I am 27 years old. Happily married with a kid on the way. I have been a very picky eater since I was 3 years old. All i eat is spaghetti. Pizza. Fries and macaroni. Those are the 4 main foods. I can tolerate hot dogs

And I can eat most junk food. Such as chips etc. I like all of those.

However I cannot eat any vegetables or meat besides hot dogs. All meat makes me want to throw up and gag. I also do not eat any fruit besides apples.

My parents took me to a therapist when I was younger and all they said was "he is very stubborn".

I am still very healthy and am not overweight however I notice as I get older I am starting to gain more. Also since I have a kid on the way I don't want them to copy me.

My biggest thing is I do not want to die young because I know the things I eat are just about the worst possible things I can eat. Especially since there is zero meat or vegetables.

I do not believe in things like hypnosis etc. and do understand the only way I probably will be able to change is sheer willpower. However that has been an utter failure for 27 years. I am curious to see if others had the same diet as me and if they had any tips.

I've tried incorporating new foods but it doesn't go well. I tried eating salad forever but I can't eat cold food. It's gross to me. Basically anything with a different texture than the 4 main things I eat. I can never get myself to take more than a bite or 2.

Hi there! Ever since I can remember I have always had "food issues". Dreading potlucks because I was sure that unless my poor family brought something, or if someone brought KFC, I would have nothing on my plate, and if my food touched I would have to hide my frustration and disgust. Having to research new restaurants menus before making a visit if possible, and being asked by my father while being dragged through the produce section if I liked this food or that. Not even wanting to touch or smell fruits or vegetables and explaining my "aversion" to certain foods. It wasn't until my husband saw an article on picky vs. selective eating and asking me if I thought this described me, it was like the room was suddenly brighter. All those times I had to refuse and explain my eating habits actually had meaning and I wasn't crazy. Luckily I have very supportive family, friends and coworkers. I'm very open with my disorder and use it as a teachable moment. Some have actually felt that it pertains to them, which is amazing. If I can keep another person from experiencing what I experienced growing up, I take that as a win.

Thanks for posting my rant.

Rest of posting is banned from this person.

Just fxxking try new food you pathetic excuses for functioning adults. If you're over the age of 21 and can't eat a god damn salad or gags if somebody puts onion in your fxxking sandwich then you deserve the daily ridicule. It's food, it won't kill you. Put it in your mouth and eat it. You don't have a "medical condition" - you're just a big, fat, fussy baby.

I'm so glad to have found this site! It's sort of refreshing knowing it's not just me! It's a very frustrating problem that I've had my whole life and there's no real reason for it that I consciously know of. I know I need to work on it, but I can't force myself to do so. I've been teased and it's quite embarrassing. I agree with so many people on here!!

Hi, I stumbled upon your group page when I was googling about picky eaters.

My boyfriend is one, and today his workmate deliberately put tomatoes and onions into the staff meal when my bf had said he didn't like them. My bf got upset, he said he was tired of people trying to feed him things he didn't like, and that he doesn't get what's so wrong about it that others have to 'right' it. I was once guilty of that (somewhat given up now), but like Joyce's husband, I'd give in to the pickiness but do not comprehend it. But his complaint today just tugged at my heart. I had to find out more about this. And my initial search directed me here.

After reading your stories I think I do understand this a little better now. My bf went through similar histories, being force-fed as a child and getting a beating when he didn't eat or when he threw up. Cucumber is one of his kryptonite and he could smell it from a mile away and that would send him running the opposite direction (okay, exagerated, but once he walked away from me because I was snacking on cucumber and the smell put him off) When we went to house parties it was only to close friends who knew and would accomodate his strict diet; if it were someone not too close or new, he would hesitate, or just eat bread.

We do make fun of him and his eating habits, but I never knew it was so serious. There were times when I wonder if our relationship will ever work out in the long run, because we currently make our own meals separately despite living together. But that's not what a family meal looks like to me, or I feel sad that I cannot share food that I love with the person I love.

We've been together for 2.5 years and he is the sweetest person ever. I feel ashamed that I've been hurting him for so long, when I should be the one on his side.

