[Dan in Pasadena]

Cornpanzer,
First, I am not offended. You're right I guess I did come off as "sensitive" on this issue, sorry. Maybe its because I am! I DID ask for opinions so not trying to give anyone a hard time but it does baffle me that what I eat makes others feel I am rude. I'd completey "get" that - if I made you conform to me. What I don't understand is why that doesn't make "you" (not you literally cornpanzer) rude when you make me conform to you?

So yes, I think I am a picky eater - at least that's the word most people use. I'm not trying to dodge the label I just wish people wouldn't project all these "things" on me for what I eat/do not eat.

My daughter in law is picky. For example she LITERALLY doesn't eat a vegetable, EVER. Now that's going to result in health problems sooner rather than later but I know what it is to have people feel free to comment on what you eat, so I don't. There was long time when I didn't eat many vegetablers and my girlfriend probably would tell you I still don't. Maybe she'd be right but I eat a LOT more of them than I ever ate up till the last 5 years or so. I reluctantly changed because I grew concerned about my own health.

Now my daughter in law won't eat any fruit that has been cooked...for example applie pie grosses her out. I can't really relate to not liking apple pie, but I don't think its rude of her not to eat it. Where she and I differ hugely (at least to me) is that she won't let foods on her plate touch each other before she eats them. She dislikes spanish rice or rice pilaf because it isn't plain white "like rice should be". I don't find it rude that she won't eat it, but I find it rude if she makes comments like, "...it's dirty" about what I am about to eat. I find that whole 'food touching" thing to be ...well, odd. To me its indicative of...something, I don't know what.