Fruit and veg and fussy eatting

One-in-a-million

Ok so I’m a very fussy eatter and have been since being young. I have started working with a doctor to help with my weight and I have been able to lose some weight. However when it comes to fruit and veg I am extremely fussy. I don’t like much veg at all and fruit is still hit and miss.

 I have started to like some fruit as opposed to not eating it at all but it comes with a problem! When I’m at my nans she buys fresh fruit from a market stall. At home it’s brought from the super market. I like the fruit from the market but don’t like the ones from the supermarket (packaged.)

I know I’m 23 😂 and can buy my own food. But it seems like a waist if I’m buying it just for myself for example I have started to eat a very small salad. But the tomatoes my nan gets are a lot nicer than what my parents get. If I was to buy the ones my nan gets they would probably go off before they are used properly. Same with apples, strawberries ect.

anyone got any advice?

Former Member

Hey @One-in-a-million

I'm the same. I hardly eat much fruit or veg. I hide it in food, so onions in burgers and spagbol. For fruit try over night oats, fruit like apple and orange's, 40g of rolled oats and a yogurt. I don't like it but others have told me its nice to get them to eat fruit. Take it slowly and don't force yourself to eat things your not ready to try. Fruit or veg a month even. 

Always on your terms. 

Abi

[Deleted User]

The key to careful eating is not to eat too late in the evening, for the later one stays up at night, the more our bodies start craving. Having had an eating disorder it was difficult to decide quite what to eat, but I loved bananas, yoghurt and occasionally thinly sliced apples and peaches plopped in the yoghurt drizzled with a small spoon of honey. Then burning it off with a good, brisk walk.

Yes, always on your terms - I agree with you, Abi. And I like your suggestion of hiding veg in stuff like spag bol.

Homegrown veg, @One-in-a-million is delicious. And that encouraged me to gradually improve my eating.

Former Member

Hi everyone, 

I agree with Floxy, there are some really creative ways to make healthy food taste better; I like to roast veg in coconut oil (makes it taste sweet) and blend pretty much every fruit in existence with some milk and honey. 
Let us know how this goes, I'm sure we can come together to think of some creative tips! 

Former Member

I've always had a problem with vegetables ever since I was young too, and for me it's more a problem with the texture than the taste so it's tough for me to hide it in food as others have suggested.

It's definitely not easy to try and change what kinds of food you can stomach but it's important to take things slow and try to take things one step at a time. Even if it's just a small salad like you said that's still something to build on! Every now and then you could try adding a little more to your salad, or swap some of the stuff you do like for things you don't. Little changes like this make it a lot easier to deal with rather than trying to cram in a bunch of veg all at once.

I hope this helps and try not to get discouraged if you find it tough we all have things we don't like.

- Riley

[Deleted User]

When foods can be as fresh as can be, that is when their flavour is at its best. Another suggestion is learn to season your meals, but don't worry much if making a mistake because by learning to season properly is all part of the fun. A few good grinds on the pepper mill can make all the difference; a small pinch of sea salt enhances flavour and even a few gratings of nutmeg in mashed potato makes it taste wonderful.

Buy fresh vegetables in season, though frozen veg is good, too. Sauté with a splash of leftover wine, use a cheap olive oil for extra flavour and roast to mellow vegetables' flavours. 

Here's a tip: Toss veggies with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a single layer on a cookie sheet at 200C / 400F / Gas Mark 7 for about 20 minutes until tender and beginning to caramelize.

Quarter red onions (their skin falls off during roasting), peppers, garlic, spuds, tomatoes or leave cherry toms whole, artichokes... any mediterranean veg.

More tips:

Blanch then stir-fry. Blanching is especially good for strong-tasting veggies like broccoli and cauliflower, and it helps to both season the veggies and take away some of the very strong flavors. Blanch cut veggies in boiling, salted water for 60 seconds. Drain, then stir-fry in a little oil with garlic and a drizzle of soy sauce.

Sweeten your veggies to contrast with the strong taste. Slice a fresh apple, pear or orange into your green salad, or a few golden raisins to a broccoli stir-fry.

And here's a super universal salad dressing which tastes terrific and is lots cheaper than shop-bought!

Two thirds of a pint of the best extra virgin olive oil you can afford

One third of a pint cider vinegar

One dessertspoon runny honey

One dessertspoon Dijon mustard

Two finely chopped spring onions (including green part)

One finely chopped clove garlic

A sprig of fresh rosemary

2 bay leaves

Ground black pepper 

Mix all the ingredients together in a jug, except the rosemary and bay leaves, pour into the bottle, add bay leaves and rosemary and shake well before using.

This dressing not only tastes good but has all the heart protective benefits of olive oil, garlic and onions, and the digestive benefits of cider vinegar, rosemary and bay.  Keep a bottle handy, but not in the fridge as the oil will solidify. Safely add it to almost any type of salad.

Alternate storage, put your salad dressing into a jar with a plastic lid, or even an empty Grolsch beer bottle is ideal as it has a built-in stopper so the bottle can be re-used at no extra expense.  Make any quantity you like as long as the proportions are the same. This makes one pint and is perfect for any sort of salad.