Picky eater!

clearly_ninja

Hi there,

Been on the site for 2 weeks now and really enjoying it however I am getting slightly bored of eating the same 4 meals over and over.

I'm very new to healthy, low calorie eating so to get under my calorie count i've mostly been cutting my portion sizes.

However i'd like to try some new and interesting recipes that fill me up aswell The problem is i'm a massively fussy eater and don't eat any vegetables, salad, nuts, limited amounts of fruit, etc.

Pretty much all the recipes I see contain masses of these things and I simply don't enjoy the taste.

So if you have any suggestions i'd be really grateful!

Heather75

What do you like to eat?

clearly_ninja

Pasta, potatoes, bread - All the bad carbs

Meat in pretty much any form.

Baked beans.

These are my main food groups I guess.

I just never got into vegetables or salad and I wish I liked them as it would make this weightloss a whole lot easier, especially when eating out.

xtina11179

I'm very interested to see what responses you get from this. I am trying to lose weight (obviously why I'm here, lol) but I am also trying to change some of my boyfriend's habits. He also needs to lose weight, but has the same issues as you. The only vegetable I can get him to eat is corn. He is a meat and potatoes kind of guy. It is really difficult for me to eat well when she just wants to eat crap. I'm not saying that YOU eat crap, but with him not eating any fruits or veggies, it's difficult to eat the same meals. He'd eat Hamburger Helper or the like every night of the week if I would let him.

So as I mentioned, I am looking forward to the responses from those who are (or have) picky eaters.

jwb330

I am in the same boat as you. I am a very picky eater. No fruits or veggies. So I have to make adjustments where I can and slowly work myself into trying new foods. One thing that I have done is cut out (as much as possible) red meat. I eat chicken or turkey. I also control my portion sizes and eat only what I really need. Pasta is another weakness of mine but I switched to whole grain pasta. Not sure how much that is helping but the way I look at it is every little bit helps.

Thank you for posting it made me feel a little better knowing I am not the only one that is struggling with the diet part of the this. I am also interested in any additional information or guidance from this tread.

clearly_ninja

Yeah I find it quite embarrassing actually, as I still technically eat kids food and never graduated past seeing vegetables as gross.

I'm sure that there are nice veggies out there but unless they were cooked for me in a certain way with flavourings etc to convince me then I won't even consider eating them.

I've not eaten pasta since joining this site, mainly because I haven't bought scales yet to measure my portions, and also because i'm on the lookout for some rice/noodle based pasta I heard mentioned in the hope it is less calorie heavy.

And i've pretty much stuck to eating chicken and pork, but i'm a sucker for the skin on chicken so have had to buy a load of chicken breast which is fairly expensive on a student budget!

But yeah it does suck so i'm glad that you guys have posted aswell to help me realise i'm not alone in this, I keep trawling the recipe sites but haven't yet found anything I would consider exciting or different, except the turkey burgers a few pages back.

And my boyfriend is completely the same in eating complete crap but he never puts on a pound and it is especially annoying trying to make my way through a yoghurt when he's sat there with a sausage sandwich!

eellis2000

i know where your coming from. I have been a picky eater for 30 some yrs. but i have been slowing trying new things and things that i wouln't eat before. some things are okay and some not so ok. i have come to love salad as long as it has some form of italian dressing and some meat even if its turkey or chicken. also vegetable soup masks the taste of a lot of vegetables. i like rice with beans or chicken and maybe some steamed (soft) veggies ie: carrots, peas, green beans, add a little and i do mean little soy sauce and its perfect. also for noodles with some soy sauce doesn't even need meat. i know you don't have a scale but maybe measure with a coffee cup after being cooked. also tuna with miracle whip is good and cheap. lol good luck.

FILLE

Have any of you been introduced to spagetti squash, once cooked you add any sauce you want like spagetti sauce... very low in cals... does not have a strong taste?
Another veggies that has become interesting is cooked cauliflower. Once cooked ...you mash it like potatoes and butter to taste and spice it up with your favorite spice... the texture is similar to potatoes however much less cals and stratch.

good luck and have fun experimenting!

clearly_ninja

Thanks so much for the suggestions, these are things I was hoping to get out of this topic!

The cauliflower idea sounds amazing as I do love mashed potatoes and cauliflower is edible if I am forced into in (Sunday dinner at parents) so mashed with butter and some spices/ flavourings sounds like it could be really interesting.

I like the cup idea aswell for measuring, they always say a handful of pasta but I always grab more and I do intend to start trying tuna, the only fish I eat currently is white fish in batter. And not a fan of salmon.

I could try salad with dressing I guess but everytime I try i'm just overly aware that what i'm eating tastes like leaves, and will just pick out the bits of meat instead. And I am going to try and eat more noodles as a pasta alternative, however i wouldn't even know where to begin as I overly associate noodles with chinese food, which I don't eat as they hide vegetables in everything!

I am a nutrionists nightmare!

