Can you help a picky eater?

sbfreak17

Hi everyone. I'm relatively new to the site & I'm really trying to get some ideas for healthy lunches/dinners/snacks but the problem is...I'm a picky eater. I dont eat most veggies which makes it really hard. Does anyone else have this problem? I've tried & tried to add different things into my meals but I'm having a hard time finding foods I'll eat. I'm willing to try pretty much anything so any suggestions will be of help. Thanks a bunch!

bohoatthebeach

bump for my sister, ahaha

mrmanmeat

Hi everyone. I'm relatively new to the site & I'm really trying to get some ideas for healthy lunches/dinners/snacks but the problem is...I'm a picky eater. I dont eat most veggies which makes it really hard. Does anyone else have this problem? I've tried & tried to add different things into my meals but I'm having a hard time finding foods I'll eat. I'm willing to try pretty much anything so any suggestions will be of help. Thanks a bunch!

Quit being picky.

Problem(s) solved.

allison_42

I'm really picky also, I don't eat ANY vegetables. I still eat what I usually do, just in moderation.

juliep1974

You can learn to like things so you may want to try some vegetables that you haven't had in awhile - you may be pleasantly surprised. I taught myself to like cottage cheese by trying it a couple of times a year and adding various things (fruit, savory). If that won't work, you can hide vegetables in things (sauce, meatloaf, etc). There are a couple of cookbooks that are made for parents trying to get their kids to eat veggies - they could work for you too - the sneaky chef is one. Good luck!

kbmnurse

It time to grow up and try some new foods. What are you 5 years old?

msteaplease

Try making a list of the foods that you WILL eat.

Find recipes and/or ideas for those foods. Try to find at least 10-15 things that you can make on rotation and add to it over time. It may help to break it up by breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

If you eat out and find things you like - write it down and try to find a way to lighten it up.

jaxdiablo

Hi everyone. I'm relatively new to the site & I'm really trying to get some ideas for healthy lunches/dinners/snacks but the problem is...I'm a picky eater. I dont eat most veggies which makes it really hard. Does anyone else have this problem? I've tried & tried to add different things into my meals but I'm having a hard time finding foods I'll eat. I'm willing to try pretty much anything so any suggestions will be of help. Thanks a bunch!

Quit being picky.

Problem(s) solved.

I've gotta agree with Eric. If you decide you want to get in shape you need to make some concessions to your eating habits. I hated yogurt before this, refused to eat certain leafy greens, stuff like that. I eat yogurt most mornings for breakfast, I eat spinach salads, and enough broccoli a week to choke a buffalo.

What's more important to you... eating things you like, or being healthy? Unfortunately they don't always go hand in hand with each other.

If you want to do things like you would with a child who was a picky eater, you find ways to "hide" the food. Such as making lasagna /w spinach in it, or smoothies with greens blended in... sorry I don't have better suggestions. I realized I just needed to adult up and eat the things that were good for me.

yesthistime

Fruit?

castaliavt

What do you like to eat? That's a good starting place.

Why do you think you don't like veggies? I used to think I hated veggies, but then I started having them when they were prepared better than what I was used to. When I was growing up, my mom would stick a frozen birds eye mixed veggie (usually corn, peas and carrots) into the microwave and then serve it to us plain. No salt or pepper, nothing. Gross.

I've learned to cook veggies with more flavor and use other methods than microwaving.

A few ideas:

When you're having spaghetti or anything else with red sauce - put a carrot, celery, onion, cauliflower florets in the food processor and pulse them until they're pretty finely chopped. Add to the sauce. Also, you can add frozen spinach.

Use the same trick when making turkey meatloaf or meatballs. Add some very finely chopped veggies.

Roasting - we love roasted cauliflower. Cut into florets. Toss with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Sprinkle on some thyme. Roast at 425 until they're starting to turn brown on the outside. They're a little crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside. So good. My 3 year old will eat half a head of cauliflower if I cook it like this.

ladyhawkgg

I'm a very picky eater and I tried to make things with the things that I like. I do adapt quite a bit of recipes to my liking. Try to make things work with the things you like and go from there. If there is something in a recipe that you don't like then find something to replace it. If your the one making your food play with ideas. You just might come up with something great. Good luck. I have a few quick tips. Instead of mayo use whip topping. apples instead of onions. have a raw carrot salad with orange juice instead of mayo.

Emily_Katherine

Keep trying! I never used to like fish, asparagus or spinach but now I eat them all the time. I cooked them over and over until I found preparations I liked and got accustomed to the taste. I think repetition is key.

lillystargazer

Just keep trying new things! Try foods you've never thought of trying, you'll find new favorite foods. There is no sense in trying to force yourself into eating something you know for a fact you hate, though. If you do, it will make you want to give up.

castaliavt

I was thinking about this a bit and thought of something I wanted to add. In the beginning especially, it's a mind over matter thing. I don't fill my plate 1/2 way with broccoli because I prefer broccoli over lasagna (or whatever we're eating). I do it because I know I should and I know the nutrients in broccoli are what my body needs. I also didn't like most veggies when I was younger - they're an acquired taste. The human palate naturally prefers things that are sweet or salty than the slight bitterness that most veggies have.

