“But I just don’t like vegetables and you can’t make me eat them!” You’re right…but by not eating key foods like veggies, you miss out on natural nutrients your body really needs. I didn’t like certain vegetables either, but I have to admit, it IS possible to teach yourself to like vegetables.
I’m not saying my methods will work for everyone. But if you’re wanting to add something to your regular rotation (or maybe a friend with a garden “gifts” you with some wonderful home-grown produce), I’d definitely give these options a try before simply saying “NO!” They’ve worked for me on 3 separate veggies!
Just keep trying!
Ever wonder why we think of kids as SO different from adults? They’re just smaller versions of us…and our childhood is often where we get stuck being “picky eaters.”
I never liked peas or tomatoes growing up. If I’d been around my grandparents (who had a HUGE garden and grew both) more often, I probably would have had more opportunities to try them. But living in the city, eating out most of the time, I was able to successfully avoid both most of the time.
When I met my husband, he invited me to his mom’s house frequently for supper. Guess what she had EVERY meal??? (well, it seemed like that to me) PEAS!!! Yes, I ate them time and time again…just one serving, but I kept at it. She never knew I didn’t like them…I had a mission (to win her over!).
Then later when we had kids, and they started trying to be picky and gag when given things they didn’t like, I had to find something to eat that I didn’t like. That way they’d know I wasn’t just making THEM do something, but I was willing to do it, too.
My chosen veggie? Tomatoes. I still don’t really like them, but to this day, if they are available, I will take at least 3 bites. I’ve also found I like the grape and cherry varieties better than the slicing kinds.
Hide those veggies!
Sometimes it’s a matter of hiding tomatoes among a bunch of other things in a salad, but whatever it takes, I WILL conquer this one!
I’m still not excited about peas by themselves, but I’m all over putting them in my favorite Tuna Noodle Casserole (see that here) or a layered salad…just have to hide them amongst other things I like.
You can also put the nutrition of things like winter squash, carrots, spinach or kale in batters, sauces, or smoothies. I did this for years with acorn squash in pancakes. My kids couldn’t stand the squash but loved the pancakes; so, they got the nutrients. But the goal is to actually be willing to eat the squash itself. Hiding it this way won’t get you there.
Check ideas here for your picky eaters (even if that is YOU!). Numbers 3 and 4 deal with just eating a little and doing it over and over. Number 10 covers the issue of the adult being a good example for the kids.
Another strategy for learning to like a veggie
Bell peppers I treated differently. My mom made one recipe called Saucy Franks when I was little, and I loved it! I tried making it as an adult leaving out the bell pepper, but it turns out what I really liked was the combination of flavors…including the peppers.
I wondered how I could get the pepper taste WITHOUT the peppers. I decided if I cut them into big chunks, I could cook it all together, and then I’d just pull out the peppers before serving. Yes, that’s right, my family didn’t like the peppers either! And my not being willing to eat them wasn’t improving their attitudes.
For a year or two I kept at it. Then one day, I decided to leave the peppers in. Of course, I knew they would try to pull them out, but I knew how much harder it would be if the pepper pieces were really small. So, I resorted to a fine dice. I knew at least I could probably eat them this way and maybe the others would follow along.
It took a couple of tries, but eventually, they did! And the more things I made with peppers and cut them really small, the more things they ate peppers in! I also found ALL of us liked the red, yellow, or orange peppers better than the green as they are less bitter.
Fast forward to our Whole30 and my finding this amazing recipe for Cajun Butter Roasted Shrimp, Peppers, and Potatoes. This recipe calls for chunks and if you used a fine dice, they’d burn in a heartbeat. So, I used the big chunks. And guess what? EVERYONE ATE THEM!!! This is now one of our favorite recipes…along with several other sheet pan meals that call for the big chunks!
The moral of the story…never give up!
I’m still not a tomato fan. And I prefer to use peas only as an ingredient, not as a side by themselves. But I truly do love cooked peppers now (see my current favorite roasted mini peppers reel on Instagram @missmelliecooks). It’s worth the effort to round out your palate and give you more options to choose from daily!
Got a veggie you’d like to tackle? Leave it in the comments below and let’s work on it together! You CAN do this!
