I used to be real picky too, but nowadays I eat almost everything. There are still quite a few things I don't like, but I'll eat it anyways (except eggplants, god do I hate the taste of those things). I don't care much about texture.
I started eating a lot more things when I started to cook for myself. I like my food spicy, and I don't like to eat the same thing every day.
Because my parents are from Suriname, I grew up with a lot of things most other people call exotic (crisps made from bananas for example). I always make my friends try the things they've never tasted before.
My motto when it comes down to food:just try it, if you like it, there's more, if you don't, the trashcan's over there You're really pathetic in my eyes if don't even want to taste.