He HATES veggies!

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2/27/13 10:48 A

I hate to say this but that would be a deal-breaker for me if I were dating a man who wouldn't eat veggies. I just couldn't respect a man that picky.

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2/26/13 2:48 P

For the husband, just keep trying. Make something for yourself and then if he wants it, he will eat it. I tend to do the shopping list in our house so I make sure nothing bad comes into the house. My mother used to tell us teens that if we didn't like what was on the table that we were to make our own. (which we usually did but then were lazy at other times). For kids, you have to make sure you keep giving him the food and then hope he picks up on eating it when watching you eat it. I watched a documentary from England that stated that you should allow your younger children to play with his/her food to enjoy it. They found most children were afraid of the new foods but didn't dislike the taste. Think finger food and having fun while eating veggies and fruits.

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2/26/13 3:02 A

keep trying new ones and to foods he likes.

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2/26/13 1:12 A

A few things I've started doing to satisfy that boxed-mix-comfort-food craving and be healthier, which might also work for your situation:

1) Make prepackaged foods healthier. If I make something like boxed macaroni and cheese, I'll throw a little bit of lean protein (like bits of chicken breast or Laura's Lean Beef) and some chopped vegetables into the mix. The flavors mix well, it bulks up the meal with something other than white starch, and it doesn't really take any longer to prepare. (And if they're super picky, they can still eat around the pieces of things they don't like -- but they probably won't take the effort to do so, since it will all be covered in cheese.)

2) Buy convenience foods that are slightly better for you. There are lots of frozen dinners and boxed mixes (made by Kashi, Healthy Choice, Amy's, etc.) that are a better option that the plain old Kraft variety. They're still prepackaged convenience food, but they include more vegetables and whole grains and less fat/hydrogenated oils/etc.

3) When cooking from scratch, make healthier versions of favorite comfort foods. When I make soup or chili with canned tomatoes, I substitute an organic, low-sodium variety instead of the usual store brand. (There's no taste difference, but it drops the sodium content.) Does your husband have a favorite food? Try making it with healthier ingredients (or, if he's cooking, buy healthier ingredients and let him make it himself). For example, I make an AMAZING lasagna (if I do say so! ^_^) that's also pretty healthy, using whole-grain noodles, lots of chopped veggies in the sauce, and substituting fat-free cottage cheese for the usual layer of ricotta. Even people who normally hate "healthy" foods love it because it still tastes like regular lasagna.

4) Let him have whatever he likes for a main course, but try just adding a side dish to it. Canned fruit or prepackaged salads mixes are VERY easy to add! Over time, serve larger side dishes and a smaller entree until the meal is more balanced.

Edited by: AVAANTARES at: 2/26/2013 (01:14)

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2/25/13 4:56 P

I'm a picky eater. Have been all my life. No fruits and no veggies. I started eating fruit last year after seeing a nutritionist who told me to blend it with a little milk and splenda. I now love fruit even though I dont like it whole. Also maybe you should see if your husband has any food allergies. I didnt know until I was 22 that I had a lot of them. Some of them even to some veggies that I didnt know you could be allergic to like carrots. I am also trying this stuff called greens first. I know its not a real vegetable but it has to be better than nothing.

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2/25/13 2:03 P

I'd say ask your husband what vegetables and dishes with vegetables he likes best, and same for the stepson, and make sure to make these dishes / vegetables two to three times a week at first.
You can also see if they do like green smoothies. See http://www.greenforlife.com/ode.htm
Apart from that I think you should just continue to go your own way, make healthy foods for yourself, enjoy them and if they won't eat it, let them fix food for themselves. Or fix it for the little one.
Don't fight or argue over it. If you keep on in the end chances are you will win them over. It will probably just take some time.

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2/25/13 1:46 P

If my husband doesn't like what I cook...he can fix something else for himself. Some people like veggies, some don't. Some like fruits, some don't.

The great thing about being an adult is you can choose what you want to eat or not eat to stay healthy...there is no "you must eat this" mandate.

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2/22/13 10:29 P

Check out "Aunt Flos Cheese and Ground Beef Eggplant Casserole" if you're looking to add veggies for men.

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2/22/13 4:51 P

LOL- so does mine!! He's getting into fitness with me (finally) so fortunately he's "trying" veggies. I got him to eat some of my edamame stir-fry... he liked the edamame but picked out the broccoli. I made pork loin and steamed garlic carrots the other day and he ate a few steamed carrots! I think he was just trying to be nice! I try to buy things that are fortified with lots of extra veggies (pasta sauce, for example) and there is always the option for hiding veggies. My aunt had an entire cookbook on this "hidden veggie" technique, which worked well for her children and is available on amazon.com, though I can't remember its title.

