Tips for Veggie Haters

Vegetables are one of those foods people either love or hate. The problem with hating vegetables is that they are arguably the most health-promoting food group on the planet. If you aren't eating vegetables, you aren't getting all their amazing components like fiber, antioxidants, and other powerful phytochemicals.

So what's a veggie-hater to do? People who think they hate vegetables can definitely learn to embrace this colorful food group. But before we talk tips, we need to understand what causes some people to scatter when broccoli is served.

Vegetables are one of those foods people either love or hate. The problem with hating vegetables is that they are arguably the most health-promoting food group on the planet. If you aren't eating vegetables, you aren't getting all their amazing components like fiber, antioxidants, and other powerful phytochemicals.

So what's a veggie-hater to do? People who think they hate vegetables can definitely learn to embrace this colorful food group. But before we talk tips, we need to understand what causes some people to scatter when broccoli is served.

Load your salads with all the veggies you enjoy (or at least tolerate). The options are limitless, including cucumber, grated carrots, zucchini, tomato, broccoli or green beans. You can even use spinach leaves instead of lettuce.

Other preparations: steaming, stir frying (quick cooking in oil in a very hot pan), grilling (cut in thin "slabs", oil, grill 5-10 minutes per side), "shish ka-bob" (skewer, oil and grill - works for small roundish veggies like small tomatoes, mushrooms), stewing (low heat, long time), crockpot, and more. I also like vegetables that have been cooked then chilled with a light salad dressing. There's also raw with light ranch or blue cheese dressing as dip. Or plain. Cooked in soup or pureed. Also pureed and hidden in pasta sauce.

Try vegetables you haven't tasted before. If you didn't like a veggie steamed, try it stir fried. Keep trying. If you don't like broccoli florets, try the stems.