help the picky eaters

dbldboys
dbldboys Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am the pickiest eater ever. I am not a fruit or veggie person but give me meat and potatoes and I'd be set for days. I believe its more of a texture thing because I love the flavor of things. I can cook with onions, green peppers and tomatoes all day but cannot eat one. Yes I will make banana pudding and pick out the bananas. Its horrible! Help me begin how to like fruits and veggies so I can include them into my diet and lose weight. I like apples, grapefruit and green grapes. That is it. Vegetables are white potatoes, green beans, broccoli, cabbage, corn and that's about it.

Replies

  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Really, how old are you?
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    edited March 2015
    I think it's fine that you like those fruits and veggies.
    Do you like any types of salad greens?
    Can you mash up other veggies and put them in soups, stews, sauces, etc.?
  • Zinka61
    Zinka61 Posts: 563 Member
    What if you try pureeing them, fruits to make dessert type sauces like apple sauce or banana "ice cream", veggies to make cream soups (you can make them without cream--adding oatmeal, for example).
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    kbmnurse wrote: »
    Really, how old are you?

    That was my first thought. I'm really not keen on veggies. But as often as I can i buy as many different vegies as possible, chop them up thinly and stir fry them for a few minutes. I don't particularly enjoy it, but i know it's healthy for me and its just something i have to do, as a grown up and all :)
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    You already eat a variety of fruits and veg - that's great! I also have issues with texture, and smell, color, and consistency, more than actual taste. I see two ways you could work on this:

    1) You could look for stuff that is similar in texture to what you already eat. Apples - try pears. Grapefruit - try oranges, pomelo and tangerines. Grapes - you have to try rambutan and litchi, they are gorgeous! Potato - sweet potato. Green beans - green peas. Broccoli - cauliflower. Cabbage - lettuce. I can't think of a replacement for corn just now :p

    2) Buy an immersion blender, cook vegetables, add stock, salt and pepper, and run it until smooth, soup will be creamy and fluffy. And a blender (like the Nutribullet), fill it with banana chunks, some other fruit or berries, or cocoa and peanut butter, plus milk or alternative, and go!

    All that said, whatever you eat, you will not lose weight unless you are in a calorie deficit. But eating a variety of foods is healthy both for your body and for your social life. If you ever get to raise children, they will also need a good role model.
  • Sailatsorf
    Sailatsorf Posts: 161 Member
    First: Figure out if your restrictive eating is part of a disorder. Do you feel anxious about foods you don't like? Do you feel ill if you eat a food you don't like? Does it make eating difficult in social situations because you're self-conscious about your eating habits? If the answers to these are yes, then getting over it may need to involve a therapist and cognitive behavioral therapy.

    That said, do it one at a time. Try using a seasoning you really like on a veggie you wouldn't normally like and see if it helps the taste for you any. Blend fruits and veggies you don't like into a smoothie and mask their tastes with fruits you do like. Eat really small portions of these things until you're used to them. Don't try to push yourself to eat a whole serving of veggies you don't like. Just slowly start adding them into your recipes. Some, you will find you'll never like, and that's okay.

    Despite what some people say about "picky" eating being childish, it is perfectly okay for you to like or dislike whatever. Take a multivitamin if you're not getting everything you need, and keep it as varied as you can within what you feel comfortable eating.
  • KrunchyMama
    KrunchyMama Posts: 420 Member
    Keep trying new foods, eventually you will acquire a taste for them. And like I say to my 3 and 4 year old kids: "We're going to be eating healthy foods in this house for a really long time, so you may as well learn to like all this healthy stuff now!"
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,190 Member
    My husband had hugely limited tastes in veg and I slowly introduced him to new ones by chopping them very finely and mixing them into meals he liked. Zucchini and mushrooms are great to cut us very finely and add to stews, casseroles, meat sauces on pasta etc - he learnt to like mushrooms when I started making chicken and mushroom risotto with the mushies cut very fine. Even grate them if you have to. Once you get used to the fact that they're in there, work them into other stuff.

