Four Ways to Break Your Adult Picky Eating Habits
Are you a picky eater? It’s something that people are willing to overlook if you’re a child, but not when you’re an adult. Being a picky eater as an adult can be frustrating, and at times even a little embarrassing. You always feel like you’re being difficult when you shoot down your partner’s or friend’s restaurant suggestions, and you feel rude when you turn down a dish at a dinner party. Picky eating can be very difficult to deal with, especially when you don’t know how to break yourself of your eating habits. If you’re ready to expand your palette and try new things, try to follow these tips during your next meal.
Start with small changes
If you hate eating vegetables, don’t go out and buy a pound a kale and vow to steam it that night. If the only meat you can stomach has to be fried, don’t commit yourself to trying liver. The easiest way to overcome your picky eating habits is to take it slowly, and don’t try to overwhelm yourself with new difficult foods you know you probably won’t like. If you dislike vegetables, try out something simple like cauliflower and spinach. If you eat too much fried food, try broiling and baking your next dish.
Don’t force hated foods
Sometimes your hate for a food may be because you’re naturally picky, and other times it may be because you just simply don’t like it. If you’re trying to expand your palette, don’t feel like you absolutely have to like something. If you don’t like pears because of their texture, don’t force yourself to make pears your new favorite food. It’s okay to not like certain foods, but when you’re restricted to only eating a few choice foods you run into problems.
Find good recipes
Some people swear that they hate a certain food, then try it prepared a different way and are shocked to find that they actually like it. Sometimes it isn’t the food itself; it’s the way it’s made. Try doing something new with foods you “hate” and see if your taste buds change. Don’t steam your vegetables, try stir-frying or pan searing them. If you hate scrambled eggs, try hard boiling or poaching them. Look for recipes online, and try something that looks simple and enticing.
Just say yes to new food
Your friend just found a great website that sells gourmet food online, and they want you to try a new batch of preserves they ordered. Your wife just found a new recipe that uses one of your favorite foods, but it isn’t prepared the way you’re used to. The only way you’ll become a less picky eater is if you open up to trying new food. Don’t be afraid to say ‘yes’ to new food. You don’t have to have a heaping serving, just enough for a few bites.
