From Picky to Plateful: Four Ways to Fix Your Food Fussiness

First things first: If you're not a fussy eater, congratulations! Gold star for you! As for me, well, I'm a well-known member of the 'Fussy Eater Society' (aka the Picky Eaters Club), and I've decided it's high time I did something about my "selective" relationship with food.

You might wonder, "What exactly do you mean by fussy eater?" Well, I don't have an exact definition, and I don't consider myself a fussy eater. I am a fussy eater, according to other people.  

Let's say I only prefer to drink 'Nescafe Latte.' When I moved countries, I shipped it from afar like an exotic treasure. Then, tragedy strikes! Nescafe decides to change the formula, and BAM—you stop drinking lattes altogether. And what do you do next? Naturally, you switch to decaf because that totally makes sense, right? h

Or, let's talk cake. I used to love only one kind of chocolate cake:  

'Sara Lee' from England (yes, it's that specific). But then I moved to the U.S., and guess what? No more Sara Lee chocolate cake. So, I quit chocolate cake cold turkey —until I found a new cake at Whole Foods.

Shall I go on? Probably not :)

So, how do I plan to fix this fussy food situation?

1. Accept food from friends, then eat it: Yes, this sounds simple, but for a picky eater, this is *huge*! I've got this amazing friend who has mastered the art of knowing exactly what food I will love (before I do). Whenever she comes over, she brings a bag of Trader Joe's goodies, like magic—it's always my new favorite thing. Why isn't there a Trader Joe's near me?! Last weekend, she brought me these yummy, delicious treats. I won't even trade them for actual ice cream. Nope. They're that good!

   

2. Try new food when you're absolutely starving: This one works wonders because, let's face it, hunger is the best motivator. Case in point: I had never eaten sushi before (the picky eater in me always thought it was all about raw fish). But one day, at Griffith Observatory, I was starving. My friend suggested sushi. Desperate times! She introduced me to vegetarian rolls—cucumber and avocado. And guess what? I'm a sushi veggie roll fan with a new love for wasabi and soy sauce. Another example: At Busch Gardens in Virginia, I was once again hungry and vegetarian. After wandering from one food stand to another, I asked a cashier if they had anything veggie-friendly. She suggested Lo Mein. I ordered it and haven't looked back since! Lo Mein for the win.

   

3. Try the same food from a different store: Trust me, it works. If you're into chocolate biscuits or salads, try buying the same product from a different store. It's like magic—the taste changes! I've noticed salted peanuts from ShopRite and Whole Foods? Peanuts are worlds apart in taste. And price. But mostly taste. (Okay, and maybe price.)

   

4. Keep trying, even if you fail: Here's the thing: you've got to keep pushing through. Sometimes, you'll win, and sometimes, you'll fail spectacularly. For example, I bought a plant-based protein powder that was not yummy. I couldn't even add it to a smoothie without gagging. So, what did I do? I passed it on to a local food exchange group on Facebook. Problem solved.

Are you a fussy eater? Have you successfully conquered your food fussiness? Do you have any tips or tricks? Let me know! If not, try my methods and let me know how you get on.

Until our next rendezvous on the internet or in the quirky chapters of life, stay fabulous, stay smiling!