Do You Force Yourself to Eat a Food Bc It's Healthy

For me, it's oatmeal. I can eat it in cookies, but warm oatmeal for breakfast disgusts me in so many ways. My husband loves it, and I make it for him, but that's it. The thing is, I WANT to like it. It's healthy and hearty and cheap. I give it a chance about once a year, just in case..a nice big bowl with cinnamon, or fruit, and sit down for breakfast with my hubby. But I can't get past a second bite. YUCK. I'll just stick with the oatmeal in cookies..a less healthful option, but soooo much better :)

I don't know about just because their healthy...but...

Brussel Sprouts!

They sound good in theory (ya know, crispy with bacon and butter?)...but no matter how many times I try them, I just don't like them!? It doesn't stop me from making them every once in awhile and ordering them off the menus though...for some reason I have yet to give up on them.

Yes, I aften choose the healthier choice even though it doesn't taste as yummy as other stuff. But I must say I have definitely acquired a taste for healthier foods over the years and I do enjoy healthier stuff more than I used to. I don't force my kids to eat stuff they REALLY don't like but I do have them eat stuff they aren't thrilled with but don't mind. Particularly veggies and fish.
I also educate them as we eat about why certain foods are good for you and/or not so good for you.

If only I can get my husband to listen as well as the kids do......;)

If you're just eating fish for the oil, you might consider taking a fish oil supplement. I can't stand the fishy burps, but I have discovered that Krill Oil is easy to take and requires a far smaller dose to get the desirable DHA and EPA. It's also got a powerful antioxidant, and krill are a huge and sustainable fishery, virtually free of mercury contamination, while some species of salmon are becoming scarce. And no burps!

I keep trying to like yogurt and cottage cheese and I just don't! I don't know why I keep buying this stuff.

Not since I was like 10 and my parents made me.......

There are plenty of alternatives that will give you the same benefits as salmon without you torturing yourself.

Happy eating!

I eat things that I don't _love_ because they're healthy (most fruit, actually) but I never eat anything that I really don't like.

Ditch the salmon. Life's too short.

Nope- there is a world of foods out there!

That said... I am willing to try anything once. If I don't like it- i don't eat it... but every couple of years I "retry" foods that I don't like because I have noticed that a lot of things I used to hate, are actually not that bad anymore.

I think it is a good example to cook foods that might not be on your "top ten" list for your family. But if it is something that could easily be modfied so you will like it- and YOU are the one cooking it- make a substitution. For example- another type of fish could easily be grilled alongside the salmon, and you won't have to cook and then "choke down" something you don't like.

It could be a good way to get your kids involved in dinner prep too! If they really don't like something... you could offer that they pick a "comparable" option to eat- but THEY have to cook it themselves (with your guidance of course). Of course, they have to let you know ahead of time... not after you've already started dinner!

I was fed steak literally 3 times a week for YEARS in my "meat n' potatoes" family growing up. Also... it was seasonless- and overcooked most of the time. Needless to say... I don't like steak- any kind. If it is served to me, I eat it. But if my husband decides he wants a big ole' slab of cow for dinner he gets to cook it himself! (and sometimes he does)....

I think that is fair.

Good luck!
-M.

BTW EVERYONE- great recipes... my tummy is grumblin! LOL!

Edit: I am not saying here that everything a person should eat had to be a "favorite". I wasn't a "fan" of salads, but for the healthy benefits I started eating them anyways, each time trying something a little different until I found a healthy salad I DID enjoy... now I really like them, and sometimes I even crave a tasty salad... Another poster mentioned metabolic programing, and I think that if you are avoiding a whole food GROUP because it isn't "a favorite" than it is worth the effort to try to adopt it (or nutritionally similar foods) for your health. But if a specific food really puts you off... there is usually a very similar food out there that can substitute just as well!

