Healthy meals for the picky eater?

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BADAS5
BADAS5 Posts: 26
in Food and Nutrition
I have a really tough time with following any sort of diet or meal plan because I am such a picky eater. The only veggies that I can get myself to eat are canned green beans, carrots and occasionally corn. I am also an awful and lazy cook. Does anyone have any easy to follow meal ideas for the picky eater? So far I have been managing to stay at my 1200 calorie diet but have not altered what I have been eating (a lot of fast food) I just eat less of it... which has helped some but I am now seeing a plateau.

Thanks in advance for all of your help!

Replies

  • godroxmysox
    godroxmysox Posts: 1,491 Member
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    Do you like chicken? It is high in protein and there are a million things you can do with it...
  • jabsmckee
    jabsmckee Posts: 30 Member
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    Bump. I'm a pretty picky eater too.
  • hawkeyegirl
    hawkeyegirl Posts: 6
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    Wow! Sounds EXACTLY like me! Not a big veggie eater or fruit eater so it's definitely harder. One thing you can do to cut some calories here and there is always look for the low fat versions of things you might normally eat. Other than that I'm kind of in the same boat as you and will be interested to see other posts. Good luck! :)
  • nehtaeh
    nehtaeh Posts: 2,977 Member
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    I think we are similar. While I know you need the fruits and veggies, I have a hard time with them. I don't like many veggies, but its more about time and money. They are expensive and they don't last between shopping trips to the produce store so we run out.

    Anyway, I too love fast food. I have found that I can get more food for my calories once I started forcing myself to prepare meals. I love taco bell so I try to make things that can take the place of what I would get there. It is much healthier to make your own and you end up with less calories. That was the direction I went in. Plus, less processed and sodium will help you lose as well.
  • ilsie99
    ilsie99 Posts: 259
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    There's an iOS app from real simple magazine that has recipes under 40 minutes or less. They are quick and high quality, and so far they've been really tasty!

    Unfortunately I can't really give you any suggestions that don't involve no cooking. :)
  • BADAS5
    BADAS5 Posts: 26
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    I love chicken and could really use some different ideas on how to prepare it so that it doesn't always taste the same. I also love salads but drown them in ranch dressing, any ideas on a lower calorie substitute?
  • nehtaeh
    nehtaeh Posts: 2,977 Member
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    Do you like salsa? I love to put salsa on my salad. Its not so bland, but much healthier.

    I'm not much help on chicken. I have a hard time figuring out how to cook it so its not dry.
  • breezymom81
    breezymom81 Posts: 499 Member
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    Tyson makes prepared grilled chicken strips, you can get them plain or with some seasoning. They are great and you can toss them on to burritos, salad, sandwich or eat them by them selves. Plus they are really a pretty good price and keep for a while. Also how about like Smart ones frozen meals? I try to keep some of those fro nights I dont want to cook.


    My kids pediatrician just pointed out to me when we were talking about nutrition that it is OKAY to eat cereal for dinner, much healthier then fast food and if you add a piece of fruit you have a very complete meal....plus a lot of them can hit the sweet tooth!!
  • breezymom81
    breezymom81 Posts: 499 Member
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    I love chicken and could really use some different ideas on how to prepare it so that it doesn't always taste the same. I also love salads but drown them in ranch dressing, any ideas on a lower calorie substitute?

    Don't put the ranch on your salad, instead put it in a cup and dip your fork into it, you will get all the flavor and use much less
  • kris4946
    kris4946 Posts: 1
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    i put salsa on my salad then i use about half of the ranch dressing i would normally!
  • Britt22706
    Britt22706 Posts: 97
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    Try some crock pot recipes! it doesn't really count as cooking because you basically just "set it and forget it" lol.

    A very popular recipe on here (which I have tried and LOVED!) is the Salsa Chicken.

