I don't like a lot of fruits or veggies. What do I do?!!?

I'm really trying new fruits and veggies. When I was little I love foods like peas, sweet potatoes, corn, apples, occasionally a banana even. But as I got older, I started to lose my appetite for those types of food. I adore black olives and green beans. That's the only thing that has stayed constant. I used to eat about one can of green beans, with a meal (grilled chicken, brown rice). Now I'll have about 3-5 cans. Just that. I need some good alternatives. Normally when I get hungry, I eat 3 Kit-Kats and 3 Reese's. So lately I've been trying to substitute that for green beans or something with less than 1120 calories total. Any suggestions??
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Replies

  • jbruced
    jbruced Posts: 210 Member
    Many vegetable recipes can be sweetened initially, then taper off the sweetening. Many people don't like the basic bitter component in many vegetables so sweetening helps get started. Look up a recipe for glazed carrots to get an idea of the preparation. Many vegetables can be treated this way.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    My suggestion is to start eating them.

    How can you not like any fruit or veg other than green beans...which I must say as someone that LOVES most vegetables, green beans are the least tasty or exciting!!
  • amberstevens7906
    amberstevens7906 Posts: 55 Member
    Im the smw way.i love fruit but hate all veggies except corn and cucumber
  • chelseaalicia
    chelseaalicia Posts: 164 Member
    Try chopping vegetables small and putting them in tomato sauces for example, or even blend them in if you don't want to know they're there. What about cooking veggies into one pot meals so they take on the flavours of what they're cooked with- like a curry or a beef stew?
  • nebslp
    nebslp Posts: 1,653 Member
    I'm not much of a fruit/veggie person either. I've been considering getting a juicer/nutrient extractor like a NutriBullet and getting a variety of them in one drink a day. You can use kale, spinach, arugula and fruits. That way I wouldn't have to force myself eat something I don't really enjoy. But then, what if I hate the drinks?? I have found that roasting vegetables makes them taste different and I love them. Roasted cauliflower, red peppers, carrots, and onions is my favorite. Just cut up vegetables and toss with a little olive oil. Add seasonings if you want and roast in oven until they're tender/crunchy. Keep exploring different ways to make things and you'll find some that you really like.
  • sally_jeffswife
    sally_jeffswife Posts: 766 Member
    Maybe try the veggies in soups that way you can still get alot of them in but has alot of flavor. Try some of the fruits frozen like frozen grapes. My prob at my house is the fruit never lasts my kids love it so it gets ate up as soon as we buy it.
  • smilingirisheyes
    smilingirisheyes Posts: 149 Member
    Keep trying different ones until you find some you like.
  • pland54
    pland54 Posts: 132
    To me it seems odd to try to satisfy a chocolate craving with green beans, lol! But eating fruit instead of other sweets is a good choice. What about pairing dark chocolate chips with dried fruit? What exactly is it about fruits and veggies that doesn't sound good to you? Do you like olives because they're salty? If so, maybe try out a few types of stir fry with green beans, and each time add a new veggie in with it. My favorite stir fry has green beans, corn, kidney beans, carrots, and bell peppers.

    Also, do you like V8? I personally don't but for some people who don't like to eat fruits and veggies it can help you pack in the servings in one swoop.
  • I like fruits and veggies but tend to stay with the same ones, not really branching out to try new things so I will find recipes that sound good with new types of fruits or vegetables in them and try it that way. For example, I have never liked eggplant. I've tried it a few times and always found it disgusting. My husband likes it though so I decided to make a ratatouille and discovered I really like it in that.
  • jbruced
    jbruced Posts: 210 Member
    I'm not much of a fruit/veggie person either. I've been considering getting a juicer/nutrient extractor like a NutriBullet and getting a variety of them in one drink a day. You can use kale, spinach, arugula and fruits. That way I wouldn't have to force myself eat something I don't really enjoy. But then, what if I hate the drinks?? I have found that roasting vegetables makes them taste different and I love them. Roasted cauliflower, red peppers, carrots, and onions is my favorite. Just cut up vegetables and toss with a little olive oil. Add seasonings if you want and roast in oven until they're tender/crunchy. Keep exploring different ways to make things and you'll find some that you really like.
    Roasting is one method that helps bring out the sugars found in some vegetables. Onions in particular will acquire a sweeter taste as they cooked.
  • mztrackfield010407
    mztrackfield010407 Posts: 10 Member
    You can try making smoothies or drinking drinks that have fruits and veggies in them.
  • Kauaiartist
    Kauaiartist Posts: 86 Member
    First of all - I would not consider "canned green beans" a vegetable :ohwell: Try buying them fresh and steam them - or saute them - or munch on them raw! How about smoothies? You can add veggies into fruit smoothies and won't even notice them - experiment. Experiment - cook with them - put Kale in spaghetti sauce or in stews - Season them to your liking - roasted veggies are fantastic - it releases the sugars in them - put some olive oil, salt pepper and garlic on them - unless you don't like garlic! Best of luck - Your body will LOVE you for adding more fruits and veggies into your diet - step away from the candy for snacks btw - go for some light protein instead - a hard boiled egg - some chicken - a piece of light cheese - Good luck!:drinker:
  • liznotyet
    liznotyet Posts: 402 Member
    Try chopping vegetables small and putting them in tomato sauces for example, or even blend them in if you don't want to know they're there. What about cooking veggies into one pot meals so they take on the flavours of what they're cooked with- like a curry or a beef stew?

