Picky-Eaters Unite!

I've been meaning over the years to post on this topic, but never did...that is until now. I was inspired to finally do it when I came across a post at Beanhead Babbles. Beanhead has posted a couple of "top 10" lists and one was the "top 10 things that annoy me". It was #5 that struck a chord in me:

"When someone makes a big deal out of the fact that I am a picky eater."

I am a picky eater! It is annoying when people make a big deal out of it too! Being a picky eater has it's consequences and this post addresses some of those. Here are some issues that arise from having a "food phobia" or being a picky eater:

• dread dinner invitations by friends and colleagues
• feel very uncomfortable at church fellowships because everyone else is eating and you aren't
• cringe at the term "potluck"
  
• dread business luncheons/meals
  
• feel like you trouble people preparing meals as they try to accommodate you
• really limit what restaurant your large party will eat at when planning meetings or get-together as they try to accommodate you
• feel guilt because you drive your parent's crazy because they often have to cook two meals
• Always have to order meals at restaurants to certain specifications or you won't eat at all
• never learn to cook
• despise washing dishes because partially eaten food often triggers the gag reflex
  

It drives Katie crazy that there are two picky eaters in this household. Her son Justin is a picky eater too, and what makes it trouble is that Justin's and my pickiness are at total opposite ends of the spectrum. For example, about the only thing that kid eats is pizza...and I'm not kidding, pizza for breakfast, lunch, dinner and any snacks in between.

Pizza repulses me.

Yes, it is true, I do not like pizza. At all. After a nuclear holocaust, if I were a lone survivor and the only thing to eat was pizza, I might eat it. I might eat pizza for a million dollars too. Any offers?

When I was a kid and whatever I was involved in at school was having a fund raiser, one popular motivator was that the person/class with most sales earned a pizza party. Oh yippee. Yep, that was really motivational to me. NOT!

There are some foods that absolutely disgust me and I don't even want to be in the same room with them. Two of the worst are onions and mustard. I despise onion. I despise mustard twice as much as I despise onions, maybe three or four times as much! I HATE MUSTARD! IT IS FOOD OF SATAN! (It bloggles the mind that all it takes is faith the size of a mustard seed to move mountains.) Mustard is so very repulsive to me that I am grossed out at the site of a mustard container. I hate the color! I won't even touch a container that holds mustard! After all, that container houses the food of satan! (Remember, yellow is a sign of "caution"! LOL)

I do not like foods that have a lot of flavor or seasoning. I do not even like salt. I like things nice and plain and as Katie would say "boring". One of my friends pointed out to me that my problem may be that I have over-sensitive taste buds when I shared the following story. Her theory really makes sense too.

One day I was drinking iced tea at a restaurant. After sweetening it to my liking with Sweet-n-Low, I took a sip, and ick! My iced tea tasted like it was brewed with pepper! Well, it was so bad I sent it back and explained to the server what was wrong with it. The server was puzzled and I'm sure thought I was just one of those nuisances that servers must deal with, but took my tea away and brought out a replacement glass of iced tea. I tasted it and it was fine. I sweetened this glass with more Sweet-n-Low and when I took another drink, ICK! ICK! ICK! There's that pepper taste again!

Here's what was happening...on the table sit some condiments, seasonings and sugars/sweeteners. Do you know what those finely sifted sweeteners do sitting next to the pepper? They act like baking soda in the refrigerator and obsorb odors/flavors. The pepper was being absorbed through the packaging and into the sweetener. It was ruining my iced-tea! Now, I had the friend that I was with taste my tea and she didn't notice anything wrong with the tea. I now take note of where on the table the sweetener is in relation to the pepper and how all the condiments are contained.

I know that being a picky eater drives parent's crazy. Sorry. I wish it were different. I wish I could eat anything set before me. It sure would make life more comfortable for me and easier for everyone.

People who love food and will eat anything just can not possibly comprehend the effect having a "food phobia" has on a person. I know it is hard to even conceptualize the fact that some people are repulsed by certain foods, but think about it. Even people who say they eat "anything" probably have some food, even if it is just one, that they choose not to eat. Maybe even possibly dislike. Imagine disliking almost everything...it is no fun.

Most church "fellowships" are really excuses for eating. They are what I call "food functions". I hate "food functions". Why can't we just have Bible study? Why can't everyone eat at home and then come to church to fellowship? or study? or pray? Well, "food function" usually means "potluck" which is another evil term that picky-eaters hate. (Why do I never hear messages/sermons on gluttony?) At functions like this it is inevitable that the picky eater will be asked "why aren't you eating?" and then one feels obligated to answer, to which the host/hostess or person inquiring will respond with a list of alternative en tree's of which none are appealing. I hate when attention is drawn to my "disorder". LOL Once I came up with a great reply...especially in Baptist circles..."Oh, I'm fasting." It worked! But, then you have to repent for lying! LOL

If there is a picky eater in your life my advice to you is love them despite. If you can't or won't accommodate them with a meal/food they will eat, let them sit there. Picky eaters are used to watching others eat. We won't die missing one meal or so. In fact, most American picky-eaters could probably live for months off of our body fat! LOL If you see someone at your church fellowship not eating, it is not necessary to ask why they aren't eating. Most people know where the food is, and if they want some, they can help themselves. If they aren't eating, it is because they are either fasting, ill, or they are a picky-eater who wants to be left alone.

I look forward to heaven because I won't be a picky eater there. I will like pizza! I will order for delivery! Woohooo! No one delivers grilled-cheese sandwiches!

If you are a picky-eater...you are not alone!

Picky-eaters unite!