To My Fellow Picky Eaters,

There are few things in life worse than trying a new restaurant. My fellow picky eaters will know what I’m talking about. What if I can’t find something I like? Can I come up with an excuse not to eat here? WHAT DO I DO?

Okay, so maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but for every picky eater, it’s an extremely real struggle. We would much rather stick to the restaurants we already know we like than step foot into a new one. We also understand that it may get annoying, and we’re very sorry, but I can assure you, we don’t do it on purpose.

Shocking, right?

No, we are not picky just because we want to bother you, and we are not picky because of close-mindedness (or at least, most of us). We are picky because there just aren’t that many foods we enjoy. It’s hard for us, but it’s reality. Going to someone’s house for dinner for the first time can be a nightmare, because we may be faced with a food we don’t like, but we also don’t want to be rude. Some of us might politely refuse, while others might force a little down so as to be courteous, but whatever the case may be, we are facing our own difficulties.

Again, we don’t choose to be picky. Sure, we feel bad that there are starving children who would love to eat the food we won’t, but that doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate our meals. It just means our taste range is different from yours, and that’s not a bad thing, no matter how much people want to pretend it is.

Personally, my life would be so much easier if I liked chicken (and really most other meats), but I don’t. I can’t force myself to like these foods, and if I could, believe me, I would. But instead, I will sit over here and enjoy my mac and cheese while trying to ignore your silent judgment, because I know what I like, and that’s not wrong.