    second that... if you are only liking canned stuff it may be the salt you enjoy more than the vegetable. another thing to try: shredded carrot/raisin salad, when you get used to it add a little cabbage. Zucchini muffins - yum when you add two TBLsp cocoa powder to the recipe. When you make pasta - dump some fresh spinach in right before you drain it, the spinach will shrink to almost nothing. Pesto sauce for pasta: grind with a hand blender basil or parsley or other herby greens with olive oil and put over pasta.
  • airangel59
    airangel59 Posts: 1,887 Member
    I'm with you, you are not alone. I am very picky about the fruits & veggies I would eat, or should I say, I was picky...since getting diagnosed with type 2, and watching my carbs & sugars like a hawk, the stuff I use to eat, seems to not find it's way into my diary most days. I do use low sodium V8 (but add my own salt cuz it's just nasty) on occasion.

    You do need to season the veggie stuff well, I find em pretty tasteless .... I'm trying though, at least on the veggie front...but I'd really love to go nuts on fruit and with DM now I can't. Figures, was never a fruit fan before, lol

    Good luck trying to get em down.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,392 Member
    That kind of severe food phobia or food preference may need some behavior therapy if you just can't try new stuff. If it's texture or just the yuck factor, see therapist who is trained in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT).
  • jimma0404
    jimma0404 Posts: 10
    The thing is I love carrots too. But I'm allergic to raw carrots. Also watermelon, oranges, its really annoying because I actually liked carrots and oranges. I was trying watermelon, and my throat was scratchy, and it was hard to breath afterwards. I do like baked kale as a substitute for chips. My mom saw it on Rachael Ray and made it.
  • Elliehmltn
    Elliehmltn Posts: 254 Member
    When I was little I love foods like peas, sweet potatoes, corn, apples, occasionally a banana even. But as I got older, I started to lose my appetite for those types of food. I adore black olives and green beans. Any suggestions??

    So if you don't like fruits or vegetables, don't eat them. Take a vitamin pill and a fiber supplement.
  • StaceySuperfly
    StaceySuperfly Posts: 101 Member
    I'm really trying new fruits and veggies. When I was little I love foods like peas, sweet potatoes, corn, apples, occasionally a banana even. But as I got older, I started to lose my appetite for those types of food. I adore black olives and green beans. That's the only thing that has stayed constant. I used to eat about one can of green beans, with a meal (grilled chicken, brown rice). Now I'll have about 3-5 cans. Just that. I need some good alternatives. Normally when I get hungry, I eat 3 Kit-Kats and 3 Reese's. So lately I've been trying to substitute that for green beans or something with less than 1120 calories total. Any suggestions??

    You could have had a V8! They have it in fruit or veg varieties, 2 servings of veg per cup :happy:
  • jimma0404
    jimma0404 Posts: 10
    The reason why I'm having trouble is I psyche my self out. I also have a texture problem.
  • Synapze
    Synapze Posts: 499
    For fruit I make Smoothies.

    Or cut up and mix with Greek Yoghurt.

    I've always loved Vegetables, but you could try a sprinkle of 'Vegeta' on them while cooking.