LucieBear

Do any of you like Salsa Sauce, that is what I use on my pasta, or add it to my meat and it is vegetables... and it give additional taste without too much calories.. just an idea... Good Luck.

nuimproved

I have to ask but when was the last time you tried fruit and veggies? I was a hopeless picky eater when I was younger and only learned to like many vegetables after I went to university. It's been a few years since then but I definitely eat way more fruits and veggies now. If you aren't sure about trying them on their own try adding them into things you do like such as pasta sauce. You could even look into the cookbook Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld--it has recipes that hide the veggies in them. Worth checking it out! Good luck

clearly_ninja

I have started eating fruit slowly, limited to apples, grapes and pineapples for now but vegetables are another mental block altogether.

I guess I was forced into eating them when I was younger and as soon as I could cook for myself I did and never made them. I also eat really wierd like I don't like my foods to be mixed. I have to eat each mouthful seperately, for example I could never have a piece of chicken on the same fork as some mashed potato it wierds me out beyond belief to mix different textures.

Its the same reason why I can't stand bits in my food, like fruit chunks in yoghurt or pasta sauce. I always leave them to the side or try my best to find smooth ranges. I guess what I really need is a good blender! If its hidden i'd probably be fine with it

clearly_ninja

Just googled that book and it looks like its exactly what I need. Thank you!

DisneyAddictRW

I'm in a similar situation. I struggle to find things to make. I'm a terrible cook but wiling to try to figure out how to do this. I grew up watching things come from boxes or a freezer bag and LOTS of meat. I hate meat! I'll eat a good cheeseburger once in awhile otherwise no meat! I like corn and peas otherwise I hate veggies. I love fruit....apples, bananas, and oranges. I'm confused trying to figure out what to eat. I read in magazines turkey sandwiches are good and then the next one says no it's too high in sodium. I wish this came with a book for dummies how to lose weight! What do you eat for dinner? Any examples? I tend to have a lot of spaghetti (whole wheat), sandwiches, eggs, etc... I do the same thing at lunch. I find a meal that I like and I keep repeating it until I can't stand it anymore.

nuimproved

No worries. A blender could be your best friend. One of the veggies I still don't really enjoy is cauliflower but some people on this site have posted a recipe for pizza crust made from cauliflower and cheese--I must admit I am intrigued! Good luck with trying out some new foods!

chrismgagnon

OK ninja, if you are a friend of breakfast let me add a couple of suggestions:

1. French Toast made with D'Italiano Light Italian bread and Egg Substitute
2. Pancakes
3. Turkey Sausage
4. Sugar Free Syrup (Carey's is my favorite)
5. Spray Butter

Either the French Toast or the Pancakes even with a couple pieces of Turkey Sausage make a low calorie dinner. Add a serving of fruit (sliced bananas, melon, pineapple) and you up the vitamins.

clearly_ninja

I love breakfast! Have swapped my usual fry ups for cereal with skimmed milk, or jam on toast (seedless obv) so its nice to have some fresh suggestions for when I start to get bored of these.

For lunch I usually alternate between salt and pepper chicken breast with salt and rosemary potatoes, a cheese sandwich, or a chicken and mushroom pot noodle (and yes I do pick out the sweetcorn and mushrooms) . Obviously the pot noodle is a bad choice but its so quick and simple and 377 calories but I usually have a lighter dinner if I have one for lunch.

chrismgagnon

Ninja, I have a pretty good recipe for pasta with zuchini, tomatoes, and mushrooms. It comes in pretty reasonably, I think around 400 calories, it is tasty if you like Italian. Of course you will have to have the zuchini and mushrooms :-)

clearly_ninja

From what i've read so far turkey alternatives seem to be the way to go aswell as buying a blender.

I'm sure a turkey sausage sandwich could be my guilty pleasure once in a while as I almost died the other day when I saw how many calories were my usual frozen pork sausages, not to mention the grams of fat.

clearly_ninja

Hi chris! I do very much adore itallian, but mainly limit myself to spaghetti and meatballs with a smooth tomato sauce or my mums homemade lasagne modified to include no veg. I am interested in your recipe however I guess I would have to blend the mushrooms and zucchini (which i've never even heard of by the way!)

navygirl54

wow I thought I was the only one who does not eat vegetables. I will eat most fruit but vegies no way. I love finding that I am not alone and there are great ideas. Ya'll have inspired me. We can do this together.

chrismgagnon

You know you can make a pretty low calorie breakfast sandwich with a sandwich thin, egg substitute, canadian bacon, and a 2% cheese single. comes in at about 250 calories. Not too bad and very tasty.

dave4d

I used to hate veggies. When I decided to try to get healthier, I decided to eat them anyway. They are growing on me, but I do usually like to mix them in with my other foods, like stirfry, fajitas, pizza, salads... I also found out I could blend spinnach in protein smoothies, and it doesn't change the flavor at all, It just turns them green. I add mint extract, and make it taste like mint icecream.

chrismgagnon

Spicy Italian Zuchini and Pasta

1.5 cups zuchini cut into half moons (small zuchinis work the best)
1 small white onion (diced)
1 cup canned diced tomatoes (drained)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic finely minced.
2 tsp Olive Oil
8 oz. Spaghetti (or favorite pasta)
1 tsp Dried Basil
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Dried Parsley
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
2 tsp Splenda
Salt and Pepper to taste
Water for Boiling Pasta

I would not blend the veggies, I think you would be better off dicing them small and relying on the other strong flavors to hide the veggie taste. Zuchini is pretty mild in flavor so the other flavors help mask them.

