My husband of 42 yrs. is a very picky eater (no salads, no vegetables, no pizza, no cheese, no casseroles, etc.). Our 37 yr. old son is NOT a picky eater and will eat ANYTHING (incuding Jalapeno peppers). His 7 yr. old daughter will eat most anything. Our 34 yr. old daughter is a very picky eater (no salads, no vegetables, no fruits, etc.). Both of our daughter's children (ages 5 & 8 - boy & girl) are very picky eaters (no salads, no vegetables, no fruits (except some strained baby foods), no pizza, no casseroles, no hamburgers or hot dogs (will eat chicken nuggets & bacon as only meats), etc.
It is impossible to cook for this family, including my husband. I have not catered to them or spoiled them. I used to love to cook but they always refused to even try it. I now hate to cook. I'd rather clean bathrooms than cook any meal. In the last 5 yrs. I've turned over all cooking to my husband, thinking that would help, but to no avail. He is a meat & potatoes type of guy, though he doesn't fix those, either. I'm not a picky eater and LOVE salads, fruits, veggies, etc. We're adopting & raising our 5 & 8 yr. old grandchildren (another story). I have to pack lunches everyday because they won't eat lunches at school. How do I cook for these young children so that they grow up to be healthy. I'm cnvinced that there is some kind of genetic food disability or defect. I know all of the "tricks" for trying to sneak fruits & veggies into other foods, and nothing works. Of course, the pediatrician & everyone else says this is normal for this age group and to not worry, they'll eventually outgrow it, but my husband & daughter didn't so I'm sorried. They do take a multivitamin and I greatly limit snacks to small, mostly healthy foods (string cheese, crackers, ice cream (dairy), popcorn, etc.), but it doesn't help, either. Does anything have any family members like this with what appears to be a genetic defect for foods? I could take them to a dietician but they won't change an extremely picky eater into someone who likes and/or tries other foods?
There's such a thing as a supertaster. They have more tastebuds than non-supertasters. Google the term and you'll find lots of info.
I'm going to have a different response than the other posters. I have picky eaters too. There was a study that came out last year that said picky eating is about 80% genetic and 20% environmental. I don't remember who did the study, but it was a reputable university or organization. It was reported in the NY Times and the Mpls Star Tribune. You can probably look it up in the archives. I also think picky eating can be sensory. I have a very strong gag reflex and most of the foods I don't like are because of texture. My youngest son inherited that gag reflex (his is even worse) and it significantly affects his diet. Both of my kids have gone through OT for sensory issues and I strongly believe my brother had serious sensory issues as a kid, long before people talked about sensory issues. That said, that doesn't mean people can't change and learn to accept more foods. My brother and I were both picky as kids. I'm kind of middle of the road now and he is a gourment cook. I keep trying with my kids and am making some progress. My 14-year-old has made great strides and over the summer I got my 11-year-old to add some foods to his repertoire, including salad and strawberries. I just keep trying and offering things! If it's any consolation, my family could commisserate (sp?) with you. They hate cooking for us! My husband and boys are picky and I have dietary issues because of a medical condition. I have been told you can try to "desensitize" people by trying new foods and even sitting next to people who are eating foods that are different or have a different smell. For kids, I've heard it takes at least 15 exposures sometimes before they will accept something new. Good luck and yes, I believe there is a genetic connection.
I don't think it'd genetic, I also believe it's environmental. Growing up I was a very picky eater and it's just been recently that I've ventured out. I'm not sure how my parents fed me (my mom pass away 3 1/2 years ago, and all the things I didn't ask her before my daughter was born are now lost because my dad remembers NOTHING!) but I do know how we're feeding our daughter who is 20 months. She will eat literally everything...except white potatoes. Before the age of one, we fed her so many different tastes and textures. Her first food was actually avocado and not the bland rice cereal. We really didn't even feed her that icky stuff. Anyway, my point is that most likely your grandchildren were fed bland foods when they were young and now they are so sensitive to taste because they have never been used to it.
The problem at this point is what do you do? I say, introduce one new food a week and if they choose not to eat, that's their choice. No snacks or other foods unless they actually try it. It takes more than one bite to actually get the taste under your belt and it may take a few times trying it to actually know if you like it or not. For kids it's 12-18 times before they really decide, even if they say they don't like it. Kids that aren't adventurous will have a harder time expanding their palette, but I think it'll just take repetition on your part. It might do wonders, also, to get your husband to try foods along with them. If they see their picky Grandpa trying foods, they may be more inclined. Maybe he'll do it for them???? Good luck!
