No, Seriously: How do you learn to eat vegetables?
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gramarye
Posts: 586 Member
I don't like veggies. I don't like the way they taste, I don't like the texture.
I'm trying to find ways to eat them healthily (read: not cooked to death and soaked in butter), and so far I mostly like spinach. In things. Sometimes. I not only want to eat more healthy food, but I also want to model better eating habits to the child (almost four). I just have no idea now to start.
Just now, I wanted a sandwich. I didn't want the bread, so I tried this lettuce wrap thing. It was tolerable, but it took me ten minutes to even take the first bite.
I'm trying to find ways to eat them healthily (read: not cooked to death and soaked in butter), and so far I mostly like spinach. In things. Sometimes. I not only want to eat more healthy food, but I also want to model better eating habits to the child (almost four). I just have no idea now to start.
Just now, I wanted a sandwich. I didn't want the bread, so I tried this lettuce wrap thing. It was tolerable, but it took me ten minutes to even take the first bite.
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Replies
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Hmmm, that's tough. I love veggies, so haven't had to make myself eat them. I would suggest trying different spices with them. Do you like curry spices or Mexican spices or anything like that? You could try different ways of preparing them: steamed, raw, roasted, grilled and experiment with different seasoning combinations to find something you actually like. What about adding them to soups or casseroles? You can also add mashed turnips or cauliflower to some mashed potatoes; most people don't really even notice the difference in taste.0
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Well, you've got one trick right there - in things! Try chopping onions, celery and carrots really finely and soften them in a pan with the lid on, stirring occasionally til they're really soft. You can then use this as a base for tomato pasta sauce, bolognese sauce, a risotto, anything savoury! And you will hardly know they're there.
Grate carrots and courgettes into dishes like these as well and they'll just cook right in.
Try things with different textures, if that's an issue. Radishes, squash, cucumber, lettuce, peas, corn, all have different textures from each other, you just gotta keep experiementing.
Soups. Cook your veggies, any combination, then puree them with some stock. Texture not a problem!
Try adding spices and herbs if flavour is an issue. Squash roasted with cumin and chilli, yum yum, then mash it or eat as it is.
I know veggies can seem watery sometimes, but something like 85-90% of your body is water. It's foods like these that your body needs to stay feeling full.
Keep trying - you'll find the things you like in the end, and get used to trying new things too.
Helen.x0 -
Open mouth... put veggie in mouth... close mouth... bite... move jaw up and down several times... swollow.
thats how I do it.0 -
Learn proper cooking and seasoning.0
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I'm getting better with veggies. I started by only having things in soups or casseroles. Then I would have just a few veggies but masked by other veggies that I like, say carrot and swede mash. Also, buying frozen mixed veg, it's chopped up so small and I seem to deal with tiny pieces better.
But I am getting better, I now eat salads and have started to quite happily eat green beans, cauliflower and broccoli which I never did before! On but salad leaves need to be with something strong tasting like tuna to mask it a bit lol.0 -
Can you try adding them to soups or stews?
I have found that as I've changed my diet, I actually crave different types of vegetables. I'm snacking on raw cauliflower right now, actually. I didn't have time to bake it, but I had some ranch, so I'm dipping it.0 -
Try cooking them different ways. One of my favorite ways is to roast them, 425 F for 25 to 35 minutes, or until tender. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season if you want to. Try chunks of sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, parsnips, green peppers, onions. Asparagus is also divine roasted. You can also roast brussel sprouts and cauliflower.... pretty much most veggies. When you roast peppers and onions, be sure to leave them in big chunks or they'll burn.
Good luck!0 -
Blender + veggies. Add stuff to make veggies taste better (to you). Drink.
(Seriously, try this.)0 -
juicing?0
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well unfortunately a lot of it is suck it up
then there is experiment w/new vegs, eg. I hate carrots. so I quite freaking eating them
but I like other vegs like broccoli, brussel sprouts, try new vegs. try cooking them differently, eg, roasting w/some olive oil. or light saute.
then there is hiding them. shred carrots & some squash in spaghetti sauce. try mashed cauliflower instead of or mixed w/mashed spuds
I like them but yeah, even I have issues.
one thing that really works for me is that I eat at my desk & I eat mindlessly at work if i'm not careful. so I pack a big batch of vegs at lunch & eat it mindlessly while i'm working. you have to hav a few things in between to "cut it' eg, cottage cheese. cooked turkey.
try really hard to learn to like them0 -
I love veggies, but to make them more interesting sometimes I do roast veg. Just put them in the oven with some garlic, herbs, a bit of white wine vinegar and a bit of olive oil. Yummy.
Also things like mashed sweet potato are good.
Add veggies to lots of dishes, and of course things like veg curry and stir fry.
My kids love veg. My 19 month old is quite happy to eat a plate of carrots.0 -
Puree them into soups.
Dip raw veggies into yogurt ranch dressing.
Shred zucchini and carrots and put into meatloaf or breads (like a zucchini bread).
Make mock "mashed" potatoes with cauliflower.
Whatever you do, eat fresh veggies. Frozen are ok but canned is NASTY. Fresh is best. I grew up despising veggies because my mom only made frozen or canned. Now I know better.0 -
If it took you 10 minutes to try a lettuce wrap, it's mostly not about taste, it's in your head. You just need to convince yourself that they are good.
(I was going to make some smart *kitten* remark about my mom making me eat them - but I think hard truth is more useful).
Just Do It0 -
I've never had a huge issue with veggies, and I think it was because we had a big veggie garden when I was growing up. Maybe you'd be more likely to eat something you had to grow yourself?
Don't give up on veggies! There are so many different kinds of veggies and ways to prepare them and things to put them in. Carrots are an easy one to start with, I think. They're relatively sweet and the crunch can be satisfying....probably more than a coincidence that I like them with my lunch at work....stress relief during the work day! Ha!
I also like to roast some zucchini, tomatoes and sweet red peppers in EVOO and garlic powder to they're cooked through, then pulverize them in a blender and add them to my lasagna recipe. You barely know they're in there!
The cauliflour in mashed potatoes is one of my hubby's faves...he's a veggie-phobe, too.0 -
Maybe grind them up and put them in brownies?0
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Until recently I had this exact same problem!
I wouldn't say I'm a veggie convert just yet but I did manage to eat a meal including broccoli, butternut squash, parsnip, carrots and cabbage the other night without gagging once (and even quite enjoyed it!). My secret was to lather the veg in mint sauce (because I love mint sauce but I guess you could try anything similar) and basically choke it down whilst trying not to think about the taste or the texture, but now I have become a bit more used to it and can manage without. I do use spices as someone else suggested, and have found that butternut squash and parsnips roasted with peri peri seasoning is actually delicious!
I've spent a whole 30 years avoiding veg like the plague, so if I can do it anyone can! Good luck! :bigsmile:0 -
they are so much better tasting just lightly steamed and not overcooked. Just hot not mushy. also
you could try: www.greensfirst.com0 -
No seriously, there are so many different tastes and textures I struggle to understand how you don't like any.....0
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I feel your pain. It has taken me a long time to warm up to vegetables, and I'm still working on it. The best thing I can suggest are to cook them up in soups. Or, oddly enough, I have found squash to be delightful. It was prepared as usual (which I guess means boiling it? I didn't cook it, so I don't know) and it only had pepper on it. It tasted buttery and delicious though.0
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