Bottom line, I put in as many veggies as I want and let him pick around them in hopes he'll eat a few unintentionally! I can't make the man eat his veggies, but I can at least keep them handy and feed myself properly! Just in case he has a change of heart... lol

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2/22/13 2:28 P

You can try hiding food in other stuff for awhile, but if that doesn't work YOU should not be a cook to order short order chef. This especially goes for women who also are in the workforce.

I grew up in a house where both mother AND father cooked, and took joy in it so I don't see why someone (as in ONE person) needs to cook two separate meals in most circumstances. (If various people in a household had conflicting allergies, that's a different story.)

Cook what you believe is healthy. Let hubby eat it, or make his own. Yes, wean him into this gradually, but you gotta break free. Cooking is not just for housewives.

PS: you may find at least a couple nights a week when you can "come together" over agreeable foods. Let that happen. But encourage him to cook for himself if he cannot stand veggies and none of the other ideas work. You don't have to pamper him to your detriment.



Edited by: CEDARBARK1 at: 2/22/2013 (14:37)

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2/22/13 12:55 P

I bought an emulsifier and boy can you fill that thing with a variety of veggies and little calories. I even get myself to eat things when I emulsify them that I would not normally touch, like this morning in 10 minutes I made 3 days worth of veggie soup for lunch by throwing every veggie in the fridge into the emulsifier! I had celery, radishes, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, carrots, and garlic I also threw in 3 beef cubes and water and hit go. 8 minutes to hot soup ready to serve and it looks like tomato soup and tastes delicious! I get me kids to eat a lot more by throwing them in there, what they don't see won't hurt them!!

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2/21/13 3:38 P

I am a former veggie hater, trying to rehabilitate my palate and get some veggies in! Last night, instead of noodles, I made spaghetti squash. Never tried it, never would have before SP (about 2 months ago). I LOVED IT. I even added carrots and broccoli to the mix. So good.

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2/21/13 12:18 P

I am, like you, the queen of all veggie hiders. There is just my hubby and I, but if I think I can make this salad hater get some veggies somehow I will. We have spagghetti with mixed veggie tomato sauce. If I bake bread I sneak in 2 cups of whole wheat into the recipe. He doesn't notice as it is still basically white. I chop up redpeppers and green peppers, onions, parsley, shredded carrots into meatloaf. Tomato juice and diced tomatoes smushed into burgers. Grated |Zucchini into applesauce quickbread. I like to think I am cutting calories too. The more veggies I can get in the less calories it is.
I think it is very commendible that you are making things healthier for your family even though they don'tseem to appreciate it. Keep trying.

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2/19/13 8:49 P

I hide veggies and fruits in LOTS of traditional foods like spaghetti sauce and pancakes. The ways to hide 'em are endless. The trick is to not get caught. Cuz, depending upon the person, once a person feels as if they've been duped, they are less likely to admit the taste was good. I hid kale in blueberry smoothies until I revealed their green component. Now I'm the only one in the house drinking them. Now they taste "gross" to everyone but me. The mind is a funny thing.

Edited by: JENNY160 at: 2/19/2013 (20:50)

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2/19/13 5:34 P

Go Krystlegarrison!

Why try to force someone to do something they don't want to do? If he "needs" to eat them, then it's still his choice to. You're not his mom, his keeper, his jailer, or his enforcer.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. Or eat his veggies.

Food is sometimes a control mechanism in a relationship. I think Krystle has the right idea.

You go girl!

SP

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2/19/13 2:40 P

My husband refuses to eat (or try) any fruits or vegetables. For the longest time I would cook his meal & then my meal & it became such a hassle (especially after working ALL day!). Finally, I decided that I needed to take control of my eating habits. I make what I enjoy eating & if he doesn't like it, he makes something that he enjoys. It's not fair to put my weight loss on the back burner & he understands that. We each have mini crockpots that we use & it works for us. I know it will be harder when we have kids but I assume we'll find a happy medium! :)

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2/19/13 10:56 A

Sometimes it takes a lot of different varieties. Have you tried grilled veggies, roasted veggies etc.? A little olive oil and pepper goes a long way to making a veggie more palatable. Obviously he'd have to be on board trying the food but you should point out to him that his son is going to eat how he eats, and by refusing veggies outright he's setting a very poor example. Smoothies are an easy way to add nutrition to everyone's day as well. Fun veggie snacks like ants on a long (celery, peanut butter and raisins) can be a great way to introduce foods to son and dad alike as well. My hubby still loves to get ants on a log in his lunchbox lol. I have a few veggies I can't stand (cooked corn, broccoli) and hubby despises spinach and mushrooms, I just make two veggies if those are on the menu, its a second pot, but we both get nutrition =). I won't eat rice or most pastas, so I try not to be so quick to condemn picky eaters.

