Trying to Expand my Fruits and Veggies--Help?

Of the many discussions I peruse here, I find very few who are like me--picky. I grew up pretty much never eating fruits and veggies. I fought eating them and my parents finally gave up one day. We used to have a veggie at every meal but I refused. SO, as an adult with a husband who likes vegetables (but can't cook) and a toddler who should probably get more than microwaved veggies from a can, I need some help. I plan on eating 1 new food a week. I should probably expand this to 1 new fruit, 1 new veggie. Here's what I know so far:

Veggie Likes: potatoes (all forms but a baked potato--which, yes, is the best way to eat it), and I'll tolerate water chestnuts, and those mini-corn-on-the-cob things in stirfry.

Veggie Dislikes: Uh, creamed anything I refuse. Or pickled.  I have tried salad a few times and no matter the dressing, I still have issues with it which is frustrating because everyone under the sun seems to like it. ONIONS Other than that, I don't want to say that I hate anything else yet until I've tried them all over again.

Fruit Likes: Bananas, apples, raisins, dehydrated fruit

Fruit Dislikes: Grapes, and probably mangoes (I hate all things flavored mango)

My questions--any suggestions for new foods to try? Best way to buy them? (I know fresh is best, then frozen, then canned? But what do I look for when picking fresh fruit/veggies?) How should I prepare them? Any good recipes that don't break the budget and take a chef to cook? Also, anyone else know some tips on how to retrain myself to NOT think vegetables are disgusting? I find that even if the taste is tolerable, I still want to refuse it.

Sorry, lots of questions. Any help appreciated.

I personally think steamed brocolli with a little salt and pepper is amazing.  :)   However, it seems like most people who don't really like veggies usually like them 2 ways:

- grilled or roasted in the oven till they are browned.  This makes them sorta carmelized with a nice smoky, crunchiness on the outside, and tender on the inside.

- mixed into other things that disguise the taste - assuming it is the taste and not the texture you dislike.  I.e. soups, stews, casseroles, etc.  I buy frozen mixed veggies and put them in practically everything. 

I hope this helps.  I can't imagine not liking vegetables, though.

For vegetables, you should start with raw ones that most people enjoy like baby carrots, cucumbers, sweet bell peppers and then move into the more "complicated" ones (broccoli, spinach, etc). Since you like regular potatoes, try baking yams or sweet potatoes. FYI: Corn is actually a grain.

Fruits: Try fresh items that are in season right now, like berries. If you like apples, you might like pears. 

For both, fresh is best for taste but in cooking, you can get away with frozen. Canned is ok but make sure it's packed in water, not syrup and that there isn't a ton of salt added to it (for canned veggies).

Believe me, I know how you feel.  My vegetable likes are extremely limited.  And that creamed stuff is just disgusting!

Couple of notes on yours: potatoes and corn aren't vegetables, they're starches.  Not sure about the water chestnuts, but I bet they are, too.

Suggestions for fruit: strawberries are high in several vitamins, very high in fiber, and taste more like candy to me than any other fruit.  They're especially good if you slice them up, add some Splenda and put them on top of sugar free/fat free angel food cake.  If you like things a bit more tart, blackberries also taste great.  If you like them really mild, try blueberries.  Citrus fruits are very good for you (vitamin C, folic acid) also.  I also like nectarines (taste kinda like peaches, but waaaaay easier because you don't have to de-fuzz them.)

Suggestions for vegetables: personally, I like raw carrots (they're nasty to me when cooked, and my daughter feels the same way); raw celery is ok (good for taking the place of chips for dipping...or put peanut butter or tuna on top or something); green beans are something I eat because I know I need the vitamins and the stuff in the vegetable column...they are tolerable if you can find/make a sauce of some kind you like - whatever they put on the ones at Outback makes them taste amazing, and I plan to experiment to see if I can make it.  The girl said it has some kind of "vegetable seasoning" and other stuff.

Suggestions for starches: refried beans with salsa in them make an excellent bean dip (you can use your celery!) that's got protein and fiber, just get the fat free/low sodium beans (no taste difference as far as I can tell).  Add a little bit of black pepper as well.  Green lima beans are good when mixed with corn (succotash!).

Personally, I've found that with cooked veggies, it's all about how you season them.  A lot of them don't taste all that great to me, but with some garlic or savory spices in them, they tend to taste a lot better.  Mixing them with other things, or things you like, also tends to make them either better or less noticeable.

I've been debating trying some new foods as well, since mine are fairly limited.  I've always hated squash, but I understand that it *can* actually be cooked different ways from how my mom/grandmother made it, so it might taste better that way, and I'm thinking about trying it out.

Looking for fresh fruits/veggies: Most of them should be somewhat firm, with no squishy spots or bad looking spots.  For berries, check all sides of the container to make sure you don't get one with fuzzy berries in it, and the less bruised they are, the better.  On strawberries, in general the darker the berry, the sweeter it is.  With blackberries, the softer the berry, the sweeter it is, but squishy is bad.  Not sure about blueberries, since they're too bland for my taste.  Carrots, I just get the baby-cut ones in a bag, they keep for a good while in the fridge and you don't have to peel them yourself.  Celery, look for stiff, not floppy (dirt is expected, you'll wash them with plain water when you get ready to eat them).

