[Tonja81]

So all my life I have been a horribly picky eater. Pretty sure it's gotten worse as I've gotten older. LOL So any other picky eaters here? If so, how do you do this? I'm not really saying that I'm on a diet. But I am trying to eat better. Just making changes. I still eat a lot of the things that I love, but in moderation. I want to add more veggies to my regular diet, but well, I hate most veggies. LOL Seriously, it'd be easier to list the things that I do like rather than list the things I don't. Any suggestions?

[mandalinn82]

I really dislike statements like "I hate most veggies". Honestly, veggies taste differently depending on how they are prepared. Maybe you don't enjoy the flavor of steamed green beans, but have you tried them roasted with sea salt? Stirfried with lemon zest and garlic? Raw with hummus? What about cauliflower mashed with garlic, lots of salt, a little bit of something creamy?

There is too much variety in the vegetable world to write them all off out of hand! Roasting veggies brings out incredible natural sweetness. Try roasting asparagus.

Marinate your veggies. I like to take thin strips of zucchini, marinate in balsamic and garlic, and grill...its like nothing you've ever tried!

The point is, there are so many ways to try things. Look around here for ideas, look in cookbooks, and keep experimenting. I'm sure you'll find some things you like!

[rockinrobin]

I'm 100% in line with Amanda here.

She's right. There are a kijillion ways to make veggies. Roasted cauliflower with onions and garlic. Butternut squash with apples, raisins and walnuts. Broccoli roasted with chilli powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic and onion powders. Green beans roasted with slivered fresh garlic and thinly sliced onions. A veggie platter, full of sugar snap peas, sliced cucumbers, baby carrots, grape tomatoes - dipped in hummus and/or salsa.

Really, you've just got to experiment. FIND ways to make them interesting. And luckily, if you're like lots of us here, your tastes will change!!! Once you start elminating some of the other processed foods that you're used to, you will actually look forward to and crave the healthy stuff.

Here's a thread from the 100lb club with some GREAT ideas for veggies. Take a look:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...ake+vegetables

[Pandora123a]

Someone did research, found it takes about 7-10 attempts to start to like something. One of my friends tried that. He hated salmon, but found that it was everywhere. He would force himself to eat 2-3 bites, then a little more. Last week we were out for dinner. He ordered the salmon...stunning us all.

I find that is sometimes our prejudices that keep us hating vegetables. I tend to think I hate them and have to remember, oh no, I like green beans.

Absolutely, try fresh rather than frozen or canned. Small portions. Made different ways. You might be surprised.

[clewles81]

I am a very picky eater and I hate that. I wish that it was easier for me to eat and and try all kinds of new foods, but instead it is a huge struggle for me. I have a 3 year old who will not put anything new into his mouth and that is heartbreaking for me because there is so much he still hasn't tried. I am trying very hard to change my eating habits so that I can be a good influenze on my son and show him that its okay not to like something, but you have to try it before you know for sure you don't like it. I might have to try that advice about giving something 7-10 chances before giving up on it!

[Wifey]

I'm a pretty picky eater...but sometimes I have to be. My body seems to "reject" certain kinds of spices/marinades etc...so I'm pretty a pretty "plain jane" when it comes to making meals and/or ordering in restaurants.
I happen to like most veggies...there are some that I won't even try b/c of the look of them...but then there are some...like squash and sweet potato, for instance, that I have tried before but can't stand the taste and texture. I guess I'm a very visual person when it comes to what's on my plate and am really picky about taste and texture. **shrugs**

[PhotoChick]

I really dislike statements like "I hate most veggies". Honestly, veggies taste differently depending on how they are prepared. Maybe you don't enjoy the flavor of steamed green beans, but have you tried them roasted with sea salt? Stirfried with lemon zest and garlic? Raw with hummus? What about cauliflower mashed with garlic, lots of salt, a little bit of something creamy?

I so agree with this!

"Vegetables" covers such a wide range of foods and textures and flavors and everything. And even if you don't like a vegetable prepared one way, there are so many ways to prepare them so that they taste different.

I also, personally, dislike the statement "I'm a picky eater". No adult should be a "picky eater". 5 year olds are picky eaters. Adults may have likes and dislikes, but to be a "picky eater" implies (to me) that someone is being childish about their food likes and dislikes. It gives me a visual of someone poking at their dish with a fork and sour expression on their face and going "eeeewwwwwww". (Sorry if that offends anyone - that's the automatic visual I get when I hear/read "I'm a picky eater".)

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[April762]

Have you considered what it is about vegetables you don't like? If it's about the taste, I agree with the previous posts about trying new ones, cooking them in different ways, etc.

However, for others it's about the texture. I know that's how it can be for me. I honestly can't stand foods with a "mushier" texture, like peas.

If it is about the texture for you, I suggest you try dried vegetables. There is a company called Just Tomatoes that makes every single vegetable and fruit you can think of dried. I tried their dried veggie blend and I love it- even the peas! To quote the website, "Drying brings out the natural sweetness". A plus is that they don't add anything to it, it's just the veggies!

Sorry if I sound like a spokesperson for this site (I'm not) but I just recently discovered it and it's awesome for getting more veggies in and makes a great healthier snack.

[stacylambert]

Hi tonja81! Looks like we're practically neighbors! I like over in Vista.

I'm definitely with you on the picky thing. It's not just veggies either, there are soooo many things I don't like. It really does make it hard. My advice would be to find some healthy "go-to" foods that you can make staples in your diet. For me its dairy, fish, and eggs. These are all things I like that are good sources of protein that I can make meals around. Also, people are always talking about all these wonderful recipes...well I like stuff plain. I don't make recipes so much as just cook the things. It's fine with me and I like it. You don't HAVE to have a marinade or seasonings if you don't want to. Remember also that you don't have to make all these changes overnight. It's taken me a loooong time to give up certain foods and learn to like others.

