Pretty Sure I'm the only one..

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StaySeeJ08
StaySeeJ08 Posts: 8 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know you probably are going to think Im crazy but.. I don't eat fruits.. or vegetables.. or meat.. I eat potatoes.. hot dogs.. bacon and chicken and I will eat fish sticks.. smoothies I don't mind. I have a food anxiety and I hate the texture of some food. Any ideas to put more nutrition into my diet or to enhance my life. Please no bashing.. I consider myself a pastavoire.. I love pasta.. also thoughts on gluten free diets?

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  • darkangel45422
    darkangel45422 Posts: 234 Member
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    Have you tried blending up fruits or veggies into other foods? If its the texture that bothers you, finding other ways of eating them might be helpful - green smoothies perhaps, since you said you don't mind them? Try different things and see which ones you like.

    Gluten-free can be an idea but make sure you look at the ingredients carefully; some have a lot of nasty additives to make them still palatable.
  • drgmac
    drgmac Posts: 716 Member
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    That is not at all uncommon and kudos to you for putting it out there and asking for advice.

    I have worked with children who have autism spectrum disorder and their parents and it can indeed be frustrating. The best thing to do is take things slowly. You have already identified that you want to change but don't do too much too soon. Try to figure out what textures you like and then try a couple of new foods in recipes that may have some of those textures. Take a bite or sample things here and there.

    You may fins you actually like some of these things. Most importantly, don't pressure yourself. Think of it as an adventure!
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
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    lol....you don't eat meat but you eat bacon and chicken. and you don't eat veggies but you eat potatoes.

    nice try.
  • drgmac
    drgmac Posts: 716 Member
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    I think she needs a little help. I actually don't cionsider potatoes vegetables, but I'm no expert!!!!
    lol....you don't eat meat but you eat bacon and chicken. and you don't eat veggies but you eat potatoes.

    nice try.
  • ihateyoga
    ihateyoga Posts: 111
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    If you don't like the texture of fruit and vegetables, get a juicer. You can make vegetable or fruit juice at home.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    I have a food anxiety and I hate the texture of some food.

    I totally get it - have a young kid just like that. Loves meat - but only if its the form of hot dogs, salami, liver paste, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, etc - absolutely refuses to eat steak or a chicken drumstick or etc.

    It's the damnedest thing, and I sure don't understand it. But it is what it is, so it's something to work around.

    I wish I had an easy answer for you - good luck!
  • Jewlz280
    Jewlz280 Posts: 547 Member
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    I'm with another poster on taking it slow and trying to hide some of the good stuff in with the stuff you love. There are tons of ways to do it! A really good blender will help. I have a Vitamix and I love being able to make ice cream with spinach and avocado. I love sneaking all kinds of good stuff in things like soup. And you can do it with a lot! There's even a cookbook out that tells how but I can't think of the author. But I know it was one made to help sneak in healthier food for kids/families. An example was she made a marinara that had all kinds of extra veg in it but it looked like, tasted like, and felt like regular pasta sauce. For someone with texture issues, that could be super helpful to be able to make a nutrient packed sauce to go on their pasta! Just be patient with yourself and take your time trying things. Texture issues can take a while to overcome and you may just have to try many different styles before you find the style that works. :smile:
  • Jewlz280
    Jewlz280 Posts: 547 Member
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    lol....you don't eat meat but you eat bacon and chicken. and you don't eat veggies but you eat potatoes.

    nice try.

    For the record, while she said that, I think she was implying 'meat' as in meat straight off of the animal like steak, chicken on the bone, etc. And a potato, while called a veggie, is a tuber. So a lot of people look at them differently. Many people think veg and think lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, etc. but associate a potato as the starch/carb of the meal. Like when you go to a restaurant and get a steak, potato, and then a side of broccoli. She may not have been 'clear' in what she was trying to say, but many of us got it because we either deal with it ourselves or with family members. The important thing is she is here asking for ideas to work with it and through it. :flowerforyou:
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    if you love pasta i dont recommend going gluten free just to see if it works for you. i doubt it would work out well, pasta has gluten in it, right? (at least im pretty sure it does)

    i just suggest to try new things, in small servings. maybe you will find something you love! try not to get frustrated if you keep trying things and everything tastes gross. there will be something you like eventually :)
  • ihad
    ihad Posts: 7,463 Member
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    I know you probably are going to think Im crazy but.. I don't eat fruits.. or vegetables.. or meat.. I eat potatoes.. hot dogs.. bacon and chicken and I will eat fish sticks.. smoothies I don't mind. I have a food anxiety and I hate the texture of some food. Any ideas to put more nutrition into my diet or to enhance my life. Please no bashing.. I consider myself a pastavoire.. I love pasta.. also thoughts on gluten free diets?

    There are lots of people with texture/taste issues. Part of the answer is experimenting to find more things that work for you, and part is accepting that a healthy diet may require that you eat things that are not so yummy, and working to overcome this anxiety to some extent to ensure you get the nutrition you need.

    Are you using a regular multivitamin? That may help with some of the micronutrient deficiencies.

    How actively have you tried alternative foods to see what things you may find more palatable?

    Are you tracking consistently to understand exactly what nutritional areas need the most improvement?

    Have you considered working with a professional nutritionist/counselor of some sort?
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
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    Lots of things you can do with smoothies. How do you feel about soups? Pulses can be blitz to the point of not being an identifiable texture. As others say just try bite sized pieces till you hit on things you like. What about making your own fish sticks with proper fish to get some nutrients. Also fruit juices so forth. Try an online food anxiety site - they may have ideas on overcoming it. I would imagine it places restrictions on your social life too.
  • losing4799
    losing4799 Posts: 83
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    I can't deal with the texture of foods like avocado, sweet potato, and pumpkin... So, I understand why this may be a real issue.

    I like the idea of blending foods with other foods to ease yourself from eating the usual safe foods to healthier/more 'exotic' things. Smoothies can contain fruit, veges, nuts, etc... they are amazing. I'd buy a good juicer/blender and look up some cool smoothie recipes online and try them! :smile:
  • wjimenez10869
    wjimenez10869 Posts: 81
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    Smoothies are the only way I get a good amount of veggies in my diet . If you don't mind them , an investment in a blender/juicer would be a good idea.
  • TallGlassOfQuirky
    TallGlassOfQuirky Posts: 282 Member
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    As someone who HAS to be gluten free or get very sick, I would never recommend it to anyone who has no medical reason to avoid gluten.
    It's expensive and if you already have problems with textures, you would not do well with the cardboard quality of many gluten free foods. You can avoid breads and pastas in general if it makes you feel better to do so, but rice flour vs. wheat flour is really not any healthier. It tends to have more calories and less fiber and, well, only makes sense for people whose bodies don't deal well (whether from an intolerance, allergy, or similar) with gluten.

    As for the picky eater issue, what others have said already is much nicer and probably more helpful than anything I could add.

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