Help please! :)

Making_Mae

My boyfriend struggles to eat healthily; he's been brought up to eat meat based meals and junk food, which obviously isn't his fault. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions or meal ideas that I can make for him that'll tempt him to pay more attention to vegetables etc? I really don't need people telling me he needs to grow up of anything, that's not going to help. I've already had a lot of people on here telling me that, and frankly I just need support,
He's good at trying new foods, but he doesn't necessarily like many flavours. He can't stand spice (but neither can I!) and at the moment all he eats is meat, bagels, pasta and tomato ketchup.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated

mschicagocubs

Get whole wheat pasta for a little healthier alternative.

Sneak veggies in his pasta! Baby spinach in pasta is hardly noticeable, small onions, shredded cauliflower or broccoli...etc.

You can use a food processor or a blender to make veggies really small so he can hardly notice them!

LolBroScience

Well.... nothing wrong with meat. It sounds, like you're wanting a picky eater to incorporate more veggies into his diet though? I suppose you could couple foods together to kind of mask the appeal of the vegetables?

For Instance:

Stir Fry, Omelette, Lasagna etc. but work veggies into the recipe. This way you can increase veggies, but they shouldn't be too overpowering flavor wise.

loriq41

A favorite and my boys dont like veggies.....any vegetable you like (I like green beans and asparagus)...mix with two tbsp of olive oil, garlic, two tablespoons of parm cheese, put in a baking sheet in a single layer..put two more tablespoons of parm cheese on top..bake at 350 for between 20-30 minutes depending on if you like the veggies harder or softer...

Lizzy622

Stews are also a good option since the meat flavor goes through the vegetables.

AbsolutelyAnnie

I find that I can slip in veggies into almost any tomato pasta sauce, especially shredded (or grated) and if allowed to simmer for a while. I do this with carrots and zucchini and it is very tasty but not at all overwhelming.

I am happy to hear he is willing to try new things. That will make things easier. Encourage him to really, really be willing to taste different things. And he may have to try it a few times and prepared a few different ways before he knows he isn't just rejecting it because it is a different taste. God help me, I had no idea how good asparagus really is until I had a bite as an adult. All through my childhood it had only been put on my plate as slimy green mush. I could not for the life of me understand why anyone would willingly put it in their mouths. Now it is an absolute favorite, lightly steamed, a little butter, a little lemon and the slightest hint of nutmeg. (So having this for dinner tomorrow!)

Mindset is everything and knowing he has you as a good support will help him feel safe. But he will have to stretch some. Make a plan with him to decide on a couple of different things to try each week. Make much, much smaller portions of the things he knows he likes to eat and serve the new thing on the side. Try a simple cereal (I don't know how you people eat Wheatabix, but he may like it, haha!) and a fruited yogurt for breakfast. If he tosses it, one bagel will suffice 'til lunch. Lunch can look like a lean ham or turkey sandwich. Thomases actually makes super thin bagels that would make a fine sandwich. Don't know if you have those. Have him help to make a small salad and use a yummy dressing that you have taste tested separately.

It's going to be as much about strategy and partnership and mutual encouragement as it is about specific foods for him to try. He is going to be okay and I believe he can do this. Slowly, patiently, willingly.

jennp9

WIll he do a plain salad? Some picky guys will eat lettuce with a yummy fattening salad dressing smothering it with bacon bits and croutons. He may not like tomatoes on it but anything is better than nothing. Try smothering a steamer bag of Green Giant Corn or Peas in butter. He may find one veggie he likes... My boyfriend will eat peas and corn and salad... meaning lettuce with dressing, that's it. He also will now eat cucumbers but no broccoli, green beans, asparagus or anything else. I just started him off by drowning it in salt and butter then slowly adding less. I treated him like my daughter and just put it on his plate and made him try it. He too is a meat and potato guy.

I also buy the Barilla Plus pasta now instead of the complete whole wheat, which he & my daughter hated. It was a family compromise.
Good luck!