Why I’ll Never Love Sweet Potatoes

It’s that time of year: the air is extra crisp, we’re gathering around the table to give thanks … and I’m avoiding the sweet potatoes at all costs.

You might be thinking, “Who doesn’t like sweet potatoes?!” And I get it. They’re a superfood, packed with vitamins and antioxidants, and a sweet one at that, so why wouldn’t I be relishing in their triumphant return? I’m not allergic. I never had a traumatic sweet potato experience as a child. In fact, I struggled writing this article because I found it particularly difficult to put into words why I don’t like them.

As a kid, sweet potatoes made a once-a-year-appearance on our table—on Thanksgiving. They were always prepared in a classic sweet potato casserole, pureed into mushy oblivion with cinnamon and butter, then loaded with toasted marshmallows. (Is there any other vegetable you would even THINK to pair a marshmallow with?!) I was put off by this long before I had any opinions about food worth publishing. 

Sweet potatoes are sweet, but they are also earthy and vegetal. They somehow aren’t sweet enough to be dessert (without some serious doctoring and loads of sugar) but also not vegetal enough for me to like them when they’re prepared like an actual vegetable. When roasted, the sugars caramelize and they become sweeter, overpowering the seasonings and herbs you add—whether that’s spicy cumin or brown butter and rosemary.

Every fall, when sweet potato season arrives, I accept that this is a time of year when my preferences simply diverge from the masses. Some people get excited about breaking out their favorite sweater or pumpkin-izing everything. Me? I get excited for Brussels sprouts, roasted carrots and cauliflower in every form. And honestly, with so many vegetables I do love, and so many of them in season right now, missing out on one doesn’t feel like a loss.

And look, it’s not like I haven’t tried to like sweet potatoes. I’ve made my share of sweet potato recipes at home. I’ve had them with black beans in tacos. I’ve had them french fried alongside a turkey burger. Tucked into stews and chilis. Made into gnocchi. Still, the flavor hits me the same way every time: it’s a sweet-and-savory tug-of-war that overshadows the dish entirely. My tastebuds get tired before I finish the first forkful.

The irony of disliking sweet potatoes isn’t lost on me. As a food writer, I’ve tried (and loved!) plenty of more adventurous foods—I’ve made chicken stock using actual chicken feet (they add a ton of extra flavor); I’ve eaten snails in Paris and will happily slurp down a raw oyster. But every time I give sweet potatoes another chance, I’m reminded that not every food has to be for every person, even when that person professionally writes about food for a living.

For a long time, I would pride myself on the fact that I had no dietary restrictions or allergies and ate anything. Being picky about food was practically a moral failing. So choosing to not eat sweet potatoes felt like I was somehow being disingenuous about how much I love food.

Now, I’ve learned that loving food doesn’t mean loving every food. And honestly? That’s okay. I’ve spent enough years tasting, testing and writing about food to learn that our preferences don’t have to be logical or fixable. Some of them are shaped by childhood memories; some are shaped by texture; some by the simple fact that we like what we like. Sweet potatoes fall squarely into that last category for me. I recognize their nutritional benefits, their versatility, their rightful place in the pantheon of beloved fall ingredients. They just aren’t for me. 

Will I still encounter sweet potatoes? Absolutely. And because I’m still the daughter of a “finish your plate” household, I’ll likely continue to eat them, albeit begrudgingly. If a chef sends out a complimentary sweet potato dish, I will dutifully take a polite bite. If a holiday host proudly unveils their signature marshmallow-topped casserole, I won’t cause a scene. And if a recipe assignment involves sweet potatoes—well, I’ll roll up my sleeves and get to work. But will you ever see a bag of them in my grocery cart or a sweet potato dish on my Thanksgiving menu? Not a chance.