How do I start liking veggies?

Options
mcompton1973
mcompton1973 Posts: 2
edited January 23 in Food and Nutrition
I am working on really changing my lifestyle. I have an autoimmune disorder and so I have been working on cutting out grains and trying to eat more paleo/primal....whatever. I have not cut carbs totally but have reduced them. Pretty much the carbs I do eat are coming from fruits and some veggies and "sauces" like steak sauce or buffalo sauce etc. I know still not great....but I struggle with self control on other diets, so I am allowing myself some comfort things and those are relatively small parts of my diet compared to what I have eliminated. I also have given up soda, diet and regular. I am "mostly" water although I do drink some crystal light fruit punch for something sweet.

Here is my problem. I don't like much in the veggie world. Never have. I eat salad, and baby greens, baby spinach in my salad. I LOVE corn on the cob but have not eaten any recently....as I think it's not really a vegetable I am reading. I don't mind green beans in a can, but don't like frozen which makes me wonder what happened to them in the can...lol. I am trying to eat more broccoli...but it's somewhat forced. I don't really enjoy it. I don't mind cooked carrots......with a ton of butter and salt and pepper...probably doesn't really count. Other than that. I will go to a Mexican restaurant and get fajitas....but no peppers or tomatoes or onions. Just the meat. Same with Chinese....Kung pao chicken.....no veggies.

I would just be interested in how to get more veggies into my diet...having a salad 2 times a day is getting a little boring.

Replies

  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    Add them to pizza. Blend spinach or zucchini into your pizza or pasta sauces. Put veggies in an egg scramble or omelet or quiche. Do lasagna with veggies. Experiment with 'exotic" veggies and ways of cooking them. Roasting can really bring out amazing flavor in veggies. If you like corn, and it doesn't adversely affect your health, eat it.
  • skinnyforhi
    skinnyforhi Posts: 340 Member
    Try cooking veggies in a low sodium chicken broth for some easy additional flavor.
  • Brandilynnrose
    Brandilynnrose Posts: 121
    Roasting with a little olive oil and garlic brings out awesome flavor- especially in broccoli, cauliflower, squash, mushrooms, asparagus, brussel sprouts, and eggplant.

    You could also try finding a light sauce to marinate the veggies in before roasting. Light Italian, Sesame Ginger, Balsamic Vinegarette dressings are yummy on veggies.
  • jbruced
    jbruced Posts: 210 Member
    Canned veggies are technically over cooked due to the temperatures and times used in the canning process. For broccoli use a salad dressing you like as a dip for raw or in some cases a sauce on cooked. For onions, try making an onion soup. The long process of gently caramelizing the onions brings out their sweet flavor. Almost all veggies can be glazed with a little sugar, honey or maple syrup and butter.
  • tartsul
    tartsul Posts: 298 Member
    fresh veggies are soooo much better than canned! sauteed, roasted, or steamed! a little EVOO, salt and pepper goes a long way! oh and of course garlic. i also agree with trying a touch of brown sugar or honey can't hurt. that's how i prefer my brussel sprouts! and try different things - there are so many different veggies out there. prepared the right way, pretty much any veggie can be yum!

    also, the post that mentioned pureeing them is a GREAT idea. so many vegetables can be cooked a bit to soften then pureed, added to some chicken broth with some spices to make an awesome soup. i also make pesto out of mainly spinach now.

    if you eat eggs, try adding veggies to your breakfast. i have recently started to saute some mushrooms with black beans before adding in eggs and scrambling it all together. or make an omelet with veggies inside - peppers, mushrooms, onions, spinach. don't be afraid to use things to help you eat it. i put a little grated parmesan cheese on a lot of veggies because my husband likes it. you still get the veggies, and a little cheese is not going to ruin your day. :) good luck with your veggies!
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    by eating them.

    your tastes will change. :wink:
  • shano25
    shano25 Posts: 233 Member
    Do you like smoothies? Try throwing some greens in there. I find as long as my smoothie has a banana in it, I don't really taste the greens.

    I like sprinkling nutritional yeast over some of my veggies, it's a healthy way of giving it some taste.

    Pureeing them is a good idea. Go the Deceptively Delicious route that is used on kids and hide them in meals. If you eat spaghetti, puree some carrots and add it to the tomato sauce.

    If you can go to a local Farmer's Market then go and try new things. In season local produce always tastes great and you may find things you didn't think you would like. A decade ago I didn't like many vegetables, now I'm a vegetarian!
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    Here is my problem. I don't like much in the veggie world. Never have. I eat salad, and baby greens, baby spinach in my salad. I LOVE corn on the cob but have not eaten any recently....as I think it's not really a vegetable I am reading. I don't mind green beans in a can, but don't like frozen which makes me wonder what happened to them in the can...lol. I am trying to eat more broccoli...but it's somewhat forced. I don't really enjoy it. I don't mind cooked carrots......with a ton of butter and salt and pepper...probably doesn't really count. Other than that. I will go to a Mexican restaurant and get fajitas....but no peppers or tomatoes or onions. Just the meat. Same with Chinese....Kung pao chicken.....no veggies.

    I would just be interested in how to get more veggies into my diet...having a salad 2 times a day is getting a little boring.

    You are correct that corn isn't a veggie. It's a grain! In order to start liking veggies more, just keep eating them. They'll never taste as good as ice cream but soon you won't care. And it's not like they're high calorie. So you can eat all you want and still have plenty of calories left over for other foods later.

    I've been eating tons of broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, etc for awhile. It never tasted "great," but I definitely don't mind it anymore.
  • lisamarie1780
    lisamarie1780 Posts: 432 Member
    by eating them.

    your tastes will change. :wink:

    exactly. A lot of things are an acquired (is that how you spell that?!!) taste. I hated green tea the first time I had it... but after drinking it every day for about three years, I couldn't do without it in the morning now. I was the same with spinach and brown rice but I continued to eat them coz I knew they were good for me and now I enjoy them.
    You just have to suck it up sometimes
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Re: frozen green beans ..... not the best way to have them. Freezing certain veggies (and fruits) ruins the texture. Frozen carrots are not a favorite of mine either. My favorite green beans are fresh .... and then I hate it when they are overcooked.

    Re: corn ..... Green Giant frozen corn tastes a lot like corn on the cob, but think of corn like potatoes, or geen peas ... starchy & high calorie. Have corn mixed with something else.

    Keep trying different methods of cooking; stir fry, grill, roast, etc. Season them in different ways; garlic, ginger, marinated, etc. You will find some veggies you like, hang in there.
  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
    dude/chick. just sack up. eat them. i used to be an extremely picky eater, but i needed my veggies for the nutrients, so i ate my salads as quick as i could, shoving in spinach, bell peppers, cucumber, etc.

    i really enjoy veggies now. if i try a new one, and don't like it, i still eat it all because i paid for it. (looking at you, brussel sprouts)

    also i never tried to fancy them by adding salt, or butter. i ate them raw.

    let me reiterate, your taste buds will adjust, and you will grow to enjoy them.
  • stephcampbell77
    stephcampbell77 Posts: 112
    I agree with all the responses you've already gotten. I just wanted to say that I have to disguise veggies a lot for my kids to eat them. You can put almost any veggie in pasta or pizza sauce. Google "The Sneaky Chef" or "The Sneaky Chef to the Rescue". Tons of ideas :) Good luck!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories