I have been constantly redefining what the definition is to be a picky eater. People constantly tell me that they are picky too, but trust me I am a new definition of picky. Fascination results from all the inquiries of what I will and will not eat. A college student who has the palette of a five year old relentlessly poses a challenge in all social environments. Kids menus and the phrase ‘I am not hungry’ (only because I will not eat any of the options) have become two of my best friends. By the end of this article you will be challenged to attempt to live like this for a day and/or a week – if you can last that long. Remember: I have lasted most of my life with this!
When I was little, I used to eat everything. I was not scared of certain foods, and smells did not make me nauseous like they do now. Everyone was convinced I was going through a phase and would grow out of it and return back to the way I was… it never happened much to their dismay. The gagging, vomiting and utter repulsion to certain foods has since remained and shows no signs of leaving anytime soon. Moreover the development of food neophobia has been instilled within me. YES, this is a real thing: the fear of trying new foods. I am the living proof!
Being picky is not a choice. If I could like all foods, trust me I would. I wish I could like all the foods everyone does and not be a pain to invite to dinner. Unfortunately, the picky life chose me. As a result I have since generated a list of foods that I will eat so people can accomodate my ‘needs’ more easily. The only reason I created this list was from the constant requests from my friends and their parents so they could have something on hand that they would know I would definitely feel comfortable eating. This would never be an easy feat though.
The ‘classics’ that I eat for meals include: cheese or pepperoni pizza without chunky sauce, plain noodles (no butter, sauce, oil, cheese, meat, or parsley), peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (must be white bread, smooth peanut butter, and grape jelly), chicken tenders (needs ketchup), steak (filet cut with ketchup and absolutely no other sauce), and a plain cheese quesadilla (must be made with mixed white and cheddar cheeses). So basically everything I eat has requirements. I do not try to be difficult or a brat when it comes to what I eat; my taste buds will just simply not consume anything that does not satisfy the specifics they demand.
On top of all these absurd specifications that my eating habits require, I also have very broad categories that I will not eat. ABSOLUTELY NO seafood, asian food, meditterean cuisine, soups, salads, sandwiches (except PB&J), burgers, brats and sausages. Although with these foods, I am able to handle the sights and smells of them. With rice and alfredo noodles, that is another story. In addition to never being able to eat these foods, I will vomit upon smelling them too closely for an extended period of time. This is not an over exaggeration …I know from unfortunate experiences.
If you are interested in the daily life of what I can eat, check out Kate’s Food List – here you can try to abide by my guidelines for a day (maybe a week if you feel adventurous) and see how you do! Remember that there is no differing from the list; if you were living with my taste buds, it would result in you vomiting somewhere. The list is quite extensive if I say so myself and includes everything I would eat. So have fun and good luck!