Favorite meal in our house lately, eggplant parm and chicken parm with roasted potatoes, carrots and garlic and sides of green beans and spinach... I get a fully veggie meal and hubby who doesn't eat eggplant (yet!) gets 2-3 veggies in his meal (depending how you count potatos). You may find your 4 year old willing to try eggplant parm b/c it looks like chicken parm.

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2/18/13 10:29 P

According to what I've read, here, we must have gender role reversal at my house. I love vegetables (& fruit), and I like them plain without any sauces or butter.

MDW, Beth, however, can't serve a vegetable without cheese or butter sauces, and even then views them as an alien threat designed to take over control of our planet via a subversive [alleged] food stuff.

Solution?:

I make sure the freezer is stocked with plain frozen veggies, often including the "exotic" (by Beth's definition) okra, Brussels sprouts, spinach, green beans, snap peas, peas and carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. I also keep an eye peeled for produce sales at local markets. (I worked in a produce department in a large supermarket all through high school.)

Beth's idea of a great veggie combo: mashed potatoes and cream corn.

You'd think that this would have made me thin, and her fat.

Au contraire. Go figure ...

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2/18/13 8:08 P

There are lots of ways, which I'm sure others have mentioned, to incorporate veggies into any meal, whether by using a processor to just make them virtually invisible in a casserole, or serving something like V8 juices (not the veggie juices, but the fruit drinks, which have a LOT of veggies in them, but don't taste like them, they're delicious!!). They may seem sneaky, but crushing, grinding, down veggies until they're juice, or just pulp and adding them, no one even can tell they're there, and the food is delicious.

Check online, you'll find many recipes doing this, it's well worth it, good luck.

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2/18/13 6:56 P

Tonight I went to Earth Fare and bought frozen spinach/garbanzo bean ravioli for supper. When served hot with a marinara sauce, you would never have guessed that wasn't cheese in the center of the pasta. Pulled a fast one! I grated fresh parmesan for him to spoon on top. Nothing but compliments!

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2/17/13 2:32 P

I know it would be a nuisance and an extra expense, but you may have to give in and cook what they want and then something different for the people who choose to eat healthy foods. I still cook french fries, breaded fish and fried chicken occasionally for my DH, but I don't eat it. He also gets a pizza from time to time, or a fast-food combo, while I have a salad or some home-made soup. It's worth it, because I'm losing weight and feel great. I still hope that he might learn to like some of the things that I eat, but if not I'll cook them for myself anyway.
Gail

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2/17/13 2:17 P

Well you might not get that horse to drink water but maybe he would drink a smoothie. I sneak lots of spinach and greens powder like wheat grass into my DH fruit smoothie. Juicing is another good way to get tons of veggies that taste like fruit juice.

My picky veg hater will now eat just about any veg if I grill it. I just use a cast iron griddle on top of my gas stove. Screaming hot and it puts some char marks on the veg. Tastes just like it was cooked on the outside grill. Maybe that will work. Guys just love anything grilled. Good luck with your picky eater.

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2/17/13 1:43 P

I agree with Juniemoon. What is he, three years old? Sorry, but I wouldn't take that from a stubborn child and I sure wouldn't take it from a supposedly grown man.

I hope for his sake that he will wake up and realise that his attitude toward healthy eating is unaccaptable in an adult. My dad (now 65) still moans about "yucky veggies" and is a morbidly obese diabetic because of it. Best of luck to you. Hope he comes around before it's too late.

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2/17/13 11:26 A

Sneaking the veggies in is a great idea. Worked for me. Now mine too is actually eating them after he foune out they are not so bad and actually good for you.

