It is no secret to my friends or family that I am a picky eater.

I have a very select palate that really doesn't like many foods, even when I try. Part of it is a texture thing, another part of it is a smell thing, and well most of the other times it just doesn't look good. If it doesn't look, taste, or smell good, why would anyone want to eat it?

The first thing I will tell you is that I CANNNOT eat spicy food. I can't even get near it without my eyes watering. I also have a very low spice tolerance, so much so that sometimes even putting ketchup on things is considered overly spicy in my opinion. However, I do find it weird that I inherited a love for garlic, especially in pasta (thanks, mom).

Like most picky eaters, I could probably list the majority of my food groups in a very short amount of time.

I love pasta, chicken, fries (potatoes in general), cheese pizza, grilled cheese, cake, ice cream, chocolate (especially chocolate pie), cheese quesadillas, and many other types of food that are small but significant in my diet. There are some foods I will eat if they are cooked or prepared a "certain" way.

Basically, you could say I have a very "cheesy-bland-American" palate when it comes to food. When it comes to the healthy stuff, I would have to say I prefer fruit over veggies, unless you count the potato, and I can generally only eat them when they are in the form of a smoothie, or in the case of some, if I eat them super fast and don't let the texture of them register in my mind.

Sometimes I feel like being a picky eater is a disease, because it prohibits you from a world full of different types of food.

However, it is a disease that I don't know how to get rid of, since apparently trying to eat foods you think you won't like doesn't really work. Some people say as you get older your palate "expands" or whatever, but it has been almost 20 years, and my palate has probably expanded a total of 3 foods in that time.

I am not the type of person who won't try something, though.

Recently, I did try shrimp after being told that it is a college kid food, and guess what? I really didn't like it. I think it is safe to say at this moment, if the food comes from the water, I can't eat it. Pretty much the same can be said for red meat.

I don't like steak. I've tried that several times.

I don't like burgers –– they are too bland and really aren't worth all the hype.

Tacos are okay if I am REALLY in the mood for them, but that really doesn't happen very often.

I will eat hot dogs if they are a certain kind or if they are grilled because, let's face it. Boiled hot dogs look soggy, and who wants to eat soggy food unless it is meant to be soggy!

One healthy thing I can eat is a salad, but you have to give me the entire day and then some in order to eat it all. It is one of those things where if I am going to eat it, it has to get into my mouth, where it indeed does not have a texture I find appealing, and I am always surprised how flavorless it is, which my mind can never decide if that is a good or a bad thing.

Until the last couple years, I couldn't even eat mac and cheese.

I discovered it was actually quite delicious when I had homemade mac and cheese from my mom and my Bushia (that's my grandma in Polish terms). They are both excellent cooks, despite my mom not being able to smell or taste. Now, I will eat mac and cheese if it is homemade, and on rare occasions, I will eat the instant kind, but once again, I have to really be in the mood.

As far as drinks go, I have always been a diet Pepsi or diet Coke kind of a girl, but since this past Lent, I gave up pop, and I haven't really had it much since.

In my family, they never really even had to ask me what I wanted when we went somewhere because pretty much every time I would get chicken and fries. You would actually be surprised how easy it is to live in the picky eater lifestyle. I know sometimes it gets on the nerves of my family, but I have tried other foods, and I continue to try them, and I just don't like them, and being the honest person that I am, I can't bring myself to faking otherwise.

You may be asking yourself right about now, "then what on earth does this girl eat at college?!" Well, the answer is french fries and whatever awesome thing I can find in the cafeteria.

One of the benefits of going to Michigan State is that there are multiple cafeterias to choose from, and if you don't like what one is serving, you can just go to a different one and the entire menu will be different.

So, I guess you could say I am doing alright, and yes I know I don't have the most healthy diet in the world, but I do take vitamins, I eat protein, and I keep my sugar under control which is the best I can do. I am trying daily to make my diet healthier, but it isn't the easiest thing in the world when the foods you try to eat can't have a certain smell or texture in order for your mouth to accept it as acceptable.

P.S. if you would like to know some of my favorite places to eat some French fries or nuggs:

1. Chick-fil-A has the best waffle fries out there and their chicken is so good (and their frosted lemonade...YUM)

2. McDonald's has some of the best fries in general, and the nuggets are good too.

3. Penn Station and Five Guys have some really, REALLY good fries but don't eat them if you can't have peanut oil or nuts!

4. Wendy's has good fries when they aren't too salty, but their nuggets are GREAT.

5. If you want endless fries, Red Robin is the place to go. Seriously....steak fries....and endless amounts of them, what more could you want?!

BONUS: If you want to know a great place to get fries and it isn't a fast food place my mom seriously makes some of the best potatoes of pretty much any imaginable kind

I have had so many different types of fries throughout my life I could probably make the list go on forever, but I will be nice to you and won't make you read that.