DAE just hate most fruits and vegetables?

shannon2203x

I like the basics, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and corn. I also like apples, bananas, and orange juice (but not oranges themselves). It's really hard to try and eat healthy when I avoid so many foods based on either flavor or texture. Any suggestions? Ways to trick myself into liking more stuff? Salads and steamed broccoli are getting pretty old, hahaha.

ninerbuff

Don't force yourself to eat what you don't like. It makes the process so much harder to do and to stick to in the long run. You MAY acquire taste for some of them later. I hear all great things about liver. I DON'T force myself to eat it at all because of it.


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cmriverside

Yeah, I'll never eat okra, raw mushrooms, beets, turnips and God knows how many other vegetables.

I've been at this "healthy" eating thing for a while and I've learned to like more vegetables, but there's never gonna be a day when I'll say, "I'm going to try okra again."

You can always put things in smoothies and sauces. Blended textures are a lot better for me with many plants. Avocado or spinach in smoothies is surprisingly good. Any frozen fruit is good in smoothies. Celery, carrots, cucumbers, apples are good in smoothies.

Keep trying. The more variety the better!

littlegreenparrot1

It's worth trying things prepared in different ways, and with herbs and spices.

For example, I'll happily eat grated carrot in salad, and cooked carrots, but not a carrot stick. Not so keen on a raw apple but love them cooked.
You might find similar odd things.

I find roast veg to be delicious, courgette, aubergine, peppers roasted up with olive oil and zaatar is lovely.
How do you feel about soup? Its easy to make and when it's all blended up together it has it's own flavour and texture. Bolognese and chilli are quite easy to make with finely chopped or grated veg that will just vanish into it.
Fruit crumble is always a winner in my family...

If you want to it's worth giving it a go, but there's no need to force it.

penguinmama87

Roasting by far made me like a lot more vegetables. You only need a smidge of oil and salt and pepper. I thought there were so many I didn't like, turns out I just didn't like things that had been boiled to death or canned, which was pretty much all I'd had up to that point.

If it's within your calorie budget, and you want to, you can really do some cool things with salads. Measure it out, but adding a few nuts or cheese or a protein, or changing up a dressing for a change of pace can make things a lot more palatable. I find I really like salads with sturdy ingredients that I can mix up ahead of time and then eat over a few days. If you search "refrigerator salads" you can find a bunch of neat recipes.

But if you've tried something already and it just wasn't for you, maybe try again in a few months or just don't worry about it. I really don't think healthy eating should feel like a chore.

cwolfman13

shannon2203x wrote: »

I like the basics, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and corn. I also like apples, bananas, and orange juice (but not oranges themselves). It's really hard to try and eat healthy when I avoid so many foods based on either flavor or texture. Any suggestions? Ways to trick myself into liking more stuff? Salads and steamed broccoli are getting pretty old, hahaha.

I like quite a few vegetables, but we have our staples...one of which is broccoli...which you can do far more with than just steam. Steamed vegetables in general are pretty boring AF.

corinasue1143

I agree with everyone above. If you don’t like it, don’t force it. But I also agree with keep trying. I hate boiled Brussels sprouts, but I like them raw, shredded in a slaw-like salad. Zucchini is so versatile. Raw alone, in smoothies with other stuff, roasted, sautéed in just a little butter, zucchini tots, zucchini bread. Endless.
Oh, yeah. I’m not crazy about celery, but I drink celery juice.
And I eat oranges, but don’t drink orange juice.
Keep trying.

dmkoenig

"Hating fruits and vegetables" just means you have never been exposed to the incredible world of vegetarian recipes that are out there, using a wide variation of produce, preparation methods and interesting spices. Frankly, I can't remember the last time I had a naked vegetable like steamed broccoli. I've incorporated roasted broccoli into salads where it provides both flavor and texture. Check out https://cookieandkate.com/perfect-roasted-broccoli-recipe/ as an example of how to roast broccoli. Do a search in her site for just about any vegetable and you will see all kinds of ideas. I don't prescribe to the idea that you should be content with what you know or are comfortable with. Be open to experimentation to try new foods and combos and be willing to invest a bit of time in food prep (mostly chopping) and you will be justly rewarded. Enjoy the journey!

kshama2001

shannon2203x wrote: »

I like the basics, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and corn. I also like apples, bananas, and orange juice (but not oranges themselves). It's really hard to try and eat healthy when I avoid so many foods based on either flavor or texture. Any suggestions? Ways to trick myself into liking more stuff? Salads and steamed broccoli are getting pretty old, hahaha.

I get you about texture. I don't even want raw tomato on my cutting board or knife. However, I will eat cooked tomatoes happily. I like mushroom flavor, but not texture, so cook with them and pick them out. (Need to try mushroom powder.)

As others have suggested, try different prep methods, especially roasting.

Another option is stir fries. Individual ingredients often get lost in the crowd, especially when there are a lot of Asian spices involved.

Speakeasy76

So, I actually work with kids with feeding disorders, and one technique to get them to "branch out" is called food chaining: you change what it is you already eat by one property. For an adult, I would say changing by texture or color or taste would be the way to go. If you like carrots, for example, I wonder if something like butternut squash would work. I actually made a turkey chili the other day with butternut squash, and the squash really didn't even have a flavor.

