I hate vegetables!

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ktbear510
ktbear510 Posts: 6
in Food and Nutrition
Please help! I am trying to improve my nutrition and I hate vegetables. Mostly it's a textural issue (tomatoes are slimy, lettuce is weird, etc) but, despite my mom's best efforts growing up, I hate them. I like potatoes, green beans, and cooked carrots...that's it.

Fruits are also a problem. I only like apples and bananas...any suggestions? I don't want to "burn out" on the limited options I like.
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Replies

  • Sean_The_IT_Guy
    Sean_The_IT_Guy Posts: 168
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    Expand your palate. If you dont know how to prepare vegetables strange to you, you're likely not going to like them after you prepare them. Find a friend who knows how to cook and have them introduce you to broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, everything else. The world is a wonder, tasty, fresh place once you open yourself up to the adult world of cuisine.

    I dont mean to be insulting, but I think everyone can agree that "I hate vegetables" and "Vegetables are gross" are the utterings of a child-like food mentality.
  • klappeh
    klappeh Posts: 49 Member
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    I hear you..I don't really like vegetables either--and I'm a vegetarian, go figure. I read a good tip about pureeing and mixing vegetables in your foods to "hide it". I think I'm going to start doing that. One I have been doing is making banana strawberry smoothies with vanilla almond or coconut milk and putting fresh spinach in there. It doesn't alter the flavor and I get my serving of greens. You may have to experiment a bit to find out what works.

    I also like juicing bc I can get a load of fruits and vegetable servings in a drink that I can chug! *make sure you are juicing fresh fruits and vegetables at home--none of that prebottled/canned stuff. They add too much sugar and preservatives. Also, storing juice depletes its nutrients the longer it sits. So drinking fresh juice from the juicer is best! It is a very good investment if you can make it.
  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
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    Well, it's good you like green beans and cooked carrots, especially since they are delicious when cooked with potatoes. Maybe you could try mixing in a small amount of another vegetable, like peas or green onion, and see how it tastes. Maybe there are vegetables out there that you haven't tried yet that would be good.

    There are also tons of fruits. Perhaps you could try an apple pear, which tastes kind of like a combination between an apple and a pear (hence the name). Look up fruits that are similar to bananas (like plantains) and see how they taste.

    Mixing together with stuff you like will probably help. I don't think there's ever been a vegetable I've had that I liked just by eating it by itself.
  • tkillion810
    tkillion810 Posts: 591 Member
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    Have you tried roasting different types of vegetables in the oven? That's my favorite way to eat them.

    I also sneak them in with other foods. For breakfast sometimes I chop up an apple and add some spices like cinnamon, nutmet, etc, nuke it for about 2 mins. Then add the apple mix to some egg whites I cooked on the stovetop.
  • MsLilly200
    MsLilly200 Posts: 192 Member
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    My suggestion, try everything you have never tried or haven't tried in a while 2 or 3 times raw and cooked in different ways and see if you might like some vegetables after all.
    Try boiling, grilling, frying, pickling, pureeing, any way of cooking a vegetable you can think of.
    If you like mashed potatoes you might like mashed cauliflower or broccoli.

    If it's the textures I think there's some condition or something you can have where you can't eat certain textures, but I know nothing about that.
  • MsLilly200
    MsLilly200 Posts: 192 Member
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    Oops! Double post...
  • raspberrytartgirl
    raspberrytartgirl Posts: 51 Member
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    I love veggies myself and could eat veggies all day long. be a lot healthier for me too same with fruit.
    I went to work with a guy who never ate any vegetables because he hated them instead he ate lots of junk food. not only did it effect him medicially but he also ended up having to wear dentures at age 34 years old also.

    incidently I love tomatoes and hate Ketchup and my daughter hates Tomatoes and loves ketchup.
  • jadermary
    jadermary Posts: 105 Member
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    bump---I have that issue with texture too
  • bloominheck
    bloominheck Posts: 869 Member
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    That is so sad, veggies are my absolute favorite food. Remember as you get older your taste for foods changes. What you disliked as a child, you may love as an adult. Try different things. Best of luck to you! :flowerforyou:
  • dpollet2
    dpollet2 Posts: 68 Member
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    My husband has issues with textures, so to some extent I understand this problem. I think you've got to get out of the habit of lumping all vegetables together as yucky. There are many different varieties and chances are if you're open to trying new things you'll find something you like.

