What are some food ideas for someone who hates "healthy" eating?

Hi!
I've restarted trying to get healthy.
But with so many years of non stop junk food, I have no taste for what is good for me.
I am a carb and dairy addict, and I want to reduce them!
My daily calorie intake was set at just under 1500, and I have a large stomach, so I want to feel full, even if I don't eat a ton.

Are there any recipe ideas, for people who typically don't like "healthier" food?

Replies

  • gingerbee33
    gingerbee33 Posts: 69 Member
    Try a new vegetable each week, and you’ll find what tastes good. I acquired a taste for a few vegetables. My children were never picky eaters, therefore it caused me to expand my palate. I tried different recipes until I found ones my family found appealing.
  • ssurvivor
    ssurvivor Posts: 142 Member
    Start by subbing one of your junk food meals with a homemade meal. That, alone, is a HUGE step toward healthy eating. Even if your homemade meal is a version of your "junk food" meal. For example, a homemade hamburger is inherently healthier than a fast food hamburger. It doesn't have as many additives, you have more control over the oil and sodium and you have the freedom to play around with the type of meat, the method of preparation, the toppings, etc.

    Then, every week, make one more meal until you've hit (at least) an 80/20 balance of homemade to junk food ratio.

    Once you've developed a home cooking habit, start playing around with the ingredients. Make healthy swaps and/or sneak in extra vegetables.

    By easing into healthy habits, your taste buds will change and you'll start to understand what healthy foods work best for your body and/or are enjoyable to you.

    Also, be careful to avoid "jumping in with both feet." While it will help you meet you your short term goals more quickly, many people feel burned-out after meeting their goals and fall back into their old patterns.
  • gracenlunar
    gracenlunar Posts: 3 Member
    I also don't like eating healthy, and I'm hungry all the timeeeeee! But I've lost over 22 lbs and 17 with MFP. I make tacos like 5 times a week. I use Ole low calorie tortillas (I have 2) and then stuff them full of chicken, beef, or whatever else. I top it with reduced fat mexican style cheese, lettuce, salsa, refried beans and daisy light sour cream. I also measure things out before prep so i don't go overboard but so far it has worked for me. My dinner ranges from 450- 570 cals and I'm stuffed after. If I'm still hungry I will have a Yasso Greek bar-- they are awesome and 100 cals each so a its a suitable dessert.
  • waukenabogirl
    waukenabogirl Posts: 16 Member
    Make a big pot of taco soup- ground beef, cans of chili beans, black beans and white beans, can of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and a packet of taco spice. Brown the ground beef,add everything else and cook for 30 minutes. You eat this over pasta or a baked potato or topped with plain yogurt or low-fat cheese. Low in calories, high in filling younup.
  • jmanning1264
    jmanning1264 Posts: 1 Member
    Similar to gracenlunar's idea - I make nachos!! Ground turkey and taco seasoning cooked up. Add tomatoes, green onions and jalapenos. I am not big on dairy, so you could do some cheese if you want. I then scoop it up with plantain chips. So good. My portion (which is about a 1/4 pound of the meat and appropriate toppings) is about 450 calories. This is also an easy one to meal prep and have in the frig to take for lunch a couple days a week.
  • eyingling15
    eyingling15 Posts: 2 Member
    It can be difficult if you're a picky eater. Have you tried checking out pinterest? They have so much! Try to find things that are in between what you're currently eating and what you would consider healthy to transition to new flavors. Here's a recipe that works well in my house (I have 3 kids). It's Lemon Chicken with Asparagus and Honey Butter Sauce. If you don't like asparagus, substitute something you do like, perhaps broccoli or zucchini.

