I’ll admit that I’m a picky eater. I would live off of chicken, pasta, and chocolate if I could though it’s not a great idea. I don’t have dietary restrictions; I just don’t like a lot of foods, and that’s okay. Here’s how I manage to still eat healthy.
Try new foods.
This is essential. You can’t improve your diet without trying something new. Try a new fruit or vegetable. Make a recipe that you’ve never made before with ingredients that are new to you.
Find one vegetable that you like.
My biggest problem when it comes to healthy eating is incorporating vegetables. My family only ever ate three kinds of vegetables, and I disliked all of them. Because of this, I gave up on vegetables until coming to college. That’s when I discovered peppers. Yes, there is some debate about whether these are vegetables or a fruit. Regardless, finding one vegetable that you like and incorporating it into your diet is a great way to eat healthier. I personally like chopping up peppers and mixing them with taco meat or using them in pasta sauce.
Try different combinations.
One of the great things about food is that how you prepare it and the combination of ingredients can change the flavor. I don’t like onions, and I usually try to avoid them. However, when they are chopped really fine and mixed in pasta sauce, they enhance the flavors without tasting like onions. This helps me work more vegetables into my diet without making a vegetable side dish.
Don’t forget protein.
Sometimes college students forget or don’t have time to eat. Even though I don’t always have time for lunch, I try to remember to eat protein in at least one of my meals. If I eat cheese pizza for lunch, then I make chicken for dinner. The good thing about protein is that you can add chicken to anything: pizza, pasta, salad, tacos, soup, a sandwich.
Drink fruit smoothies.
If you’re okay with the flavor of fruit, but not the texture, try drinking fruit smoothies. As long as you blend out the chunks of fruit and you add enough milk, the smoothie should have a different texture.
Give in a little.
The worst part about starting a diet or eating healthier is fighting the temptation to eat sweets and carbs. If you tell yourself that you can’t have it, then you will want it more. So you should indulge a little instead. Let yourself have a piece of chocolate or two as a snack. Let yourself eat bread when you go out to an Italian restaurant. Don’t overindulge, but having something sweet won’t hurt.
Once you change your diet, it will become a habit. It is possible to be a picky eater and still eat healthy.