Another thing I tell families of kids with feeding disorders is that it takes a typical kid 10-15 exposures before accepting a new food! You've probably been exposed to other fruits and vegetables this number of times, but in applying it to trying new foods, here's what I would suggest: Focus on one new food for 7-10 days, finding different ways to prepare it (either by itself or in something).

There was a cookbook that came out several years ago by Jessica Seinfeld called "Sneaky Chef" or something like that. BAsically, it was "hiding" vegetables and fruits into regular meals. I'm actually not a proponent of that method for kids, but for an adult it's not like you're tricking yourself because you already know it's in there.

I like pretty much all fruits and a lot of vegetables, but have never liked seafood. Knowing that it's "good for me," though, I decided to start trying it more. I know can eat some kind of fish and enjoy it, and am trying to eat seafood once a week. I still wouldn't order it at a restaurant, but it's something!

Safari_Gal_

shannon2203x wrote: »

I like the basics, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and corn. I also like apples, bananas, and orange juice (but not oranges themselves). It's really hard to try and eat healthy when I avoid so many foods based on either flavor or texture. Any suggestions? Ways to trick myself into liking more stuff? Salads and steamed broccoli are getting pretty old, hahaha.

Hi! @shannon2203x

Just the fact that you are asking about more vegetables means you are (I think) open to exploring new foods. There are literally thousands of different types of veggies and fruits..

I’m guessing if you already like a few.. there are more that would suit your palate. Also — there are a ton of recipes for the veggies you already like. Soup? Stewed? Roasted? Casseroles?

I’m a produce lover, ...you may be interested in the produce thread .. lots of ideas in there. I try new vegetables all the time and there are still ones I’ve never heard of.

🥦If you like cruciferous veggies - you may like Romanescu, broccolini, Chinese broccoli, Kai Lan, broccoli rabe, kohlrabi.

🥕If you like carrots, you may like other root veggies like rutabega and parsnips... have you had a Kuroda carrot? They are the sweetest variety and they taste like dessert! Awesome for cake or sweet treats.

🌽You mentioned corn .. did you know there are at least 8 different types of corn grown in the Midwest? Ditto for cauliflower .. at least a dozen different varieties .. have you tried Fioretto? It’s a nutty tasting cauliflower. Sicilian violet? Gorgeous and sweeter than its mass produced cousin.

🍎Apples - over 100+ varieties in the USA alone. All different flavors. (over 7500 varieties worldwide... ) if your local supermarket just relies on gala or red delicious .. check out a Asian supermarket or order on the internet for something off the beaten path .. ever had a Star Apple? Tastes like custard. Pink pearl? Arkansas Black? All apples .. different tastes but similar texture.

Omg - bananas 🍌 - Try plaintains, red bananas, Pisang Raja, blue Java banana ( tastes like vanilla ice cream.)

Even if you just go for a different variety of what you already like ... it’s a huge world of fruit and veggie paradise.

Bon appetit! Hope you find more you enjoy!


Ps- Not sure where you are located - in season i can typically find these in NYC. Just different varieties of what you mentioned with an incredible and slightly different taste.

Pink pearl -


Different banana varieties including Blue Java Banana and pink Himalayan.

callsitlikeiseeit

why do you think you have to eat foods you dont like? I refuse to eat foods I dont like. I'm 43 years old and I alone control what goes in my mouth.

I hate broccoli and kale. Therefore, i don't touch it.

Weight loss itself comes from how many calories you eat. Whether its broccoli or taco bell.

If you want to work on having a more varied diet, and nutritionally balanced diet, work within your likes and dislikes.

And I am with niner. I'm not touching liver either. LOL

lemurcat2

shannon2203x wrote: »

I like the basics, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and corn. I also like apples, bananas, and orange juice (but not oranges themselves). It's really hard to try and eat healthy when I avoid so many foods based on either flavor or texture. Any suggestions? Ways to trick myself into liking more stuff? Salads and steamed broccoli are getting pretty old, hahaha.

I consider corn a grain rather than a veg, but that aside this isn't really a bad start, especially since (as others have said) you can cook the ones you like in various different ways, and since you add salads (so lettuce, spinach, other uncooked greens?) as something else you eat.

Have you tried a lot of veg? Cooked different ways? Uncooked?

Here's a site with lots of ideas for lots of different veg: 101cookbooks.com. You can search by vegetable (or other food items). I also really like some vegetable cookbooks, like Greene on Greens and Barbara Kafka's Vegetable Love and most farm-themed books (they tend to be seasonal too). Many are available at libraries. I'd recommend just buying a new (or formerly unappealing) veg when you buy your groceries and then just looking for a recipe using it or cooking ideas that seem worth trying. I often just put an ingredient (say, turnips) and recipe into youtube and see what ideas come up when I am looking for inspiration.

Same comments for fruit -- if you like orange juice, what about mandarins or clementines or the like? If apples, pears? What about berries of all sorts? Cherries? Peaches and apricots? Plums? That said, I tend to eat a lot less frit this time of year (when it is out of season), since I mainly love local in-season fruit and can't not buy way too much of it if I go to the green market.

MostlyWater

soup? raw? cooked? try different things

goal06082021

+1 all of the advice in this thread, especially about trying similar things to stuff you know you like and preparing things in different ways. All the veg I thought I didn't like, I'd only ever had from a can until I was an adult. Fresh or frozen vegetables, prepared in a way besides "heat on stovetop until palatable"? Totally different ballgame.