Help! I need sneaky ways to get my veggies.

crunchybubblez

Use a food processor. Hide veggies in Mac n cheese
(add a bit of sour cream to hide the taste).
Cut up kale, spinach and other greens to small pieces that look like basil or oregano an add to any Italian dishes,
like spaghetti sauce.
Add veggies to Refried beans when making burritos...

CarbAvor

I keep Revolution organic fruit and veggie Mashups on hand for when I need to add a serving or when my blood sugar drops after a heavy work out. Red is my favorite. I order them online from Amazon and have them shipped monthly through subscribe and save, which saves like 15% off the price making them more than resonable for a snack I can keep stable in my car, purse, pantry, diaper bag... you get it! lol They are better chilled for my liking but no one else in my house cares what temp they are! lol Add a cheese stick and you have a very fulfilling snack that'll keep you going for at 2 hours AND... You'll NEVER know you ate a veggie! lol ALSO add pureed ANYTHING to almost anything! I like adding cauliflower and/or broccoli to my scrabbled eggs with sauted onions, or zucchini to tomato sauces and soups. I don't eat bell pepper AT ALL but my dad added BABY bell peppers to a smoothie he made me 1 morning over this last holiday visit and I couldn't tell it was in there AT ALL! lol I was shocked! I was terrified to taste it, afraid I wouldn't be able to swollow, but I really did! "Baby" or "young" versions of the same veggies really mellows out the flavor!

CarbAvor

LOL ... How is this constructive. That's like saying for every concern someone brings up ... "Oh you have problems? THE WORLD HAS PROBLEMS MAN!! "

The guy has a legit question. Making him feel guilty for asking isn't going to help anyone. and it will probably prevent him or someone else from asking a similar question in the future.

And Yes People are LITERALLY Dying for food, so what? People are literally dying from cancer, 2nd hand smoking, diabetes, car crashes, pianos falling.

Perhaps his concern is with himself and not a bunch of people he doesn't know somewhere else that he can't help at the moment.

I agree 100%. Suggesting someone to go ahead and eat doggy poop is NOT constructive. Constructive would be what everyone else is suggesting. The OP was asking for honest help and was totally honest with his hatred of vegetables. Nobody is perfect and it is a cruddy thing to come along and basically tell someone, "Shut up and eat your vegetables." Sheesh.

THANK YOU! This is NO place to be belittling someones trials with food of all things! I like veggies but FORGET to eat them! I HATE water! HATE IT! I would rather thirst... TO DEATH... than drink it! I litterally ended up in a hospital for 3 months once because of that. I still don't want to drink it so I disguise it by turning it into lemonaid or whatever. I think he was very clever to turn to MFP for ideas. There are so many wonderful success stories to be had, I want to know the secrets too! I hope the negitivity he recieved did not put him off at all. We're all here for support, not to be judged.

Sophiepoo

My partner doesn't anjoy veg either, but I put Broccoli and spinach in curries. Lots of spice and other flavours mmm

And yes to the bubble and squeak! Masha 'tato and Veg

Bankman1989

I've finally worked up to eating three different pieces of fruit a day but I have a problem with veggies.

Actually it's more than a problem... I can't freakin, stand them. Never have. I think I was possibly birthed with a genetic aversion to them. :-)

Lettuce I can stomach... if it's on a sandwich covered in enough other things to mask that it's there.

Tomatoes - fuhggedaboutit - except in some kind of processed juice form in a curry or chilli recipe.

All coliforms (broccoli, cabbage etc.) - utter spawn of satan. Would honestly rather eat doggy poop.

Vegetable fusion type drinks - bleurghhhhhhhh!

I could go on but you get the jist...

but I am very aware that by not eating enough veggies I am not only stopping myself from reaching optimum health, but quite possibly putting myself at risk for all manner of cancers and other health conditions.

I need someone to school me in secret ways to add veggies to my daily foods. Or, and this is a long shot, to actually give me veggie recipes that I will like.

Please help! :-)

Here's a great idea..come to the realization that they will help you get off the weight you truly NEED to lose. You're not a baby bro it's time for you to start eating healthier. There's not a method to the madness. ALL OF US would rather eat cake or pie than squash or broccoli..

It's time for you to taqke control of the wheel. There's no trick..if so it wont last.

TIE IT TO YOUR HEALTH. As in hey if I continue to destroy my body I WILL DIE. Eating veggies will help me live longer.

SueGremlin

All coliforms (broccoli, cabbage etc.) - utter spawn of satan. Would honestly rather eat doggy poop.

