People feel judged when they indulge in these guilty pleasures: poll

Add “overindulgent” to your list of red flags.

A new poll of 2,000 Americans has revealed that 69% of people judge their partner’s snacking habits.

Like any relationship, it’s a two-way street — as 69% also said they felt judged by their partner, although men felt this more than women (74% versus 64%).

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of kitchenware purveyor GoodCook, the survey also suggests that judgement and feelings of being judged diminishes with age. Specifically, only 30% of baby boomers said they judge their partners for their guilty-pleasure snacks.

While nearly half of respondents said chowing down on too much junk was one of their own worst habits, 35% counted poor diet as the ultimate “deal-breaker” in a partner. Other red flags include mindless snacking, being a picky eater and eating too fast.

Evidently, a majority of people are conflicted about their eating habits, as 65% admitted they hold “controversial food opinions.”

Sweets took the cake when it came to some of the most debated delectables. Milk chocolate remains the most popular form of cocoa with 31% choosing it as their preferred indulgence. But the oft-maligned white chocolate is coming in hot with one in five (20%) favoring overall. Meanwhile, more people would choose to skip chocolate altogether (13%) than take ruby chocolate, as just 7% go for the fruity, pink confection.

When it comes to satisfying the urge for savory snacks, one in seven (about 14%) reach for cold pizza before hot, and nearly one-fifth (20%) said they would rather reheat a leftover slice than eat it fresh from the oven. On the topic of ‘za, which was ranked the No. 1 junk food choice above all, a contentious topping had to be included in the mix: pineapple. While it’s widely despised as a pizza topping, it ranked highest as a controversial favorite at 35%, outranking barbecue sauce at 33% and ranch at 30%.

“Ideas for unusual food combinations can come from anywhere,” Anthony Serrano, a GoodCook culinary chef, told South West News Service. “Some creations are the result of natural human curiosity, but others come from cultural mashups, such as sushi burritos or mac and cheese tacos.”

These respondents were notably adventurous diners. When the poll asked about odd food combinations, three out of four (75%) said they’d be willing to try cheddar cheese with apple pie, for example.

Peanut butter and pickle sandwiches were revealed as the most polarizing food choice polled, with 61% saying they’d try it and 21% swearing they would vehemently avoid it. Millennial participants were the most willing to experiment with the nutty combo with 70% showing interest. Yet, that stat isn’t so surprising considering they were also twice as likely to indulge in controversial culinary choices compared to their boomer predecessors.

But not everything is on the table for young adults. Only 25% of respondents said they’d try black-bean brownies — a once-viral food trend for health nuts.

GoodCook’s Serrano is using the poll to encourage more social media consumers to “master the trends” that food media has to offer — with help from the right tools.

“Many viral social media recipes are actually easy to make, once you get past the elevated presentation or unusual twist that makes them stand out,” he said.

Top 5 Dining Dealbreakers

• Eating too fast – 38%
• Being a picky eater – 35%
• Mindless snacking – 35%
• Regularly consuming junk food – 35%
• Taking food from my plate – 35%

Top 10 Guilty-Pleasure Foods

• Pizza – 36%
• Ice cream – 35%
• Burgers – 33%
• Chips – 32%
• Fried chicken – 32%
• Milk chocolate – 32%
• Cake – 31%
• French fries – 31%
• Candy – 30%
• Bacon – 28%