I always had big food issues myself as a child and still do so I would never force my boys to eat what they do not want. 30 years later I still remember what it felt like and I KNOW they are not making it up. They truly cannot eat certain textures, mixes of food, etc. So I cook separate for the little boys and grown ups have other things (which are still very much affected by what I do or do not eat). So the little boys will either have chicken every day for a week or two (simple chicken breast with no veggies or gravy or anything because then they'd refuse it), or they'll go on a week or two long adventure of having nothing but past (just boiled gluten free / egg free pasta), or they'll hit a week or two of eating nothing but potato products ... again, as plain as can be. They would choose not to eat for days if they didn't get something that I know they WILL eat. So I don't worry about it and just follow their lead.
I myself got better overtime but even now, restaurants ... parties ... social occasions are a huge deal to me because I can never find much I would eat there. It's not just being picky ... just the thought of eating anything out of my narrow group of ok foods makes me sick. And I am very thankful to my parents who never made me eat what I didn't want.
