There are two types of people: those who obsess over how to master the food Instagram and those who are picky eaters and not necessarily food’s biggest fan. You know that you err on the pickier side when you’ve done one, or all, of these things:
1. You shamelessly order food off the kids’ menu
Photo courtesy of iHop.com
I will be ordering the funny face pancakes at iHop until the day I die. The waitress never fails to ask whether I would rather just order a stack of “big girl” chocolate pancakes. No, thank you. There’s something about that smiling face of whipped cream that makes the meal so much more satisfying.
2. Every detail matters – shape, size, texture
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No kidding, I still prefer certain shapes of pasta to other not-so-fun shapes. Not to mention the 100:1 parmesan-to-sauce ratio which, yes, is completely necessary. Often times at fancy Italian restaurants, waiters think I’m messing with them when I never say “when.” Apparently I like to have almost as much cheese as pasta.
3. You stick to what you know
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It wasn’t until my freshman year of college that I finally called it quits and broke my daily PB&J lunch streak (and that record dated way back to my pre-school days). However, I still can’t help but revisit this go-to meal every so often.
4. You refuse to venture out from your usual order
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Chances are you have a go-to meal at all of your go-to restaurants. You can only imagine what a disaster it would be if you were to deviate from your usual only to regret the decision on some new and disgusting food. One time my friend convinced me to be a little crazy and NOT order a double fudge brownie ice cream cone. The entire time I was eating the cookie dough ice cream, I just sat there disappointed in my venture. That experience proved that not being picky is definitely not worth the potential pain.
5. Even kids are more adventurous with their food choices
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During family reunions, your mom points to your five-year-old cousin as an example for what you should be eating. This actually happens and I just wish my mom would realize that, in a way, I may just be better off in the long run. While everyone contracts food poisoning from the fish, I’ll be happily eating my chicken tenders.
6. Ordering your food always confuses the waiter
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Picky eating must run in the family – my younger brother used to order white bread with pepperoni at Subway, and half of the time he would end up removing the pepperoni and only eating the bread. Meanwhile, my sister has always refused to eat the “crust” on Uncrustables.
7. Looking up menus before agreeing to try new restaurants
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More often than not, you are unable to find a single thing that sounds somewhat edible. Many times I have had to look at close to ten restaurants before not-so-happily settling for a somewhat decent option.
8. It’s a huge deal for your friends when you agree to try something new
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They’re constantly encouraging (or, in your perspective, forcing) you to try new things. It wasn’t until last year that my friend convinced me to try Greek food after much hesitation. Meanwhile, the city I grew up in has the highest percentage of Greek Americans in the US.
9. “How do you know you don’t like it if you haven’t tried it?”
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This conversation has become all too routine. Even before trying a new food, you’ve already decided whether or not you like it – no need for a solid argument other than “because.” It took me until college to finally take a small bite of salmon. Would you be surprised if I told you that I actually ended up liking it and it is now one of my favorite foods?
10. You diagnose yourself with nonexistent food allergies
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My dad never fails to point out his severe “onion allergy” when ordering out. Sure, you might not technically have an allergy, but you hate it to the point that it’s practically the same thing.
11. Sometimes your tastes don’t make the least bit of sense – even to yourself
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I love sushi but refuse to eat fish. I love oranges but hate orange juice. It is what it is.
12. As a child, you mastered the art of strategically relocating the food on your plate to make it appear as if you ate at least some of it
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Maybe if I push all of the lettuce to this side of the plate, it will look like I took the “three big girl bites” my mom told me I had to take before leaving the table.
13. You have to know exactly what ingredients are in every recipe
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Anything unknown is regarded as poison. In all seriousness, I always approach my meals with the utmost suspicion and ask an annoying amount of questions before agreeing to take a small and very hesitant taste.
14. You are still traumatized by that time your parents had you try lamb but told you it was chicken
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That was a truly scarring experience #neverforget.
15. You’re very particular about seemingly foolproof meals
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Yes, chicken tenders and fries can be screwed up.
16. Even as a baby, your parents had to distract you to get you to eat
Photo by Sam Siegel
In my case, I refused to eat unless I had money in my hands.