I’ve been a picky eater my whole life and now that I’m 44, I’m afraid that it’s starting to catch up with me. I am a vegetarian and have a host of other issues (Ehlers Danlos syndrome, GERD, Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria, Schatzky’s ring, a diaphramatmatic hernia, Kidney stones... and the list goes on) and I definitely have the desire to eat better and get my digestive issues under control, but there are times when I feel like I’d rather do ANYTHING other than eat different foods. A trip to the grocery store can be almost crippling for me. Holiday dinners and work potluck days are mortifying. Traveling is a nightmare. I get so tired of trying to explain it to people and even more tired of people thinking they they can reason or trick me into eating meat or other foods. I feel like I don’t have a healthy relationship with food. Like I don’t eat for the same reasons that other people do, It feels like work. Like it’s a chore. I either don’t really want to eat at all and just do it because my body needs food, or I overeat some junk unconsciously until I aggravate one of my other problems and add to my misery. I live in the heart of one of the most fruit and vegetable laden areas of the country and I can’t even force myself to enjoy them. I mostly have pasta, breads, chips, cheese, and cereals. Texture is a very important factor when I eat. Yogurt is okay if I eat it quickly and try not to think about it; however if there are chunks of fruit in it, I probably won’t eat it. People don’t understand how I could be a vegetarian who hates vegetables; I try to explain that I’m not doing it for health, I just don’t want to eat dead things!

I admit I was skeptical when I read through the guestbook posts at first- not that I didn’t believe people, but that I didn’t think I would get any benefit from reading them. However, after reading a few (and wiping off my tears) I realized that this is a good thing what you are doing here. Thank you.

I am 62 years old and just now discovered your website. After reading just four or five of these guestbook posts, it triggered a serious emotional release and I have tears streaming down my face! I guess I didn't realize there are so many others who share this struggle with food, and the shame and embarrassment that goes along with it. I'm so glad I found this support group!! Thank you!!!

Hello, Im Sierra. Im a 28yo mother of 4. I have always been a picky eater. Cheese..i hate it. I will only eat it on pizza. I like the fake parm cheese from kraft lol. I will not eat fruits or veggies, except potatoes, because i hate the texture of it. I do like the juices from fruit. Corn. I used to eat only corn on the cob as a kid but now i refuse to eat it because of the texture and somewhat the taste. Depends on how its cooked.

I dont have issues with weight or anything and im pretty healthy actually. I just will not eat foods if it looks gross or if it does look yummy i avoid it because it has more than 2 things i hate in it. I do make sure my kids eat a variety of veggies tho because i dont want them to end up like me. I also will not eat condiments. I will eat BBQ sauce, whoreshire sauce and steak sauce when in the mood 🙂 but the main one likes mayo, ketchup or mustard i will not touch. Ketchup i hate because of taste. Others are because of texture or looks.

I hate it and i actually dont know anyone personally like me.

I have the absolute worst eating habits and always have. My mom had to make me separate dinners from as young as I could remember and it would consist of the same plain items. I’m now 23, and have had boyfriends and dates describe my eating as “a 7 year olds birthday party menu without the condiments” and I can’t disagree. I want to try new food so bad, but it will not go down. This makes it hard to date and go to family dinners and pray there’s something I’ll eat without being rude. So, it’s time we figure this out.

My ex wife was very understanding of my picky diet, and she loved me enough to make meals for me along with meals for her for almost 30 yrs. We divorced 12 years ago and I've lived alone since, which makes eating my very limited menu much easier, especially during quarantine when there's no socializing. There are two ladies I'd love to date, and we flirt with each other all the time, but when I look at their FB or IG, they go out with friends to such fancy places and eat Asian, German, Italian, Polynesian... most of which dishes I never even heard of, and gags me just looking at the photos. I've never eaten ANY kind of seafood ever, I gag watching someone eat ribs or KFC with the bones in for example. Pretty sure a fun lady would love to go to an expensive seafood place, and I've checked the menus online and they don't have a single thing on the menu I could even think of ordering other than icewater. I don't even drink alcohol except for a couple beers @ year. It looks like I'll never be able to date, and I will probably die alone, and probably because how long can you live on potato chips, chocolate bars, burgers, bacon, and potatoes. I'm in my late 60s, and right before the pandemic, my doc told me I'm pre-diabetic. Well, EVERYthing I eat is what a diabetic should NOT eat. It's all very VERY depressing. Very.

I have always been a picky eater. My boyfriend hates it because he is usually forced to go to the places that I can actually eat at. He is tired of having such a restricted diet. He thinks I am stubborn and "need to get over myself" and I "shouldn't be so picky since I was so poor growing up. I should want to eat everything I can". It's very frustrating being like this. I try to venture out and try new things but I will literally puke when I force something I dont like down. My diet consists of some soup, chicken, fries, crab meat, avocados, coffee and dr. Pepper. Everything else makes me sick. It is so frustrating.

Hey, so I just turned 19, and I’ve been an extremely picky eater my entire life, it actually almost seems like the older I get the pickier I get somehow? I’m very glad to have discovered there are others out there like me! up until now I had no idea there was anyone else who experiences the struggle I have with food on a daily basis. I sometimes end up unintentionally starving myself simply because I’m tired of eating the small list of things I do like & eating feels more like work than anything. I would love more than anything to figure out how to get my pickiness to stop taking a toll on my mental and physical health the way it seems to, but it’s not very easy.

Wow I never knew there were people like me. texture is my big issue i love french fries i think i could live on them. i’m such a picky eater with bad eating habits my toddler sits next to his dad at mealtime to hopefully avoid teaching him my poor eating habits

Hello,

I am a Psychology student at Brunel University London. I am trying to contact the moderators/owners of this forum to inquire about advertising my dissertation project on the forum.

Thank you on advance,
Hannah

I am now 56 and have been a picky eater my whole life. It has gotten worse over the last year. My doc now has me on a calorie count to gain weight. I realized how much this impacts me now when I was trying to plan for foods to eat. I do have a sensitive palate but textures and smells can also be problems.