Mom had a way with food. Too bad as kids we didn’t realize it and were DISGUSTED. But now that we are older and wiser, we have come to embrace these dishes. In fact, we miss this sh*t more than early release days at school. Here’s what we love now that we’re grown-ass adults.

1. Paella

Seafood was always questionable, and when it looked back at me, I was out. Nowadays, I get a double order of paella for myself.

2. Ceviche

The look of ceviche was enough for me to run for the hills. Nowadays I get pissed when it’s not on a menu.

3. Loroco

Trying to get me to eat flowers was probably the weirdest, but the older I got the more adventurous I was and I learned just how delicious it is.

Read: 9 Mexican Food Items from Whole Foods that Deserve a ‘You Tried’ Sticker

4. Churrasco

What Latino doesn’t like a huge slab of meat, slightly bleeding, on their plate? Answer: kids. Now this makes my mouth water.

5. Picadillo

My inner-child sees meat with raisins and bananas and thinks #grossAF. Adult me is like, “Can I have another round please?” now it’s a proud symbol of our culture, so we gobble it up.

6. Arroz con Leche

I always wanted my pudding smooth and creamy, until I grew up and discovered this.

7. Papitas de Platanos

Why did I ever doubt the fried banana?!

8. Flan

As a kid it’s slimy texture made me dread dessert.  Today, this is what I consider nectar from the gods.

READ: Proof All These Trendy Hipster Foods Were Basically Invented By Our Latina Grannies

9. Nopales

Speaking of slimy, who decided to feed kids a damn cactus? Now, it’s like ?.

10. Avocado

As a kid: it’s so bland and weird looking. As an adult: I put that sh*t on eeeeverything.

11. Chorizo

Sausage is always full of mysteries and a child’s imagination has no limits. It’s probably best to wait till you’re an adult for this.

12. Plantanos Fritos (Maduros)

Again, fried food that should be so enticing, until you bite into it and it was sweet! What the hell is that? However, as an adult, I can’t stop myself from taking another piece.

READ: Proof Latino Parents Deprived Us of a Normal Childhood

13. Frijoles

In all honesty, they never tasted bad as a child, but the smell was the stuff of nightmares. You always knew when mami had frijoles on the stove. Now, I have her FedEx me leftovers.

Share this story with your amigos so you can all reminisce about your childhood over some ceviche.

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