I get beans and peas and corn in the can (look for low/no salt, so your sodium levels aren't going through the roof).

If you can work your veggies into a dish that kind of hides them, you may do a bit better.  Add them to a meat dish of some kind (carrots are really good about soaking up meat flavors in stews and soups, making them taste less like carrots and more like whatever you've got them with - this is my daughter's favorite way to eat them).

Hope this helps out some.

Can you try adding veggies to things like eggs or in a stir fry? You could even put some in mac and cheese. I used to not be a big fruits and veggies person but now I love all kinds almost. I did the putting in items when I was trying to eat more. Make a pb sandwich and add fruit. Throw some strawberries in oatmeal. You get the point. Dips can help too. A lot is getting into a new routine and changing your taste buds. Fresh is the best but frozen is good as well especially I think to steam. They have a veggie mix that has those baby corns by Birds Eyes. I think the only issue with can is because of the sodium/sugar so try to look for low or reduced ones.

From the CC advice section

Ideas for Eating More Vegetables
You know veggies are good for you, but you just don't get enough. Convenience is the key to eating more. Learn how.

Ideas for Eating More Fruits
We know that they are good for us. We know that they are full of vitamins, minerals and fiber. They are even full of substances called phytonutrients, which help to fight diseases, like heart disease, diabetes, cancers and blood pressure.

Do you have a local farmers market? If so that is often the best place to start.  You know the food is at it's peak and often the farmer can offer suggestions on how to prepare the fruit/vegetable as well as what to look for when purchasing fresh at the grocery.

Also, make sure you try the same vegetable multiple times and fixed a variety of ways. Just because you don't like it steamed doesn't mean you won't like it roasted or with a different seasoning. Also don't overcook that tends to lead to unappealing vegetables that have very little taste.  Experiment and you will find things you like.

Original Post by augette:

Do you have a local farmers market? If so that is often the best place to start.  You know the food is at it's peak and often the farmer can offer suggestions on how to prepare the fruit/vegetable as well as what to look for when purchasing fresh at the grocery.

Don't assume that everything you see at your local farmer's market is home or even locally grown.  (I craft hats and jewelry and sell at one for a little extra money over what hubby earns.)

Our local market does -not- require that you grow the produce you sell, nor that it be local.  The non-local guys are -not- required to have signage saying where it comes from, either.  The local guys are -allowed- to put up signs stating that theirs is local, but most customers don't realize that there is a difference between those with signs and those without.  Some of the "farmers" at our market import their fruit from other states and/or other countries (we just don't grow pineapples in the middle of Arkansas...come on, folks!)

Now, that's not to say you shouldn't buy from the guys who import their produce.  It's no worse than buying from a local grocery store, and you're helping a little guy out.  But if you're specifically looking for home grown or locally grown stuff, make sure you ask where it came from.  Most of these folks are pretty honest about it.

Another good choice is to find out if someone you know socially is a farmer that would be willing to sell you produce sometimes.  My grandparents farmed for many years and would sometimes sell produce to people they went to church with who wanted things.

hmm... if you tolerate water chestnuts, i would suggest cucumber, cause it's pretty deliscious and i love them so much more than water chestnuts

what about straight up corn? i love that stuff.

ummmm

try boiled broccoli (put in 1/2 inch boiling water with a dash of salt for about 10 min. poke it, and you can tell it's done the way you can with potatoes (how easily the knife pierces it)) with some healthy fat, maybe low fat cheese? or peanut butter (strange but i like it). :]]]

one word:  Juicer

I also struggled to get enough fruits/veggies in my daily diet, that is until I bought a juicer.  If you like strawberries and bananas, you're golden.  You can pretty much put anything in there, and as long as you throw in some strawberries, it'll taste like strawberries.  If I have bananas around, I'll put the juice in a blender and add a banana (bananas don't juice too well).

For example, when I have a good stockpile of veggies/fruits, I'll make something like this:  1-2 apples, 1-2 carrots, handful of blueberries, handful of strawberries, a cup of spinach or broccoli, maybe a beet, and then blend it with a banana.  Even with all that other stuff, it'll taste like strawberries and bananas.

First--thank you for the quick responses! :) I did get some info that I have not heard before. Everybody gave me something to work with! :)

Adolphs- I think I will buy some kebob sticks and try that the next time we grill. It will be a nice substitution for potato chips (which are my weakness and I always overeat). It's great that you like them--it makes life much easier. :)

chaosangel-I did know that potatoes were starches, but not that corn was too. I will have to try the nectarines for sure--peaches kind of gross me out, but nectarines look more appealing. I've only ever seen green beans with that cream sauce--the name escapes me right now--green bean casserole?, so I will have to investigate other sauces--never occured to me to look for a different sauce. I tried blueberries and didn't like them. Will look at blackberries instead. You gave me a lot of good info. :)

We do have a Famer's Market (I'm in KS)--however, they run it across town from early to just before lunchtime so I am unable to get to it (Yes, I could get up earlier but I already have a 40 minute drive +20 minutes out of the way to drop off my son and that trip would be another 15-25 minutes out of the way as well. It's hard enough to stay awak and be here at 7:30am. Plus, my husband frequently has the car and no lunch break at all. Convenient, right? :)) They do run one on the other side of town during the weekend so I will have to actually check it out before I hit the grocery for once. Are prices usually higher? And do they usually only take cash or will they take card?

