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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To despise picky eaters?

727 replies

Brownoliveskincurlyblackhair · 27/06/2025 18:45

If you have an allergy or religious reasons not to eat something, fine obviously but grown adults who 'don't eat' something absolutely irk me beyond words. My MIL looked horrified earlier when I said I was making chicken as a part of a weekend spread because SIL 'doesn't eat it'. I have accommodated for SIL but honestly, I was bought up that you get what you're given and eat what's infront of you. It's terrible manners is it not?

Yabu - hosts should cater for preferences
Yanbu - it's rude

OP posts:
MaleficentQueen · 27/06/2025 23:09

bittertwisted · 27/06/2025 22:59

My eldest son is autistic. He is an exceptional cook and will eat anything. Autism is not one size fits all

We know ☺️
But there is a lot of us that do struggle with food, and I was just agreeing with the poster as we are very similar. It’s not often I find people with similar issues to mine.

MaleficentQueen · 27/06/2025 23:10

ShesTheAlbatross · 27/06/2025 23:05

Yes, I’m not autistic but I really can’t comprehend people who can eat things they don’t like. I wish I could, but I will absolutely retch if I try to force certain things down.

I was force fed (physically force fed, mouth held open, food shoved in, mouth held closed) as a child when I didn’t want to eat - funnily enough, it didn’t make me love carrots, I don’t know why my mother ever thought it would! But the things I vividly remember being force fed, I couldn’t swallow now as an adult if you paid me.

No one in my life knows about this. And I really think people should back off what others eat. You’ve no idea what food issues they might have, and who the hell thinks they should have any say (even in a roundabout “I’ll be offended if you don’t eat it, it’s the social norm” kind of way) over what someone else doesn’t eat.

I totally agree with you.
People should just be able to eat what they want, without judgement.

BruFord · 27/06/2025 23:18

HighLadyofTheNightCourt · 27/06/2025 22:27

I’ve been medically diagnosed with ARFID.
One aspect of ARFID is the social anxiety around discussing with other people. I don’t like to draw attention to my disordered eating and have only disclosed my diagnosis to a small handful of people.
I will go to great lengths to hide it.

@HighLadyofTheNightCourt I knew nothing about ARFID until a friend's son was diagnosed with it about 18 months ago. From what she's shared with me, it's a serious eating disorder, just as anorexia and bulimia are. It's certainly not in the same category as merely disliking certain foods.

Her son was 11 when he was diagnosed and his doctors were v. concerned at how deficient he was both calories-wise and in certain vitamins and minerals as this could affect his growth and development, particularly as he enters adolescence. He now has to take various supplements, and his Mum has altered her schedule so that he can come home for lunch every day, because he wasn't eating anything at school.

So, I somewhat get it now @HighLadyofTheNightCourt. It's definitely not comparable to "fussy eating."

bittertwisted · 27/06/2025 23:18

MaleficentQueen · 27/06/2025 23:09

We know ☺️
But there is a lot of us that do struggle with food, and I was just agreeing with the poster as we are very similar. It’s not often I find people with similar issues to mine.

Kind of wish I was fussy 😂 there is nothing wrong with boundaries

Pollymollydolly · 27/06/2025 23:39

Brownoliveskincurlyblackhair · 27/06/2025 19:04

I don't want to use adult words that are rude or ungrateful when someone's prepared me food, is rather eat it and not be like MIL- that's the point of my post.

It’s not rude or ungrateful to say you don’t like something.

I’d actually be quite upset if I found out a visitor to my home had eaten something they didn’t like rather than being honest with me.

