Teen FAQ

First of all, I think it's great that you recognize the importance of good nutrition and that you're trying to find ways to improve your food choices! Here are some ideas for bringing in more veggies to your diet - and LIKING them!

See which (if any) suggestions below appeal to you and then start slowly and in small amounts. Allow yourself plenty of time to get used to new food tastes - as some tastes are acquired over time. As people mature they are often more inclined to try foods that they avoided as young children. So you might be more ready than you think!! First of all - don't push yourself. If you try a vegetable and you don't like it - that's okay. At least you approached it. Another veggie, a different day - could be a very different result.

Soups that include chopped vegetables provide an easy way for "veggie-avoiders" to get more vegetables into their meals - without really noticing. (While some of the nutrients may be "cooked out", in general it's a good place to start).

Chinese or Japanese-style stir-fry dishes make it easy to get your vegetables - disguised/enhanced in delicious sauces.

Consider how you react to textures. Do you like or avoid - crunchy foods (lettuces, carrots, celery, other raw vegetables, etc.)? Soft (tomatoes, cooked veggies - peas, etc.) ? Slippery (avocado, cooked eggplant, spinach)? Dry? Wet? If you know you don't like certain food textures, choose to try vegetables that have textures you DO like - or that are prepared to the texture you like. (Overcooked vegetables can get very mushy or slippery (like zucchini, eggplant) - and lose their nutrient value as well.) Begin with vegetables that have a mild taste - carrots, celery, iceberg lettuce or butter lettuce, cherry tomatoes, peas; progress at your own pace to stronger tasting vegetables - beans, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers.

Put a small amount of lettuce in your sandwich. Iceberg has the mildest taste and adds some crunch.

Pair your vegetables with a dip - like Ranch dressing, or Blue Cheese, Garlic and Herb dip. Peanut butter and celery is an old-time favorite.

Add garlic! If you like the taste of garlic - add it to cooked green beans, or broccoli with a drizzle of olive oil.

If you're having mashed potatoes - work a small amount of vegetables into them!

Add a little fresh salsa alongside your dishes - on rice, broiled chicken, etc. Add more raw, crunchy fruit to your diet - for fiber and many of the same important nutrients found in vegetables.

I hope some of these ideas are helpful to you as you begin to gently bring vegetables back into your diet. Bon Appetit!!