If you decide you are going to add more veggies to your diet, you will probably have to force yourself in the beginning. Convince yourself somehow. If there's a veggie I don't care for on my plate (asparagus, lima beans, kale) I usually make myself eat it before anything else. I will eat every bit of whatever I don't like first and then finish the meal with the meatloaf or chicken and rice or whatever.

I had a similar discussion to this with my mom recently and she said something to the effect of "it's easier for you because you like vegetables, you're so lucky". I'm not lucky. And it wasn't easier for me in the beginning. I worked at it. If it's something that's important to you, you can change your palate preferences, but it'll probably be hard at first.

SunshineT83

I fully agree, Maybe you only THINK you don't like veggies because of how they're prepared. Invest in a good spice rack and make sure to USE the spices. Play with them, they don't cost you any calories

CrazyLilMonkey

I am also a fairly picky eater. I use to NEVER eat vegetables, and was very narrow minded to what I liked. There were foods that I said I didn't like but after thinking about it I really have never tried them. For example asparagus - after trying it I actually really liked it....if it is cooked right.

I have been doing my best to try new things. I have read that you should try something at least 3 times to get a good perception of it.

I still don't eat many vegies. I look for healthier ingredients for my favorite foods and meals and make sure I use good portion control.

Good Luck :-)

elastar33

I'm also a pretty picky eater when it comes to vegetables, but I agree with everyone that you have to keep trying things. I hated peppers for the longest time because I got the stomach flu right after eating stuffed peppers as a kid and they made me want to throw up. But that was so long ago that I tried them again recently and actually don't mind them. I also notice that the vegetables I don't like raw (IE onions and tomatoes) I don't mind when cooked in soup or something. The things that make you literally gag to try and eat (avocados for me) aren't really worth forcing down as long as its just a few things. Everyone has stuff they don't like, its natural. But you need to find the veggies that fall into the "I can eat this and neither enjoy it nor hate it" category and try cooking them in different ways and such so that you can learn to bump them into the enjoy category. I don't think I'll ever love vegges as much as I love pizza, but that doesn't mean that I can't have the willpower to choose the right option.

Oh, as you people who are being insulting about being a picky eater, 1) that's not really going to help, people have been rude to me about it for years and it only encouraged me more to be picky to show them that they didn't affect me with their rudeness and 2) people actually do have different levels of taste buds as well as some people having the genes to taste or not taste certain molecules found in various foods and veggies, so for some overcoming being a picky eater is a lot harder than others. And while I'm happy that I'm overcoming some of my aversions because it will make it easier to eat healthy, as long as you are getting the nutrients you need and finding food that helps you stay within a healthy diet, I don't think it really matters if you like every veggie out there.

Anyways, good luck its always a frustrating thing to deal with!

kymschoenfeld

I disagree wit the people saying that you need to just get over it and eat something even if you don't like it. However trying new things with a back up plan handy has worked for me. People see food differently, but my belief is that eating should be a chore or something you dread. I'm not a big fan of certain vegetables on their own but enjoy them in something - like a soup or pasta. Forget all the people saying to sucked it up or grow up and just find what works for you!

knittingleah

We are kindred spirits. I wish I liked certain foods. Tomatoes for instance - they are so beautiful and juicy and I've tried them over and over and I don't like them I imagine there are people who can gut it up, but I have found that you're not going to last long if you aren't enjoying the process which I believe means enjoying the things you are putting into your body. Apples are okay in my book and so I try to eat them slowly and pay attention to the flavors and remind myself that this is a positive step for health. I do not like pomegranate and I will not force myself to eat them. Give me a banana and I'll scarf it down The same holds true for me with vegetables (not my favorite) I love doing zucchini on the grill in the summer and picking green beans from the garden. Peppers aren't great for me, but when I grow them I'll slice some up for lunch with my family and eat a few slices now and then.

We picky eaters can do this!

_persephone_

Try roasting veggies...many of them are nicer by far when prepared in this way. Carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes and beetroot are some of my faves.

softwind

I used to be a very picky eater, but over time I have gotten better. One thing I made sure that I did was always at least tried everything. That's it, I didn't have to eat it, but I had to at least try it. And over time my tastes have gotten more adventurous.

dwtouch4

Instead of telling you to quit being picky let me give you some real advice.

I am picky as well. However I know that most of this is all in my head. I realize that I'm never going to be the type to sit down and eat a bowl of lettuce. However there are some things I do to ensure I get more veggies in my diet.

