Picky eater, hard to eat healthy-help!

Options
lahryn
lahryn Posts: 6
in Recipes
My fiance, Brent, is a very picky eater. He dislikes most vegetables so it is difficult for me to find a way to include them in a meal. I don't eat enough to buy the variety I would like and end up throwing away veggies every week. I do buy frozen broccoli, corn, peas, and mixes (squash, onions, peppers etc).

I'm looking for some help with recipes I guess. He will not touch anything with onions or mushrooms. He does not like tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, or cauliflower.
He doesn't like the skin on most other veggies. He will eat carrots and squash (acorn etc).

I have tried making two meals but it is too much work/mess and we end up with lots of leftovers, mostly going to waste.
I've tried to make some changes to our diet but he isnt really cooperating... any suggestions as to what I could be cooking or other ways to make the changes? I've switched all of our dressings to light and use a lot less. Low fat peanut butter etc.. but I'm at a loss as to what else ((oh, and healthier snacks but Brent still has his favorites around the house, which are very tempting for me. lol)).

Thanks for your help!
Lahryn

Replies

  • lahryn
    lahryn Posts: 6
    Options
    My fiance, Brent, is a very picky eater. He dislikes most vegetables so it is difficult for me to find a way to include them in a meal. I don't eat enough to buy the variety I would like and end up throwing away veggies every week. I do buy frozen broccoli, corn, peas, and mixes (squash, onions, peppers etc).

    I'm looking for some help with recipes I guess. He will not touch anything with onions or mushrooms. He does not like tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, or cauliflower.
    He doesn't like the skin on most other veggies. He will eat carrots and squash (acorn etc).

    I have tried making two meals but it is too much work/mess and we end up with lots of leftovers, mostly going to waste.
    I've tried to make some changes to our diet but he isnt really cooperating... any suggestions as to what I could be cooking or other ways to make the changes? I've switched all of our dressings to light and use a lot less. Low fat peanut butter etc.. but I'm at a loss as to what else ((oh, and healthier snacks but Brent still has his favorites around the house, which are very tempting for me. lol)).

    Thanks for your help!
    Lahryn
  • delanahub
    delanahub Posts: 56
    Options
    As a married woman I say make him cook for himself, or he should eat what is put in front of him. My husband now eats many vegetables when we first strted to date, he ate tomatoes and iceberg lettuce only. I keep staples like brown rice always in the fridege and black beans, you can cook at the same time without eating the same thing, if he also wants to lose a little weight he will come around, if not he will learn to cook.
  • timisw
    timisw Posts: 391 Member
    Options
    I will never understand picky eaters! ~smiling~

    I will try most anything and usually like it on some level. Cannot think of many things that I wouldnt eat again except for some strange things in other countries....
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
    Options
    I am the picky eater to end all picky eaters! Yet, I still eat healthy.

    I eat very little vegis-only cabbage, celery, carrots, onions, corn, and snow peas. And I prefer them raw and seldom eat them cooked. So, I only use vegis in a meal a day and then only on the side.


    Tips

    --keep it simple. I don't like "mixed" foods, so I cook things simple and separate! Chicken with vegis on the side, steak with vegis on the side, pork with vegis on the side, etc.

    --try pasta without tomato based sauce. We've recently discovered simply sauteeing cooked pasta with a little olive oil and garlic and it's incredible AND healthy!

    --use seasonings--NOT SALT!--to bring out more taste in simple dishes. Experiment with curry, sofrito, cumin, etc.

    --try grilling out when you can. it's easy to use flavors then and helps keep things simple, too.

    --cook two meals. Yes, I know that's difficult but I've done that for 25 years I've been married. My husband will eat anything and loves everything, whereas I don't. So I've often cooked him one version of some dish and me another. Now, we often eat two versions of the same dish as well-mine very healthy, his not so much.

    For example--I'll make low-carb spaghetti for me, sauteed with just tiny amount of olive oil and some onion and no cheese. Then for his, I'll use regular spaghetti and sautéed it with lots of olive oil and throw on Parmesan afterwards for him.

    Eating healthy AND being picky is doable--just experiment and cook smaller portions! That's healthy, too!
  • uwhuskygirl
    uwhuskygirl Posts: 320
    Options
    As a married woman I say make him cook for himself, or he should eat what is put in front of him. My husband now eats many vegetables when we first strted to date, he ate tomatoes and iceberg lettuce only. I keep staples like brown rice always in the fridege and black beans, you can cook at the same time without eating the same thing, if he also wants to lose a little weight he will come around, if not he will learn to cook.

    I agree. You're not a restaurant. If he's hungry then he should eat what you make or cook something himself (and clean up after himself.)

    I just don't get picky eaters.
  • timragan
    timragan Posts: 117 Member
    Options
    The normal perception of healthy eating implies little or no taste. I like to cook and have no plans to quit just because I am eating better. Here is one of the ways I do vegetables:

    At the grocery I buy 1 or 2 fish filets, some fresh green beans, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, peppers, basil, rosemary, or other herbs. The vegetables choices are yours to mix as you wish. Pile the veggies on aluminum foil. sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil, chopped herbs, and chopped garlic. Place the filets on top of the pile, salt and pepper. Close the foil around your ingredients and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350. The flavors mingle, everything is wet, its easy to make, and there is nothing to clean except the plates you eat on. It doesn't get much better or better for you.

Categories