| I have been preparing my own meals for | | | | Other salad ingredients can be nuts, |
| many years. Like most people, I suppose, | | | | peanuts, coconut, cereal, baked beans, |
| I would fix only familiar dishes. | | | | and fruit. |
| That has changed. For health benefits, I | | | | Use small quantities of an untested food |
| began eating more fruits and vegetables, | | | | to begin with until you know how well |
| including some that were unfamiliar. I | | | | your body deals with it. The body will |
| tried many foods that were new to me, | | | | adapt to some foods over a period of |
| for example, whole grains, and various | | | | weeks or months but results vary from |
| types of beans, seeds and nuts. Many of | | | | food to food and, I suppose, from |
| those became favorites. | | | | individual to individual. A couple of |
| I began to more often use unfamiliar | | | | years ago eating one spear of raw |
| ways to prepare food. A few of my | | | | asparagus was more than I could |
| favorites are pesto (pureed greens and | | | | tolerate. Now I can cut up an ounce of |
| oil), raw foods that are normally eaten | | | | raw asparagus and add it to a salad |
| cooked, and unusual combinations such as | | | | without any problem. Any food has |
| bread with peanut butter, covered with | | | | limits; it's just that raw foods tend to |
| pizza sauce. Eating became more | | | | have smaller limits and more immediate |
| interesting, more enjoyable, and more of | | | | penalties for exceeding the limits. |
| an adventure. | | | | To develop a liking for a new food, eat |
| The circumstances of my life encouraged | | | | it at the beginning of a meal when you |
| more changes. Making do with a small | | | | are most hungry. Being hungry greatly |
| amount of money gave me a liking for | | | | improves ones ability to appreciate the |
| oatmeal, beans, and other very low-cost | | | | taste of a food. Eat only a small amount |
| foods. Growing up on a farm and having a | | | | of the new food at each sitting. For |
| garden each year provided new fruits and | | | | some foods, a tiny bite, just enough to |
| vegetables to try and enjoy. Having been | | | | sense its flavor, is enough to handle at |
| raised to 'waste not, want not', helped | | | | first. Don't give up easily on a food |
| me not to pass up unusual foods: gifts | | | | that at first seems too strange to be |
| such as my sister's 'beans 'n' greens', | | | | enjoyed. Some foods will require dozens |
| the landlord's pierogies, and my son's | | | | of 'get acquainted' trials. |
| homemade deer jerky. The point is: The | | | | Other strategies for liking new foods: |
| changes in my diet gave me more foods to | | | | - Read about nutrition and health to |
| enjoy. I now know that I can like a | | | | know the benefits of a changed diet. |
| great many unfamiliar foods. At first | | | | - Make a decision to increase the |
| some of those foods may not be enjoyed | | | | pleasure in your life. Your success in |
| because they are so different and are | | | | enjoying new foods will encourage you to |
| unrecognized as a 'goody'. For me, that | | | | try other kinds of new pleasures. |
| recognition is typically made gradually | | | | Have reasons in mind to try unusual |
| by many small trials. Once that | | | | foods: |
| recognition is made, the food 'hits the | | | | - to be able to enjoy healthy foods. |
| spot' and can be nutritious, healthy and | | | | - to enjoy low-prep-time foods. |
| convenient. Then I have yet another food | | | | - to use what you can grow in your |
| to enjoy. | | | | garden. |
| The process of trying new foods and | | | | - for the satisfaction of acquiring new |
| having them become enjoyed fare, makes | | | | pleasures. |
| eating an adventure. Eating becomes more | | | | - to increase your enjoyment of eating. |
| interesting and more enjoyed. Meals | | | | Know why liking new foods is difficult. |
| become more than a time to enjoy what I | | | | This is the know-your-enemy principle. |
| have enjoyed before. Awareness is | | | | It seems to help me. People have an |
| heightened by experiencing the | | | | instinctive protection against eating |
| unfamiliar. There is anticipation of | | | | toxic foods. Nature has provided you |
| discovery of a new enjoyment. Meals | | | | with mistrust for new, unfamiliar food. |
| become pay-off times of previous | | | | If the food is enough different from |
| experimentation efforts. The food is | | | | what you are used to, it will not be |
| more appreciated for having creative | | | | immediately liked. This is a necessary |
| effort invested in it. Perhaps I have | | | | instinct that keeps you from poisoning |
| gained a health benefit, saved some prep | | | | yourself by eating the wrong mushroom, |
| time, saved money that can be used for | | | | for example. Evolution along with |
| some other purpose, and have added to my | | | | chemistry eliminated the |
| repertoire of pleasure. | | | | gulp-down-anything individuals from our |
| A cookbook will give you ideas about | | | | gene pool. The little-by-little |
| what new foods to try. A recipe book | | | | taste-developers survived. |
| about a particular ethnic food or some | | | | If it's the sugar, salt and spices you |
