To think I'm NOT a fussy eater?

[loveareadingthanks]

I used to be a terribly fussy eater.

I don't think I am any more. DP and his family roll eyes and think I'm dreadfully fussy. I wouldn't describe myself as a fussy eater at all (maybe because I'm comparing to how I used to be). What do you think?

I don't eat
sprouts (I like every other veg)
custard
big lumps of offal (so no to plate of fried kidneys but can eat a few in steak and kidney pie, no to actual liver but like pate, no to hearts, tripe, other wobbly bits)
shellfish/seafood. (I eat normal fish but not anything in a shell/prawns/squid.)

I also don't like red wine or beer.

Is this enough to make me a 'fussy eater'?
Where do you draw the line?

I don't think it sounds too fussy to me. I think for me, fussiness is when it becomes a problem to cater for/causes problems. I am vegetarian so could be perceived as difficult but actually I don't consider myself fussy as I will eat pretty much anything as long as it's veggie - I have foods I prefer and some I like less than others, but if I went out for dinner and there is only 1 veggie option (as there has been on occasion) I would be willing to give it a go. It causes me no problems in this country and although there have been a couple of occasions abroad when it's caused issues, on the whole I've been okay.

My DP is what i'd call fussy. He eats meat but is very restrictive in what meat he will eat, likewise he is fussy about vegetables. This makes it very difficult at things like weddings because he can't guarantee he will be able to eat the meat dishes but likewise he wouldn't ask for the veggie option (as I know some friends who are fussy about types of meat) because he doesn't like certain foods that are often a feature in veggie dishes - mushroom, aubergine to name a couple.

It's very difficult and does restrict him somewhat. There's a restaurant near us that do themed supper nights and I'd love to go and try a couple, but we couldn't guarantee he would be able to eat the stuff (it's a get what your given set up). Tbh it's a good job he has other qualities because I find it quite annoying and unattractive in an adult male. I don't think your list sounds that fussy at all OP - I don't know many people who would eat offal etc unless they are of an older generation.

ptumbi
Would I starve if offal was all that was available - quite probably.
Dh and I have the same discussion - he's a Bear Grylls type and I wouldn't even go camping in the garden. I would survive on leaves :)
The meat/offal thing stems from my childhood, where I'd be forced to eat it which often resulted in best case scenario > me sitting crying, retching and then eventually vomiting. Or worst case > physical force being used to hold my mouth closed until I swallowed - So you can understand that I physically can't put it in my mouth (I can't be fooled either, I know what it smells/looks like)

Anything except parsnips, apricots and rye bread.

I think my in laws are really fussy (even though they think not)

No chillis, fil won't eat pasta, 'Chinese' food etc. No meat apart from the standards when I mentioned venison they went white.

My DP won't eat:
Tomatoes
Pepper
Courgette
Chili
Olives
Celery
Cream
Mayonnaise
Salad cream
Dressing
Nuts
Coconut
Oats
Most spices

Not particularly fussy. Well he doesn't think so but I find it difficult.

I don't eat meat. It makes me ill. But other than that I'll eat anything. Of course there are things I like more than others though. DP is a fussy eater by his own admission but he has learned to limit his fussiness to things he really hates rather than just dislikes.

Just don't refuse stuff.

Just leave the cucumber or whatever on the plate because you are full, don't tell people not to give you x, y or z.

Who eats custard nowadays?? or kidneys? and if there's red wine on the go there is also white usually just don't flag up your dislikes.

OP, your list is nearly identical to my list, except I will eat liver if I cook it, and I also won't eat courgettes, fennel and artichoke, and don't like any wine or beer.

Oh and whilst I will eat cucumber, I won't eat tomatoes.

I don't consider myself fussy.

I am allergic to more stuff than that OP! Seriously though, who really serves sprouts and offal that regularly to guests?

You aren't fussy to me OP. Fussy is my friend that will only ever eat at one restaurant and refuses to try any other food.

Fussy is subjective though. My DH calls me fussy, I only won't eat three things but he eats anything, he's never disliked a food.

Seriously though, who really serves sprouts and offal that regularly to guests?

That combination sounds typical of my former in laws who seemed to specialise in dreaming up meals that I'd have said were guaranteed to suit virtually nobody sat around the dining room table. Ironically, my former MIL was an exceedingly good cook but that didn't make up for the overall weirdness of what got served up.

