How to go from "I don't like vegetables" to "I am able to eat them"

Vegetables are an essential food group for a balanced diet. They provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other components that help protect our health. However, not everyone readily accepts them; for many people, eating vegetables can be a challenge .

We know that insisting or forcing often doesn't work. We must keep in mind that many times the problem isn't the vegetable itself, but how each person perceives it . Having a good capacity to accept a variety of foods is very important for achieving a healthy, balanced, and varied diet.

Why do some people reject vegetables?

The bitter taste

Some vegetables have a distinct or lingering bitter taste (the one that remains in the mouth after eating). Historically, this taste was associated with harmful or toxic substances , and it's believed that the brain can react to it with a rejection signal. Furthermore, we now know that there is a gene, TAS2R38, that determines the ability to perceive bitter tastes with greater or lesser intensity. Depending on the variant of this gene a person has, they may experience it very intensely and reject it from childhood . However, not all cases have this origin.

Imitation or social interaction

Often, some children who have previously eaten certain food groups without difficulty begin to reject or attribute negative properties to vegetables or fish, imitating the behavior of their peers. It is well known that the environment plays a crucial role in influencing people's food intake and preferences.

Having had a bad experience with a dish of vegetables or having been forced to eat them can lead to a firm rejection of that food.

Rigidity in meals

Some people are rigid and don't tolerate surprises in their meals. It's common to see them prefer foods that are always the same , such as pasta with oil, cheese, or the same commercial sauce, or meats cooked the same way. In the case of vegetables, given the wide variety of types, cooking methods, and flavors, it's common for people with rigid eating habits to have more difficulty accepting them.

Hypersensitivity

A person's sensory profile or hypersensitivity determines how well or poorly they tolerate certain foods. Some people have a heightened perception of intense flavors, fibrous textures, strong smells, or bright colors . This is especially common in young children and in some people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), dementia or neurodegenerative diseases, anxiety, or eating disorders.

In cases of sensory hypersensitivity, an unpleasant texture or an intense smell can cause immediate rejection, even before tasting the food.

Feeding difficulties in people with ASD

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Previous negative experiences

Bad experiences with a poorly cooked vegetable dish, being forced to eat it, or experiencing a distressing or unpleasant situation while eating it can lead to a strong aversion to that vegetable. Emotional memory related to food exists and can greatly influence food preferences.

What is the sensory profile?

The sensory profile of food is defined by the way we perceive food and takes into account aspects such as:

• Taste: sweet, salty, bitter, sour, umami, spicy.
• Texture: crunchy, soft, fibrous, creamy, lumpy, with double textures, gelatinous.
• Temperature: cold, warm, hot.
• Aroma: soft, intense, spicy.
• Visual aspect: color, shape, presentation.

It is very useful to observe and identify our sensory profile when faced with challenging foods , in order to adapt food preparation methods or to work on improving it. Knowing our sensory profile allows us to begin with a sensory experience that is easy to accept, and once the food is accepted, we can gradually introduce variations.

It's not about hiding food, but about starting from a place of respect for the person's sensory experience and gradually adapting or working from that sensory perspective.

How to identify the sensory profile?

Observe their preferences and reactions to different foods ; they may dislike certain smells, such as fish or cabbage. They may also prefer certain textures and dislike others. For example, if someone prefers crunchy textures or textures that make a chewing sound, they might accept iceberg lettuce but not other, more fleshy leafy greens, or they might accept raw carrots but not cooked ones.

Sometimes, certain colors can even influence our perception due to associations with unpleasant foods, or the way we prepare food. On the other hand, we might reject flavors like bitterness but tolerate sweet flavors like cooked carrots very well.

When someone says "I didn't like the zucchini," we need to find out what aspect of the zucchini they didn't like, or found difficult or unpleasant, so we can prepare it in a different way.

One strategy that can be helpful is to keep a record of the foods the person accepts or rejects , scoring the specific sensory aspect that was accepted or rejected, rather than the food as a whole. For example, if someone says, "I didn't like the zucchini," we should try to figure out what aspect of the zucchini they disliked, found difficult, or found unpleasant. They might describe a bitter taste, since the skin of the zucchini is more bitter than the flesh; in this case, we could peel the zucchini next time. Or perhaps they don't like the zucchini soup because they don't like the purée-like texture. There are countless possibilities, all of which are opportunities to work on and improve food acceptance.

Practical ideas for introducing vegetables according to the most common sensory profiles

In case of rejection due to bitter taste

• Offer first sweet-tasting vegetables , such as pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato, or fresh or extra peas.
• Use a caramelization cooking technique , for example, cooking food at a low temperature, poaching it, or baking it in a low oven for a long time. This process caramelizes the sugars naturally present in vegetables like onions or peppers.
• Pair the "challenge" food with other foods that the child readily accepts . This advice can be useful in all situations of food refusal. We will call the facilitating food the "vehicle food."
• Leave cabbage, broccoli, or leafy greens for the end of the vegetable introduction.

If there is an aversion to certain textures

• If you dislike lumps: offer smoother, less thick, and well-blended purées or creams. You can use a tablespoon of cooked chickpeas per person to create a creamy texture without using foods with saturated fats.
• If you prefer crunchy foods , make oven-baked vegetable chips by slicing the vegetables very thinly. Choose raw vegetables like carrots or bell peppers, and crisp lettuces like iceberg or romaine hearts.
• Try well-tolerated textures to introduce "challenge" foods , for example, in tortillas, empanadas, lasagnas or similar dishes, or in stews.
• Whenever possible, avoid mixing too many vegetables at once , making it possible to identify the flavors and the vegetables.

If you don't like bitter tastes, start with sweet-tasting vegetables like pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes, or peas, and leave leafy greens for last.

If the discomfort is due to smells

• Use quick cooking methods or cook for a short time.
• Use preparations such as stir-fries or baking , rather than long boils or stews.
• Use preferably neutral-smelling vegetables , such as zucchini, pumpkin, or green beans.
• Prioritize cold dishes or raw vegetables or salads, gazpacho and cold soups.
• Use garlic, herbs, spices, or lemon to mask some odors.

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Whether the rejection is visual or upon knowing that the food is present

• Work on the presentation of the dishes to make them attractive and neat . Use fun shapes if that helps.
• Avoid intense colors that may lead to greater rejection (for example, cream of spinach if they reject the color green).
• Hiding food is not recommended , as it can create distrust in the person who has difficulty with that food. If you decide to hide the food to facilitate the tasting or consumption, it is recommended that this be agreed upon beforehand and communicated to the person.

Other tips

• Introduce changes gradually , keeping in mind that it may take several exposures before a food can be accepted.
• Lower expectations: If a food is strongly rejected even upon eye contact, we'll try to help the child tolerate its presence on the plate without throwing it away, for example. We won't insist they eat it. Visualization, smell, and tolerating its proximity are already significant steps toward acceptance.
• If possible, involve them in the planning, shopping, preparation, and plating. Participating in the entire process will help them become familiar with the food .
• Do not pressure them to eat a food , as this often produces a reaction contrary to what is being ordered.
• Eating in a calm environment, without distractions (no screens) and in good company can greatly improve the willingness to try new foods.