| other unfamiliar category of food would | | | | depend upon to enjoy food, other flavors |
| be particularly helpful. Buy one or get | | | | will go unappreciated. To help your |
| one from the library. Some ethnic | | | | fondness for new foods come easier, ease |
| categories are Middle Eastern, Southeast | | | | up on spices, salt, and sugar. That |
| Asian, African, soul food, Southern, and | | | | encourages your taste to appreciate a |
| Mexican. Other categories are health | | | | greater variety of flavors. You then can |
| food, quick and easy recipes, weight | | | | more appreciate the sweetness of cherry |
| loss diets, vegetarian recipes, and | | | | tomatoes, the sweetness of raw pumpkin, |
| using food from the garden. You might | | | | and the sweetness of sweet potatoes, for |
| even enjoy some obscure categories such | | | | example. You can enjoy the mild flavor |
| as pioneer/early American food, Native | | | | of raw chestnuts, the richness of nuts, |
| American food, wild food, early European | | | | and the subtle starchiness of cereal |
| food, food from storage, and low cost | | | | grains. Your palate will be more adept |
| food. I particularly like quick and easy | | | | at experiencing the pleasures of subtle |
| recipe books. | | | | flavors. A great many foods that |
| If you need help becoming comfortable | | | | previously seemed mostly tasteless, can |
| with trying new foods, try small | | | | then be enjoyed for their unique |
| changes: | | | | flavors. |
| - Eat breakfast foods at lunch or | | | | Your enjoyment of strong tasting food |
| supper. Or try a vegetable at breakfast. | | | | will also be helped by reducing sugar |
| If you normally have a sandwich at | | | | and salt use. You will be switching from |
| bedtime, have a salad instead. | | | | depending on saltiness and sweetness to |
| - Try different brands from the ones you | | | | getting pleasure from other flavors. |
| normally use. | | | | Finding new foods: |
| - Leave out one or more ingredients from | | | | - Browse at a health food store, a |
| your standard recipes. Or change the | | | | farmers market or an ethnic food |
| proportions - a little more of this or a | | | | festival. |
| little less of that. | | | | - Take the time to look at all the items |
| - Substitute a similar ingredient for a | | | | at a local supermarket. |
| usual ingredient, for instance, orange | | | | - Browse at local ethnic food markets: |
| juice concentrate or lemon juice instead | | | | Middle Eastern or Greek, for example. |
| of vinegar on a salad. | | | | - Try raw foods, whole grains and other |
| - It may help to eat smaller portions | | | | unprocessed foods. Typically, they have |
| but include a greater number of foods at | | | | more texture and flavor. These foods are |
| each meal. That may help you develop a | | | | higher in fiber and so produce more |
| liking for variety. | | | | intestinal gas. Limit portion size to |
| - Try unusual combinations such as | | | | reduce gas production. Load up when gas |
| cooked chicken and raw fruit cut in | | | | will not be a problem. I allow myself to |
| small pieces and mixed together...or | | | | pig-out at a before bedtime meal. If the |
| pizza sauce on a peanut butter open-face | | | | meal is low in calories, that large meal |
| sandwich...or a teaspoon of honey or | | | | doesn't keep me from having a good |
| pancake syrup on a dark green, leafy | | | | night's sleep. |
| salad. | | | | - Use native plants foraged from lawns, |
| Salads are great to experiment with. | | | | fence lines, woodlands and growing as |
| Many vegetables can be enjoyed in a | | | | weeds in gardens. Know what you are |
| salad. Try various amounts and | | | | doing, there are poisonous plants that |
| combinations of carrot, tomato, cabbage, | | | | resemble edible ones. A few plants are |
| broccoli, bell pepper, cucumber, or | | | | toxic even when eaten in small |
| other vegetables you enjoy. Use other | | | | quantities. |
| types of greens: romaine lettuce, Bibb | | | | - Do your own cooking. Restaurants have |
| lettuce, collards, mache and basil. | | | | menus that appeal to a majority of |
| Dressing can be just oil, pesto, syrup, | | | | people, not to people wanting something |
| tomato sauce, ketchup, fruit juices, | | | | different. Even the person who cooks for |
| mayonnaise, peanut butter softened with | | | | their own family may be unlikely to |
| oil, and even jam or jelly. | | | | prepare other than familiar and popular |
| The subtle flavors of many vegetables | | | | food. |
| are easily hidden with anything more | | | | - Have a garden, if you have the time |
| than tiny amounts of vinegar, lemon | | | | and space. Every year I can try out new |
| juice and tomato sauce. Try a salad | | | | recipes and a new vegetable or two. |
| without any dressing to enjoy the full | | | | Otherwise, take advantage of the variety |
| flavor of the vegetables. The vegetables | | | | the large supermarkets offer. |
| can be proportioned to subdue or enhance | | | | A few unusual recipes can be found at |
| particular flavors - use less basil to | | | | encourages people to discover new ways |
| lessen its pungent flavor, use more | | | | to enjoy themselves. |
| carrot to boost its flavor and texture. | | | | |