No, Seriously: How do you learn to eat vegetables?

I experimented with new kinds till I found stuff I like and I eat my favorites often. I could have spinach with every meal

I completely understand where you are coming from. I not only HATED veggies but I had never been exposed to anything healthy while growing up. I couldn't identify most of the food in the produce section (I'm still working on this) much less know how to cook or handle it.

I started with smoothies. Combine your favorite fruits with small amounts of veggies. Like a banana, apple (cored), handful of spinach and whatever liquid you want (juice, milk, yogurt, water). Build your way up slowly to adding more greens. Eventually try to use some kale in place of spinach. I also add a small amount of carrots, broccoli or whatever else I can toss in from time to time. What I found is this helped me adjust my taste buds until I become more comfortable with the veggies (I'm still working on this).

Now, I try to incorporate them in my meals. I started small and worked up. I've heard of people cutting them into tiny pieces and adding them to sauces and things of that nature where you can't taste them. You get some health benefits without having to taste them.

Right now I have a huge pot of veggie stew in my fridge and it's WONDERFUL. It was quick and simple and not insulting to my picky taste buds. I simply used a large can (64 oz) of tomato juice, added a shredded head of cabbage, chopped broccoli, chopped cauliflower, chopped baby carrots, 4 potatoes cubed and some seasonings. I added enough water to cover, I didn't measure this step. I probably could have easily tossed some spinach and/or kale in there and not noticed it. I brought that to a boil and then simmered it for about an hour or until the potatoes and veggies were tender. I drop a handful of shredded cheese on it because I'm an addict and there you have a mostly healthy veggie meal

Good luck and stick with it. Experiment with cooking styles. I also learned that I like veggies steamed to almost mush while others like a crispy veggie. See what works for you.

I did have to force myself to eat more fresh vegetables. I may not have hated them to the capacity that you did, though (and I mean this in a supportive way, not as a criticism). As a rule, I typically prefer warm food to cold food. However, once I did sort of force myself to eat my greens and get some of the more bitter tasting veggies down, that I actually started to want them. I HATED kale, but I read about how nutritionally sound it is, and made myself eat it. Now, I like it. I am fortunate that there is an oil and vinegar shop next to my job that sells very delicious (ie not bitter or pungent) vinegars and olive oils. Right now I'm snacking on some greens with just a sprinkle of strawberry vinegar on them, which makes them much sweeter for maybe 1 calorie. Not that you have to do that, but experiment with flavors as others have suggested. I no longer do the Weight Watchers program, but here is a link to a really good vegetable soup recipe that I recommend:

http://www.food.com/recipe/weight-watchers-0-point-garden-vegetable-soup-318471

Try cutting them very small and adding them to soups and pasta sauces.

You just reminded me I will cook and puree carrots and throw them into my tomato sauce...pumpkin tastes good in there too.

Here's a nice article with some ideas.

http://greatist.com/health/40-unexpected-ways-to-add-veggies-to-a-meal-031212/

dont look at it as food or veggies, look at it as fuel and nourishment, just down it with water

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!

Agreed! Roasting with a little olive oil is great!

Sad! Sorry. I love veggies and it didn't come from the way I was raised.. my mom liked putting butter on all vegetables and boiling them hard... if there were vegetables at all. What I mostly remember was that nasty corn//carrot/green bean/lima bean frozen mixture... hated that stuff. Dad would put in a garden though.. so us kids would go out there and ate everything... not every year though.

I have 2 boys ages 5 and 3 that will decimate broccoli as I bring it into the house. I'll be unpacking the car still and it's like they can smell broccoli through the shopping bag. They grab broccoli and run. All I'll find later and the big stalks. I peel that and save it for soup. I just love that they like veggies so much. I think what has really helped with that is that we put a garden in every year.. the kids help till, plant, water, pull weeds, and pick. Because they helped from the start it makes them more proud of it and they'll eat veggies like crazy. We don't have much junk food around the house though. I buy a box of mac and cheese about once a month. Every once in awhile I'll get a box of ramen noodles (twice a year). Other than that it's all homemade from scratch. I would say processed foods 'taste' better.. but I think you get used to food that is homemade and better for you if the other option isn't even there. My 5 year old cries if we're out to eat and one of us gets a salad and he doesn't... and he really does eat it all. I make Hidden Valley ranch from the dry package.. it's the best tasting dressing imo. For us grown-ups I make it with 3/4 fat free mayo, 1/4 regular mayo. I wouldn't eat salad if I had to eat it was a dressing I didn't like.

Get the other stuff out of the picture.. the good tasting junk-type foods. I have at least 1 and usually 2 vegetables for dinner, 1 starch and meat.. or a dish with some meat in it. More than 1 vegetable option for a meal is a good idea. Potion out your starch and meat so that if that's all you eat you'd leave the table hungry. Will help encourage the desire to fill up with vegetables. Vegetables are so cheap too. Beef is $3.50/# +, chicken breast is at least $2.50/#.. broccoli crown are about $1.40/#, yellow squash about the same... you can really stretch a meal for the money and calories by making at least half as vegetables.

About juicing--I think that's a waste, frankly. One of the most valuable things vegetables contribute is fiber, which helps you stay full.

I loved veggies always, but maybe try a stir fry?

I hate food. (Ironic, isn't it? Considering I packed on the pounds, but I had a serious addiction to venti Starbucks coffees, and I did like *certain* foods... Seriously. Coffee. It's my weakness.) Although, that's seriously overstated there, but it is true that I dislike *most* foods. Before I changed things upside down, my favorite saying was: "I can taste the green!!" And it's true, I could.

I hated every vegetable known to man (just about), except for carrots, potatoes, and all different kinds of beans. If it was green, though? Gross! (except green beans, but I never claimed this made sense!!)

As I changed my eating habits and cut out all the sugar (boy was I spoiling my tastebuds BIG TIME), I noticed that my tastes have changed. A LOT. Over time, I've even developed a taste for SALADs. I seek them out sometimes, even. Gasp! Now, there's a lot of vegetables I just don't like and will never like, but I'm growing more and more into liking the "borderline" ones now. I even tried broccoli and "couldn't taste the green" and "almost" liked it. Almost. Work-in-progress.

Eating healthier has made me want healthier things.

So I'd say, maybe start slow and see what you like and how you like it. I still can't stand lettuce on a sandwich (I'm big on texture and that just grosses me out), but I can eat (most) salads now.

Plus, I started rationalizing trying vegetables with "These are lower calorie. By eating this rubbish, I can eat more STEAK *and* get a coffee after dinner!" I'd eat the things I didn't like first, then the stuff I loved was the "reward". A way to positively reinforce my behavior. Plus, coffee is my ultimate reward if I have the calories for it. COFFEE.

This is what worked for me!

Though it's done nothing for my coffee addiction, but I've cut down my coffees to 10 calories or less!