Help eating more veggies

souzouchan

Hi everyone!

This is rather embarrassing to request help for, but I do need advice on how to get more veggies into my diet. The main obstacle I run into is trying to eat them and making them taste great.

The problem stems from childhood when I couldn't eat them without getting ill, which I recognize now as more of a psychological factor more than anything. It was like that with meats which I am able to eat better now, but unfortunately I still struggle with veggies.

So to all of you, is there anyone else who struggles with this?

And to solve it, are there any ideas to dress up the taste without adding crazy amounts of calories? I'd love ideas to use, which I'd hope to then slowly drift away from until I am able to have little issue eating them with my diet.

Please no teasing or bad words, I know already how embarrassing this already sounds....

pinky_pie

I have the same problem so curious to see what answers will be given

souzouchan

pinky_pie: It's great to know I'm not the only one!

steffiejoe

Try making green smoothies. I get tones of green veggies in my diet that way.

rieann84

This reminds me of my mom. She will legit not eat anything green. If she has a pea, she will vomit. (Something about the texture or the "pop" she says)

lol...anyway. Something I've been doing lately is spreading fresh broccoli florets on a sheet pan, sprinkling them with salt, pepper & whatever, and baking them. I feel like carrots are an easy one to jump on immediately, you can eat them raw with low-fat dressing or hummus. Cooked, they have a sweetness all their own. Do you like sweet potatoes? They are excellent baked into wedges or "fries", even mashed up. I mash up cauliflower too, with a bit of reduced fat sour cream..nice substitute for mashed white potatoes.

MostlyWater

You can make soup, blended if you prefer.

Do you like raw salads or prefer cooked veggies like broccoli ?

fattybumclaire

Hiya,

If you like dinners such as chilli con carne, shepards pie or spag bol try grating courgettes, mushrooms and carrots on a coarse grater into your minced meat and letting it cook down with a tin of tomatoes for at least half an hour. The veggies are hardly noticable if you put plenty of herbs or spices in.

If you like curries, chuck in a bag of spinach, it wilts down to practically nothing but it's packed full of vitamins.


Good luck

speedgraphic19

I used to have a hard time eating veggies too. It was mostly just a case of needing to find ones I like...or in some cases, eating them until I don't hate them anymore. LOL.

Not sure if this will help, but I like to steam veggies with chicken broth. I think it helps the flavor more than water, but that could just be me. Also, a cup of chicken broth is about 10 calories, and you probably won't even need that much, so this method of cooking doesn't add many calories. (You can also use vegetable broth if you prefer.) After steaming them you can add some spices, like salt and pepper, or maybe lemon juice, just whatever you like. Sorry if you've tried this already, but it worked for me.

souzouchan

Try making green smoothies. I get tones of green veggies in my diet that way.

That sounds awesome! Do you flavor it up in anyway or does it taste good all together??

alijane9

Try making green smoothies. I get tones of green veggies in my diet that way.

That sounds awesome! Do you flavor it up in anyway or does it taste good all together??

Don't know how this smoothie is made (interested to find out!), but I do know that you could juice up apple or pineapple with it. Someone I know told their kids they were drinking apple juice for years - it was mainly broccoli and spinach...
Are there any veggies you can cope with eating? My partner's child doesn't do veg at all, tonight he enjoyed tomato, onion, carrot and red pepper with his chicken, bacon, wholemeal pasta and cheese... I'm not telling him that's what he had though.
I tend to cook things down and blend them up. Planning on adding courgette next week to his 'tomato sauce'. He doesn't do spices (yet), but if I was doing the same thing for myself I'd probably add some chilli, garlic, paprika.
Did an easy fish pie the other day and grated in a few veg, they sort of disappeared and made a sauce...
Apparently it takes around 10 times of tasting something before our brains can tell whether we like it or not - just something to bear in mind while you get yourself over the hurdle of actually getting it from hand to mouth.
Good luck, keep us posted with what you try!

workingonme2013

try to mix them into food, thats what i do.
like when you make a pizza put green lettus down after tomatta sause than the cheese this way it there but you don't see it
for things like brockly , tommatos or other vegges mix them in with spiggity or some type of food you like this way there their but you don't have to tatset them.

Pandabug93

If you like mashed potatos, you can make a healthier version using cauliflowers, all mashed up, instead!

Haikugurl

I don't know how good this cookbook is, but I saw the author on a talk show a few years ago....& in order to help get her kids to eat healthier foods she would puree vegetables & sort of hide them in her recipes. (like pureed cauliflower put in mac & cheese). Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/Deceptively-Delicious-Simple-Secrets-Eating/dp/006176793X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354485608&sr=1-1&keywords=jessica+seinfeld

My husband in picky about the texture of certain veggies, so I'll puree chunks of tomatoes & onions and put them into marinara sauce. I also make a vegan mac & cheese that has pureed sweet potato in it.

Also, roasting veggies brings out the flavor. For example you can toss some chopped broccoli (or any veggie like asparagus or squash or potatoes) & toss them with a small amount of olive oil & salt & optional herb of your choice. Roast at around 400 to 425 for 10 to 20 min on each side (depending on how fast each side browns.

Hope some of these ideas help

PaytraB

If you like mashed potatos, you can make a healthier version using cauliflowers, all mashed up, instead!

Mashed cauliflower is great. I second this idea.

Also, do you like the taste of lemon? If so, you can squeeze a few drops of lemon onto some veggies to spice up the flavor. Broccoli and asparagus are good this way. Or instead of pure lemon juice, try some lemon pepper.

ubermensch13

Try making green smoothies. I get tones of green veggies in my diet that way.

That sounds awesome! Do you flavor it up in anyway or does it taste good all together??

Try this: half cup of greek yogurt, 1 banana, handful of frozen strawberries, big bunch of raw spinach, splash of milk of your choosing(I use rice or skim), blend.

MissJanet55

I love vegetables. They taste completely different if you toss them in a little olive oil and salt and pepper and roast them in the oven for half an hour or so.

You can also make almost all green vegetables taste good by heating some garlic and ginger in olive oil (good fat), then tossing in the veg with a little soy sauce, or some other flavour you like. (sometimes it helps to steam the veg a little first, until slightly underdone).

It's just learning to cook them! Check out some good cookbooks or websites and enjoy!

dorothytd

Totally agree with the roasting - we add garlic powder as well.

Another way is to stir fry - you can use just a little olive oil, sauté some fresh garlic and add veggies and spices that you like. We're big fans of broccoli and red peppers. It gives the vegetables a different flavor. My kids love it!

qadosh2him

a "Green Monster" is my favorite smoothie. Take a couple of frozen peaches (peel, cut in half, freeze...or buy a bag of frozen peaches --it's easier), apple juice and a big handful of spinach and a half cup of vanilla or plain yogurt. Blend until smooth. YUMMO!! (you can eliminate the yogurt if you want but it adds creaminess and nutrition)

LinaS1976

This is not embaressing at all especially is vegies were "foreign" when you are growing up. It all stems from childhood. You have to build a solid base from a very young age. If my twins didnt like a vegie that i knew was good for them i tried for about 10 times to see if it was just a "new" taste or something they really didnt like. And in the end i would either grate or cut finely and mix into the other food they were having. i,e a tomato based sauce for pasta or a meatloaf/shepards pie etc. Goodluck. You just have to try a new vegie each week. make it a goal to get one new vegie and week and google different types of receipes and you will soon begin to love them. Goodluck

jkcrawford

Bump

Guamybear

I agree smoothies are great to add them in but I have found like those birds eyes veggies..they come in cheese or a sauce and taste really good..