Sorry for the long entry, I just thought I'd tell my side of the story.

I really want to thank you to have made this page. I will still look around for more information, but you have given me an initial insight on how to better support my loved one.

Hi I'm Victoria, I'm 20 years old and I've been a picky eater since I was about 5. My diet consists of chicken nuggets and chips, white bread and basically any junk food. I've had the urge to start eating 'normally' for years but I'm so afraid to even put the food in my mouth. I know it won't kill me but i can't physically make myself eat it. I'm Embarrassed by my eating habits being unable to go for meals with family and friends and it's really taking a roll on my relationships. I've bought ready meals before with the intention of eating them but I simply can't do it.i don't want to continue my life like this but I don't know how to overcome it.

Hey everyone I'm Dan, and I would definitely consider myself a "picky" eater. Although I too hate the word picky. I'm 20 and all my life have been very selective about the foods I eat. Appearance and smell are the biggest factors for me, but I've always had people belittle be for not trying food because of this. The thing i can never explain to people is just how bad of an experience eating something I hate is, no one understands.
My diet mostly consists of Pepperoni pizza, some fruits (apples, oranges, raspberries, bananas) Simple cooked meats (Steak/Beef, pork/Ribs Chicken) And bread. No sauces, gravy, or dressings. I might get sick from looking at ranch, if I smell it I'm done for. Even like ketchup I've had it before and liked it but I can't bring myself to eat it again. The only exceptions is BBQ and Italian.
I am fortunate in the sense that I like just enough variety that I get most the nutrients I need, but have always been under wight. Everything I eat is pretty bland. Sauces are my biggest downfall. My safe food is pizza. only can eat pepperoni on it. When I was a kid though I would only eat cheese even though I already knew I liked pepperoni pizza better. Sometimes even if I know I like something it just freaks me out too much to eat it. As I've gotten better over the years I would still say I have a child's type diet. As a kid, everyone I knew, knew I was like this and while they liked to make some rude comments they would typically help me find something I liked , except for one person that forced me to eat food I desperately hated, I was either crying or just refused which usually came with a beating. As an Adult now I'm not really embarrassed, I can easily tell someone to off if they have a problem with the foods I like.

Hi. My name is Megan, 20, and I have struggled with my selective eating disorder my whole life. In the last few years it has started to effect my health. I'm struggling bcause no one understands and I feel very alone in this. I don't know what to do anymore.

Hello, everyone. My name is Kyle and I have been a picky eater for as long as I can remember. When I was an infant and toddler, my parents told me I ate normal foods like sloppy joe's, hotdogs, etc. The only food at that time I really didn't eat was peanuts. (I am allergic to all nuts but at the time we didn't know.) When I was around 4-5 years old, my parents started forcing me to eat peanuts.

When I was 6 or 7 years old, I went to a friends house in the neighborhood and his mom had made cupcakes with ground walnuts inside. I ate one, and as a result, started to go into anaphylactic shock. I think that this experience has served as my 'tipping' point with food. After that, my food habits have been terrible.

I am now 18, turning 19. I like only very specific foods. For example, cheese pizza, plain chicken tenders, pasta with only non-meat sauce, plain grilled cheese, etc. I eat more food than that, but are limited like those.

I can't go to any restaurants unless they serve pizza or chicken tenders as I don't feel comfortable with anything else as they usually change it too much like pasta.

No one knows about my habits except my immediate family. I keep this very hidden and I never attend anything that will requires me eating at restaurants. Not even my best friend, whom I trust knows. I feel so embarrassed by this my whole life and whenever I have to go out to restaurants or eat dinner somewhere other than my house, I get massive anxiety attacks.

I have turned down relationships and have never been in one solely because of my eating habits.

Fortunately, I can get some good foods into my body. I like plain tacos with certain meat and spices, and I like a plain chicken breast. Those are the only two meats I eat, and they have to be in an exact way. I also eat a fair amount of vegetables and fruits. The main part about my diet however, consists of carbohydrates.

This has been my story, glad to know there are other people like me.