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This Is What Your Favorite Foods Say About Your Personality

Are you an extrovert? A risk taker? A traditionalist? These 17 crave-worthy foods can tell you some surprisingly intimate things about yourself.

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Freshly prepared Sriracha Hot chilli Sauce close-up on the table. horizontal view from above
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If you put hot sauce on your hot sauce

If your motto is “it’s not a meal if your lips aren’t burning,” then chances are you like to live on the edge, according to a study presented at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Spicy foods set off pain receptors, which you’d think would be a deterrent to eating them, yet for some people, that’s the allure. The researchers found that people who love their food spicy hot are also adrenaline junkies, desiring novel and intense stimulation. Burrito bungee jumping anyone?

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Sweet Sour Neon Gummy Worms with a Sugar Coating
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If you love sour gummi worms so much you even lick the crystals out of the empty bag

Who doesn’t love a good sweet/sour combo? Yet there’s something particularly crave-worthy about those sour fruity candies, especially if you often feel conflicted or frustrated with your life, says Alanna Kessler, RD, a certified dietitian nutritionist in New York City and founder of Be Well. “Sweets in general are often used as comfort foods while people seek out sour foods when they’re on-edge, restless, or anxious,” she explains. If you constantly crave the two flavors together it may indicate that you get overwhelmed easily but you’re also good at bringing balance back to your life.

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Female street vendor hands show fresh roasted meat and vegetables taco outdoors. Mexican cuisine snacks, fast food of commercial kitchen.
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If you’re always first in line at the newest food truck

When deciding where to eat out, do you suggest the new fusion restaurant? Do you buy random foods at the store even if you don’t know what they are because they look fun? Did you serve a Turducken at Thanksgiving? If you answered a rousing yes, you’re likely a risk taker who also loves things like bungee jumping or the stock market, according to Kessler. A new food is a new adventure waiting to happen, and you’re not going to miss a minute (or taste) of it, she adds.

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Prepared salted and caramelized sweet popcorn in old wood three sectioned box over dark textured wooden background. Top view. With space for text
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If you pick the caramel corn out of the cheese-and-caramel popcorn mix

Having a sweet tooth may mean you have a sweet personality to match, according to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. The researchers found that people who crave cake, candy bars, or other similarly sweet foods are more likely to be agreeable, friendly, pleasant, and outgoing. Maybe Oscar the Grouch just needed to spend a little more time with Cookie Monster?

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pizza in the in delivery box you can put your writing on the box
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If your go-to happy food is pizza

Pizza tops the list of favorite foods for many people. One reason you can’t resist a slice is because pizza is the most addictive food, according to a study published in PLOS One. (Sound like you? Check out these nine signs you might be addicted to food.) The combination of fats and simple carbs makes the brain light up like a Christmas tree. But if you love that cheesy, crusty goodness, it also shows that you may be an extrovert, Kessler says. Pizza is the ultimate party food—convenient, cheap, feeds a crowd—which makes it the go-to dish for people who love to be surrounded by others, she adds.

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Homemade Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes
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If Sunday dinner is always a pot roast with potatoes and carrots

Traditions are the ways we keep in touch with where we came from, and in no area is that more true than with food. But being a traditionalist doesn’t mean you’re boring! “Meat-and-potatoes people prefer an uncomplicated, simple life, and put a lot of importance in family and traditions,” Kessler says. And it doesn’t have to be a pot roast, per se, but rather any food that you grew up eating in a routine way that makes you feel connected to your loved ones, she adds. Make sure you try these 15 warm fuzzy traditions you’ll want to make your own.

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Bowls with delicious banana pudding on grey background
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If just the thought of banana pudding triggers your gag reflex

Love it or hate it? Thanks to banana pudding’s slimy texture, there aren’t many people who are on the fence about the classic dessert and its cousins—custard, ripe bananas, yogurt, and flan. If you’re one of those people who thinks “boogers,” it doesn’t mean you have an unsophisticated palette, but rather that you’re sensitive to little details, Kessler says. Being the type of person who’s meticulous at paying attention to all those details can have big payoffs in your career and love life, she adds.

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gourmet dish - Escargots de Bourgogne or Snails with herbs, butter, garlic on black slate plate with forks, ingredients and wine glass with dry white wine on wooden table, horizontal view from above
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If you’ve tried escargot, cricket burgers, seaweed salad, and rattlesnake

Seeking out and trying exotic or rare foods means that you’re someone who loves a challenge and loves learning new things, Kessler says. And this is true regardless of whether or not you actually enjoyed eating it! “Simply being willing to try out a ‘scary’ food shows innate curiosity and a desire to learn about other cultures and cuisines,” she explains.

