Studies have shown that picky eating can be the result of your personal experiences, your environment and even a genetic tendency to having an aversion to certain foods.
For older eaters, being selective about the type of food you consume can be a challenge, and in more thoughtful cases, it can pave the way for medical conditions such as a selective eating disorder. But then again, there are ways that you can go on a diet and eat healthy, regardless of your picky eating habits.
1. Make a list of foods that you enjoy
Be precise about the kind of textures and flavors pleasing to you. A majority of the picky eaters have a tendency of preferring bland or processed foods, such as bread, bacon or potatoes. You may prefer French fries, pizza or grilled cheese. Or you might only like to consume foods with a crunchy, hard texture, like popcorn, cookies or crackers.
2. Note any deal breaker foods
For the majority of the picky eaters, this will be green foods like veggies and some fruits. Or it may be foods with a bitter flavor, like oranges or lemons. Or you may have problems with food that have mushy or chewy textures, like yogurt, banana or steamed spinach.
3. List food preparations you like and dislike
Every now and then, picky eaters drift down to certain foods because they desire a certain preparation, such as sliced instead of mashed or fried instead of steamed. For example, you may go for spinach that is kept fresh in a salad, potatoes that are baked rather than mashed, instead of steamed or cooked.
4. Pair foods you enjoy with healthier foods
Go over your “yes” foods and think about ways you can combine these foods in dishes with wholesome ingredients. Go for reasonable quantities of foods you relish and foods that are good for you.
For example, pair kale with bacon to create a dish that has a flavor you delight in and lots of nutrients and vitamins. Top your burger with lettuce and tomato. Don’t forget to add a slice of cheese for added dairy.
5. Add different flavors to healthy foods you dislike
Enrich foods you may not like by adding spices such as pepper and salt or garlic and fresh herbs, particularly to vegetables and fish or meat. You can also camouflage foods you don’t like by adding healthy sauces like teriyaki sauce, peanut satay sauce and chili sauce.
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