picky eater

Meaning

Someone who refuses to eat certain foods because of their taste, texture, or appearance, often preferring only a limited variety of familiar dishes. This term is frequently used to describe children, but can also apply to adults.

Examples

• My younger brother is such a picky eater; he only eats chicken nuggets and plain pasta.

  My younger brother is such a picky eater; he only eats chicken nuggets and plain pasta.

• It's hard to find a restaurant we all like because Sarah is a very picky eater.

  It's hard to find a restaurant we all like because Sarah is a very picky eater.

• I used to be a picky eater when I was a kid, but now I'll try almost anything.

  I used to be a picky eater when I was a kid, but now I'll try almost anything.

• The chef designed a simple menu to accommodate any picky eaters in the wedding party.

  The chef designed a simple menu to accommodate any picky eaters in the wedding party.

• Being a picky eater makes traveling to foreign countries quite challenging.

  Being a picky eater makes traveling to foreign countries quite challenging.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ He is a choosing eater who doesn't like vegetables.

  ✓ He is a picky eater who doesn't like vegetables.

  'Choosing eater' is a literal translation error. The correct idiomatic term is 'picky eater' or 'fussy eater'.

• ✗ She is very picky eating.

  ✓ She is a very picky eater.

  'Picky' is an adjective. You can say 'She is a picky eater' (noun) or 'She is very picky about food' (adjective phrase), but not 'picky eating'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Cooking for a family is tough when you have a ___ who hates vegetables.

  💡 A person who is very selective about what they eat.

  Show answer

  picky eater

• Don't worry, he's not a ___; he will eat whatever you serve him.

  💡 Someone who is easy to please with any food is NOT this.

  Show answer

  picky eater