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2/16/13 4:58 P

When my fiancee and I moved in together I learned real quick about his dislike of veggies and pretty much anything healthy. He like some fruits but that was about it. He was obsessed with drinking soda all of the time. A few times he tried veggies I would prepare different ways (roasting broccoli, braising carrots, etc.) but would gag. I would get SO mad at him. It was bad. I resorted to hiding veggies in his food just so he'd get the vitamins, but he found out one night when I didn't process the carrots enough and put them in meatballs. Oops. He told me to 'never do that again' but I've never been one to listen. Ha!
Fortunately for me, he decided he wants to get into shape to get into the police academy. He started researching nutrition on his own and started 'choking down' vegetables and eventually started liking them.
If you can't get him to eat them from a 'I love you and want you to be healthy with me' stand point, try it from the 'look at your son developing bad eating habits so early' stand point. If you can't, you might have to let the sleeping dog lie.

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2/16/13 8:43 A

You know, I don't like to go to work every day, either. But I do it because I'm a mature, rational, responsible adult that pays my bills.

You may not like to eat fruit or vegetables, but you do it. It makes a healthy immune system, fights obesity and fills you up. Tough!

Life isn't all bon-bons and charity balls.

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2/15/13 1:08 P

While my husband loves fruits/veggies, he wasn't eating enough of them. I have found that if I make snacks for him of things like cut up apples, orange wedges, carrots with a yogurt-ranch dip or a plate of grapes already off the vine - he will mindless snack on them just like he used to on chips/crackers, etc. I just set a plate in front of him and he eats! Surely you can find at least a few things he will eat - I mean, who doesn't like a crispy, sweet apple maybe with a little peanut butter or honey?! Get him into the habit of eating those things he already likes, then start sneaking in other items and don't be upset if he is just not a salad-eater, there are a ton of other things he can eat just be creative!

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2/15/13 7:04 A

I wasn't s huge fan of veggies when I started so I hard to slowly incorporate them in my cooking. Add just a little bit of veggies cooked into a meal (never stand alone) so I couldn't taste it. Slowly I would add more. Then I would have a side salad, or a full salad with a meal. Eventually Veggies grew on me but it took time.

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2/14/13 6:42 P

My hubby is the same he says he has a texture problem , he abhors mushrooms , avocado , squash , eggplant , tomatoes . I recently got him to try hummus and he loved it .
He will at least try things though , but a lot of times I have to sneak stuff into his food since I'm a Vegan , and he is not . I do cook meat seperately for him , but in his defense he did try to be a vegan for 4 months in 2011 with me , he just missed meat too much . I just recently went back to being a Vegan for my health . I have made "cream pies " out of tofu , and he has eaten them without ever knowing .

Edited by: HALF_THE_GIRL at: 2/14/2013 (18:43)

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2/14/13 2:14 P

old saying ... you can lead a horse to water but you can not make it drink . same way here . you can offer veggies but you can not force them . hide them in foods if you can . do not tell him that he just ate veggies . keep it to yourself . I know it is not honest to not tell but times are rough you can perhaps some day come clean . but for now keep your mouth shut . put them on the table and maybe someday he will surprise you and eat them . can you make a deal . offer something he likes and tell him to get that you will require that he eat one of the veggies .

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2/14/13 2:12 P

I refuse to sneak vegetables into food. My husband is an adult, and if he's not going to eat vegetables? I'm not his mommy, and I"m not going to treat him like a child. Eating healthy is HIS choice. Not mine.

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2/14/13 2:03 P

I completely agree with the "cook healthy" and if he doesn't like it, then he can cook his own meal plan. Good luck.

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2/14/13 8:47 A

Without having read all of the responses, yet, have you tried "sneaking" vegetables into foods? SP has a great recipie for some healthy bar cookies with spinach in them! No one knows they are there! Split pea soup with ham, spaghetti sauce with shredded zucchini are others.

Are the vegetables picked fresh from a garden from a Farmer's Market or your own garden? (Not possible in all situations). I hated vegetables until I had fresh ones that were not overcooked. My mother always overcooked vegetables and it wasn't until I had my own home and garden did I learn how wonderful fresh produce was.

Is celery served with peanut butter and cream cheese? Apple slices served with peanut butter? Is chocolate served with strawberries? (OK, granted some of those are fruits...)

I expect you likely know all of these, but it is a place to start if not done so already.

