Picky: How American Children Became the Fussiest Eaters in History

By: Helen Zoe Veit Published: 2026 304 Pages

Briefly, what is this book about?

Stop me if you've heard this one… Up until the beginning of the 20th century we never ever did this one thing, and then starting in the 20th century attitudes and culture gradually changed until now, this very new thing, that basically never existed historically, is accepted as a fact of life.

For this go-around it's children being picky about food. The whole concept only began to emerge in the 1930s and back then it was just used to identify something that needed to be corrected. Like lying, swearing, or truancy, it wasn't until after World War II that the modern "something we have to work around" usage started to solidify.

This book is the story of why things changed and what we can do to reverse that change.

What authorial biases should I be aware of?

This is not a disinterested academic overview of things. Veit thinks that pickiness is a bad thing, that it's tied to consumption of "junk food", obesity, and a general culture of overconsuming food. The 19th-century child eating raw oysters and organ meats could be considered the hero of the story, the entire edifice of modern food dysfunction is the dragon, and the 21st-century child who eats nothing but hyperpalatable, low-nutrition snacks, and then is too full for normal meals is the princess in need of saving.

Who should read this book?

I think people who have picky kids and worry about whether that's a problem would definitely benefit from reading this book.

I enjoyed it because I'm always fascinated by the strange transitions of modernity. Should you fall into that bucket you'll probably enjoy it as well.

What does the book have to say about the future?