I was a picky eater as a child and left to sit at the table to eat my vegetables (didn’t happen!) Based on that experience I never insisted the kids eat something they didn’t like. My mother made some disgusting tapioca pudding sometimes for dessert that she tried to make me eat. Seriously? Who makes a kid eat dessert? Our oldest became a very adventurous eater, middle child still quite picky but developed a taste for sushi while studying in Japan (he never was served that at home!). Youngest is a vegetarian so I guess that is picky. I still won’t eat a lot of things - sushi, oysters, clams, mussels, corned beef or most cured meats, and I don’t like a lot of sauces on my food. I eat vegetables because they are good for me but I don’t like them. I like things simple and fairly plain.
Interesting question - does being a vegetarian qualify as being picky?
As I mentioned, I have always been an adventurous eater, but I became a vegetarian a while ago. I did it, not because I don’t like the taste of meat (I love the taste of meat and still miss it years and years later), but because of my belief system (aka, I don’t want to eat animals). I am still very adventurous in trying foods that I can eat - different cuisines, new fruits and veggies, etc.
Is being a picky eater not liking the taste/texture or certain foods, or is it not eating certain foods, period, regardless of the reason?
My younger son was a super picky eater as a young child - basically beige food only. He used to say that he would try a cheeseburger “next year” - I think he finally did try one at about age 12. At the age of 25, he’s now an adventurous eater - he travels extensively and will try any cuisine.
“Interesting question - does being a vegetarian qualify as being picky?”
No. Unless you discriminate against beets 
I think if you don’t eat certain foods, that qualifies as picky, no matter what the reason. I have to think more about the food I make to feed my vegetarian daughter more than I ever did when my kids were young.
"No. Unless you discriminate against beets "
LOL!!!
P.S. I love beets!! I eat them every few days! Red beets! Golden beets! BEETS!
I was a vegetarian for years. Always amused at the people who would never eat anything but burgers when we’d go for a work lunch, but they wondered how I could limit my diet so severely.
I was never a big meat eater–I was the kid ordering fancy seafood whenever I could. I’d try most anything. Asparagus was one of my favorites as a child. My husband was apparently a picky child. His mom took him to the doctor once because he would only eat peanut butter sandwiches.
Our son was a super picky child and has gotten a bit better but is still picky, and happens to dislike some of the things the rest of us really like (seafood for one). I think he is a super taster because he has a very strong sense of smell. Our daughter has always been a more adventurous eater. We go out for sushi when son is at school.
Beets are something I wish I liked , but I just don’t . My former mid-level picky eater loves them though
I feel so much better about my sensory processing disorder kid after hearing all your stories. Thank you!
At 2, he lived on chicken nuggets and cheerios. (Dry, White foods).
At 12, he eats a few fruits and very few vegetables. No sauces, cheese, etc. Anything sticky, gooey, or slimy makes him gag.
Every new food is a major accomplishment.
Thank you all for sharing!
Older son ate anything (including octopus sushi at about age 5) and younger s was picky. Now, older s is a careful eater (watches fat, portion size, etc) and younger s eats everything. I was shoocked when, in college, we took him out and he ordered sweetbreads.
My kids reacted poorly to many foods as toddlers. They were exposed to a variety, but anything too pungent or acidic was not eaten. They were fairly picky as elementary aged kids but started to change in high school. One child now eats a wide variety of foods but doesn’t enjoy spiced or oddly textured foods. Younger child is still on the wary side if some foods (he had some bad experiences trying new foods when younger) but is still willing to try things.