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2/14/13 6:25 A

My husband will not usually choose veggies or salad either, but I make a huge variety of soups, salads, and side dishes each week when I have time; sometimes I add veggies to spaghetti sauce or mac and cheese, frozen spinach to ravioli, etc. He likes stirfry veggies with either an oriental flavor (soy sauce or teriyaki) OR his favorite is "Italian": a little garlic or garlic salt, salt and pepper, Italian seasoning blend. Maybe a little Parmesan on the zucchini! Sometimes this all goes with a handful of cooked bowtie, penne, or angel hair pasta and shrimp, lean beef, or chicken. Soups are usually homemade vegetarian veggie, cream of broccoli with skim milk, baked potato, chili with lean beef, etc. I make different types of green salads, chicken salad with celery, nuts, grapes and sometimes mandarin oranges, egg salad with celery and onion, tuna salad with celery, onion, green pepper, olives, fresh fruit salad with no dressing, vegetable sticks with small amount of ranch dressing...

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2/13/13 1:31 P

My ex was like that. Wouldn't touch healthy food with a 10 foot stick (unless it was a 10 foot stick of butter).

Now, I struggle with food choices with my wife. She isn't much for lean, healthy meals (think 12 oz. steak, chef's salad with extra ranch, AND potatoes/gravy, a roll, and beer or soda to drink etc.), but will snack on raw veggies all day if given half a chance. I'm just the opposite--I like to snack on crackers, cheese, and stuff like that, but prefer meals that are pretty light (like fat-free yogurt, almonds, and an apple, or a boca burger and carrot sticks).

So I've found healthier ways to make some of the meals she likes. For example, her spaghetti cooked with oil and served with a pre-packaged sauce that had a whole pound of pork sausage in it is now whole grain angel hair pasta cooked without oil (stirring with a wooden spoon stops the sticking noodles), homemade sauce (super easy), and separately browned (and now drained of fat) sausage for those who want it (I HATE meat sauce), or homemade meatballs made with 93% lean ground beef.

You might try asking hubby to choose a few meals for you to prepare, or even try cooking together so he feels included and important (hey, us big kids need that, too). My wife and I have learned a lot from each other by cooking together, and we've learned what we can and cannot compromise on. So, yes, meals are not always unified. Some days, I grab a Boca Burger, fire up the grill and she brings hotdogs for herself.

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2/13/13 11:02 A

You can't control what they eat. You can control what you serve. But, this gets harder if your husband is preparing meals and doing the shopping.
I would advocate being vocal about what you are eating and why. Sharing the advantages of eating well, and your concerns about eating processed foods. It's going to be hard to not sound too "preachy" but do your best.

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2/13/13 10:20 A

I grew up as one of those kids FORCED to eat veggies and other foods I didn't like..... you sat at the table it didn't matter if it was hours you sat there until you ate what was put on your plate in front of you.There were a lot of times I choked and gagged trying to eat things I didn't like because I wasn't allowed to leave the table. Well I STILL hate them and probably more than I did then and now as an adult I'm no longer forced to eat things I don't like and can fix what I want to eat! I don't like raw veggies but if they are cooked like in veggie soup I'm ok with that.... but there are some veggies I don't even eat cooked.... anyway I won't eat salads! it's made it ackward at times when you go out to eat with people the first thing a restaurant wants to do is make you eat salad.... I sit there while everyone else eats and they feel ackward too because they are eating and I'm not....... some restaurants will offer a substitute such as soup or applesauce which I'll eat but some won't offer anything else...

I eat the cooked veggie things like green beans, peas, limas, carrots, red beets, cabbage, corn, potatoes I like and eat more fruit which I love.........

so I don't recommend people force kids to eat things like that...... I can tell you that doesn't work and may make things worse.....



Edited by: WINSTONSUZ at: 2/13/2013 (10:21)

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2/12/13 8:53 P

yes, organic is so much better! I don't think people realize that eating most non-organic food is like eating chemicals that are literally meant to kill living things... It's actually really disgusting what people feed other people. Makes me sad!

I post a lot of recipes with veggies on my blog and they are all tested on my picky eater boyfriend! If he doesn't like the recipe then I don't post it!

and nanadee, thanks for your comments! if you can't find rainbow carrots in your regular supermarkets you should be able to find them at local farmers markets if you have any! =]

=]

mysantamonicalife.wordpress.com

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2/12/13 8:21 P

The rainbow carrots look amazing and I can almost smell the aroma of the roasted carrots. I've never seen rainbow carrots in this neck of the woods, but will try this recipe with the old tried and true stand-by orange.

One of the only vegetables my husband will eat is "browned carrots". This is a different way of doing them and with the agave or maple syrup, he should be just as happy with this recipe as he is the other.

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2/12/13 8:08 P

I had them once. They are beautiful.