In a large pot bring at least 2 quarts of water and 2 tsp of salt to a boil. Once a rolling boil is reached add the pasta to cook until "Al Dente." At the same time, preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil and onions. Cook the onions until they begin to soften then add in the Zuchini. Once Zuchini begins to soften, add the mushrooms and garlic. Stir the veggies frequently so they cook evenly and don't brown too quickly. Add in the diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, parsley, red pepper, splenda, and stir well. At this point you may want to add in a bit of the pasta water to reach the consistency of sauce that you want. When the pasta is done, drain it well and add it to the skillet. Stir the skillet carefully, and turn off heat. taste the sauce and add salt and pepper to your taste.

This makes 4 large servings that actually come in just under 270 calories each.

clearly_ninja

Thankd for the recipe, i'll be sure to try some modified kind of version of it, I really don't think I can go straight into eating them as they are, the texture is the worst for me especially mushrooms and tomoto.

But it sounds good so I will keep at it, I do really want to start making my own pasta sauces as the shop bought ones have so much hidden sugar, so this gives me a starting point!

And thanks for the tip on the breakfast sandwich, I don't eat eggs though so many I could have extra bacon?!

nuimproved

Hey there, you've probably heard of zucchini--but you probably know it as a cougette You mentioned pot noodles and that made me think of mug shots! Not that great for you but delish! I lived in the UK for about a year and totally miss it! Start slow and add some veggies into stuff you know you like--if you hide them well you might be able to forget that they are there.

afteil

Do you like beans cooked other ways besides baked? You can always make a turkey chili- its a good way to "hide" some veggies if you arent that fond of the taste of them, since you can add peppers, corn, tomatoes etc to it and still have it be very low calorie. Beans are amazing- you can use them to make pretty much anything. If you want to lower the calories and put more veggies in, try making a black or garbanzo bean burger. For black bean burgers you can make a more southwest flavor by adding the corn, a small amount of chilis, or whatever you want to it. That way you are still getting the protein without the high fat of red meats.

Also, I would reccomend trying pretty much any of the winter squashes (my favorite is acorn squash). You can bake it with a little brown sugar and it ends up having the texture of mashed potatoes with a sweet flavor

One of the other ways that i like to "hide" the veggies is by using eggs- you can make a fritatta or quiche with different types of veggies (personally im a fan of spinach/mushroom/tomato)- just cut them very finely and top with a lower fat cheese so that you dont get a super strong flavor from the veggies.

You can also make different soups- like making a chicken noodle soup (that generally has onion, celery, carrot in it) and use a whole wheat pasta or quinoa instead of your regular pasta noodles.

Last suggestion (until i think of more things to say)- one of my favorite ways to get my husband to eat more veggies is to make wontons with them. You can mix a low fat cream cheese, chicken, frozen spinach, onion, or pretty much any other vegetable that you want to try to add, then using a muffin pan, put 1 wonton wrapper in each one and then fill with a spoonfull of the creamcheese mix- then just bake it up. 2 wontons would be about 1 serving, and you dont have the calories from frying it, but you still get a delish creamy chicken with the crunchy outside and veggies packed inside.

Check out the moosewood restaurant cookbooks- they have so many great recipes that are mostly vegetarian (but of course you can add meat to them if you want to)

vivi1962

I'm a picky eater myself, but I have found some things that I really like.

Egg whites with spinach, peppers, onions (all chopped), and a little sea salt. It doesn't sound great, but it tastes awesome.. I use Pam to cook instead of butter

Arnold's double protein bread with turkey, 1 slice of cheese and mustard (sometimes with lettuce and tomato).

I eat a salad every day, but I mix it up. I add different things each day, such as, beans (Goya canned--rinse them first), vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, fresh spinach, zucchini, yellow squash, tomato, chicken cubed and cooked in Pam with onion and garlic powder, london broil seasoned, tuna fish (with mayo), etc. I find it fills me up and I really enjoy the salad. I also switch dressing daily so I have a variety.

I hope this helps.

clearly_ninja

Some really good suggestions guys, writing down some of the more appealling ones, mainly where veggies are hidden / cut very fine.

I'd like more beans in my diet but I only eat baked beans so that I have the sauce to dip my chips in, I don't actually like the beans, the texture when I chew them freaks me out so I swallow mouthfuls whole. I think I might have a slight food phobia with some vegetables so by blending them and chopping them fine to make a better texture i'm gonna try and work through it!