Help! I hate most vegetables!

leahhnicole
leahhnicole Posts: 19 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm 25 and I eat like a 5 year old. (actually some 5 year olds may eat better than me)

I do like some vegetables. My go to veggies:
Avocado
Zucchini
Asparagus
Spinach
Cooked Broccoli

But other than that I don't like really any other veggies. :(

How can I learn to love veggies?!
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Replies

  • eeejer
    eeejer Posts: 339 Member
    that list is already better than most people. I find adding veggies to things that hide them works well, stews, soups, omelettes, etc...
  • scooterjbs
    scooterjbs Posts: 2 Member
    You're already off to a good start with your go-to list. I would suggest looking around online for creative ways to use vegetables or ways to sneak them into existing recipes. For instance, I rarely eat cauliflower by itself but I love to make cauliflower "rice" or use it as a substitute for mashed potatoes. Roasted root vegetables or a root vegetable stew can be really good, too. Good luck!
  • phildog49
    phildog49 Posts: 31 Member
    you can learn to like anything... you just have to eat them. Learn how to prepare foods in different ways and incorporate them into other foods. Some do smoothies, some do soup or stews. It's something that requires some planning, and maybe some googling
  • lyndseybellz
    lyndseybellz Posts: 62 Member
    thats a pretty solid list. why dont you just keep eating those?
    i hide spinach in almost everything because it basically doesn't have a taste. i put fresh spinach in my omelettes in the morning, in my protein shakes, and on wraps if i make them.
  • pzarnosky
    pzarnosky Posts: 256 Member
    According to my clinical nutrition prof... Force yourself to eat it and after around 14 times your brain will get over it and you won't mind it anymore. Kinda like why a lot of people don't like beer or red wine at first and how "it's an acquired taste" and eventually can down a whole case/bottle in a night.
  • Weaz66
    Weaz66 Posts: 1,846 Member
    You don't...but you can learn to hide the taste. Spinach I can hide in almost everything. But other than veggie soup (where the flavors all run together) it's always been hard for me too. I eat salsa, so I've learned to make my own and use it on everything...eggs (right now as I'm typing this I'm eating a 2 egg omelette with 2 cups of Japanese Stir Fry veggies in it and a 1/4 cup of salsa), sandwiches, on Japanese stir fry or other veggies (it helps mask the taste), on potatoes, etc...
    Squash I like fixing as a spaghetti. I think our taste changes as we get older....I can eat more veggies now than I used to.
  • TheTagman
    TheTagman Posts: 23 Member
    Your list of veggies it's a lot longer than mine was (corn & green beans).....A nasty heart attack and being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes changed my perspective! Faced with the choice of a healthy diet or an early death made vegetable MUCH more palatable. Now I happily eat lots of different veggies! :smile:

  • leahhnicole
    leahhnicole Posts: 19 Member
    Smart about incorporating the veggies into meals that mask the flavor. That's what bothers me the most. It's the flavor of most veggies I hate!
  • ReaderGirl3
    ReaderGirl3 Posts: 868 Member
    edited April 2016
    leahhnicole wrote: »
    I'm 25 and I eat like a 5 year old. (actually some 5 year olds may eat better than me)

    I do like some vegetables. My go to veggies:
    Avocado
    Zucchini
    Asparagus
    Spinach
    Cooked Broccoli

    But other than that I don't like really any other veggies. :(

    How can I learn to love veggies?!

    This isn't too bad actually, you have a good base! I'm a veggie fan, but only if they're with something/covered in sauce lol. So for me, the trick is to buy frozen bags of the mixed veggies (stir-fry/California blend etc), and add them to stir-fry type dishes with rice, a meat (pork or chicken usually), and then some kind of sauce (usually soy sauce or sweet n sour). Or raw bell peppers with chip dip, a big salad with lots of different add-ins and dressing etc etc.

    But, there's some veggies that I just don't like, and that's ok. I don't try and force myself to eat them, and instead focus on eating the ones I do like, and also trying new ones as well :)
  • SWellz
    SWellz Posts: 62 Member
    You have a great list so far. Try preparing the veggies differently. I didn't used to like certain vegetables, but I found that roasting them in the oven really changed the flavor for me.
  • lmew91
    lmew91 Posts: 88 Member
    I have never really like veggies either. I have looked up recipes on Pinterest and other sites and experimented with ways of preparing them that I enjoy while still preparing them in a health-conscious manner. For example, steamed cauliflower just doesn't do it for me. It doesn't have much of a taste, but yet I don't like it. Roasted cauliflower with garlic is delicious! Also, maybe try smaller portions? I find that if I make myself eat an amount that I feel is the appropriate serving, but it's more than I want, I'll end up disliking that dish. But, if I eat maybe half a serving the first time, and it wasn't too bad, maybe the next time I will eat a little more, and so on.
  • foxlme
    foxlme Posts: 57 Member
    Play with the spices! Cauliflower is a good example... by itself, meh. But roasted with a little olive oil and oregano? Yum. If you like spicy foods, roast veggies and add a ton of chili powder or cumin. Experiment with the seasoning and you might be surprised. Otherwise, I agree with others- your list is already pretty great! My boss, for example, likes only corn and romaine lettuce. That's it for vegetables. My two-year-old is like Wolfgang Puck compared to her. :)
  • Geojerm
    Geojerm Posts: 291 Member
    It's all about taste and what you do with the veggies .... you could try adding some finely diced veggies (carrots, onion, mushroom) when cooking ground meats or add some to sauces (spinach, mushrooms , peppers).

    mash some cauliflower into potatoes.... or mix potatoes with a little turnip or squash

    Or try smoothies with fruit & veggies

    These methods all work with kids : ) haha you eat more veggies than my child !!