Summerisle1

Sounds like you won the in-law lottery there! Things like offal are very personal, and even the most enthusiastic carnivores often baulk at the idea of a slab of liver or tripe, so it's the kind of thing I would expect hosts to save for guests that they were sure really liked it rather than dishing it up and hoping nobody throws up onto their plate. You are clearly a very brave lady.

I say not fussy. But once you've been labelled as fussy, you will forever remain labelled as fussy.

I'm vegetarian and will eat anything vegetarian. Except quorn, as to me it's meat, and once I was served fermented tofu. It looked like snot.

Every now and then I get told I'm picky, which I find fairly rude as I don't consider I am.

Best one ever though was a girl back at uni who spent ages telling me I was picky, how could I live without meat etc etc, until one night I offered to cook for her and it emerged that she only ate potato in chip form. Not roasted, or even cheesey mash!! Now that is picky.

I think of fussiness more as an attitude. If you make demands on others, you are fussy. If you make a big deal about something you don't like being on your plate/on the table/ on someone elses plate, youre fussy (and rude). If you have a list of more than 5 things you refuse to touch, you're edging towards fussy.

But basically if you act like a polite grown up you're fine.

Haha, thanks! And yes, sometimes I think I had clearly been Very Bad Indeed in a previous life given the trial that my former ILs could be.

I wish I could admit to being totally brave but there were certainly times when an unexpectedly bad "headache" left me needing to go upstairs for a lie down at teatime and "sadly" miss a meal. Because teatime always seemed to be the meal that their weirdest options were rolled out for. The night that former MIL served tripe and onions did at least result in wholesale revolt from everyone except ex-FIL.

I don't count myself as fussy at all, because I'll eat pretty much any ingredient (I did draw the line at pigs feet and horse), but I don't like 'crap' food. So I won't eat at mcdonalds, or KFC, or a place that claims to be a restaurant but that actually reheats pre-made things (lots of low-budget chain pubs do this). I also don't eat much in the way of processed food - ready meals, for instance, just taste of salt to me. I cook from scratch almoste very day and like food that tastes fresh and clean. I've been accused of being fussy as a result. I actually find I get stomach upsets from the kind of places I've mentioned - Mcdonalds especially takes less than two hours to make me very I'll, because of the amount of crap they out in their food.
I would never make a fuss at someone else's house for dinner, but if we're out and other people suggest KFC etc, I'll either just have a drink or suggest somewhere else, if they're up for it.

Pretty much anything except coffee and bananas .

I'd prefer not to eat porridge, mussels or oysters, but I can get them down me if I have to.

I think fussy is not eating food when something you don't like is on the plate if you don't like carrots but instead of just leaving them on the side you refuse to eat the peas potatoes chicken etc because they may have touched a carrot also fussy is when your diet makes food difficult for others or you object to other people eating foods you don't like or critising others for liking things you don't

I had a friend that if you had pasta with a blue cheese sauce would go on and on and on about it being disgusting how can you eat that etc etc nobody needs to like blue cheese but just please don't stop me enjoying it

Quorn isn't meat. Thats not a matter for opinion, its a fact.

Gaggia if that was my DH he would get a slice of toast every night.

To me a fussy eater is someone who makes a fuss about not eating something, rather than just quietly eating what they can.

In my own house, I won't eat kidney beans, lentils, raw tomato or rhubarb, or lobster.

If I am invited to someone's house, for eg, I will do my best with all of the above, except the tomato, which I will have to leave on the side of my plate, but I won't mention I don't like them.

I am sure that you could come up with a similar list for h. most people do not like a few things.

no to offal, spicy food, star fruit, grapefruit, bitter lemon, processed meats, large amounts of red meat which (sits in my tummy like a brick)

I'm on the 'yes, you're fussy' side, I'm afraid.

I do think it is rude to make a big deal out of preferences if you're an adult, and refusing to eat things you can eat, is fussy. It implies you find someone's cooking/choice of food so unpalatable you can't just swallow it politely.

I agree with teacup it's about the way you express it, though. Politely ignoring bits of a meal you dislike is ok. Having consisent dislikes that family know about is ok. Changing your mind all the time about what you don't like (as a relative of mine does), is just rude, as is calling attention to the bits of the meal you dislike. Claiming you 'can't eat' something when you just don't like to eat it is beyond rude.

I don't think you sound fussy. But like someone said earlier an old reputation is hard to shake off, so if you used to be fussy people will probably still perceive you as fussy.

Quorn isn't meat. Thats not a matter for opinion, its a fact.

Ha ha ha yes, otherwise many veggies would have some serious issues with their quorn products!