I love vegetables but I would rather eat dog poop than coliforms myself. I am guessing that you meant something else? Coliforms are intestinal bacteria. Some of them ain't so good for you! Do you mean brassicas perhaps?

SueGremlin

Ok, now to actually be helpful instead of geeky.

Throw a bunch of different veggies in a stock pot. Celery, carrots, butternut squash, peas, green beans, zucchini, broccoli, cabbage, onions, greens, whatever. The more variety, the better. Add bouillion (about 1 cube per 4 cups of liquid) to taste and simmer until veggies are tender. Use a stick blender to blend the whole thing smooth. If you don't have a stick blender, pour it carefully into a regular blender, cover and put a dish towel over the top (because it's hot) and blend until smooth. Add red beans if you want some body or texture. Other things you can try adding are milk, sour cream, plain yogurt, lentils, or whatever suits your fancy.
It's now a yummy soup base or sauce and is full of veggies.

Bhan133

Any dish calls for mince meat (beef, lamb or turkey if you want to be extra healthy) such as spag bol, chilli or even Shepard/cottage pie are great for hiding veggies in. Just grate them and put them into the pan after the meat has been browned. Mushrooms, carrots and zucchini work brilliantly

If there is something about the texture of tomatoes that you don't like try using Passata instead of a can of tomatoes. Its basically Gazpacho, tomatoes have been sieved and all the juice etc but none of the lumps or seeds

Lindy901

Roasting veggies in the oven are supposed to be delicious. I just read up on that and I'm going to try it. It kind of carmelizes them on the outside and keeping them crisp. Learning the correct way to prepare different vegetables is the key also.

My MIL taught me when she got after me for not eating many vegetables. She said you may not like them but you need to show your children the healthier way to eat which she was so right. I started eating more vegetables. I still don't care for a lot of them but I will eat them and I think you learn to somewhat like them after you get past that mindset which you seem to have a mindset about veggies.

Good luck with that. Learning to coexist with veggies will be the key to weight loss <--- Wow how profound.

BTW I wish I could "like" posts because there were several replies to this thread that I would have liked several.

stylistchik

They have a whole cookbook on this, it's made for kids but it would work for anyone who wouldn't want to eat veggies. I think it's called Deceptively Delicious, basically you just puree veggies and add them to things you already eat. Match colors so you notice them less.

Captain_Tightpants

Sincerely thank you to everyone with the helpful tips. Today I'm going to start experimenting with different prep methods to see if I can finally crack this annoyingly strong aversion. The sneaky chef and naked juicer also look intriguing.

(No worries about those who weren't constructive... that's what ignore lists are for, and I use them well. Water off a ducks back. :-)

elliott82

My favorite way to get more veggies to the grill them with meat. Try bell peppers (not the green ones...I still can't get into those) and onions, maybe some zucchini. Then eat one piece with every bite of chicken or steak. You get a nice crunch and a bit of the flavor, but honestly I don't get an overwhelming veggie feeling. I agree with stir frys and the wok (I ate a ton of cabbage my friend made in a wok the other day). Also, Green Giant makes individual servings of veggies with sauce that are good and low calories. (I like the brocooli and cheese!) Also, try asparagus broiled in the oven with olive oil and garlic. The garlic is so good you forget you're eating a vegetable. Like everyone else said, experiment and find things that you can stomach. I bet you'll surprise yourself.

KateRunsColorado

V8 Fusion Light!

Captain_Tightpants

I love vegetables but I would rather eat dog poop than coliforms myself. I am guessing that you meant something else? Coliforms are intestinal bacteria. Some of them ain't so good for you! Do you mean brassicas perhaps?

Haha, my bad... I meant Cruciferous. heaven knows where coliforms came from (watching too much mythbusters maybe) :laugh:

cjpg

All coliforms (broccoli, cabbage etc.) - utter spawn of satan. Would honestly rather eat doggy poop.

Actually, I do have two pieces of constructive advice:
1) There are people in poorer countries that ARE literally DYING for food like the ones you're complaining about. Get some perspective of the overall picture.
2) If you would honestly rather eat 'doggy poop' instead of coliforms, I suggest you go ahead and do so. It will serve to positively reinforce the difference between the two and my guess would be you will come out LOVING coliforms.

LOL ... How is this constructive. That's like saying for every concern someone brings up ... "Oh you have problems? THE WORLD HAS PROBLEMS MAN!! "

The guy has a legit question. Making him feel guilty for asking isn't going to help anyone. and it will probably prevent him or someone else from asking a similar question in the future.