No, because I think it creates aversions to food. I literally will retch at the thought of (only a few) foods because my mother forced me to eat them when I REALLY didn't like them. I am not a picky eater by any means, but there are certain foods I just won't eat. Disgusting fish is one of them! :)

Have you tried making salmon loaf patties? Maybe this makes it a slight bit unhealthier, but not much...I mix the salmon (deboned and deskinned, of course, and that's what makes me about sick when I am dealing with salmon) with an egg, cracker crumbs, and milk, and then form into patties. I cook them in a skillet in a little olive oil, and serve with a homemade white gravy with American cheese slices melted in...not too many, just enough to give the gravy a little flavor. The gravy is nothing but cornstarch, milk, and pepper, and then the cheese at the end. I love salmon this way, but I really hate it any other way.

And oh, I love broccoli!! I noticed someone said they hate it, and my daughter hates it, but I just love it! Yum! :)

Yes.

Broccoli is a superfood and it is awesome for you. It tastes bad and smells bad. But, because I know how good it is for you I try to eat it. My son LOVES it (weirdo!).

Avocado, on the other hand, I forced myself to try and now I actually like it.

nope. I only eat what I like.

Try Halibut or Talapia - very tasty.

added:
Just found a recipe that looked good. Had only one review and it was a good one. Teriyaki Marinated Grilled Salmon:
4 alaskan salmon steaks (approx 6-8 oz each)
1/4 cup loose brown sugar
3 Table Canola Oil
3 Table soy sauce
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 1/2 TABLE fresh ginger, minced

In a baking dish, combaine sugar, oil, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Add fish. Turn to coat all sides. Marinate in fridge 30-45 minutes. Remove from marinade. Cook on foil sheet on medium hot grill, turning once during cooking, about 10 minutes per inch total cooking time.

Life is too short to eat food you don't like! Course I like EVERYTHING, sigh.

(pass that salmon over here and open a can of tuna, or come over to my house and I'll make the salmon so you WILL like it!)

:)

I have a hard enough time staying *away* from chocolate and other sweets, forget forcing a healthy food I don't like! lol

I agree with others that say to find another option....or a supplement.

Nope. I take omega-3 fatty acids and don't miss fish one bit.

Yes, there is something called metabolic programming. That the more we eat healthfully (healthy) the more our body craves it. Plus, it can take up to 15 tries of a food for kids and adults for us to get used to new flavors and textures.
As a kid I don't remember eating beets, broccoli, asparagus or even Brussels Sprouts. Now all some of my favorites! And even my family, (husband, 20 year old son and 16 year old daughter) also eat what is served and will go back for seconds 9 times out of 10. But it was a progression.

Nope. I don't force myself to eat anything I don't like. Why bother, when I can find a tasty alternative that can be just as healthy? I do agree with the not being a short order cook thing, but on that note I always provide an alternative (like a PB&J sandwich, thing of yogurt, whatever) in case something is legitimately not liked. The closest I come to eating something I don't like is trading white for wheat bread... but while I really do prefer white, the wheat isn't really all that bad. I do treat myself to white once in a while though! lol.

I don't force myself to eat ANYTHING because it's 'healthy'. There's always another healthy option out there.... life's too short as it is. I don't want to live longer only to eat more food I don't like!:)

When my kiddo got off baby food and on to real food I started eating the frozen veggies I was serving her. I wanted her to eat them and figured she would eat them if she saw me eating them. Now, for the first time in my life, I actually like cauliflower and broccoli.

Nope. But I will try something several times and in several preparations before abandoning all-together. I used to hate beets until I found a way to prepare them, now I LOVE beets.

I would suggest trying other ways to prepare it or try other types of fish. There are plenty of types of fish that taste pretty neutral...
Good luck.

I like all healthy foods- except mushrooms, so no forcing here:) i also enjoy many different ethnic cuisines!

Not usually. I will at least try it. I could never be a Vegan. I have learned to love Kimchi b/c it's so healthy. That took some time.

