My boyfriend has the worst diet ever. It consist of not eating all day, then having two beefy fiver layer burritos with extra cheese and nachos from Taco Bell and then later eating candy.
He's been working out with me lately, but dude is super weak and gets wore out way to quick. And then the working out really boost his appetite which makes him do midnight runs to Burger King. I went grocery shopping without him and got him some fruit, which he likes, some flavored rice cakes, which he likes and other healthier snacks for him.
BUT he does not like any vegetables. He's like a child. I bought veggie dip for him to dip them in, and while he likes the dip....he just can't "handle" the veggies. I've had him try carrots, celery, brocolli, couliflour and cucumber. He doesn't like tomatos...
I want him to start eating better and get in some healthy natural foods...any suggestions or other ways of preparing them?
Is he just trying them raw? Raw veggies are no fun, even for those of us who have been eating them for a while. I’d definitely suggest trying them more IN dishes…do a healthy stir fry. I’m sure you could find some good recipes for casseroles or healthy recipes that incorporate veggies. It would ideal for him to be munching on raw baby carrots, but it doesn’t sound like that’s gonna happen…aim for the next best thing. I say stir fry…even my kid will eat them in that!
Roasting brings out the sweetness in a lot of vegetables. You can make roasted "chips" from zucchini, carrots, and other vegetables that he might like better with that veggie dip.
I can relate to husbands not eating veggies, when my husband & I first got together I was shocked to find out the only vegies he would eat was corn, mashed potatoes (white only) french fries & occasionally a baked potato.
Some of the things I have done:
Make hamburgers or turkey burgers, shred up carrots, celery & onions & mix it with the hamburger before cooking them. He never knew they were they because they were shredded so fine.
He loves things like macaroni salad, I will make it with lowfat mayo & add really small diced carrots, green peppers, tomatoes, celery & onions & he sees the veggies but loves the salad so if that is the only way he gets macaroni salad he eats the veggies. Helps that they are diced so small he doesn't feel like he is eating that many veggies.
I make bran muffins alot of times for breakfast & will shred carrots or zucchini into the mix before baking them.
When I make soups & need to thicken it, mashed potatoes or twice baked potatoes I always cook some cauliflower throw it in the blender or make them like mashed potatoes & add it to the soup, mashed potatoes or twice baked potatoes & the cauliflower doesn't really change the taste of the potatoes or soup & he is getting a good bit of cauliflower with his potatoes that he doesn't know about.
Also dice up vegies like I do for the macaroni salad & make ham salad, tuna salad & chicken salad for sandwiches.
Hope that helps or gives you some ideas. My husband eats alot of veggies he doesn't even know about.
Turns out he's a "texture" person. His mom always overcooked veggies to mush. So he hated them as a kid. He still hates "squishy things."
He likes how I make them -- lightly sautee to tender crisp. Or roast. Or steamed.
He'll also drink certain blends. Equal parts carrot/apple in the blender works. I used to juice, but now I Vitamix to keep the pulp/fiber.
And in other mixed casserole/soup type things he won't bother to pick them out.
Some things he will do cooked but not raw -- like tomato. He says it is squishy raw. But ok cooked because it "disappears" into soups,stew, and casseroles.
Some things it is the other way -- will eat raw but not cooked. (Apples). Cooked they come "squishy."
I don't eat cakes, cupcakes or stuff like that real often I am not a sweets person, but carrots are sweet (think carrot cake). Carrots can be added to almost any cake mix, store bought or home made & you can't tell they are in the cake or cupcakes. Finely shredded carrots are awesome in oatmeal cookies & also brownies (my husband can live off of cookies & brownies) so he eats them regularly with carrots. And I know nothing about it!!!!!
If all else fails you can hide the veggies like I do for my 2 year old. I grind up whatever veggies I have in the food processor and mix them into meatballs, hamburger patties, quesadillas, grilled cheese, etc. They even have cook books for hinding veggies.
I agree that cooked veggies are often better than raw ones, especially for people who don't like veggies in general.
However... This is a grown up person! I think that "hiding" veggies is kind of ridiculous. If he hates veggies, just tell him to chug a cup of V8 at every meal. Otherwise, I kind of feel like eating veggies should be his own choice.
I don't think that "hiding" veggies is inappropriate. When DH and I got together, he didn't eat vegetables - he didn't like the taste or texture. He also didn't eat "ethnic" food ... he mostly ate hamburgers, chicken, and potatoes. I started adding veggies to his food, diced or shredded, because I want him to live a long time, and a diet of nothing but meat and potatoes isn't the best way to do that.
After a while, I told him I'd been hiding veg in his food. Since he'd been eating them hidden, he agreed to try them not hidden. Fast forward a few years of trial and error, and he *asks* for roasted and steamed veggies. We often eat nothing but a big pile of veg for dinner, and he's happy with it.
I think he had a notion in his head from childhood that he didn't like vegetables - and I don't like the way his mom cooks veg to death either, so I can't say I blame him. Once he realized not all veggies are gross, it was an easy transition for him.
As long as you aren't still "hiding" his vegetables from him in 10 or 15 years, I see no issue with doing it to transition him into eating like an adult instead of the junk food habits of a 12-year old. (That's what I called DH's eating habits, I don't mean it to be offensive towards your BF.)
How can I get him to eat vegetables?
I grind up whatever veggies I have in the food processor and mix them into meatballs, hamburger patties, quesadillas, grilled cheese, etc. They even have cook books for hinding veggies.