[JulieJ08]

Originally Posted by Pandora123a

Someone did research, found it takes about 7-10 attempts to start to like something.

I've learned to like, and even love, a lot of things that way. At first, I might not like something, then it becomes a little more neutral, then I start to actually enjoy it. It's pretty amazing to me. It's not about learning to tolerate anything, but actually changing to like things.

[rockinrobin]

When I started this little weight loss journey of mine in 2006, I knew that the only way that I would succeed at this, was if I was never ever hungry. And I got to eat often. And I got to eat a lot. When trying to figure out the right plan for me therefore, I knew I had to turn to vegetables. It could provide me with lots and lots of volume for my calorie "buck" so to speak. And provide me with filliing fiber (and nutrients), therefore setting me up for success.

Sooooo, I experimented away. Explored all different veggies and ways to use them. One particular vegetable comes to mind. I always despised tomatoes. LOVED tomato sauce and soup, but not the actual tomato itself. I didn't care for the texture and the seeds, I suppose. But I knew they were a weight loss powerhouse. Full of wonderful nutrients and low in calories. So, I tried them in a salad - cut very tiny, elminating the seeds and most of the inside "mushy" texture. And I really enjoyed them! And then I sliced them thickly and broiled them. And much to my surprise they were FANTASTIC! Then I tried the tiny grape tomatoes. And I love them. I eat tomatoes, in some form now at least 6 days a week. They are a true favorite food of mine now. Who knew?

Oh and probably because of me, one of my DD's hated them as well and when I started eating them, well, wouldn't you know it she started eating them. I think she now likes them better then I do. Between the two of us, I can't keep enough of them in the house.

There are a kijillion vegetables out there. And a kijillion ways to prepare them. You MUST be open to trying them.

Experiment. Experiment. And then experiment some more.

[blazinhoops]

I'm definately a picky eater!

I'm a vegetarian, so all meat (including chicken & fish) is out.

I'm lactose intollerant, so most dairy is out. I can eat some dairy, but only in very small amounts.

And I'm allergic to mushrooms!

Also really dislike broccolli and cauliflower.

Needless to say my insides aren't very healthy!

[rockinrobin]

I'm not so sure if I'd call you a picky eater, per se'. But you do have some absolute "can't haves".

Again, with the broccoli and cauliflower, I URGE you to try them some different ways. I had an entire household full of broccoli and cauliflower haters - now, after preparing it some different ways - I can't keep enough of it in the house. Really. We go through at least 5 heads of cauliflower a week. Broccoli, about half that.

But broccoli, cauliflower and mushrooms are just a small portion of what's available in the vegetable world.

So, let me ask you - what does your "diet" consist of? Maybe we can help you work something out. And we do have a whole section here at 3FC devoted to vegetarians. You may want to check that out:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=121

[PhotoChick]

There is a huge difference between being a self proclaimed "picky eater" and making a lifestyle choice about what you will and won't eat - being vegetarian or vegan or choosing to eat a Mediterranean diet or whatever. There's also a huge difference between being a "picky eater" and having food allergies or being lactose intolerant (although many people lately use allergies or intolerance as a catch-all excuse for not liking something or not wanting to try something).

We I was a kid, we lived overseas and were exposed to all kinds of foods that people here in the States consider "weird". My mom had a rule that we HAD to try everything that was offered to us - at least 3 bites - before we could say we didn't like it. And making faces and gagging noises was very likely to get us grounded for a week. She expected us to be open minded and give everything a fair shot before saying we didn't like it or wouldn't eat it.

Also as kids, my brother and I were allowed 3 things that we didn't like and wouldn't eat under any circumstances. They had to be things we'd defined in advance - we couldn't decide on the spur of the moment that we didn't like whatever was being served for dinner, for example. If my mom made whatever one of our dislikes was for dinner, we could choose not to eat it w/out penalty or punishment. And if she made a main course we didn't like we were allowed *just for that meal* to have a pb&j sandwich or some canned soup or something else.

When I was a kid, my 3 things were brussels sprouts, lima beans, and tuna noodle casserole.

I used to hate that my mom was so inflexible about our eating habits, but I gotta say as an adult, I'm glad she stuck to her guns and made us be open minded. I guess it's one reason I have no tolerance for "picky eating" (and again, I mean true pickiness, and not allergies, or lifestyle choices).

The other thing that really bothers me is that there are so many people in this work who have so very little to eat and would be so very grateful to have the variety and options that are available to those of us who are lucky enough to live where our choices are so unlimited. To see someone pooh-pooh "all veggies" just because "I'm picky" really sorta sets my teeth on edge. I've lived in places where having fresh veggies available was beyond luxury.

Anyway ... just my further thoughts on the matter.

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[Tonja81]

Thanks so much for all of the replies and tips. Even the opinions! I think, for me, it's a combination of disliking certain vegetables for taste and some for texture. So I am going to take the advice of trying them in new ways. And trying the ones that I'm not fond of more than once. I had never heard that about having to try something 7-10 times. I think some of it, for me, also is a mental thing. As a child, I was horribly picky and my mother sort of spoiled me in that area. Drove my father insane! So as I grew into an adult, I continued with certain mentalities, you know?

I have a 4 year old daughter and I've always made sure to steer clear of pushing my eating habits onto her. The child will try just about anything once. Her favorite food is spinach! She'd rather have a salad than a happy meal! I suppose I should take lessons from her, huh?

Oh and Stacy, yep, we are practically neighbors! How neat!