Picky eaters ...

[Lucheni]

I had a friend that, among other things, reckoned she had a severe lettuce allergy. A single lettuce leaf could render her bed ridden for a day. I'd never heard of such a thing but assumed it was possible. All our friends put a lot of effort in, making sure her food didn't get anywhere near the lettuce. Until we noticed she was perfectly capable of eating store bought sandwiches that had lettuce in them. When we queried this she claimed she could eat specially treated lettuce and refused to accept that the co op probably don't do anything more than wash it.

The worst bit is that after several occasions of us all being careful with lettuce for her meals, she turns around and serves up chicken to a vegetarian. Told him the meal was made using quorn and then smugly boasted about it to everyone afterwards.

 

[lesley_x]

I have just been put on a gluten free, dairy free, rice free, caffeine free, chocolate free diet by a nutritionist to try to cure my stomach problems.

I absolutely hate it. People are really judgemental, I hate going out for dinner or going round to anyones as I feel so embarrassed. I feel everyone thinks I'm being picky, when I actually need to avoid foods to remain well.

 

[Mr Phoebus]

I was a very picky eater when I was growing up but hunger cured it mostly as my mother simply said, "there's your dinner, eat it or go hungary."

Eat it or get your passport out.

 

[Andy_R]

I'm going to annoy a few people now with my smugness. I've got a 7yr old boy who goes mad for octopus, rabbit, mussels, mackerel (in fact most if not all sea food), blue cheese, sprouts, home made curries, mushrooms, RARE steak, garlic - the list goes on. The only things he doesn't really like are cauliflower and soup, because he doesn't see the point of them. Why is he like this? We recon it's because he has always eaten what we have, and has always been encouraged to try stuff, even if myself or my wife don't like it.

 

[wildjetskier]

I'm going to annoy a few people now with my smugness. I've got a 7yr old boy who goes mad for octopus, rabbit, mussels, mackerel (in fact most if not all sea food), blue cheese, sprouts, home made curries, mushrooms, RARE steak, garlic - the list goes on. The only things he doesn't really like are cauliflower and soup, because he doesn't see the point of them. Why is he like this? We recon it's because he has always eaten what we have, and has always been encouraged to try stuff, even if myself or my wife don't like it.

Not smug at all my son is like that, rare steak, shellfish, decent cheese etc etc, I believe it is the fact that we have always eaten and cooked fresh decent food that is nutritious and fool of goodness and not the crap you get in ready meals etc. He is now a proficient cook and is confident in knocking up most basic meals

 

[byegad]

There's picky and picky.

I love mushrooms, but if I eat them in very small pieces or worse creamed into a dish I throw up something terrible. I avoid anything with mushroom in it or pick it out if it's in big enough bits to identify it. If I drink half a glass of red wine or eat a meal where red wine has been added at the end of the cooking process I get a migraine. So I avoid red wine.

My wife is plain not allowed chocolate, cheese or red wine in any form. She had a stroke caused by a migraine attack brought on by a combination of those articles and must stay away from them. This makes it difficult in restaurants, especially abroad! I'm quite good at explaining how difficult my wife is, in French or German, and badly in Dutch!

My elder son brought a procession of girl friends home all of whom came with allergies, and fads. I'm sure some of these were just attention seeking.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Much though I hate to agree with Julie Burchill, on this she's right.

We go camping with a family who do exactly that, when it comes to the morning fry-up, it ends-up being a full bloody cafe service with every option and combination covered ... plus Mrs Friend is also Veggie to add to the mix, it's a bloody nightmare. Guess what though? Their children are hugely demanding as well, I can't think why ....

Don't give children options, they'll use it to make you jump through hoops.

 

[ianrauk]

There is nothing I do not like foodwise and I mean nothing. I love food, all sorts of food and love trying new flavours and will always try something new. I will never have the same thing twice in a restaurant until I have gone through the menu.

Actually, tell a lie.. there was one thing that did make me gag.. it's was some gunk in a Japanese restaurant. It was some sort of sea urchin spunky goo.. it smelt and tasted like nasty rancid sea water.. I was so disgusted with myself that I had found something I didn't like that I just had to keep trying it to convince myself that it was really awful.