And Yes People are LITERALLY Dying for food, so what? People are literally dying from cancer, 2nd hand smoking, diabetes, car crashes, pianos falling.

Perhaps his concern is with himself and not a bunch of people he doesn't know somewhere else that he can't help at the moment.

Not trying to make anyone feel guilty. It's very constructive to give someone an ultimatum that will give them a beneficial outcome. It promotes a better understanding. 'Eat crap' or 'eat proper food'.

What exactly is wrong with saying "Oh you have problems? THE WORLD HAS PROBLEMS MAN!!". It helps to motivate CONSTRUCTIVELY when you think about those who are disadvantaged. How is that a bad thing?

I don't feel the need to pander those that want to complain about eating healthy foods.

NicNac86

Not trying to make anyone feel guilty. It's very constructive to give someone an ultimatum that will give them a beneficial outcome. It promotes a better understanding. 'Eat crap' or 'eat proper food'.

What exactly is wrong with saying "Oh you have problems? THE WORLD HAS PROBLEMS MAN!!". It helps to motivate CONSTRUCTIVELY when you think about those who are disadvantaged. How is that a bad thing?

I don't feel the need to pander those that want to complain about eating healthy foods.

This is a My Fitness Pal forum.

People wouldn't have joined MFP/be posting in the forum if they didn't have some kind of 'problem' with food, one way or another.

What's the point in having a go like that? Some people may already be at their goal, some may be nearly there, and a lot of other people are still on their way. You may be 'in the zone', that doesn't mean everyone else is 'there' yet.

It was a request for help, which thankfully some nice people have been good enough to give.

lacroyx

I need someone to school me in secret ways to add veggies to my daily foods.
Please help! :-)

hire a ninja to feed you veggies.

ok seriously, I too hated veggies. experiment. I hated tomatoes then I found it that it was cooked tomatoes I hated. the soggy texture put me off. if it's fresh, then I don't mind them. juicing is another great way to work them in. mix it up with some fruit and drink it down!

Bubdog1

If you normally like Italian pasta/cheese dishes, try this one. You'll never know you're eating cauliflower!


Cauliflower-Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Serves: 8
Total Time: 1 hr
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 45 min

Ingredients
24 jumbo pasta shells1 tablespoon(s) extra virgin olive oil
22 ounce(s) fat-free ricotta
1 bag(s) frozen cauliflower, Cook cauliflower in microwave for 10 minutes, then mash to consistency of mashed potatoes
2 1/2 ounce(s) pecorino Romano, grated (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
1 large egg white
2 clove(s) garlic, minced
1 cup(s) fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon(s) finely chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon(s) salt
1 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
1 jar(s) store-bought tomato sauce

---

Directions

1.Cook pasta shells according to package instructions; drain. Transfer to a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Set aside and let cool.
2.Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, mashed cauliflower, 3/4 cup pecorino Romano, and remaining ingredients, except tomato sauce.
3.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread sauce in bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with about 3 tablespoons ricotta-cauliflower mixture and arrange in pan. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
4.Remove foil, sprinkle shells with remaining pecorino, and bake for 15 minutes more. (If desired, stuff shells the night before and refrigerate overnight in an airtight container, in between layers of plastic wrap; arrange shells on sauce right before baking.)

engineman312

toss asparagus with some salt, pepper, and garlic (i like garlic through a garlic press) and throw in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes or so.

i also like asparagus chopped up in my rice or quinoa. just chop them up and throw them in after that ^ with the quinoa. with rice, just put them in when you put in the rice.

TNFirefly

Now, this is a post I can get behind! I am also an avowed veggie-hater, but I am really working on changing my tastes. I recently ate an entire plate of a california blend veggie mix (cauliflower, carrots, broccoli) with spaghetti sauce and parmesan on top. I didn't walk away saying, wow, what a great pasta dish, but it was passable.

I do better with raws so I spend time every day slicing a tray of raw fruits and veggies for my kids and I to snack on. When they are just left on the table after school, I am always surprised to find that they disappear. I do not provide a dip but I am considering trying hummus (just sounds gross, but I am determined to try it soon).

Fat free refried beans can be mixed in spaghetti sauce without being noticed much, and the fiber is still intact with pureed beans, so you don't lose all the value by mashing them like you do in some other foods. Also, using the shredded squashes (zucchini, pumpkin, etc) in baking sounds like a good way to go - adds moisture to the product without fat and you can use it instead of at least half of the oil or fat the recipe calls for. I add a cup or so to a muffin batter and remove all the fat the recipe calls for.