Five ways to convert a picky eater

I was a picky eater growing up. Enjoyed my meat and potatoes, loved pasta and bread. I limited the fruits I would eat and even more so the vegetables I would eat.  Then I grew up.

Part of my evolution in eating is because I am a dietitian and I have to eat what I preach! A lot also had to do with the positive influence of family, friends, and an openness to try new things.  When I mention tofu or fish to some of my clients, they cringe. Tofu was not in my vocabulary growing up and fish, my parents never forced me to eat. Just the smell was enough to make me sick! But in time, under my own circumstances, I have learned to incorporate these foods and many others into my own fridge and lifestyle.

Here are 5 ways to convert the picky eater in you. 

1.    Mix it up with what you love. I learned to eat vegetables through pizza, rice and minestrone. I enjoyed carbohydrates so if vegetables were diced and covered in mozzarella, tossed into a stir-fry or incorporated into a soup, I was more likely to try it…and like it.

2. Start small.  The first time I cooked fish I avoided the fresh fish department and instead purchased a simple, frozen salmon, available in 4 x100g servings. I baked one serving as suggested in the oven and thought, “It’s not so bad” once I tried it. So I tried it a few more times. I moved onto rainbow trout, and enjoyed that even more.  I went from eating no fish, to some fish.

3.     Eat in company. I will never forget as a child, and neither will my mother, when we were sitting as guests at the host’s table in Italy, and when offered an afternoon snack my mom replied on my behalf “don’t bother, she does not eat that” only to see me eat the entire serving. Sometimes the pressure of being with others encourages us to try new foods. You may find out you like it or not, either way, be open to trying new foods.

4.     Look for simple recipes.  If you are unsure how to use a new ingredient search out recipes until you find one that is simple enough for you to try, at least once.

5.     If at first you don’t succeed, try try again...and in different ways.  I prefer baked carrots to raw, unless shredded in a salad. I prefer spinach in a salad than in a soup. Try preparing foods in a variety of ways until you find a way best suited to you and your family’s tastes.