  • PKM0515
    PKM0515 Posts: 3,089 Member
    I think it's great that you like those. I know people who won't eat anything green. You have some real healthy choices. :)

    What about adding some zucchini, carrots, celery (etc.), very finely diced, to spaghetti sauce, stew, Swiss steak, etc.? Have you tried pureeing vegetables into a soup or blending fruit into a smoothie?

    You could also try getting tiny portions of different fruits/vegetables at a good salad bar and see what else you might like.

    Good luck!

  • 365andstillalive
    365andstillalive Posts: 663 Member
    Just reading your post and the list of fruits/veggies you do like, I think that you seem to like more bitter flavours rather than sweet. If that's the case, that's a great starting point because it'll give you a good indication of other veggies/fruits to try.

    The reality is, you don't need to eat fruits and veggies, but long term you do want to find foods that help you hit nutritional goals and get the vitamins you need to function properly.

    As someone mentioned above, pureeing will be a good friend to you. I make veggie sauces for my pastas (I'll puree red pepper, mushrooms, carrots, spinach etc with a bit of tomato paste) which is a great way to sneak in a few servings.

    Otherwise, it's all about trial and error. I won't eat cubed or pan fried eggplant for example, but throw some egg and bread crumbs on it and I'd eat eggplant parmasean all day haha. Based on your list given, I wouldn't be surprised if you like squash (acorn or spaghetti) and maybe something like kale even.

    Your list isn't a bad start, and we tend to develop tastes for certain flavours and foods over time. I wish you luck! You're doing great :)
  • vandasreject
    vandasreject Posts: 10 Member
    Yes, just keep trying them over and over. I used to hate sweet potato as I was so used to white potatoes but I kept trying them and I love them now.
  • ForeverSunshine09
    ForeverSunshine09 Posts: 966 Member
    I myself am also a picky eater. Fruitwise I eat green grapes, apples, bananas, pomegranates. Veggies Spinach, potatoes, corn, peas, green beans,carrots(cooked), celery and cucumber. I was born with a condition that makes certain textures very weird to me. I only eat onions if they are finely diced into things. Same with green peppers. I can't handle mushrooms in anyway but, little tiny bits. I say just dicing really small to combine in other dishes. You get the nutrition without having to deal with the texture as much.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    edited March 2015
    You lose weight by being in a deficit and using moderation, not because you can eat fruit and vegetables.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    kbmnurse wrote: »
    Really, how old are you?

    Why would this be flagged?
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    You lose weight by being in a deficit and using moderation, not because you can eat fruit and vegetables.


    This. If you can fit meat and potatoes into your calorie deficit... You are good to go!
  • pballdonna
    pballdonna Posts: 7 Member
    Everybody doesn't like something (except sara lee). We all have friends who won't or can't do this or that (heights, campfires, swimming, eat fish, sour cream (its sour folks why should we eat it; we throw sour milk away, right) rollercoasters, small spaces). And we still love them. So some of us are picky eaters. Lay off...I rollercoaster and you don't ya big baby (kidding)...so eat with someone else and leave us picky eaters alone. We don't try to shame you into heights, so... I'm 61. Bad childhood, food was political, you'll eat that or else (no really mom those starving kids won't eat it, either) (oh you'll take me to the orphanage if i dont eat that) blah blah blah... I've been a productive adult, now retired. I'll not eat what I damn well don't want to.

    The fact is, as stated a few times already, calorie deficit. Period.
  • snowflakesav
    snowflakesav Posts: 649 Member
    Do you shop for your own groceries? Can you go to a local market and pick up some premium fruits and experiment with some really high quality items?

    Pineapple and fresh strawberries are in season. Fresh salsa from the produce section is also worth a try.
  • KrunchyMama
    KrunchyMama Posts: 420 Member
    snowflakesav wrote: »
    Pineapple and fresh strawberries are in season. Fresh salsa from the produce section is also worth a try.

    Lol the only thing 'in season' right now where I live is maple syrup. I am SO looking forward to fresh-picked-this-morning produce!!!

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