

Although 4.7 percent of adults screened positive for ARFID in a 2023 study in the Journal of Eating Disorders, they were rarely in treatment for it and 35 percent reported suicidal ideation. Meanwhile, women hospitalized for anorexia are 2.4 times more likely to die from any cause overall, compared to those without the condition, per a 2021 study in the journal World Psychiatry. The increased mortality rate was particularly linked to suicide, pneumonia, and diabetes.^{2 3} 

What you can do about it: 

If you or someone you know are experiencing food “icks,” it’s important to seek help or check in to make sure they’re not signs of something more serious. Eating disorders can be deadly and are best treated early.

If you notice a friend posting increasingly about food “icks”, Dr. Tallent suggests saying something like: “What I see is that you’ve been posting a lot of food ‘icks’ lately. What I fear is that there might be something more serious going on. What I hope is that you’ll let me connect you to someone to talk with about it, or you’ll let me help you find a support group to go to.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, call the National Alliance for Eating Disorders Helpline at 1-866-662-1235 for immediate support or go to allianceforeatingdisorders.com or anad.org/get-help for more resources.