5 People On Their Favorite First-Time Food Memory (Don't Read If Hungry!)

At mbg, we believe that food nourishes our bodies and our souls. Case in point: There's nothing like the instant gratification and overall amazing feels you get from enjoying your favorite food or drink. Whether it was an acquired taste over time or love at first bite, every culinary predilection started with a simple choice: to try or not to try something new. Read on for five inspiring (and delicious) ways to do the latter today:

"I didn't grow up traveling much, but when I was 11, I took my first trip abroad to Buenos Aires to visit a friend who had just moved there with his family. I'm sure we did plenty of touristy things on that trip—but honestly all I remember is the food: the pizzas fresh from an outdoor oven, the plates and plates of meat served family style, the midday pause for alfajores with a side of extra dulce de leche, the EMPANADAS. Sitting at a picnic table at a Gaucho ranch outside the city, I bit into the most delectably warm and flaky empanada filled with meat and veggies fresh from the farm. Life as I knew it changed, and try as I might, I've never found another empanada that can compare. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Beyond being a delight for the senses, that trip showed me how much you can learn about a culture just by sitting down to eat with its people, and that's a lesson I'll be grateful for forever." —Emma

"One of my favorite tastes in the world is coconut—the nutty, creamy, only mildly sweet flavor, not the fake, tropical flavor, which upsets me just thinking about it. I trace this love of coconut back to middle school, when my family and I went to a Vietnamese restaurant for some pho. I wanted something refreshing to drink with my huge bowl of noodles, so I ordered a beverage called "young coconut drink." I didn't know what to expect. It arrived in a tall glass—a slightly cloudy liquid with slices of coconut meat at the bottom. OMG! The first sip nearly sent me back in my chair—I couldn't believe I had just tasted something that delicious. I felt like I had just discovered a hidden treasure on earth. I was hooked and sipped it as slowly as possible to savor it. These days, I'm all about anything refreshing with coconut so was excited to see KeVita come out with Sparkling Probiotic drinks in an intriguing Strawberry Acai Coconut and Mojita Lime Mint Coconut. They're fermented with water kefir, which gives it a tangy flavor. My verdict? The effervescence adds so much! I could drink it all day long." —Krista

"I remember learning about kale chips (the store-bought kind) when I first moved to New York. But after buying them, I actually thought they were really gross. So in the dead of summer, I found a recipe online to bake your own and decided to give it a try. The recipe involved firing up your oven to nearly 400 or 450 degrees (an awesome idea in a New York City apartment without air conditioning), and they were incredible! That whole summer, I reluctantly (read: happily!) sacrificed my own comfort for a tray of hot and crispy kale chips." —Amanda

"I remember the first time I tried grilled octopus, I couldn't deal with looking at it: the skin, the tail—I just got so weirded out. And then I tasted it. Just the way it was seasoned, it was literally perfect. Now it's actually become my favorite appetizer at any Mediterranean or tapas spot." —Dania

Disclaimer: The information in this article is the opinion of the author(s) and in no way reflects the policies or positions of KeVita. This is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or nutrition advice.