Some cook, somewhere, is blessed with someone, or a family of folks who just enjoys food and loves to eat everything that the kind and generous cook in their life shares and offers at the table. They all smack their lips, eat with tremenodus gusto and APPRRECIATE every ounce of love and creativity that the cook in their life is generous enough to share.

But most of our realities is- someone, or many at our table are finicky l'il nose-turners. The tighten their lips, turn-up their noses, and wrinkle their eyes at any number of foods presented to them.

How oh HOW do you DEAL?

Bacon: crisp or soft?

Meat: well done or rare?

Scrambled Eggs: soft and damp or well done?

Mashed Potatoes: peeled or skin-on?

Cookies: with nuts, or without?

Onions: no biggie at all, or are they a deal-breaker?

Veggies: Love'n or hate'm?

Mayo or Miracle Whip?

These are things that often cause rifts at my family's dining table. Half (or more) of my family are super-picky, nose-turning, finicky eaters.

Are YOU one of these dag-blasted finicky eaters? Or are they in the circle of folks that you have to cook for, cater to and try to please?

What are some of your experiences- and some of the successful ways of coping you've come to develop in dealing with the whole mess? :eek:

Been my experience that if you let finicky eaters determine what goes on the table your cusine gets reduced to the lowest common denominator. Or you're stuck with producing two or more different meals.

In the absence of allergies or other health requirements, I do not cater to those who eat at my table. I prepare the meal, and they can either eat it or go hungry.

It's amazing, when you take that hard-nosed approach, how many finicky eaters suddenly develop a taste for what you've served.

I admit it Kev...I'm a picky eater...But I would not be so rude to go to someones house and tell them I'm not eating what they prepared. Unless it is something that I'm allergic to. such as my allergy to shellfish.Or it is something that really grosses me out.
Once I had an occasion at a dinner that the hostess prepared a wonderful meal of seafood.I explained my allergy and only ate a salad.She took it really personal and was very rude to me.It was no big deal for me to eat just a sald...I love salads .I would not have reacted the way she did. If someone doesn't like or cannot eat something I cook ...no prob.If I host a dinner I make it a point to ask the ones invited if they have any food allergies.
As KY....the others can eat or go hungry...lol..and I would not be offended.

I have a family of picky eaters but luckily for me I don't have to cook for them very often. We live about 3 hours away from the rest of my family. They like the new "country cook'n" They have cast off the southern Ohio cooking my grandmother did with wonderful stewed tomatoes, green beans and bacon, fresh sliced tomatoes, wonderful fried chicken and homemade bread. The new southern Ohio country cook'n is 12 boxes mixed with 3 cans baked until golden and served with something in a tub. It's heart wrenching and just turns my stomach. Well when they come to my house everything is fresh so they don't like it. Conversely when I go to their house I hate everything. Luckily I can count on my wheat gluten allergy to get me out of having to eat most of it since wheat is in almost all pre-packaged items. I do fuss at them a little because I'm concerned for their health. You only have to look at them to know it's going down hill. My Dad at one point had 14 ulcers. He has high cholesterol and is heading down the path to diabetes. If you never eat anything fresh how on earth are you going to live with out serious vitamin deficiencies?

Ok then there is the allergy question. I have also had someone come to my house when I was serving tuna steaks only to find they were allergic to fish. Well this is no-one's fault and I would certainly never be rude to someone for an allergy. That is extremely bad manners. I had a chicken breast grilled up in no time to go on top of the lentils and since there was no fish in the sundried tomato sauce she was good to go.

Well, like I said, allergies and other health problems are excluded. I should have included religious restrictions as well.

But it's a two way street. I don't believe people who have food restrictions, for whatever reason, should just show up and announce them. If you're coming to my house you should at least let me know in advance, so I can accomodate your needs.

Heck, when the airlines were still feeding us, you gave them notice. And they're not nearly as good cooks as I am.