I often talk to my patients about trying new foods. I have countless
patients who have told me some variation of, “I don’t eat vegetables…no, none…well,
I do eat French fries.” Some of them are up for the challenge to try a new vegetable when I suggest it.
I remember a teenage patient who was a no-vegetable guy, and he agreed to try
one new vegetable before I saw him for his next appointment. He came back and
told me he had asparagus in a cheese sauce, and they were “not too bad.” I was
so proud of him. (Bringing up the nutrient profile of cheese sauce was not
going to happen at that moment!) Since then, he has tried so many more vegetables and actually eats vegetables every day. We
often laugh together about how he used to eat no vegetables.
Given
that I am constantly telling my patients to try new foods, I have also started
to be more adventurous with what I eat. Here are a few foods or dishes that I
have tried for the first time within the past few months.
- Shaksuka
- Grilled tofu
- Eggplant
- Stir-fried cabbage
- Overnight oats
- Kabocha squash
I think
that trying new foods is exciting…mostly because I now have more foods in the world
that I can enjoy!
In the
comments section, tell me what new foods you have tried that you now eat often.