I'm trying o convince my husband that organic is better. He doesn't eat too many veggies, too bad hey mark them up double or more. I did find a place called, Sprouts that has good sales.

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2/12/13 7:04 P

Hi everyone! I just posted another great veggie recipe that everyone will love! I mean who doesn't love carrots? When they are roasted, they are sweet and crispy and delicious! Try this amazing rainbow carrots recipe I've posted on my blog =]

mysantamonicalife.wordpress.com/2013/02/12
/roasted-rainbow-carrots-recipe/

Thanks!

Edited by: APDANIEL at: 2/12/2013 (19:05)

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2/12/13 6:56 P

Simple, just don't buy unhealthy food...and buy high-quality produce with the money saved.

I grew up eating a lot of junk and only recently realized one reason is because I wasn't given tasty produce. Organic produce tastes much better than the pesticide loaded kind. The taste, smell, texture- all better. It tastes like real, healthy food.

This will require a bit of searching of your local area for the best prices, but it's well worth it.

For greens, you really want organic broccoli and baby spinach as the taste difference is substantial. You can get away with conventional green peas (frozen), but make sure to get petite or baby peas as their texture is much more palatable.

Apples MUST be bought organic, especially if you actually want the nutrients from eating the peeling. And there's different quality of organic labeled apples, as some still have an edible, protective wax coating applied. I prefer the non-coated kind. Keep them in a plastic bag in the crisper and only pull out how many are going to be eaten the next day the night before. Organic apples will go bad much quicker than conventional farmed apples. I prefer brightly colored Fuji (not the dark red) as a cheap organic apple over Gala or Braeburn.

People say since they have a thick un-eaten skin that it's not worth the small price premium for organic bananas...but I beg to differ. Big taste and texture difference for a small price increase.

HUGE differences in thin skinned fruit like tomatoes (it is a fruit lol) and all the berries. In my opinion, organic berries actually taste like you would imagine a berry is supposed to taste- sweet. Most conventional berries I've eaten have a slightly sour/tart taste to them and this is from the pesticides (chemicals). BUT, organic berries are very expensive, so definitely go with frozen and weigh out servings for smoothies.

And as a heads up, anytime you eat produce (or anything) and your nose gets slightly stuffy, or your throat tightens a little or produces mucous, maybe your lips puff up just a tiny bit...you're having a reaction to something you've just ingested. Your body is telling you not to consume whatever it was you just ate. If you had a meal with a variety of foods, try and eat them separately next time to pinpoint what you have a reaction to.

Edited by: MICHAEL832 at: 2/12/2013 (19:02)

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2/12/13 12:29 P

clever lady

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2/12/13 11:18 A

The smoothie idea really works. I do kale or spinach in Ryan's smoothies. I do add blueberries to the mix to take out the green. He now knows what I do with his smoothies but still asks for the added blueberries. Now I know tomatoes are technically a fruit but he absolutely hates them! Unless in a sauce form. Well he finally tried them again, still not a huge fan but it is like the broccoli situation, he will now eat them if on his plate.

I won't push it by putting the things he hates on his plate all the time. But I am aiming to do broccoli once a week and put cut up tomato in his salads. He also only likes green beans with bacon. I got him to try it without and he realized the bacon doesn't really add that much flavor. But as a treat I will cook up some bacon and toss pieces in.

He would much rather have corn and potatoes but I am finding more and more that Ryan likes. Plus he is staying away from fast food and some other things now. He does respect my wishes about fast food near me. I don't mind it here and there like on 12 hr drives to see my family.

His favorite is baked veggies! Or on the grill. Usually when we grill steaks or chicken we throw on veggies. He loves mushrooms like crazy and I got him to grill portabellas and he loved it! Although I added way to much balsamic vinegar. I hate that crap but he loves it!

Just keep trying new things! Maybe you will find things he loves.. Tonight I am cutting cucumbers tiny and putting them in salad. So he can't pick them out!

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2/11/13 9:57 P

Try a smoothie? Mix all the vegies with an apple, berries, etc. and it might be the answer!

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2/11/13 6:07 P

Everyone in my family loves veggies except my husband he will eat corn and green beans and that is it. I shredd zuchinn and summer squash and add it to soups and casseroles and he doesn't know the differences.

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2/11/13 5:21 P

smart mom

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2/11/13 1:47 P

We recently started adding shredded cabbage to things in place of noodles. This is a great way to cut calories and the cabbage kind of takes on the flavor of the other food so it is not overpowering.