We’re all human, we all have likes and dislikes. I’m not a fussy eater but there are things that I can’t eat - more to do with texture really, my gag reflex gets set off and i do think vomiting at the table would be rude😂

Theyreeatingthedogs · 27/06/2025 23:41

ELMhouse · 27/06/2025 19:19

Most polite people ask before hand as surly you would be asking for allergies etc anyway.

however I once went to my DH friends house for dinner they said they were making a chicken dinner with veg etc so called us to asked allergies etc. all good no probs.

when we arrived they had changed the menu to steak “as a treat”! I had to thank them for being such lovely hosts and very thoughtful but that I didn’t eat steak.
it wasn’t a big deal and I hope the host wasn’t too mortified, but I ate everything else and the pudding and it was lovely.

in that situation I figured it would be more polite to decline than actually gag eating the steak.

also I didn’t want another dinner situation where this happened again or the next time if I did tell them I didn’t like steak I didn’t want them to be upset they had force fed me!

I don't get the idea of steak being a treat. I like steak now and then but I really don't know why people think it's so great. I find it quite bland. I'd much rather have a beautifully cooked piece of pink liver.

Pibrea · 27/06/2025 23:41

My in-laws are picky and they act as if I’m a big greedy troll because I eat most things, whereas they’re superior because they’re particular and fussy about what they eat. Which is funny because I rarely see them eat a vegetable.

bythefireplace · 27/06/2025 23:43

i have never been a fussy eater but I had campylobacter last year and haven’t touched chicken since
I have even tried quorn chicken style nuggets and had to spit it out before I was sick
Fish, olives, pickles, tofu, mustard, mussels… I’ll eat anything else!

Vegwoes · 27/06/2025 23:46

The only people I have ever witnessed make a fuss about someone else's picky eating have been fat.

QuickPeachPoet · 27/06/2025 23:56

I totally agree with you OP. SN or allergies/religious reasons aside, it's eat up and shut up in our house. Fortunately we don't have fussy friends. We know about the odd (rare) thing that can be avoided easily but you can't come with a list as long as your arm. Nope.

bittertwisted · 28/06/2025 00:12

Vegwoes · 27/06/2025 23:46

The only people I have ever witnessed make a fuss about someone else's picky eating have been fat.

The most picky eaters I have ever met are fat

Throwitback · 28/06/2025 01:05

Sharptonguedwoman · 27/06/2025 22:18

Don't know a single adult with diagnosed autism and even the ones I suspect might be (brother) eats anything. I've never heard another adult talk about ARFID as a problem either. If someone says, 'I don't like tomatoes' you accommodate them.
I realise that means I live in a bubble bit I truly never have had this discussion with an adult.

I mean I’m speaking from experience, I am autistic and do have related issues with food

Worralorra · 28/06/2025 03:50

Brownoliveskincurlyblackhair · 27/06/2025 18:54

As said, I did accommodate SIL. It's more MIL thinking she should announce that she wouldn't like it or eat it. I'm doing a spread, there's things other than chicken there. I can't imagine going to someone's house and expecting my absolute favourites of everything. I strongly dislike pork, but I eat every bit if someone cooks it for me.

Now this post is more understandable than the original!
I think I would be more annoyed at MIL’s expectation that because one person doesn’t like chicken, I shouldn’t even serve it…
When my many vegan friends come for a BBQ, they don’t complain about the carnivores’ food - they just enjoy the vegan food I’ve prepared separately for them!

WiddlinDiddlin · 28/06/2025 04:06

nomas · 27/06/2025 20:47

So then why tell random strangers you’ll vomit on them?

Eat what you like, no one here is catering to you.

Edited

I dunno, maybe it is to explain why some of us perceived as simply irritatingly picky, rude, entitled, ungrateful... will actually turn down food rather than force it down in silence.

Thats usually the way threads go - people say one thing, others offer another perspective or experience... have you been introduced to the concept of conversation before or is this new?

CurlewKate · 28/06/2025 04:18

Comedycook · 27/06/2025 18:51

It's chicken. Vegetarians aside, who doesn't like chicken?! What's not to like?!

My daughter ended up in hospital with food poisoning after eating chicken and simply cannot face it now. My dil doesn’t like the taste of lamb. I don’t like liver. My dp is allergic to eggs. My son doesn’t like raw tomatoes. Surprisingly enough, I manage to cook for all of us with no difficulty.

ladyamy · 28/06/2025 04:45

Despise? Really?