I have never heard of a "genetic" connection, but I'd be interested to know if it exists...I was a very picky eater as a kid and I had parents that would eat absolutely anything. But I can see there being a connection from the example at home. Their mother didn't eat many things and probably verbalized her distaste any time she could and now your hubby is doing the same thing. It's basically what they know. I can tell you from experience not to force the issue. Continue to try and introduce new foods, but don't let it be a battle. My mother and I had a knock down drag out fight over brussel sprouts when I was 10, to this day the smell of them can make me gag (and my poor mother has dealt with guilt over this issue to this day). I also know that for me it was often the texture of foods that bothered me, not the necessarily the taste. I can tolerate romaine lettuce, but eating ice berg kind of makes my skin crawl even now that I am "over" being so picky. Once I hit middle school I became more adventurous. And now I pretty much eat anything but iceberg and brussel sprouts. :) Hang in there mama...sounds like you are going to have it tough.
I beleive picky eating is an environmental inheirtance. ALL food is an aquired taste. If a child is not introduced to all foods from very early on many times they won't eat healthy foods. Your hubby isn't helping either. When I had children in my home NO ONE was allowed to say " I don't like that", they ate what was in front of them and didn't complain. My ex-husband didn't like a lot of veggies, his Mom didn't cook a variety of veggies, just canned beans, peas, creamed corn and occasionally fresh carrots and only made salad if company was comming. My ex didn't like most veggies so I had an uphill battle with him and our kids. The kids never had to clean up their plates but they had to eat a little of everything I made. In two years time my kids went from oh yuk to oh good I love that. Now in their 30's they eat anything, so do my grandchildren.
Our children learn from us if they continually hear from their most important source veggies are yuk they won't eat them.
My ex is only 5 months older then me and in bad health. Diabetic, losing his sight, back issues, poor circulation, obese, --yep falling apart at 56. Me I will be 56 this month and most people think I am in my 40's, I am in decent shape, healthy and active. The difference I eat a healthy diet, I get some exercise and I take care of myself.
I believe that if you truly love your family you will feed them healthy food. (that isn't a guilt trip) And if they love you they eat healthy and take care of themselves. If you don't take yourself, you can not take care of anyone else.
I have 4 daughters and only one of them is a picky eater. When she was little and refused almost all food, she was on antibiotics nearly all the time and sick most of the time. We thought she was naturally putting herself on a bland diet. My other 3 children always ate everything though. Now the picky one has a child of her own and he's very healthy and not on any antibiotics or meds. He's WORSE than his mother was. I guess genetics can play a part. But I'm not sure how much.
I've never thought of it as genetic. I think it could be something modeled intentionally or not from parents.
The 1 thing I cannot eat or smell cooking is an egg. I will gag at the smell. I've never been able to eat eggs...as in scrambled, boiled, etc. As long as they are in something like bread, cake, I am ok.
Maybe it is from my childhood... I do remember my mom and dad getting so mad at me and force feeding eggs, cooked carrots and green beans to me. This was so bad that I would actually throw it up right there and then I got in more trouble. I was not voluntarily throwing up either.
I outgrew the nothing green, and most of my pickiness. I will taste things now but to this day, I will not even cook an egg in my house and if hubby or daughter are cooking eggs, I have to leave the room.
My favorite aunt has a thing with mayo (like mine with eggs) and none of her children will touch anything with mayo. I guess I am lucky hubby will cook eggs for daughter and she does it for herself now.
I can imagine your frustration....what is left to cook??
boy thats a tough one..my kids ate everything except for peas..to this day im more of a picky eater than them...kinda stumped..good luck
I have not read the other answers, but I think I can provide a different idea. I recently attended a classical homeopathic first aid class, and they talked about very picky eaters. The idea is that there is something unbalanced in the body and it makes the people only want to eat certain things. When the body is restored to its balanced state, they become more adventurous. You may want to look up a classical homeopath in your area and see if that might help.
Good luck!
I'm picky, i think for me it's the smells and seeing things rot like banana's they totally gross me out. I"m going ot check teh supertasters and see what that is all about.
One other idea is that if people have allergies or gluten or dairy intolerances etc it might affect their diets before they even know they have it.
Wow.... I feel for you. How HARD is that?
Ugh.
I would go nuts, too.
I don't know of any 'genetic' tendency for it.
It is in their head and their palate.
Or maybe they in addition to their food picky-ness... maybe in other aspects of their lives and personalities... they are "picky" or more rigid... too. Are they????
There is something called "FOOD NEOPHOBIA."
Look it up Online....
this may help... or not... but it is a studied syndrome... in people and kids.
all the best,
Susan
My kids are the same but I also think its a texture issue. My kids are still young (14 months and 3.5) and I TRY not to stress about it but I do. I want them to like all sorts of food and I also fear this will mold them for the future I also worry about the health benefits that they are missing out on from veggies, proteins etc. At this point I make three meals, one for my husband and I, one each per kid. At some point I plan to make one meal and that is what they have to eat. If they don't like it they have to wait until the next meal. I hear that works but it can take up to a month before they succumb to the idea that they need to eat the meal they are given. Good luck!