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2/10/13 10:40 P

I am the same way. I hate cooked veggies. With the heat of a billion suns I hate them - but I will eat almost everything raw. Have you tried getting veggies that are in season and adding them to salad instead of cooking them?
Maybe celery with peanut butter and raisins for the little one, or make "fries" out of carrots or salsa as a dip for anything.

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2/10/13 12:44 P

I never cooked vegetables because I did not care for the taste. However, recently I have found numerous recipes that I like by browsing on Spark people. I now have a number of recipes that I enjoy and surprising to me so does my son. Sometimes you just have to keep trying different things to find what works.

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2/10/13 2:45 A

i often cook things just for me. i offer some to my DH but he often will not try it. he is a grown man and unfortunatly healthy eating was a punishment when he was a kid so it is difficult but i can not use hat as an excuse to not cook or make good meals for myself.

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2/9/13 5:25 P

My daughter doesn't like carrots. I blend them in the water I use to cook rice. She loves the orange rice and she now knows it's from carrots. She still loves the rice, she still won't eat carrots in it's solid form.

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2/9/13 12:01 P

My dh and I love veggies. So why does our adult son hate them? I hide them in chili, stews and soup. Puree the cooked veggies and add them to the mix. He's none the wiser. Since my son complains about the texture of foods, pureeing them makes them a non-issue. Some people taste bitter foods more than the rest of us. Broccoli is probably out for them. He enjoys about 5 fruits, so that's a help.

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2/8/13 7:07 P

I would be interested i these sort of ideas, but you guys have tried. I did try one with these ingredients when we belonged to a produce club. it was so good.

I'l save this post and check it out later.

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2/8/13 4:41 P

Hi!

I totally understand your issue! It's often hard to find healthy but delicious recipes that even picky eaters and veggie haters like. What I try to do is incorporate the veggies into the meal instead of as a side so they are more integrated and less noticed. The way you cook veggies also has a lot to do with how good they taste. I've got a few picky eater approved recipes on my blog here if you want to check them out, since my boyfriend is that type! They are all healthy and easy to make! I'll be posting more as I go along and they are only posted if my boyfriend likes them!

The spaghetti squash with brussels sprouts is my favorite! Spaghetti squash is naturally creamy and sweet so it's an easy vegetable for picky eaters to like! Try it here: mysantamonicalife.wordpress.com/2013/02/06
/spaghetti-squash-with-brussels-sprouts/

good luck! =]

mysantamonicalife.wordpress.com/

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2/8/13 12:31 P

great to have a guy on our team, and smart....



I have a relative that does this, and he gives my sis a bad time, and she has lost early 100 lbs. Now he is taunting her about being too conscious of what she eats, and will become anorexic. 140 lbs at 5'2 is not an issue.

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2/8/13 12:24 P

How about fruit?

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2/8/13 8:29 A

Sorry to disagree but anyone who is eating burgers with cheese and washing them down with soda chasers is not a healthy guy. You may want to ask your brother to re-assess his standards. Just a suggestion

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2/8/13 5:49 A

One way to hide veggies is to make zucchini muffins. You could add shredded carrots to the muffin recipe.

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2/8/13 5:48 A

My husband is quite down on veggies. When I met him the only ones he would eat were potatoes. So I slowly started introducing him to ones he would like. Peppers and onions were then added to his would eat list. Then I got him to add iceberg lettuce to his sandwiches. From there we went to a stronger tasting lettuce. When we make homemade "fried" rice we now add frozen peas. And I even got him to try some broccoli! Though he didn't like it. We're just taking it one step at a time. Trying things together in ways that would appeal to him. Of course this really only works if your husband is willing to try. That can take a lot of discussion and promises that you will start out gentle. Don't take away the foods he likes, find ways to incorporate veggies into the foods he likes.

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2/7/13 7:29 P

You can either let him have a cry over his veges... in the hopes that one day he will get over it, realising that there is nothing wrong with veges and that given half a chance (without the stubborness) he actually likes them.
OR
You can let him and his son make their own food.

There are lots of ways to hide veges in food... most have already been mentioned. But men regardless of age will always be the same. My Great Grandmother always said "the way to deal with a man, is with child psychology"... wise lady!
Think of what you would tell your own children if they were to do the same and do that.

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2/7/13 7:27 P

oh good one. ow I wonder if they have so much food value cooked???

I used to make these swedish meatballs with mushroom sauce. I put ground turkey and ground beef and ground tofu.Once he discovered the tofu, he said, no more.Then he didn't like it, the tofu gave them a lighter texture.