    One of my faves is roasted brussell sprouts with balsalmic vingar

    Find a flavour or dish you do like and experiment with extra veggies : )
    Good luck



  • sllm1
    sllm1 Posts: 2,130 Member
    I can eat corn, cabbage, green beans, and lettuce.

    That's my veggie list.
  • tarboro84
    tarboro84 Posts: 26 Member
    leahhnicole wrote: »
    I'm 25 and I eat like a 5 year old. (actually some 5 year olds may eat better than me)

    I do like some vegetables. My go to veggies:
    Avocado
    Zucchini
    Asparagus
    Spinach
    Cooked Broccoli

    But other than that I don't like really any other veggies. :(

    How can I learn to love veggies?!

    Your list is better than mine. I only eat about 1 or maybe 2 things on your list. I find the Naked juices/ smoothie drinks to be very helpful because you get a lot of nutrients from them that is provided by vegetables and they tastes really well. Also v8 splash juice....if that's still on the market. Haven't consumed v8 splash in a while..good luck!
  • leahhnicole
    leahhnicole Posts: 19 Member
    Ooh Corn is good too :D
  • eeejer
    eeejer Posts: 339 Member
    Indian food is amazing for vegetables. They know how to make things you might not like tasty.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Try cooking things different ways. A roasted or grilled vegetable can taste pretty different than boiled or microwaved.
    Try different seasonings.
    Try fresh or frozen vegetables.
    Try vegetable combinations instead of solo vegetables.
    Add vegetables to soups, stews, curries, stir fries, eggs, sauces.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    You say you don't like veggies. But you do like asparagus, my most hated of vegetables. Does not compute.
  • Wicked_Seraph
    Wicked_Seraph Posts: 388 Member
    edited April 2016
    Your list isn't too bad, actually! I'm a bit pickier... zucchini would never fly as a standalone with me, and asparagus is a tough sell for me because of how tough the bottom part of the stalk is.

    For the veggies you dislike, is it a matter of taste or texture? I used to hate peas as a child - but only because they were the frozen kind that never quite thawed properly. They were always a bit hard and wrinkly as opposed to the soft, round lovelies that are among my faves.

    Frozen veggies have really stepped up their game - SteamFresh has a whole bunch that are flavored! Ranch broccoli, lime fiesta corn, sriracha sweet carrot, wasabi peas, etc. If it's the blandness of some veggies, you might like these! :)

    Adding them into dishes you like also helps. Stir-fry is a really awesome cheat method - add a bunch of the stuff you DO like, as well as a healthy sauce, and you'll hardly notice things like peppers.
  • Troutrouter1968
    Troutrouter1968 Posts: 122 Member
    I would just stick to the list of what you like. Try different ways of cooking them. I only have 4 veggies in my rotation.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    Have you tried chard? I find it to be close to spinach in flavor. How about cauliflower? My reason for mentioning these is that I don't see many colors. Both chard and cauliflower come in various colors which have some different micro nutrients.
  • stmokomoko
    stmokomoko Posts: 98 Member
    Use them in juices or smoothies.
  • _jordanli
    _jordanli Posts: 3 Member
    edited April 2016
    I encourage making soup with veggies.
    -Chicken noodle soup (celery, carrots, onions)
    -Corn chowder (bell peppers, celery, onions)
    -Minestrone (tomatoes, variety of beans, zucchini, green beans)

    I would recommend using stir-fry to cook vegetables. You can mask the bland flavor of certain vegetables using meat, spices, and sauces.

    I know a lot of folks who do not like vegetables do enjoy stuffed bell peppers and stuffed tomatoes. If you're interested in some recipes let me know I'll be happy to provide suggestions.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Do you like tomato sauce? Steamed veggies in tomato sauce with a sprinkle of parm cheese.

    Roast them! Chop into chunks, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and stick them in the oven.

    Smoothies

    Mix bite sized pieces into pasta salad, grain salad, tuna salad, chicken salad, casseroles, etc.

    Try dipping anything crunchy into salad dressing or peanut butter!

    Honestly, your list isn't that bad. But many veggies have a very different flavor and texture depending on whether they're raw, steamed, stir fried, or roasted. Maybe pick one each week and try it several different ways :)
  • 6pkdreamer
    6pkdreamer Posts: 180 Member
    leahhnicole wrote: »
    Ooh Corn is good too :D

    What about potatoes? Everyone eats chips occasionally or more. I know "vegetains that eat lest vegetables than you.
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  • perkymommy
    perkymommy Posts: 1,642 Member
    leahhnicole wrote: »
    I'm 25 and I eat like a 5 year old. (actually some 5 year olds may eat better than me)

    I do like some vegetables. My go to veggies:
    Avocado
    Zucchini
    Asparagus
    Spinach
    Cooked Broccoli

    But other than that I don't like really any other veggies. :(

    How can I learn to love veggies?!

    Most of your go=to's are greens. Keep on eating those each day. You're all good.
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
    thats a pretty well rounded list i think u are fine if you regularly eat those.. better then a lot of non veggie lovers lists.
  • nishass
    nishass Posts: 9 Member
    I drink most of my vegetables (juiced, not smoothies). I eat a small amount because the fiber is good but if we're talking straight micronutrients here, I think it's more efficient (for me at least) to drink it, that way I know I got the daily recommended servings and I didn't have to sit down and force it. It has worked well for me so far.

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