AnyoneWhoHasAHeart · 28/06/2025 05:16

I love cooking. I would positively relish the idea of finding alternatives for people.

I’ve just had a transplant and the number of things I am no longer able to eat due to infection risk is astronomical.: no cured meats/pate/shellfish/pink meat I.e rare/medium rare/no smoked salmon/live yoghurt//certain cheese. Oh and buffets are a no.

Poppins21 · 28/06/2025 05:44

Brownoliveskincurlyblackhair · 27/06/2025 19:32

I don't despise them at all, I get on with them but I cand abide fussy eating and all the nonsense that goes with it.

You have complained they are rigid as they are fussy but surely you not being able to abide fussy eaters is also rigid thinking? I just find the attitude of eat what is given a really odd stance- food is one of lifes greatest pleasures not something to be endured.

Poppins21 · 28/06/2025 05:56

HighLadyofTheNightCourt · 27/06/2025 22:03

I mean whatever floats your boat…🤷🏼‍♀️

I’ve seen people post similar ridiculous questions and assumptions on other ‘fussy eater’ posts.
I live a very adventurous life. I’ve travelled the world, have a successful career and an ‘interesting’ sex life… more so than the average person.
Your assumptions and sarky comments say far more about you than my medically diagnosed eating disorder.

That’s a bizarre conflagration- because you don’t eat broccoli means your a shit shag? 🤔 on the other hand, having preferences means your good in bed as you prioritise pleasure!
I also agree with many PP if you don’t like a food just say I don’t like it- you don’t have to say it’s disgusting. Too much hyperbole on both sides of the coin (unless we are talking about liquorice of course!)

Bepatientandiwillreturn · 28/06/2025 06:07

I hope the SIL knows what lies in store for her this weekend! Whilst she might be able to dodge the chicken, she won’t be able to miss the OP’s huffing, puffing and killer looks! Probably used to it 😆

Blondeshavemorefun · 28/06/2025 06:09

Brownoliveskincurlyblackhair · 27/06/2025 18:54

As said, I did accommodate SIL. It's more MIL thinking she should announce that she wouldn't like it or eat it. I'm doing a spread, there's things other than chicken there. I can't imagine going to someone's house and expecting my absolute favourites of everything. I strongly dislike pork, but I eat every bit if someone cooks it for me.

Then you don’t dislike pork @Brownoliveskincurlyblackhair

i dislike mushrooms and no way would I eat them all up

shudders at slime

Sharptonguedwoman · 28/06/2025 06:48

Throwitback · 28/06/2025 01:05

I mean I’m speaking from experience, I am autistic and do have related issues with food

I completely get that. I did say I probably lived in a bubble.

BunnyLake · 28/06/2025 07:04

Brownoliveskincurlyblackhair · 27/06/2025 19:04

I mean if I went for dinner and someone had made it I'd eat it out of good manners m

If you were going to someone’s for dinner surely you would say, oh by the way I don’t eat pork. I don’t eat lamb so I’d make sure I pointed it out beforehand.

How many times is an adult actually faced with having to eat the food that is put in front of them even if they don’t like it? It must be pretty rare.

BunnyLake · 28/06/2025 07:12

ArtTheClown · 27/06/2025 20:33

as an adult I am not going to eat what is put in front of me if I don’t like it.

I would. If someone invited me for dinner and I didn't like it, I'd still eat it out of politeness.

Surely if someone invites you to dinner a conversation is had about anything you don’t like? I couldn’t imagine inviting someone to dinner and not asking if there’s anything they didn’t want served.

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 28/06/2025 07:16

If I forced myself to eat something I didn’t like, I would then be running to the bathroom to vomit. I have autism and have sensory issues around food that means if I can’t stand the texture, I can’t make myself eat it.

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