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Chocolate sundae ice cream served with whipping cream and cherry on top. Pour chocolate sauce and chocolate ball. On wooden tray. Top view.
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If your favorite dessert is an ice cream sundae with a cherry on top

“People who love ice cream often have a child-like innocence or a sense of wonder,” Kessler explains. Because there are so many options for toppings, cones, mix-ins, and variety, it gives you a feeling that anything can happen, which really appeals to those who love the mystery of life, she adds. And the cherry on top? You love to look for little, surprising moments of joy. When you finish your treat, keep the happiness flowing with these 50 tiny changes that will spark joy.

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Background of grilled vegetables on a grill close up. horizontal view from above
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If you use your grill more than your actual stove

There’s just something so primal about standing outdoors with a hunk of meat roasting over an open flame, and die-hard carnivores love that feeling. “People whose favorite food is meat are often intense and serious,” Kessler says. Hearkening back to when mankind were hunters, they can also be aggressive, which in today’s modern world may translate to being an active go-getter, she adds.

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Variety of fresh vegetables in bowls - potatoes, red and cauliflower cabbage, spinach, green onions, carrots, nuts, olive oil, cilantro. Raw ingredients. Vegan table. Top view
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If you know the name of every vegetable in the supermarket

There is a whole, wide world of produce that goes beyond apples, oranges, and iceberg lettuce, yet many people buy the same exact fruits and veggies every time. If you’re the type who adores all types of produce—including things like leeks, Swiss chard, and Jerusalem artichokes—it shows that you value learning about your food. It also shows that living a healthy lifestyle is an important part of your identity and you take a lot of pride in keeping everything as clean and whole as your food, Kessler says. Try one of these 11 superfoods that could be the next kale.

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Blueberry smoothies on wooden floor from top view.
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If you never go anywhere without a smoothie or shake in hand

“Shakes and smoothies are the ultimate in convenience, perfect for someone who loves to multitask,” Kessler says. Who has time to chew all those different foods when you can blend them all together and get on with your busy day? Make sure you’re using healthy, high-quality ingredients for a meal on the go that will keep you fueled all day. Use these seven tips for making a healthy smoothie.

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Mac and cheese. Macaroni and cheese with meat tomato sauce. Delicious lunch
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If your secret favorite meal is chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese

Forget about fancy Gruyére macaroni and cheese or panko-coated chicken tenders—if you like your pasta straight from the blue box and chicken in a take-out carton, it means that you romanticize your childhood, Kessler says. “When you prefer the comfort foods you loved as a child, it shows that you love remembering the past, ” she explains. You’re the one who calls your sister just to share a favorite story about that time the car broke down on the way to Disney. And it’s not just you: Check out these 10 comfort foods of professional chefs.

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Set of sushi and maki roll and green tea on stone table. Top view
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If your idea of fast food is sushi

Sushi is portable, convenient, bite-sized, and delicious—the ultimate “fast food” if you think about it. But a spicy tuna roll with wasabi is no burger and fries. Eating sushi as your favorite food-on-the-go shows that you’re sophisticated and open to a wide variety of experiences, Kessler says.

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Large old thermos on the background of wooden boards
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If your favorite accessory is your portable coffee mug

If your outfit isn’t complete without a Starbucks cup in hand, and you can’t imagine how you’d survive without your daily coffee infusion, then you’re likely a classic type A personality, Kessler says. You’re likely competitive, impatient, and operate under a constant state of stress but you’re also highly organized, ambitious, and great at juggling a busy schedule, she adds. Hint: Use these 11 ways to make your coffee habit healthier.

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Cool top view shot of a dozen freshly baked homemade chocolate chip cookies on a cooling rack
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If your idea of heaven is a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie

Did your mouth just start watering? (Ours did!) Cookies are a common craving and with good reason, as the sweet flavor triggers a release of oxytocin, also known as the “cuddle” or “love” hormone, according to a study done by the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior. In addition, the chocolate contains theobromine, a compound with a calming effect. So if these are your go-to comfort food, chances are you’re chronically stressed out and frazzled. No worries though; it’s nothing a relaxing snuggle (and a cookie) can’t help!

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Matcha, green tea latte in a cup. Grey stone background. Top view.
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If you not only know what matcha is but you drink it every day

Matcha is a powder made from green tea leaves and is said to have particular health properties. (Check out the science on whether or not matcha lives up to the health hype.) If you already knew that, and love drinking it or adding it to smoothies, you’re an individual and pride yourself on being unique, Kessler says. Not up on the latest health powders? Don’t stress, it may be more of an age thing. “If you love matcha you’re a Millenial or a Millenial at heart,” she jokes.

Charlotte Hilton Andersen
Charlotte is an award-winning journalist who covers etiquette, relationships, psychology, health and lifestyle. She has written more than 50 etiquette stories for Reader’s Digest, spearheading the site’s popular Polite Habits and Best Messages series. With a knack for capturing the essence of an interview subject, she also specializes in human-interest and “as told to” stories. In addition to Reader’s Digest and The Healthy, her work has been published in Shape, Cosmopolitan, Women's Health, O Magazine, Fitness, Redbook, Seventeen, What to Expect When You're Expecting and more.