We all love Salmon. So please try my recipe which I have given to countless guests over the years, especially men. Then let me know if you still don't like it. I think b/c Salmon is a stronger tasting fish, it needs a powerful sauce, and we like tangy in our family.

Salmon marinade....mix in equal quantities:

Juice of 1 fresh lemon
4 T Dijon Mustard
4 T Soy Sauce
4 T Honey
4 T Olive Oil
4 t Brown Sugar (must be brown for it to caramelize in the oven or on the grill correctly)

Lemon Pepper - for later

Rinse and pat dry your salmon pieces. If it's one long piece, score into smaller more manageable pieces. Sprinkle with Lemon Pepper. Place in plastic bag to marinade both sides or baking dish and pour about 2/3 of the marinade over the fish. Flip the fish to get marinade on both sides.

Bake in a hot oven, about 425 degrees fro 15 minutes. It's better grilled.
Pour remaining sauce over hot salmon and serve.

Variations: A chef in Yosemite gave me a bottle of Pomegranete Molasses and I have been adding that. It's amazing. So I would imagine you can also add molasses in lieu of the honey.

The health food for me is red wine. I drink a glass a couple of times a week, but I really don't enjoy it much.

When I was pregnant was the only time I only forced myself to eat the full range of healthy foods including the few I don't like. But I enjoy enough of a variety of healthy foods that I don't think I'm missing anything. I also take a multivitamin just in case.

Regarding the salmon, I'm kind of like that too with a fillet of baked salmon...I like the first few bites, then it gets to be too much or something. And I loved smoked salmon and salmon burgers. I started cooking salmon wrapped in foil topped with a sprig of fresh rosemary, a little black pepper, a couple of tiny pats of butter, and topped with lemon slices. Also spray the foil before putting the salmon in it so it doesn't stick. Throw away or compost the rosemary and lemon slices after cooking. I find that the acidity from the lemon and the extra flavor from the rosemary really cut through the taste of plain salmon making it so much more palatable.

I force myself to eat alot of fruits and veggies daily. The fruits and veggies make me feel good, but if my tastebuds had a say in it, they'd say to eat the sweets:)

I am SO not a fruit eater - I much prefer vegetables, all different kinds - but yes, I do 'force" myself to have 1 or 2 fruit servings a day since I've been on WW. I know it's good for me (and fruit is "free" now on the new plan), but it's just not something I enjoy. I definitely understand your point!

I'm with you on the salmon thing. I just don't care for it, or seafood in general. I, too, know it's good for us so I try to put fish on the menu once a week and every 3-4 weeks I'll include salmon. The only way I like it is marinated in equal parts soy sauce and honey, then baked. Very yummy that way! I've gotten used to white fishes baked with a light sprinkle of buttered bread crumbs or lemon slices and fresh herbs, but fish night is definitely not my favorite night. The rest of my clan loves shellfish, which my FIL will bring over and I'll use that chance to cook myself a decent steak (not the $2.99/lb. top round that I normally get). Salmon/fish is probably the only thing I kind of force myself to eat.

There are other foods that I know are good that I also try to squeeze into my diet and have managed to find ways to make them palatable. I hate yogurt, but will add some plain yogurt to a smoothie and I can't taste it. I hate cooked spinach, so I mix fresh spinach in my salad greens. I don't like beans, but if I make tacos for the kids I'll make mine with half beans and half meat and the seasoning and texture of everything else mask the nasty texture of cooked beans. I'm not a fan of B. pasta so I mix it with lighter pasta, and I really only like a couple of types of B. rice so I only serve rice when I have time to cook a decent variety. Then there's a long list of things that I just won't eat at all...cottage cheese, mushrooms, any and all cooked greens, shellfish etc. Overall we have a good, healthy mix of meals and snacks in my house made from real, whole food so it's not too often that my dislike of certain "healthy" foods comes up.