    I get that tomatoes are slimy, but lettuce being "weird" is not a reason to not eat it. Slimy things may make you gag, but weird things could just be interesting and new. I don't think there's anything wrong with avoiding specific foods you have an aversion to.
  • ktbear510
    ktbear510 Posts: 6
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    I should clarify the "lettuce is weird" statement. Lettuce to me feels like cardboard in my mouth.

    I'm loving all the suggestions! Thanks!
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
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    Maybe try them in freeze dried form? i take mine as a scoop of powder in 8-10oz of water.

    http://nutracorenutrition.com/index.php/our-products-1/healthy-living/alkalinity-fruits-and-greens-superfood-concentrate-powder.html?SID=bxzqfmeviu
  • HealthWoke0ish
    HealthWoke0ish Posts: 2,078 Member
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    I like 'em...but only as garnish. My steak needs something to sit on when it's on my plate.
  • chooriyah
    chooriyah Posts: 469 Member
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    My hubby used to eat exactly what you eat, except no fruit at all. There are still a lot of things he doesn't like, but surprisingly does like a bunch of things now - including broccoli, cucumber, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, carrots....still doesn't eat fruit or any raw veggies. If you don't like something, try cooking it a different way. My personal opinion is that roasted vegetables of any kind are awesome.

    Try this:

    Cut aubergine (eggplant), zucchini and mushrooms into bite sized chunks. Add 2T olive oil, some paprika, salt and pepper. Toss well. Roast in an oven for 30-40 minutes until tender.

    I DARE YOU to not like it (:
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
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    I always thought I hated beets. The only kind I ever knew were the ones pickled in a can. Ewwww. I have since had fresh beets roasted and they are divine. Try each vegetable prepared in different ways. The internet is chock full of recipes. You may surprise yourself.
  • ktbear510
    ktbear510 Posts: 6
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    Ok, guess I need to put on my "big girl panties" and just be more adventurous with my veggies and fruits!

    If anybody has any good recipes, please let me know! :grumble:
  • primal7
    primal7 Posts: 151 Member
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    Maybe try juicing. Use the ratio 3 veggies to one fruit or half and half.
    Or do a smoothie with a veggie and fruit mix.
    That way you are taking in your veggies and fruit but in a different way.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    Please help! I am trying to improve my nutrition and I hate vegetables. Mostly it's a textural issue (tomatoes are slimy, lettuce is weird, etc) but, despite my mom's best efforts growing up, I hate them. I like potatoes, green beans, and cooked carrots...that's it.

    Fruits are also a problem. I only like apples and bananas...any suggestions? I don't want to "burn out" on the limited options I like.


    Eat the fruits and veggies you like, stay in your calorie goal and exercise. That's as complicated as it needs to be!
  • msigman1
    msigman1 Posts: 20 Member
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    Use your grill. Buy a veggie plate for the grill. I buy lots of different veggies: eggplant, baby carrots, parsnips (white carrots), squash, zucchini, onions, bell peppers, ect. I cut my veggies pretty chunky, they hold up better. I throw all of the veggies in a ziplock bag with some oil (evoo, veg). I throw in a ton of dry spices garlic, grill rub mixes (warning check for salt content), Italian seasoning, mrs. dash, ect. Throw everything on a preheated grill turn the veggies after about 4-5 minutes. Amazing flavor. I will eat this alone of throw it into a wrap, or on top of a hot dog. Grilled veggies keep well for the next day. Give it a try. I always eat my grilled veggies.
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
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    Ok, guess I need to put on my "big girl panties" and just be more adventurous with my veggies and fruits!

    If anybody has any good recipes, please let me know! :grumble:

    As a previous poster suggested, roasting is one of the best ways to prepare almost any veggie. Just a little olive oil, salt and pepper, place them on foil lined (for easy clean up) pan and put in the oven (I use 350 deg) until tender and lightly browned.

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