i'm 28 and have been struggling with the idea that "real" adults eat "real" food. growing up, my family was super poor and we relied on convenience foods and leftovers. but when i was 14, we had a huge family pizza night and i ate like half the pie by myself. after that, i started associating eating "grown up" food with feeling ashamed or awkward.
as an adult, i've avoided trying new restaurants or cooking at home because it feels too intimidating. i stick to what i know ramen noodles, frozen meals, and pizza delivery. it's become a joke among my friends they're always teasing me about being a 28 year old who still eats like a college student.
but the truth is, i'm terrified of trying new foods because i don't want to be judged or feel like an embarrassment. i know it's ridiculous, but i've built up this mental barrier around eating "adult" food. can someone please tell me that it's okay to eat pizza for dinner at 28?