Spinach. And peas. It's not that I hate them, but I don't particularly like them. I've found that I love eating spinach and peas when there is a sauce or marinade or something that blocks the actual taste of the spinach and peas. :-) There are healthy things I do like--like tomatoes and mushrooms and carrots--and I cook spinach and peas all the time. But I realized that I don't really like how they taste...I think everyone is different. I have heard that your taste buds get used to "new" or unfavorable tastes after about three weeks...but some things I just don't like at all. Like olives. I hate olives. I'm fine with olive oil, but I can't seem to get myself to eat olives. :-)

Generally if I don't like it, I don't eat it. I will fix things for my family that they like and I don't, but I just don't eat it. Sometimes, I will doctor something up that I wouldn't normally eat. I will not eat salmon fillets, but I will eat salmon patties. I will not eat lima beans alone, but I will mixed with flavored rice.

Broccoli: I don't like it, but I want my boys to eat it, and so...I eat it too. Green peas too. My husband is from England and they eat peas all the time. I draw the line at the stupid smush peas they serve, but I will eat green peas (but NO to black eyed peas). I also don't like oatmeal or yogurt (not a serious aversion, I just don't "like" them....or eating breakfast in the morning, in general), but I am modeling for my boys, so....we eat together at 7:20am. The boys love all 4 of those things, and they're good for them! (*Better than frosted flakes or french fries, which is what I'd eat if I were single and had no kids, I must admit). I also used to drink cokes allllllll the time, and now I drink a coke every other day and drink a lot more water.

We eat healthy overall. I've recently decided, as an adult, I'm never eating a raw carrot as long as I live. I'll eat them cooked, but I realized that I *hate* uncooked carrots. Yes, I was forcing myself to eat them... but not anymore! My kids love raw carrots as a snack, so they're always in my house, but I am never EVER eating another raw carrot!!

I can't think of any healthy foods I hate...

Well, there are some healthy foods I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole (like bell peppers and celery), but that I serve to my family because they LOVE them. And yes, there are foods that I don't particularly enjoy, but I eat because they're so good for you. The one that comes to mind is blueberries - I just don't like them very much, but since they're a superfood, I throw a small handful into my yogurt. And quinoa. I'll make it and eat it, but I don't have to LOVE it, do I? I figure if my kids see me eating food that's healthy, they'll learn to do the same (so far, it's working - they eat really well!). But I STILL won't go near bell peppers and celery. My youngest (who is very morbid) plays the "would you rather" game a lot and she always starts with "Mommy, would you rather eat bell peppers and celery or get bitten by a shark/break your leg/die?" They know that even grown-ups sometimes don't like certain foods.

I HATE HATE HATE broccoli. Hate it. It tastes like rubbery mold to me, and I'm always wondering "Is this broccoli rotten?" whenever I smell it. I don't MIND it disguised in a nice spicy Asian stir fry (but still don't love it). But anyway. I eat it all the time because it's healthy. I even eat it raw in salads etc. YUCK. That's why I have no patience for people who can never eat anything healthy because they "don't like it" (not saying that's you, just relating to the forcing myself issue). I eat very healthy food. Broccoli is really the only thing I hate, but for the anti cancer properties and nutrients. I eat it. yuck.

Oh, J.J. - every single day I force myself to eat healthy. If I could I would live on a steady diet of Cheetos and chocolate. But, like you, I know better - so I eat veggies, and salad, and oatmeal.

Fruit - I dislike fruit - really I do not like it. So, I have to force myself to eat it. I tend to compromise with myself and eat canned mandarin oranges or peaches and take extra vitamin C. I do eat cantaloupe and the occasional fresh orange, and blueberries. But really - ugh.

About the salmon - could you toss a piece of tilapia in the oven for yourself when you cook salmon for the family? My son dislikes salmon, even after trying it several times, so I just cook him tilapia when I cook salmon for myself. Just a thought. Or shrimp - we love shrimp!!!

I feel you though....gosh, now I want Cheetos. :)

God Bless

I try to eat eggs atleast once a month...yuck.