Son #2 who is now 18 months old is a complete gannet and I let him try whatever we are having to eat. He loves food and he's tried everything from Chinese, to Mexican to Indian food and everything in between. He doesn't mind spices or hot sauces or English mustard (though in tiny amounts of course). I think he has definitely taken after me foody wise.

Son #1 was a picky eater (rather then fussy), he would just pick at a plate of food for an hour easy and at the age of near 25, he still occasionally does until you remind him to eat up.

Mrs Ian.. now.. exotic food to Mrs Ian is Italian or a fish dish. She was really shocked when I showed her a picture of where Scampi comes from.

 

[MontyVeda]

Much though I hate to agree with Julie Burchill, on this she's right.

We go camping with a family who do exactly that, when it comes to the morning fry-up, it ends-up being a full bloody cafe service with every option and combination covered ... plus Mrs Friend is also Veggie to add to the mix, it's a bloody nightmare. Guess what though? Their children are hugely demanding as well, I can't think why ....

Don't give children options, they'll use it to make you jump through hoops.

Yep I agree. My brother was fussy, only eating meat and potatoes and not much else. But he never got any special concessions, although I would swap my sprouts for his cabbage and carrot & turnip. He grew out of it once he 'd moved out and developed an interest in cooking. I know another guy who was 'just meat and spuds' right into his late 30's because his mother always gave in to him... so much so that she even used to lend him her car when he was 14 if he pestered for long enough!

 

[snailracer]

Fussy eaters should be eaten alive by lions. Unless they're fussy lions.

 

[mangaman]

McDonalds is suitably bland and tasteless for most picky eaters. I think my colleague asked for no salad and no mayo.

A different colleague was quite happy eating a McDonalds chicken burger having refused to eat in any of the Chinese restaurants in London's Chinatown on the basis that they were dirty and the meat was non-halal. I wasn't aware that McDonalds served halal meat at the time or at any time since.

Actually, although I dislike McDs - I hate them because of their globalisation - introducing unhealthy foods to countries with healthy food cultures, and their dodginess towards producers. I'm going to defend them a bit

One of my siblings does all their UK market research, and their policy a few years ago, was to improve the quality of their core products. All the meat is now British and the ingredients are actually pretty high standard.

Burger King, on the other hand, have gone down the line of triple whoppers etc. with thousands of calories.

I'm not saying we should rush to MCds - but in the UK and you need a fast food hit - that is where you will get the best quality food.

Your friend sounds like an arse - if he doesn't like your cooking that's his problem not yours.

As to the lady who had a serious cucumber allergy - again, she has to take responsibility when eating out and inform them before she arrives.

Presumably the whole salad would need a separate chopping board for the cucumber to avoid contamination. If she can't be bothered to warn people of this and expects them to feed her, she only has herself to blame IMO

 

[Saddle bum]

Fussy eaters should be eaten alive by lions. Unless they're fussy lions.

I am now firmly of the opinion that most faddy food behaviour is just attention seeking.

 

[ttcycle]

It kind of depends - there's a lot of things that people eat that they just don't tolerate - I have breathing/asthma when I have any dairy that comes on with the first mouthful- I always used to think it was a genetic intolerance but read up on symptoms and realised it was an actual allergic reaction. I'm trying to not eat any of it as much as possible as I don't want to end up having to use an epi pen as the reaction may just get bigger and bigger and life threatening. I'm looking to book an appointment with a nutritionist to actually look into the dairy thing properly- a bit worried that it will throw up other issues as I don't want to be one of those can't eat this, this and this as I ABSOLUTELY ADORE FOOD.

I think the lettuce story just sounds like a real crap attitude though. I love food, I even love dairy a lot and will eat nearly everything...mmmmmmmmm

Greedy.

 

[longers]

The fact that food is refused before being tried would wind me up.

Invite him round as normal next time but make him a big bowl of porridge, with no salt.

 

[gb155]

I am now firmly of the opinion that most faddy food behaviour is just attention seeking.

Such an uneducated post