Picky Eater

^^^ What he said...

I've found that now that I'm older I've gone back and tried the things I hated when I was younger...and I love almost all of them. There are very few foods I don't like anymore. If you haven't tried something in a few years...try it again. And prepare/cook it differently.

I think it's going to take time to develop your tastes for veggies or it may not happen at all. For me, I have never liked olives and never will.

Have you tried included more veggies in your foods? I started eating tomatoes by including them in hamburgers, sandwiches, and salads. I'm not to the point where I can eat a raw tomato but I feel I'm adding a little more substance to foods I like. If you like pastas, like spaghetti; perhaps, you can add some summer squash to it. For a snack, consider eating some celery stuffed with lite spreadable cheese or peanut butter (watch your servings because it can add calories). At least it gives you a crunchy snack with some protein and a veggie.

For lunches, I live on Lean Cuisines and Smart Ones so that helps introduce me to a lot of veggies as they are mixed in their dishes. I also supplement the lunch with raw baby carrots.

I can definitely relate to you. I am probably the most PICKY eater you will ever meet. I don't like any veggies except green beans and there are very few fruits that I like. I have gone back and tried to eat things that I didn't like before but I still can't seem to eat them. It is VERY frustrating and hard to lose weight. I lost 70 lbs in 6 months by counting calories and exercising but then I came to a screeching halt with the weight loss because I couldn't find enough healthy foods to eat.

I wish you all the best. I feel your pain

What about trying to "hide" vegetables in your food?

For example when you make rice cut up cauliflower very small and mix it with the rice. You will probably barely notice it -- especially if you are putting a sauce over it. If you are not a cook you could still try this with packaged food. For example if you make those Lipton Rice and Sauce packages you could just mix the finely chopped cauliflower in with the rice while it is cooking.

Another idea -- hiding purried yellow squash in mac and cheese. Ellie Krieger does ths to make a healthy mac n cheese and I have made the recipe many times and served it to company and no one ever guesses that there is squash in it. If you want her from-scratch recipe just google her name. To make it with packaged food just get a box of frozen purried yellow squash, heat it in the microwave and mix some in with your mac n cheese however you make it. Because it is the same color you will probably not even realize it is there but it will make your meal more filling and more nutritious.

When you make hamburgers or anything with ground beef try chopping mushrooms real small and mixing them in. They will pick up the flavor of the meat and you will hardly see them. If you want to be a little more adventurous chop onion reall small and mix that in too.

Lasagna or any tomato sauce dish is a great place to hide spinach. You can still see the green flecks you really can't taste it. You can use frozen chopped spinach.

The other thing is, I heard a long time ago that it can often take up to ten tastes before our tastebuds adapt to a new flavor it doesn't like. Now, I'm not suggesting that you suffer through 10 bites of something you hate all at once, but have a bite. If you don't like it, don't continue. Next time you have the chance, have a bite again. Continue on. With most foods your palate will eventually accept the taste and then begin to enjoy it. I've been very successful with this method.

I am a terribly picky eater, so I find it hard to eat healthy all the time. Can anyone else relate, or does anyone have any suggestions for me?!?!

I would suggest acquiring new tastes and dropping the foods that would be counter-productive to your endeavors.