    Or grate them all up and make fritters, with onion, a dash of nutmeg..some garlic...yum!
  • Ed98043
    Ed98043 Posts: 1,333 Member
    Wow, your food diary is really lacking in any kind of actual nutrition. First and foremost I think you should educate yourself on what your body needs to be healthy. And are you saying that 1,120 calories a day is your goal? Where did that come from?
  • jimma0404
    jimma0404 Posts: 10
    Isn't that stuff expensive? I'm in high school and my parents do the shopping and its at walmart or shoppers. Very generic places. I'm can't really make suggestions as to what we get. As for V8, I tried it, NOT my thing at all. But I am a saltaholic :smile:
  • angelcurry130
    angelcurry130 Posts: 265 Member
    well, if texture is an issue, how about preparation? you could toss all kinds of veggies and fruits into a blender with some low-cal yogurt for a smoothie. or chop them up and slip them into scrambled eggs. i've experimented with savory pancakes, like potato latkes. zucchini and other squashes do very well in a pancake batter. another trick is to again, puree the veggies, and mix them into something like pasta sauce or meatloaf. you get the added nutrition, but none of the crunch (which used to be my issue when i was growing up). you could also try grilling or broiling them. softens them up nicely without adding a lot of oil. hope that helps. :)
  • ExplorinLauren
    ExplorinLauren Posts: 991 Member
    If you want to get healthier, you're gonna have to figure out a way to like it.

    I don't care for fruit, but love veggies. I'm a fan of green beans myself, if that's all you can manage to eat, then keep eating it.... BUT If you're getting bored with green beans...


    I put mayo or low fat cottage cheese on my sliced tomatoes. I grill diced potatoes in tin foil, and add ketchup or light sour cream. Celery and ranch (made with ranch dip packet and low cal sour cream is healthier and lower in cals than plain Ranch dressing) or with peanut butter. I make steamed broccoli with lots of spices instead of cheese or butter. I eat black eyed peas right out of the can as a soup. Pineapple sandwiches :) Yum.

    You can also squeeze lots of fruits and veggies into smoothies.

    I can eat all veggies without anything at all added... but if you're the type that doesn't like them, try them again *bc tastes change constantly* and start trying them with add ons... maybe you'll get used to it, or even begin to like them... Just an idea :)
  • lveh8lve
    lveh8lve Posts: 162 Member
    Isn't that stuff expensive? I'm in high school and my parents do the shopping and its at walmart or shoppers. Very generic places. I'm can't really make suggestions as to what we get. As for V8, I tried it, NOT my thing at all. But I am a saltaholic :smile:

    I eat mostly organic and non processed foods, it's not expensive if you actually cook. I only shop on the outer aisles of the supermarket and if you eat proper portions it's completely do-able. The crap and garbage in the middle is expensive.

    As for you say you are allergic. Were you actually diagnosed by a doctor with an allergy or are you saying that because you felt that your throat was scratchy??
  • RunnerInVT
    RunnerInVT Posts: 226 Member
    Put 1 scoop chocolate protein shake with 1/2 cup skim milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup banana and 1/2 cup frozen triple berries. (I use black, straw and rasp) add 3 ice cubes and blend. 263 cals /32 protein/35 carb
    a runner friend puts a cup or two of spinach in his but I havent been that brave....yet.

    I also take 1/2 c each frozen blueberries and raspberries warmed up a minute in the microwave and add splenda. I need the antioxidants to recover from 60 mile weeks of running.

    I also take and split a spaghetti squash into 4 pieces and toss as is into the microwave for a couple minutes. Eat plain.

    You can fry fresh spinach with canola oil, lemon juice and garlic powder until just wilted. Or put it fresh in a salad.

    Good luck!!
  • styledsky
    styledsky Posts: 121 Member
    Vegetable soup, which can be then turned into minestrone if you want to add beans, pasta and bit of pancetta.

    Works for me, and I have vegetable issues too.
  • Denjo060
    Denjo060 Posts: 1,008
    Have you ever tried them with a dip start there low fat of course the try to wean yourself off the dip just a suggestion
  • Try smoothies! There are tons of smoothie recipes out there! There should be one that you like!
  • jenniferrusso7393
    jenniferrusso7393 Posts: 189 Member
    I am a parent, and if my kids started asking,or do ask for a healthy food, I always buy it... You could at least bring it up...