In short......yes.
There are healthy foods I can't force. Those are the one's that make me gag.
There are things that are "ok" (not my preference) but I can eat it.

Yes, I will eat cooked carrots when I make something that includes them - both DH and DS eat them. Before DS was born, I just used to pick them out of food. Now I 'set an example' and eat them. I don't think he knows I don't like them. DH now eats broccoli when he didn't used to (he is starting to like it).

Recently I have. I am pregnant and cannot eat deli meat. But sandwiches are an easy lunch aside for salads, but who can eat that everyday. So I bought Tofurky- its Tofu made to look and taste (ha) like deli style turkey. Well I had it for a few weeks, then got burned out. So I was eating pb&j's and mac n cheese with my son at lunch. Clearly not the best choice. So, once again I started back with the Tofurky. The other day I literally was taking a bite and then washing it down with water/milk before I could really get a taste of it. I was just in the this funk that I really didn't want the healthy food (although I too am normally a VERY healthy eater) but I forced myself to do it anyway.
So no your not alone. However, I cannot!!! stomach salmon- so you are a better woman than I for that one! lol

Yes, I just ate asparagus for the first time in my life tonight. Ugghhh... My husband forced his and so did I. My 3 year old son on the other hand used his asparagus as candles in his brown rice. :) I am trying to set a good example for my son.
I also force myself to eat spinach. My husband and son love it and again, I am trying to set that good example.

I will try any food once to see if I like it, but I will not eat food I don't like, no matter how good for me it is. There are plenty of foods I DO like that are good for me.

No...I think there is a reason why a food tastes bad to you compared to tasting good to another. While people can habituate themselves to certain unhealthy tastes (like in Supersize Me), there are foods that you just don't like from infancy. You can see this with kids. For all we know, the sense of something not tasting good could be our body saying there is something in this that isn't good for you specifically. It could be a subtle intolerance. There are so many yummy good healthy foods out there, why would you do that to yourself? My 5 year old loves broccoli and despises chocolate milk (loves plain 2%)...instinctively people like healthy stuff if they don't get hooked on the junk.

Water is probably the only thing that comes close to what you are suggesting. It can be unappealing.

No...not really but I like most stuff. And I still hate the stuff I hated as a kid: brussel sprouts, liver and lima beans. Blecch!

nope, I am one of the lucky ones who has never met a healthy food I didn't love. I love veggies, spinach, Kale and chard are my favs, but I love any veggie or fruit. For a while I didn't like asparagus as a kid, it was a texture thing, my Grammy cooked it til dead and it was very stringy. When I learned to cook it properly I now like it very much! The only foods I am not fond of are meats. And I always hated liver. as a kid I forced myself to eat it, even a few bites just to try to make myself like it, but no matter how hard I tried, I still hate liver. Now I don't consider liver a healthy food at all, so I don't worry about it anymore and have not tried it in over 20 years. I also include fish in the meat category and don't eat very much of it at all, not because i don't like it, just because I am not a big meat eater and I don't like preparing meat. I am not a vegetarian but I have to say I much prefer veggies and fruits to meats any day.

No, when i eat i make it count. I wont eat things just because they are healthy, if i hate them, but i will purchase things that cost a lot (that i like) because they are more healthy. I will eat the healthier version of something even though i like the less healthy version better (like pasta)

Im of the opinion that if your body REALLY doesnt want something you probably shouldnt eat it. The body craves things that remind you of comfort, and it craves things you need. For example a sudden flare for jalapeños could indicate a deficiency in vitamin c.

i believe children have rights also to eat things they like, and not to eat things they dont. Sometimes i feel like a short order cook, but i think i have found my right groove to making meals we all like, i just mix it up. I find healthy foods that they like, i get really diverse with it, and tricky. I dont buy foods that are bad for you so they have to choose between the good stuff. But i definitely do not force them to eat a food that they hate. I remind my oldest that trying new things is a sign of intelligence and that tastes change as people age. She has rediscovered many things .