    Ingredients:
    1 lb(s), Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Cutlets
    0.50 teaspoon Salt
    1 tsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning
    0.25 cup Flour
    2 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
    2 tablespoons Butter, divided
    1 cup Asparagus
    2 Lemons- one sliced, one zested and juiced
    2 tbsp Honey, divided
    1 tbsp Parsley

    Combine the flour, salt & lemon pepper. Lightly dredge the chicken in in the flour. Melt 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over med high heat. Add chicken and saute until golden brown on both sides. Remove from pan and add asparagus and lemon zest and juice. Saute until tender crisp. In a small pan, combine honey with remaining butter and olive oil. Layer chicken cutlets over asparagus. Place lemon slices on top of chicken. Pour honey butter sauce over everything. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with noodles or rice.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,467 Member
    Like tater tots? Try Zucchini tots. Like French fries? Try roasted potatoes or roasted sweet potatoes.
    Like sweets? Try fruit. Ice cream? Try nice cream. Like soda? Try flavored teas or waters.
  • xelsoo
    xelsoo Posts: 194 Member
    As everyone has mentioned before, try your hand at making your own version of the junk food you love: you can control the portion, oil, sauce and ingredients to fit it into your daily meal plan!

    Burrito bowls are a personal favorite: lean ground beef, tomatoes (can be canned), red and yellow peppers, onion, corn, beans and light shredded cheese. Cook the veggies in a bit of oil (or spray the pan and leave more calories for cheese!), add the lean mince and all the spices you love (paprika, cayenne, cumin, salt and black pepper), add the tomatoes and let cook. If it gets too dry, I add some water or stock to make it more juicy. Add cooked beans and corn as a last step and then add some cilantro and the shredded cheese on top - so filling :)

    This is just an example but you can apply the same logic to pasta sauces, meat stews, etc. and perhaps subbing full-fat dairy for lower fat options (no need to go 0%, you still want to feel full). Grilling is also great, so barbecue's are still an option!
    There are a ton of threads here with enticing slow-cooker recipes, plus cakes, pancakes, muffins, waffles...you can use the search bar to find particular recipes.
  • eyingling15
    eyingling15 Posts: 2 Member
    You can also try "sneaking" extra veggies into things you already like. For instance, add minced, sauteed mushrooms to turkey or hamburgers. You don't taste them at all (ask my 11 year old). My kids love sloppy joes, so I found a recipe online where you put carrots, celery, peppers, onions, and garlic in the food processor until it's so tiny it will just look like part of the sauce. The simplest thing I do is adding frozen riced cauliflower to jarred spaghetti sauce. Again, you can't tell it's there, but you're getting the benefits.
  • Tolamarie
    Tolamarie Posts: 4,838 Member
    Three ingredient sloppy joes
    1 pound lean ground beef
    3/4 cup salsa
    1/2 cup barbecue sauce

    Brown ground beef, add other ingredients, and heat. This is so good and easy to make. I use mild salsa as my husband doesn't like anything spicy.
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    edited July 2019
    Almost anything can taste good if prepared and seasoned good.

    I've recently started dropping the carbs. Some of my favorite lower carb foods that still taste amazing and very filling:

    Taco salad: taco seasoned meat. While meats cooking, I make a big bowl of salad including:
    Mixed spring greens
    Finely diced onion (or green onions).
    Diced heirloom tomato
    Sliced black olives
    Chopped 1/2 head of cilantro
    1/2 Avocado sliced
    Shredded cheese
    A scoop of sour cream
    Squeeze of lime juice
    Drizzle of olive oil
    Top with the seasoned meat.

    Tex-Mex omelet-- day or two later, using leftovers:
    Medium heat: in Small skillet Saute onion in olive oil, can add bell peppers, and/or spinach. Add in seasoned meat to warm up.
    Set all aside on plate.
    In same small skillet, add a little slither of real butter--let melt, throw in one beaten egg, sprinkle on shredded cheese, let cook all the way through, top with meat & onion mix, top with cilantro, avocado, black olives, green onions, diced tomato, salsa, a little sour cream.

    Spaghetti squash spaghetti:
    Clean squash, carefully cut into inch thick rings, can try and cut one side flat so it doesn't roll around, place inch thick rings flat on cookie sheet (I use parchment paper), salt, pepper, drizzle olive oil on rings, 400 degrees until tender with a fork. Scrape pasta-like squash with fork.

    Add squash "pasta" to favorite marinara or meat sauce.
    Mine is sauteed onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, ground beef, a couple of cans of tomato sauce, a can of diced tomatoes, fresh basil, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. All ingredients one pot, simmer on med-low. Sprinkled with parmesan cheese!

    Eating healthier can taste great and be extremely filling!