Updated January 08, Save Pin FB More. By Shaun Chavis. Challenge your taste buds. Our taste buds change as you age. If you hated spinach as a child, give it a second try; you may discover that you like it now.
Try different forms. If you had vegetables canned the first time, try them fresh. If you've cooked them to death, try them raw. The flavors, textures, and colors of produce change. You might also try low-sodium vegetable soups and juices or pickled vegetables like chow-chow, pickled green beans, or pickled carrot sticks. Go ethnic. Sometimes a different flavor profile can turn you on. I don't like traditional Southern-style collard greens , but Brazilian-style?
Try shopping in ethnic markets to find some different fruits and vegetables to try. Try some heirloom varieties. They often have different flavors than the produce you find in the grocery store. For example, white eggplant is less bitter than dark eggplant.
I'm not crazy about navel oranges, but I love blood oranges—they're more tart. Ask the chef. Ever been to a restaurant and savored a food you don't normally like?
Explore creative ways to fit in healthy, low-calorie foods. Instead of salad, perhaps you get a serving of vegetables in a breakfast smoothie made with frozen berries, milk, low-fat yogurt, protein powder and spinach. If you miss chicken nuggets and french fries, make baked versions at home. A perfectly acceptable weight-loss menu might include a cup of fortified, low-sugar breakfast cereal with low-fat milk; a sandwich made with turkey breast on whole-wheat bread with a side of carrot sticks, apple or grapes for lunch; and rotisserie chicken breast with a whole-grain roll and sliced cucumbers at dinner.
Keep your portion sizes in line with your calorie needs for weight loss. It's OK if you find just a few healthy, diet-friendly meals that you like and stick to them day after day. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in August showed that women presented with the same food daily actually ate fewer calories overall. An earlier study, published in Obesity Research in May , determined that people who successfully lose and maintain a healthy weight consume a limited variety of foods.
You simply become bored of a certain food if you eat it day after day and automatically stop when your energy needs are met. This habituation works best if you eat a food or meal every day, rather than once every week. Jill Corleone is a registered dietitian with more than 20 years of experience. Andrea Boldt. Andrea Boldt has been in the fitness industry for more than 20 years.
A personal trainer, run coach, group fitness instructor and master yoga teacher, she also holds certifications in holistic and fitness nutrition. Be open to foods you think you don't like. Video of the Day. Weight Loss Basics. Or you may prefer plain cheese pizza because it is cheesy, crunchy, hot, and does not contain any other flavors that are too bitter, sweet, or strong. Note any deal breaker foods.
For some picky eaters, this may include foods with a bitter flavor, like acidic fruits or green, leafy vegetables. You may also have issues with food that share a certain texture, such as mushy foods like yogurt and creamed spinach. List your deal breaker foods, and note why each one is unappealing to you.
For example, you may dislike bananas because they have a mushy texture, or you may have a hard time with strong vinegar flavors in foods such as ketchup, sauerkraut, or pickles.
If you have any allergies to certain foods, add these to the list of deal breaker foods as well. List your preferred food preparations. Sometimes, picky eaters gravitate to certain foods because they prefer a certain preparation, such as fried instead of steamed, or sliced instead of mashed. For example, you may prefer potatoes that are baked rather than mashed, or spinach that is kept fresh in a salad, instead of steamed or cooked.
For example, you may dislike spinach in your pasta but be fine with eating a spinach salad on its own. Part 2. Set your goals. You can't choose the right eating plan until you know what you want to achieve with your diet. Are you looking to lose weight, control your blood pressure, accommodate a medical condition, or something else? Write your goals down, as well as your reasons for wanting to achieve them.
That way, when you meet with a doctor or dietitian, you can explain to them what you want to accomplish. Look into different eating plan options. Fad diets such as a Paleo or Keto diet are typically no more beneficial than a holistic eating plan involving balanced and regulated caloric intake. Research different dietary plans such as the DASH diet, the Mediterranean eating plan, or different calorie-restrictive plans. Weight loss typically occurs on any plan that creates a calorie deficit, so look for a plan that can help you track your calorie intake and still accommodate the foods you enjoy.
Try eating exactly as you normally would, but cut down your portion sizes. Eating less calories a day will allow you to eat the foods that you like and also lose about a pound a week. For help tracking calories and macronutrients, you can use an app that counts your calories for you simply by inputting the food and the portion size.
Pair food you enjoy with healthier foods. Go for moderate amounts of foods you enjoy, and higher amounts of foods that offer you nutritional variety such as fruits, veggies, and lean proteins. Top your burger with avocado, lettuce, and tomato to incorporate added veggies into your meal. Opt for a side salad with a light dressing instead of fries to make it even healthier. Put fresh herbs on roasted potatoes and serve them as a side with seared salmon or trout.
You can also incorporate potatoes into a burrito with beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion to create a healthier, meat-free meal. Puree vegetables like spinach or mushrooms into pasta sauce. This can help add nutrients to your sauce while avoiding overwhelming textures or flavors. Pair this with a whole grain pasta to get the most out of your dish. Prepare healthy foods in familiar ways. Try different preparations of foods you like and dislike in new or interesting ways.
Prepare vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower by roasting or barbecuing them to add a crunchy texture and a smoky flavor. Add pureed fruits and vegetables to sauces to hide strong flavors and still get their benefits. Toss raw cauliflower or broccoli in olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.
Roast the cauliflower or broccoli in the oven to create a crunchy, smoky vegetable dish. You can also make kale chips by cutting up fresh kale, sprinkling it with olive oil and salt, and baking it in the oven. Kale chips have the crunch of a potato chip, and some people enjoy them as a substitute. Steam fish and meat in the oven, wrapped in tinfoil, to give these foods a soft, flavorful interior and a crunchy exterior. Add different flavors to healthy food you dislike. Enhance foods you may not enjoy by adding spices such as salt and pepper, garlic, and fresh herbs, especially to vegetables and meat or fish.
If you do not enjoy salmon, for example, mask some of the fishy taste by making a pepper-crusted salmon with a small pat of dill butter. Just remember to look at their nutritional content first, as sauces can be high in hidden sugars and sodium.
Look for micronutrients in your food. Try to get vitamins and minerals from healthier versions of food you enjoy. Often, picky eaters worry they will not get enough essential vitamins and minerals with restricted preferences.
You can get several vitamins and minerals by opting for replacement foods that are not shocking to your picky palate, though.
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