Re: Why do different people like different foods?

Aloha, Megan,
    The answer to your question is found in most any introductory nutrition 
textbook.  And, it's something that I teach;  so, I guess I'm 'expert' 
enough to answer.
     People eat as they do for a wide variety of reasons.  Mainly, we all 
should eat because we are hungry...until we are not hungry.  That is called 
being 'satiated' or full, and is accomplished by listening to our 
internal, body cues.  However, that is only the physiological reason that 
we eat.  There are a whole array of non-physiological reasons that people 
eat, and they are as varied as the people themselves...and most are 
external influences.  
     Some of us eat because of inherited predispositions...that is due to 
our body composition.  For example, some people do not like (at all!) 
strong tasting vegetables like broccoli and cabbage because they have 
inherited more of certain tastebuds on their tongue and in their mouth than 
other people.  They are called 'supertasters.'  Some people eat because of 
their health beliefs and/or their current health status.  Maybe a person is 
concerned that eating too much fat will cause them to develop heart disease 
and so they restrict fat in their diet...maybe too much.  
     Other reasons why people eat the way they do has to do with nutrition 
knowledge, religious beliefs, childhood experiences and peer influences 
(what your friends eat).  Childhood experiences with food, either positive 
or negative, are believed to be one of the strongest determinants of why 
people eat what they do.  Think about it:  what you learned to love as a 
very small child is probably what you still like to eat a whole lot.  Food 
that made you gag as a small child probably does the same, even now.
     Some people eat because of the ethnic group to which they belong 
(Chinese, German, Egyptian, etc.) or according to their cultural 
preferences (Mexican, Thai, etc).  Level of education, type of job, amount 
of income and where they live influence some, too.  Lastly, but not 
leastly, people eat because of convenience and availability of food.  
What's there and available many times determines what I'll have for dinner 
or bring for lunch.  How about you?
     So, you may live next to, or even with someone, have the same foods 
available, but eat somewhat differently...depends on so many different 
influences.