My kids LOVE wings. The first time they picked them from a menu I was sure they had made a mistake. But they insisted that was what they wanted, would not be swayed and have never looked back. They order them regularly. Both kids have started asking to see the "adult" menu when we go out to eat and it is largely due to the fact that, if they are to be found, that is where the wings will be. And they can easily and happily polish off a pound of wings without batting an eye. My daughter is one of those people who is capable of cleaning the meat off a wing bone and leaving nothing for the refuse bin except the actual bone. And her brother is no slouch. He does an impressive job of getting his (well technically I suppose it's my) monies worth.
Wherever this love of wings comes from it is not a learned or observed trait. I won't say that I hate wings (certainly not hot dog level hate, but more on that another time) but I have never ordered them from a menu. I love Buffalo sauce but I really don't like eating around the skin, cartilage and and fat- all of the stuff that I'm continually amazed disappears completely when my daughter is eating and mostly when it's my son. To me, it just seems like too much work for too little reward. But clearly, my little ones have minds of their own.
And that is thrilling to me! This is evidence that I haven't ruined them with my hangups. I honestly wish that I loved every food. I'm always ashamed to admit that there is something I don't like or when there is a food that others are passionate about but that I just kind of think is okay. Ahi, salmon, kale and beets spring to mind as examples of this. And, realistically, I know that my kiddos have foods that they don't like and things that they would rather eat more often than others. But I'm grateful when I see evidence that they are not simply absorbing mine or copying what they see me doing. Their personalities and their food likes and dislikes are part and parcel of who they are. I hope that I set a good example and that they are exposed to good foods and healthy attitudes about eating. I hope that they absorb my love of food. And I hope that they continue to grow as individuals who love what they love. And I hope they keep surprising me.