Picky eater help

[CaiL33t]

Hi guys, I am having a lot of trouble wi loosing weight, and it's all from my diet. I am a horribly picky eater. Growing up we ate only pastas, and I have a distaste for vegetables and fruits, and am working really hard to change it. Any suggestions to get more healthy foods into my diet?

[Odyssey13]

@CaiL33t welcome to the forums!

Try to find some veggies and fruits that you like. When you're at the grocery store, try a single piece of fruit or veggie to see if you like it.

Apples are versatile. You can eat them raw or cook them. So many good ones out there and they help curb hunger.

You like salads? Try a bagged salad mix in the store and add a few raw veggies. You might like zuchinni or even radishes added to the salad mix. You can add some meat and cheese to it and find it's pretty good.

As for brocolli, you can steam it and put seasoning on it. Some people put melted cheese on it or dip it in ranch dressing.

Give yourself some credit for posting today. You know you want to change and that is a big part of the battle.

We're here for you and you can do this!

[Trooper]

Try the Smart One's, Healthy Choice, or Lean Cuisine Pastas and Italian Foods. They have a lot of sodium but they can help you wean yourself off the fattening stuff. Eventually, you should be able to make your own low fat  and low cal pastas. Ask in the forums for tips on how to make these kinds of meals. I am not a pasta eater myself, but I have to go around them in the frozen section when I am looking for my meals. 

[emili]

smoothies. its what I do for my kids and they have no idea how much spinach they eat. there are thousands of really good recipes out there to mask the taste of veggies and fruit. peruse pintrest. it has everything.

[CaiL33t]

Thank you guys so much for your input and help! I'll be sure to try these.

[Odyssey13]

@CaiL33t the main thing is to try. You don't have to eat a whole serving of something, but try a bite or two to see what you think about the new food.

Sometimes combining things helps. Recently I've been combining sweet potatoes and apples. You can do all sorts of combinations and find your own way to embrace fruits and veggies.

Let us know how you're coming along.

[Mcore]

What vegetables do you like @CaiL33t? I'm very picky with fruit, so what I do is mix the fruit that I like with the one that it's not my favorite so their flavors can blend. It's not so bad! What options have you tried?

[Kerivkennedy]

I'm in a similar boat.  Although I do like most fruits.  
Veggies I dont' like many - BUT I do prefer raw veggies.  Raw broccoli on a salad - yum.  Cooked Broccoli - disgusting.  Same for something like Spinach or carrots (cooked carrots literally make me gag).  

Also, since you like pasta try adding veggies cut up small into a pasta dish.  Vegetable Lasagnae can actually be quite yummy.  So can Eggplant Parmesian (although that is 100% dependant on the Eggplant being cooked properly).  

My issue lately has been when I look up low cal recipes so many are spicy.  I barely add black pepper when I cook, if at all.  My idea of Mexican food involves shaking some Old ElPaso taco seasoning on ground beef.  

Good luck!  You are not alone.  

[BrinBordeaux]

I have found that tossing some zuchinni in a little olive oil and then sprinkling your seasoning of choice (I prefer garlic and lemon pepper) and baking in the oven is a delicious way to "disguise" your veggies... grilling fresh green beans after doing the same to them gives them a char that is quite tasty. Broccoli baked in the oven with some crushed red pepper and some garlic is also good.

I also like to mix up eggs in a bowl and add all kinds of veggies... mushrooms, tomatoes, asparagus, spinach, etc.... then pour them into a muffin tin and bake them. It is like a miniature omelette and handy to take to work if you are meal prepping.

Steaming cauliflower and then mashing it has many uses.... look on Pinterest for cauliflower substitutes and you will find it can be used as "mashed potatoes", "pizza crusts", etc.

Lastly, kale chips- just massage some olive oil over kale pieces and then sprinkle whatever seasonings you prefer (I prefer a bit of apple cider vinegar and sea salt). Bake on Silpat or parchment paper until crispy.

This is coming from a very picky eater myself! I have had to discover all these on my own through experimenting as I did not have the taste for them either. Good luck!

[Mcore]

I also do that with eggs @BrinBordeaux. The result is delicious and you can also add some coriander, this gives the eggs a very unique and delicious flavor.  

[SunsetRunner]

invest in a Spiralizer.

Zucchini fettucine in a carbonara sauce.  anything with bacon.  Butternut squash mac and cheese.  Spaghetti squash Cacio e Pepe (cheese and Pepper).

warm bacon and mustard dressing on a spinach salad with sunflower seeds and black olive.

homemade apple sauce on yogurt.  Dried strawberry chip.

crabmeat, fava beans and chicpea pasta shells in a lemon butter cream with saffron

[Mcore]

Oh my @SunsetRunner! All sounds so good.  I've never tried to do fettucine with Zucchini or Squash. I was wondering, for how long do you cook it? Is it the same like with pasta?

[SunsetRunner]

zuchini doesn't need to be cooked, but i usually steam it for 2 minutes.  Butternut does need to be cooked, again by steamer about 8 minutes.

one can also do a wicked cold asian noodle salad with cucumber in the spaghetti style.

Spiralizers Rock

[SunsetRunner]

zucchini doesn't need to be cooked, but i usually steam it for 2 minutes.  Butternut does need to be cooked, again by steamer about 8 minutes.

one can also do a wicked cold asian noodle salad with cucumber in the spaghetti style.

Spiralizers Rock

[Mcore]

Thank you for replying @SunsetRunner. That sounds great, I can even save some time .