I eat fruit- apples and bannanas are about all I cant tollerate. But veggies, I only like corn! And that is the worst one LOL. I love salad, but my salad consists of ice burg lettuce, maybe a shred or two of carrots, and some cheese shreds, croutons and ranch. NOT VERY GOOD FOR ME eh?
Does anyone know what I can do to train myself to love veggies? Or at least how I can hide them in food I eat- I will be cooking the food so it has to be so small and undetectible that I will forget they are there by the time we eat. I have like a 3 year olds attitude towards veggies.
IGNORE this thread- I am sorry, I should have scrolled down a tad before posting this. I got lots of answers in the other thread about sneaking veggies in
I think there is still room for a thread for people to commiserate about not liking veggies - after all, there's always support for people who hate to exercise - so why not a place where we can say "congratulations! You did it! You ate the stupid carrot!"
I know sometimes I feel like I deserve a round of applause for forcing down a brussel sprout!
yep, I agree - but somehow they became a family tradition for xmas and certain other meals, which means that certain family members always cook up a big dish of them and act all pouty if they don't get eaten... and being as they are so heathly, I can't even excuse my non-participation on the grounds of "diet"!
I like brussel sprouts! But, it's the kind of thing you can only eat once a year, or so, because it's easy to get tired of them (after one meal, lol) Maybe that's why the are popular only during holidays
The one veggie I hate is cauliflower, you couldn't pay me to eat it. I'll eat everything else, though. I love asparagus, but only if cooked crisp-tender, it gets yucky if overcooked. On the other hand, green beans are best when cooked to death. Pickled beets are delicious, that's a veggie! Spaghetti squash, broccoli (with cheese if your diet permits it), spinach is good in casseroles, salads, or on sandwiches, and don't forget tomatoes.
It's easy to say we don't like veggies, but maybe it's more due to habit than actual distaste. I used to think I didn't like veggies, until I started experimenting with flavors and trying new things. Now most of my meals consist of veggies only. I'm not vegetarian, but I eat more veggies than anything.
When I was younger, I only liked corn, iceberg or romaine lettuce (no big chunks allowed), raw carrots, and raw broccoli.
What I discovered was that the reason I didn't like a lot of vegetables was not the vegetables themselves but the preparations of the vegetables that I had tried. My mother was big on cooking mixed frozen vegetables for us and I never really liked them. When I started learning to cook and experimenting with new flavors I realized that I love asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, and tomatoes when they are grilled. Green beans and asparagus are fabulous steam-sauted with a little garlic and butter. I never cared for the texture of tomatoes until I started seeding them before I ate them. I hated mushrooms until I started trying different types and always buying fresh - never canned. I hated the plain cooked spinach we were served, but I love raw spinach salads with fresh fruit, chopped nuts (in moderation), and a light balsamic vinaigrette.
I started buying whatever was in season and using recipes from the Joy of Cooking (or similar comprehensive cookbook) to try to find ways to make vegetables more palatable and it worked.
Even when I'm not in a vegetable eating mood, I can usually sneak some in by making homemade pizza or an omelet with interesting combinations of fresh ingredients.
What is it you dislike most about veggies? If it's the bitterness or blandness in some of them, then maybe try some sweeter veggies like carrots or peppers. A little bit of salt (or vinegar, if you like it) can cut the bitterness too. Try both fresh and canned, cooked and raw, to figure out what tastes best to you. But if you find there's one veggie you just can't learn to like no matter what you do to it, then don't stress out about it, just move on to another.
As for adding them to other foods, they're really good in omelettes, spaghetti sauce, lasagne, and all kinds of casseroles. Start with small amounts, and then increase them as you develop a taste for them.
Don't worry, you can learn to like veggies, with a little practice.
I guess I really only like the sweet veggies and I'd never really thought about it like that before. Thanks for making that clearer We eat lots of peppers, carrots and green beans.
I HATE broccoli, cauliflour, beets, and squash. Yuck!