First I really love juicing. Juice some healthy veggies and mix them with fruit. You get a nice tasting fruit juice with the extra nutrients of the vegetables.

As for cooking I find that chopping veggies really small and mixing them into different food helps. Stir fries are good for this where I'll put peppers, tomatoes or spinach into a chopper and throw them in with meat or noodles.

Becky_Boodle

If you don't like to eat veggies...supplement them...Greens+ or V8 are good ones to try

jmvmisc24

My boyfriend is like that he only eats peas. Do you like fruit instead? Thats what he does and salad mix. I didn't like a lot of things but after eating them awhile i got used to them.

usmcmp

I'm a picky eater too and I try to fit one serving of veggies in a day. It's a start. More important I feel is reducing the amount of processed foods we eat. There is also a book called Deceptively Delicious and all the recipes are really good.

lkwalker71

I am a pretty picky eater especially with veggies and fruit but am getting better. I also have tried them different ways. Example - tomatoes, I dont' like a large slice on a sandwich but do like cherry and roma tomatoes, diced in salad or on tacos. I don't like broccoli or cauliflower cooked but do like it raw. I used to be the type that if I did not like the way it looked I would not eat it. Also your taste buds change. Things I did not like when I was younger, I like now and vice versa.

thelovelyLIZ

I pretty much force myself to try new foods. I try cooking them in different ways to see how they vary, and I've added quite a few new foods to my diet I didn't previously like. Usually I can find some way to enjoy the food, and slowly introducing them into my diet makes me more open to eating them in new ways.

For instance, I used to hate avocado. Didn't like guac, or anything related to avocados. Then one day I had one on a burger and found I really liked the contrast it provided to the burger patty and bacon. From there I experienced adding it in soups, mexican dishes, and sandwiches. I even recently conquered my dislike of guacamole. I'm doing the same thing with berries, since I can't get past the crunchy texture of the seeds. I started with frozen blueberries in smoothie, and now I enjoy blueberries on my yogurt as well. Still working on the other berries, but it's a slow process.

Sometimes your taste buds and mouth just need some time to get used to different foods.

kelfromhell

You may get used to the taste of some veggies by "hiding"them too. This is a trick many use on children......for example, I have a recipe where you grate and blend vegetables with garlic and then use them as a pasta sauce...... or look at the message boards for cauliflower crust pizza........dips and soups are great for hiding vegetables too......and cake. Zucchini cakes, I have a great chocolate cake recipe that hides this. Iv'e seen prunes in pie and all sorts of great "hidings". Message me if you want any of these recipes! Good luck.....

Rodentranger

Those of you who are saying OP needs to just get over it are being pretty rude.
I also don't eat most veggies, or most fruits. It's not because I don't want to try them. It's a sensory issue, and I only recently realized that's my problem after dealing with my kids' sensory issues. If a food smells the least bit unpleasant, I literally gag while trying to make myself try it. If the texture is "wrong", same thing. Cooked produce a sure fail. I cannot help it.

OP, I know it can be hard, but you might try to be adventurous and try new stuff in different ways. I promised myself that in 2012, I would make a lot of changes in my life to be happier. One of them is that I try at least one new food each month. Last month, I met friends for Japanese and Indian food. I ordered fairly mundane things off the menu, but they were new to me. This month, I tried cauliflower in place of rice, as suggested here. I might try it again replacing only half of the rice in enchiladas, because I wasn't a fan of the overwhelming cauliflower taste.

Anyway, sometimes it can be a little easier if you break it down to a more manageable goal than "Eat more produce." For me, it's just "Eat one new thing each month." There's less pressure, and I have roughly 30 days to find the new food. Good luck!

cassondraragan

I think you definitely need to go on a recipe search. I agree with some previous posters about "hiding" your veggies in with your meats or sauces. It can be a great way to begin to acclimatize your taste buds to new flavors. I really never liked cauliflower for the longest time. But I just recently found a roasting recipe that is great. Seasoning can make all the difference in the world! In a perfect world you would just "get over it" like some of the brilliant previous posts suggest. And as helpful as those posts were, maybe some of the other suggestions on here can help you begin to "get over it." I have hated cottage cheese my entire life, but I recently found that drowning it in fruit and a little bit of stevia is delicious! Don't give up. Just keep trying different things. This is a PROCESS.

Roshams

I'm a pretty picky eater myself.....my sister gave me a good trick though....with a food processor, you can add all those veggies you hate to sauces and baked goods, wothout ever tasting them.

Also, just try making yourself eat it because you know it's good for you.

For example, chick peas....hate em, but so good for you. Ate them fried up with some tomatoes and light ground pork, and I couldn't even taste em

Just try to mask the flavour or texture of hat stuff you hate