About those buttered noodles

So you’re a picky eater? Here’s the case for leveling up your palate.

- By Jessica D’argenio Waller

Picky. Choosy. Selective. Maybe you’ve adopted these adjectives to describe your own eating habits—or maybe someone else has labeled you as such. If you’re a picky eater (self-declared or otherwise), your relationship with food can easily become a major part of your identity, like a hashtag you wear emblazoned on your forehead at practically every meal.

Without a doubt, most people have a few strong preferences (like not enjoying mushrooms or taking a pass on eggplant) but will eat—or at least try—everything else on their plate.

But picky eating can go way beyond simply despising blue cheese, not being super into sushi or avoiding anchovies. Being a true picky eater means having only a limited number of foods you regularly reach for (typically less than 20) and rarely, if ever, feeling comfortable trying new ones.

Meet Serena M., 16: “I’ve literally never eaten anything other than plain spaghetti, chicken nuggets, bagels, grilled cheese and french fries,” she shares.

And Serena’s not alone. Experts say that selective eating may affect as many as 60% of kids—and researchers believe that number may be highly under-reported.

While noshing on the same thing every day may sound beyond boring to some, does sticking to a very limited diet actually harm teens? The short answer is yes.