Welcome to Wellness Wednesday where in-house nutrition coach, Coach Diana Leigh, answers YOUR questions about health.
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Let’s jump into it!
Q: I know I should be eating vegetables but I just don’t like them… any tips?
A: I am living proof you can learn to like vegetables (and other foods for that matter).
As a kid I was a SUPER picky eater and vegetables were rarely on my list of foods I’d eat. In college I went vegetarian for six years and was even full vegan for one of those years… so what happened in between?
START WITH A LIST
Make a list of foods you are willing to try, maybe willing to try, and absolutely will not eat. Start with the list of foods you are willing to try and go from there. Establishing what you are willing and not willing to do at least creates boundaries for you to work within.
For me, I started with spinach because I could easily hide it in foods which brings me to my next point…
LITERALLY HIDE IT IN YOUR FOOD
I’d mix spinach in with my spaghetti and meatballs to get myself to eat it, and it worked. Some other ways you can secretly mix vegetables in with food you love:
- Greens blend really well into smoothies and shakes and believe it or not, you’ll find they don’t affect the taste!
- Mix riced broccoli or cauliflower in with rice, quinoa, or other grains you typically eat. You can always start with a small ratio and slowly increase the ratio as your comfort level grows.
- Finely dice mushrooms and add them to your burger mix. This actually helps make your burger more juicy from the moisture released from the mushrooms. You can probably do this with other vegetables as well, but I can confirm mushrooms mix incredibly well with meat.
- Certain soups call for blending the vegetables to give the soup a creamy texture.
- Blend vegetables with your tomato sauce to give it a veggie boost!
GET CREATIVE
Sometimes it comes down to being willing to trial new cooking techniques to find which ones you love. I hated brussel sprouts for the longest time until I learned I really enjoyed them shredded and sauteed or halved and roasted (got to get them crispy!). Please don’t put a boiled vegetable in front of me, I find it incredibly bland and it’s not my style. I had a client learn vegetables tasted great when he cooked them in the same pan as his protein. I have a few clients who swear by their Air Fryer. You just have to be willing to experiment different ways of cooking your vegetables!
Want some inspiration? Check out my Veggie Sides Pinterest board here.
START SMALL
This might sound overwhelming to you, but you don’t have to go all in trying a new vegetable every day. Set yourself a basic goal such as try one new vegetable per week. Pick a recipe and set a day to cook it. Take notes on what works and what doesn’t. Save recipes you find that you love (or simply tolerate). Ask around for recommendations. Take it one step at a time, and as long as you make consistent effort you CAN ultimately succeed!
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, SUPPLEMENT
I’m not saying give up on attempting to expand your palette and just pump yourself with supplements to solve the problem, but a supplement can help boost your intake when you’re struggling. The brand I usually recommend to my clients is Greens+ by Genuine Health. You can mix it into a smoothie or with water, whatever works best for you!
One last thing – your mindset is going to be key throughout this process. If you go into it expecting to dislike the vegetable then you’re going to dislike it. But if you go into it with an open mind and a willingness to change, you just might surprise yourself.
Coach Diana Leigh is a Precision Nutrition certified coach who uses habit-based coaching to help her clients get stronger and feel amazing in their bodies without the restriction and overwhelm of dieting. For more helpful tips, follow her on Instagram @coachdianaleigh.
Want to work with Coach Diana Leigh? Fill out her application here.