Does your child complain a lot about food tasting too salty, spicy, or just plain gross? Do they complain about the texture of the food? Does your child gag when trying new foods or avoid trying them completely? Then it is possible you have a Super Taster in your home.
What is a super taster?
A Super Taster is basically what others call a very picky eater. Now, keep in mind that not all picky eaters are Super Tasters. Super Tasters have more taste buds than the average person. Super tasters taste the food more strongly than others. Super tasters can have a more sensitive gag reflex, too. Many famous chefs are Super Tasters. They can taste food and tell you exactly what ingredients are in it. When I first heard about Super Tasters, I was thankful because I was not just a picky eater. It wasn’t my fault at all.
My life as a child and being a super taster.
As a child, I was very picky. I refused to eat what most normal kids love. I did not like hamburgers, turkey, ham, pizza, spaghetti, vegetables, anything with spices on them, ketchup, mustard & the list goes on & on. My whole family complained how picky I was & begged me to just try “one simple small bite”. I would try it & gag. I would sometimes be told to stop being so dramatic, and I felt bad because I didn’t gag on purpose. I got to the point where I refused to try new things. I pretty much lived off hot dogs & bologna sandwiches.
Those who are not picky or super tasters do not understand how hard it is to be like this, especially as a child. I was always the only kid at sleepovers who didn’t like pizza. My friends would gather around an open box of pizza, turn on a movie & I’d go off to the kitchen waiting for my hot dog to cook. I was often too embarrassed to go back to join the other girls, so I ate by myself in the kitchen. Slumber parties were not the only place I felt left out. School parties, birthday parties, spending the night with a friend, my family going out with another family & so on were always dreaded & gave me anxiety because I knew pizza and other foods would be served. Even Thanksgiving was hard for me because I didn’t like ham or turkey. I ate a hot dog. It’s such a shameful & lonely feeling to sit by yourself while others enjoy a table full of food. I’d choose to sit by myself because I was tired of being shamed for being “so picky”. I’ve always told my parents & family that being picky is not a choice. Why would I choose to be so different than everyone else?
Let me tell you that many times I tried to force myself to eat a slice of pizza. At least pretend to like it & be normal. So I’d sit with my friends around the open pizza box, I’d feel fear climbing up me as I went to take a bite. I’d chant in my brain, “It’s good! It’s yummy!” Then I’d gag & spit it out. Some friends would roll their eyes, other girls looked at me weird & a few close friends felt sorry for me. I often wanted to cry out of frustration. I’d then apologize, and thankfully, my friend’s parent would go into the kitchen to find me something to eat.
Life as an adult super taster
These feelings followed me into adulthood. My second date with my husband was to his parents’ house. I didn’t fear meeting them; I feared the lunch that I’d eat with his whole family. After we married, we’d go eat at a friend’s house or eat a meal with small groups from church. I’d sit & worry about what we were eating & hated to disappoint a good friend who cooked all day long. I’d try it & felt horrible when I gagged or couldn’t swallow the food.
By the time I was expecting my first child, something had happened. I found out I liked pizza! I tried it & didn’t gag. Well, that opened new doors for me & I tried other things that included a pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce. I liked them! I was thrilled that I was somewhat normal. My other two pregnancies had me liking new food too, such as fried fish & an odd combination of cheese & ranch dressing. I still can’t stand regular fish.
I feel sorry for children who are picky & super tasters
As a mother & a Super Taster, my heart goes out to kids who are picky. Every time I see a mom complain about their picky child, I try hard to explain to them that their child might just be a Super Taster. But it is still frustrating for the parent.
My middle daughter is a Super Taster, so I’ve taken her seriously when she says she doesn’t like something. She went through an odd phase of not liking anything made with potatoes except mashed potatoes. That lasted about 2 years. She also notices milk tastes different from different stores & refuses to drink a certain brand from a certain store. But I don’t make a deal about it even though it can be frustrating.
I wanted my kids to have a good attitude about food-
My biggest worry as a parent was that my attitude towards food was going to turn my kids into picky eaters, even if they were not Super Tasters. I have always made a point not to make faces when food is offered to me. I have also made a point to try food. I will say “I’ll give it a try.” After my second child was born, I learned to control the gagging when trying new foods, but if it tastes bad, I can’t swallow it. I just remain calm & say “No. I don’t like that, but I’m glad I tried it.” Then walk out of view of my kids & others then spit it into a napkin.
My kids eat way better than I did as a child & better than I am now as an adult. They know I’m picky & a Super Taster. But we have never made it an issue. We, too, have never made it an issue when they don’t like certain foods. I thank them for trying the new foods, & if they don’t like it then that is the end of it.
I want parents to understand what it is like to be a supertaster-
My main reason behind writing this is to make parents aware of what it is to be a super taster or a picky eater. Books & articles are often written from the parents’ point of view, & I wanted to give the point of view of the child. It’s a very lonely feeling. I hope you have some understanding of how your child feels when it comes to food & hopefully, over time, your child will learn to enjoy new foods.