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2/7/13 7:11 P

On the subject of hiding veggies:

We stayed at an Alaskan B & B in the dead of winter, and were the only ones there, so the hostess and I became friends.

A professional cook before getting into the B & B, her husband (in his 50's) didn't like vegetables either. She processed any left over vegetables, fruit or beans and put them in quart baggies. Once sealed, she flattened them and froze them, them stacked them upright into a freezer container. Whenever she cooked spaghetti sauce, chili, or anything like that, she's add her smushed carrots, onions or tomatoes or whatever and NO one could tell they were in there. I did much the same thing with green peppers in chili. My kids hated cooked onions and peppers, but never guessed that all the chili they ate had those nutritional additions in them.

There's a whole cookbook out there somewhere about this technique. Win by subversion?

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2/7/13 4:24 P

good ones Sheryl.

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2/7/13 4:08 P

if he likes Chinese food...maybe he would be more open to stir fry .
if he likes meat loaf...try adding some black beans to the mixture ... gradually.
if he likes beef stew...great way to get him to eat some savory veggies like carrots, and add some green beans or peas just before serving. Few people reject veggies in the sauce.

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2/7/13 4:03 P

hey hey, thanks for your tips!

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2/7/13 1:05 P

I saw a girlfriend of mine add broccoli slaw to all sorts of things she was cooking to get her family to eat more veggie. I thought it was brilliant! :) They had no idea and loved what she was making.

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2/7/13 12:04 P

My husband is like this too! He's getting a little better though. What you might have to do is make something simple for them...then add more healthy things in for yourself. For example..I'll make spaghetti (w/ whole wheat noodles which he doesn't even notice), I'll throw in some diced tomatoes in with the sauce, use ground turkey, and then when I dish up a plate for myself I'll put some diced peppers in there and all the "weird" things he doesn't like!

But you can't force them to eat something they don't want to. Hopefully they will learn from example and slowly start to try more things! Good luck!

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2/7/13 9:41 A

Not sure what could be done here, keep trying though.

I eat my veggies first, and so do my kids.

My wife doesn't eat them the same way as we do, but still likes them. My daughter will usually eat all of her serving and want more before touching the other things.

Keep trying. Corn on the cob!! OH MY!! I can't imagine being able to pass that up

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2/7/13 7:50 A

you can also add puree califlower to mash potatos. Puree broccoli over pasta with grated cheese. Puree veggies in macaroni sauce always works. We make beet chips in place of potato chips. Kale chips are great sprinkled with season salt or Mrs Dash. My son would eat peas all day long as long as I sauteed them with olive oil and onions unitl they were nice and sweet. He's 31 now and still eats peas by the ton.

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2/6/13 8:41 P

In my house, I cook one balanced and varied meal for everybody- including my picky husband and 3 yr old son. I have one rule- take at least one bite. If you don't like it, there's no pressure to eat it. There are plenty of other options to fill up on per meal. I refuse to make three different meals for three different people. I also do the grocery shopping. If I don't buy junk, then there's no junk alternative for them to choose from!

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2/6/13 4:08 P

I agree that if you are the cook, you make the meal and then the family can choose to eat it or make a sandwich. I am through with trying to make everyone happy because it can't be done. As long as you are putting healthy meals on the table, you have done your part. With children a bit of encouragement can be done, but don't bother doing this with adults. Making food an issue with children can leave them with eating issues as they grow older. If your stepson is hungry, he will eat. Don't buy into the guilt.

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2/6/13 2:45 P

I've worked on teaching my kids instead of "I don't like it" it's "I don't like it THIS way". My daughter especially hates seeds, no matter what kinds of seeds she tries she just doesn't like the texture. So as a result she won't eat raw strawberries. But she loves them blended into a smoothy. My son doesn't like raw or cooked carrots. But he'll eat cooked carrots if I just a little bit of honey on them. Then he'll gobble them up like a child eats candy.

Maybe try this approach with your husband. Pick his brain a little about how he ate veggies as a kid. Was it always cooked the same way? Seasoned at all? Doing the above with my kids has had the added bonus of my husband being willing to try veggies different ways. When we met I could count on one hand the veggies he would eat. Now the only two he will absolutely refuse to eat no matter how it's made is broccoli and brussel sprouts.

Edited by: CERCIE1980 at: 2/6/2013 (14:50)

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2/6/13 12:55 P

very smart... clever. Thanks!

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2/6/13 12:46 P

Pity!