Ask Amy: Mom's picky eating creates embarrassment
Dear Amy: I married into a Korean family. (I'm not Korean.)
My mother lives nearby. She is very closed-minded about food. She won't try new things, and rarely goes to restaurants, because she tends to nitpick every part of the meal, or say that some ingredient "disagrees" with her.
Recently, my in-laws threw a big party at their house, to celebrate my mother-in-law's 70th birthday. The party was catered, featuring mostly Korean food.
They invited my mother to the party. Knowing that she was likely going to have issues with the food, I gave her a heads-up so she could plan accordingly. She said, "Don't worry about me," and so I didn't.
At the party, she immediately stated that she "couldn't eat a thing."
My very sweet father-in-law paid special attention to her, to encourage her to try something.
A few minutes later, I looked out and saw my mother-in-law firing up the grill in order to cook a single hamburger for my mom, while everyone else sat down at the table and enjoyed the catered food.
While everyone was polite, I was incredibly embarrassed at my mother's closed-mindedness and stubborn behavior.
I want her to try new things, and to get out of her comfort zone. I also don't want to exclude her, just on the basis of her picky eating habits. What would you recommend?
-- Perturbed by Pickiness
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