    A couple of tablespoons of salsa only has about 15 calories (try to find a kind with low sodium)

    I'm not sure of the actual recipe, but I know that it's chicken, salsa, and Campbells cream of chicken soup (also reduced sodium). Pour it all in the crock pot, cook on low for about 6-8 hours and wallah! Serve over some cooked brown rice!!

    The taste is comparable to chicken enchalladas!!! SO GOOD! When I got home from work, all I had to do was make the rice, and dinner was done! My apartment smelled like a mexican restaurant!!!
  • BADAS5
    BADAS5 Posts: 26
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    Thanks for all of the advice, I will have to try them. As for the Salsa Chicken I have had a box of brown rice in my cupboard for about 6 months now, now might be a good time to pull it out and try it.
  • Doing_me
    Doing_me Posts: 91 Member
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    omg, that sounds so like me! Try vinaigrettes or lemon based dressings for your salads and spice them up with low fat cheese or chicken or tuna...
  • godroxmysox
    godroxmysox Posts: 1,491 Member
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    I love chicken and could really use some different ideas on how to prepare it so that it doesn't always taste the same. I also love salads but drown them in ranch dressing, any ideas on a lower calorie substitute?

    I have the same love for ranch dressing....if you have grilled chicken on your salad, it is really good with barbeque sauce. It sounds weird, but a little bit goes a long way and adds a lot of flavor =)
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Have you tried lots and lots of vegetables, prepared in different ways? You might find you like a vegetable raw, but hate it cooked. Don't give up. Fruits & vegetables are low fat, high fiber, and high is vitamins and nutrients. There is a cookbook called 'Deceptively Delicious' - it's all about making "regular" recipes healthier. An example: adding pureed, cooked, carrots to spaghetti sauce.

    I too love ranch dressing, but it's so much higher in calories than other dressings, that I no longer use it on a main-dish sized salad. I really like Newman's Light Sesame Ginger dressing on a grilled chicken salad. I only use ranch when a small quantity is needed (veggie dippers).
  • amykrucz
    amykrucz Posts: 1
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    I agree with you, by my size anyone looking at me wouldn't say I am a picky eater but when it comes to diet food I am. I hate cooked onions, black beans, mushrooms, cooked peppers (green, yellow, etc.), egg whites, tofu, ground turkey, etc. I would like to have a diet plan where there is what I consider, normal food. I am highly addicted to sweats and I know that is one of my weight problems. I love chicken, and most vegetables but I have a hard time figuring out a menu plan. Can anyone give me ideas of what a week of meals would look like? Thanks!
  • ilovepinkchocolate
    ilovepinkchocolate Posts: 7
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    Do you like bananas?

    I tried a banana blueberry spinach smoothie and liked it because it hid the yucky greens flavor.

    You could try tuna or sardines, low fat and packed with protien,

    Or you may want to try to get used to those veggies, 13 tries at least because every diet needs them!
    Maybe try zucinii bread, I was grossed out when I heard this but totally love it!
  • elsyoommen
    elsyoommen Posts: 155 Member
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    have you tried the vegetables that you microwave in the bag? I have the green beans like this - they are already washed and trimmed. I poke a few holes in the bag and toss in the microwave for 4 minutes. When it comes out I add something - often as simple as a little salt and butter. The kids all love this. Serve this with some roast chicken or a steak. Chop up a few tomatoes, open a bag of baby spinach. You need very little dressing on this since you will get the "juices" from the chicken and tomatoes. You can also squeeze some lemon on this.

    As for salsa, try making your own - my husband does this once or twice a week and we tend to put it on everything (fish, chicken, tortilla chips - it takes 5 minutes to make and much better than anything out of a jar:

    a cup cherry tomatoes; juice of 1-2 limes, a couple of green onions, salt, cilantro, a bit of chili pepper to your taste - dice up all of this and put in a bowl. It lasts a few days and is very tasty. play with the proportions so that it suits you.

    If you want to make it more substantial you can add 1/2 can of (rinsed) black beans, or some chopped up mango, cucumbers etc. Very tasty. Very good for you.

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