I have been talking to some people at work about their garden vegs--I picked up some zucchini from my boss (and some ideas--steamed with garlic/butter, zucchini bread or cake) and another person is going to give me some peaches. If I can't handle them, my son can at least get some fresh fruit. I also planned on hitting the fruit/veg section first this shopping trip--apples, bananas, celery, grapes (for my husband), baby carrots, and some frozen veg. I have some broccoli at home in one of those steamer bags and I need to just cook it one night.

I don't have a juicer but do have a blender. Could i just use that?

Oh, also, I've seen those books by that lady who "sneaks" fruit/veg into food for her kids but I think it's ridiculous. I'm sure I would have been a healthier kid if my parents did that, but where would that get me? I would just suddenly be without those nutrients when I started cooking for myself and still think that I hate fruit/veg. Maybe that's a silly reason, but that's how I feel. My parents would try to blend or sneak in stuff and in the end, it just made me angry and I didn't trust them.

I'm sure if, in the long run, I still can't bring myself to improve my diet, I will try baking/cooking with hidden stuff that you can't taste, but I would prefer just to find some that I like (and some I love) so I can actually go to family gatherings and restaurants and not have to be so particular about my food (you wouldn't believe how many comments I got growing up--very frustrating).

Do you like tomato-based sauces?  They're a great way to get vegetables in.  The tomatoes themselves, of course, but you can also add other vegetables diced up (or even shredded).

Try roasting vegetables - onions, red peppers, eggplant, zucchini, other squashes all get really nice and sweet and caramelized when you roast them.  I prefer broccoli, asparagus, etc. cooked this way because they're not mushy.  (Yes, I know you can just boil/steam them for less time, and I do that, but when my mum cooks green veg, she likes them very very cooked.)

Get some Mrs. Dash or other seasoning mix to sprinkle over steamed vegetables.  It really brightens up their flavour.  (You'll eventually get to the point where you *like* the flavour of the vegetables but, for now, we're working on you not disliking them.)

One of my favourite easy-cook meals is to boil together pasta with a vegetable like broccoli, cauliflower or asparagus (basically, anything that goes well with cheese) then sprinkle an ounce of cheese per portion over the pasta/veg mix.  It's supereasy and the vegetables aren't sitting off on the other side of the plate where they might be more intimidating.

Fruit suggestions: Most people like watermelon.  Strawberries too.  Take the time to chop up the fruit as, for some strange reason, it seems to make it taste better (apple slices vs. whole apple, for example).  Maybe even make fruit salad. 

Re: The famer's market.  Most produce will be cheaper there, but they'll usually only take cash.

I know how you feel! Everything that you wrote in the first message is exactly the way I am. My dislike for fruits and vegetables when I was a kid came from my picky older sister. She would put up such a fuss over anything healthy that I followed her example. One veggie I'd encourage you to give a try are sugar-snap peas. My first experience with them was from my piano teacher who gave me a couple freshly picked from her garden. It was the best! I love snacking on them raw from the fridge. They led me to try green beans, but sugar-snaps are still my favorite.

I can understand not wanting to "hide" vegetables in other foods, although I have been known to do so in order to get my kids to eat them.  Instead of "hiding" them make sure to just have very small pieces.  You'll still get some nutrients and slowly become accustomed to the taste.

Also something I do with my kids is serve very small portions. Instead of trying to force yourself to eat a 1/2 cup serving have 1 bite. I think that once you have tried the same item multiple times you will at least begin to tolerate it and hopefully begin to enjoy the flavors.  I know it's worked for me on some of the new vegetables that I've started to enjoy.

One of my favorites this time of year is thinnly sliced zucchini strips (I use a vegetable pealer to make strips) sauteed in a little butter or olive oil and sprinkled with a little no salt seasoning.

Spinach sauteed in a little bit of olive oil with some chopped garlic.  Yum! 

Green beans (I just nuke frozen green beans and eat them plain)

Eggplant marinated and grilled or cut it up in small pieces, sautee it and add it to your stirfry.

Mushrooms sauteed (you could even add them to a pasta sauce)

Great time of the year for fruit.  Peaches, melons, berries.  I buy frozen berries because fresh ones are pretty expensive.  Peaches and melons might be cheaper at roadside markets right now depending on where you live.

And yes... onions are awful.  Use dried minced onions (in the spice section) for a bit of onion flavor without the yuckiness of actual onion pieces (I always sub a few shakes of this for onions in any recipe).

I find that almost any veggie tastes incredible with some soy sauce and Splenda and a little vinegar mixed together.. oh so incredible.