I did want to suggest to echo who started the thread that salads can be GREATLY improved in nutritional value by adding different types of greener lettuce - romaine, arugula, green leaf, and butter and even spinach leaves. Also look try different low cal dressings until you find one that you like.
Definetly the bitterness: lots of veggies taste bitter to me. Sure, they are all much more edible smoothered in cheese or cream sauce, but sadly cheese has its own drawbacks (fat). I havn't tried vinegar though, I'll have to experiment.
Another turn off is the price - anything fresh is expensive, and bulk frozen gets very "same-y" after a while. Being in Canada, the farmer's market option is very limited right now - I am so looking forward to spring!
Another turn off is the price - anything fresh is expensive, and bulk frozen gets very "same-y" after a while.
I hear ya on that one! I try to tell myself that the price is worth it, as long as the food actually gets eaten and not wasted. But even I draw the line when green bell peppers are up to a dollar each, and red or yellow are two bucks apiece. If I ever get organized, I'm going to plant a garden.
Some vegetables are definitely more expensive, usually due to the season or where you buy them. I LOVE red bell peppers, but the prices make me want to start a pepper garden in my own back yard! Overall, though, fresh vegetables are not more expensive. A report was released a couple of months ago about this that showed how cheap vegetables could be. I was surprised.
Many Americans do not consume the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables. Almost half of Americans think eating more fruits and vegetables would make their diets healthier, so why don’t they? One argument is that fruits and vegetables are expensive, especially when purchased fresh. According to an ERS study, consumers can eat three servings of fruit and four servings of vegetables for 64 cents a day, which represents 12 percent of daily food expenditures per person.
Click the link for the full article.
I buy a lot of frozen veggies, they are usually cheaper than fresh. I also buy at Sams Wholesale Club, and a local restaurant supply store. I always skim the Sunday circulars for good deals. Summertime is wonderful, because we can buy from local farmers markets.
You know I never liked veggies much either until my mid 20's.
You can learn to like them. Think of it like this:
The first time you try coffee your like ICK... but you learn to like it (love it).
The first time you try beer your like ICK...but you learn to like it.
The first time people try a cigarette they are like ICK, but they keep on smoking (hopefully you don't smoke, just using it as an example).
Veggies is also an accuired taste, you can learn to LOVE them. Just do a little at a time.
What helped me like veggies was sauces, dips. The next time you make chili throw in some veggies, they will absorbe the taste of what ever spice or sauce you put on them.
If veggies are to costly, wait until they go on sale, get can veggies, our store runs a can can sale and we always stock up then when they do. Can't beat it.
Interesting article- although the idea of looking at cost "per serving" for me only goes so far - sure, for some foods like dried apricots, one or two little morsels is a serving, but who would ever eat that little? Similarly, a "serving" of lettuce is something like half a head - more than I'd want to see in a decent salad.
I'm more of a "per handful" person myself! (which is why I have to avoid nuts since a good, serious handful of nuts is a calorie disaster)
As for liking stuff more when we get older, its true that our taste buds to change with age, and we become less sensitive to "bitter" (something I learnt during a wine marketing project!) - but some people are more sensitive to some tastes than others, and so e.g. will always find broccoli & brussel sprouts bitter...
For me, I've never developed a taste for coffee or beer - I figure why drink something twice if it tasted bad the first time, especially if its not something particularly healthy to begin with. With broccoli though, I have to make the effort.
Last edited by Charlotte2; 03-07-2005 at 08:12 AM.
I am with you Char on the beer, yuck. And no I dont smoke anymore But coffee is a daily must for me, just love it!
I do thank all of you for the input! I think I will "grow up" and at least TRY some veggies in my every day foods. I think the first thing I will do is get some dark leaf lettuce for my salads. My bf will like that
Maybe if I sautee my veggies before I put them in whatever I am making that will make them more appealing to me? I will let you all know when I try something new
What if you hate veggies?
I have like a 3 year olds attitude towards veggies. 
