Don't like food?!?

C

clothesminded

Cathlete
This may sound like a strange question, but does anyone here go through stages where they don't like food, especially meat (chicken and poultry)? I am having a tough time eating certain foods at night. I am a clean eater, and I don't really crave bad foods. I just don't have a taste for anything I typically make, even if I usually really like the dish. I don't eat read meat. I make dishes with ground turkey or chicken- turkey burgers, turkey spag., grilled chicken.... But at dinnertime, I would rather eat a bowl of soup or make those protein pancakes. I can't tell you how many times I eat those for dinner. My main issue seems to be the chicken or turkey, since I can eat rice and things like that. The problem is that I don't really like many vegetables, so making a veg. dish doesn't appeal to my tastes either.

Is something going crazy wrong with my body? I am getting older (36). I don't really feel that I am burned out on my typical dishes, because I've tried new ones that I would like if I wasn't going through this strange stage. Even trying something new that's good doesn't excite me.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!
 
I am right there with you. I have a hard time with meat but at the same time, haven't made the crossover to being a vegetarian. I am what they call a flexetarian I believe. I do love fruits and veggies, yogurt (I eat the high protein, low sugar kind), nuts, good carbs, and chocolate :D Eating has never been that important to me - I do it because I have to. I have foodie friends, and my brother is like that too to an extent - they just love to eat. It is a whole experience for them. I've never made protein pancakes but want to.
 
Chicken is just plain disgusting.:( I'm so tired of eating it, but I do. Sometimes I feel like I have to choke it down.
I love beef, but chicken has lower fat, cholesterol, and calories. I'm not a big fish fan either.
 
Not everyone is a foodie, and there are lots of picky eaters. Ive observed that, contrary to popular opinion, the fewer foods you like, the harder it is to control your weight. I know lots of obese people who are very picky eaters. I think in part this comes from being served badly cooked food when you were a child, and perhaps being forced to eat it. You should never eat anything you dont want to eat. Soup and protein pancakes sound fine, as long as the pancakes are made with whole grain flour. Theres nothing so special about poultry. If youre not liking it, dont eat it for awhile.

While it is more difficult for non-foodies to control their weight, it can be done. You may have been served overcooked veggies when you were a kid, which is enough to turn off anyone to vegetables permanently. Try making vegetables in different ways that may appeal to you. Make sure the vegetables are crisp and fresh, and cooked to perfection. Try sauces made with soy sauce or vinegrette or anything else that may appeal to you. Its not easy to undo so many years of food aversions, but its worth the effort. Broccoli in particular is a veggie you should work at liking because it is such a powerhouse of good for your body. Try stir frying it in some sesame oil with onions and soy sauce, garlic and ginger, if that helps. Maybe after a while youll be eating it plain and raw like us foodie types. ;) Good luck!
 
Last edited:
So what are some meals for dinner that don't involve meat? I can eat TV dinners, but are they decent for you? I've been eating breakfast type foods- scrambled eggs and toast, those protein pancakes....
 
Amy's makes some great frozen dinners/entrees/snacks/pizzas. The ingredients are very good albeit they can be salty. As long as that isn't an issue for you, then I would look into that brand. Target carries it as do the major grocery chains (not Wal Mart) and places like Whole Foods.
 
TOFU!!!! I'm making the switch to mostly vegetarian now. (I do still eat fish). I've gotten to where you are - poultry just grosses me out and frequently gives me an upset stomach, too. So I'm cutting it out. I LOVE, LOVE tofu!! It is so flexible and delicious. There are a million recipes you can make with it. Mexican, stir-fries, chili, the list is endless. Perhaps check out the Moosewood Collective cookbook for some fresh new ideas. Or, One Dish Vegetarian. These will give you some meat-free options to reinvigorate your palate.
 
I am just like you, but my problem is more than temporary. I just don't like food much or eating. It just doesn't interest me. I have to force myself to eat most of the time. Going out to dinner is not the recipe for a great evening out for me. I don't have much appetite at the moment and haven't for several months now.

I am vegetarian. I rotate the same 5 or 6 recipes all the time because I would rather be working out or reading than cooking. I make a lentil stew loaded with vegetables but all in a thick tomato sauce so you don't feel like you are eating vegetables. It's a very tasty dish. I make lentil soup. I make veg quiches with lots of courgette (green squash) fried in olive oil. I make veg lasagna with kidney beans and touch of cinammon (also veggies) and I make my own refried beans with red peppers and courgettes in burritos.

I eat a banana, a yoghurt and a wedge of cheese nearly every day as one of my meals, and I love almonds, that I can honestly say.

But I find the whole process of shopping for food, cooking food and eating it a bit of a chore really.

Clare
 
clothesminded said:
So what are some meals for dinner that don't involve meat? I can eat TV dinners, but are they decent for you? I've been eating breakfast type foods- scrambled eggs and toast, those protein pancakes....
Click to expand...


Instead of getting the frozen meals, why not just make one of those meals yourself? (pasta with marinara, beans & rice, ravioli, Indian meals, etc.) Just make those...only in larger batches so you'll have leftovers.
 
clothesminded said:
This may sound like a strange question, but does anyone here go through stages where they don't like food, especially meat (chicken and poultry)? I am having a tough time eating certain foods at night. I am a clean eater, and I don't really crave bad foods. I just don't have a taste for anything I typically make, even if I usually really like the dish. I don't eat read meat. I make dishes with ground turkey or chicken- turkey burgers, turkey spag., grilled chicken.... But at dinnertime, I would rather eat a bowl of soup or make those protein pancakes. I can't tell you how many times I eat those for dinner. My main issue seems to be the chicken or turkey, since I can eat rice and things like that. The problem is that I don't really like many vegetables, so making a veg. dish doesn't appeal to my tastes either.

Is something going crazy wrong with my body? I am getting older (36). I don't really feel that I am burned out on my typical dishes, because I've tried new ones that I would like if I wasn't going through this strange stage. Even trying something new that's good doesn't excite me.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I want to die and come back as you.

Seriously. My late mother hardly ever ate (she WAS a smoker, but not a chain smoker) and was rarely larger than a size 2. One time she turned to me and asked "You get cravings, don't you?" I was like "Are you kidding? Don't you?" "No." I cannot relate at all but wish I could. For me, a love of all things edible is the monster within me.
 
SirenSongWoman said:
I want to die and come back as you.

Seriously. My late mother hardly ever ate (she WAS a smoker, but not a chain smoker) and was rarely larger than a size 2. One time she turned to me and asked "You get cravings, don't you?" I was like "Are you kidding? Don't you?" "No." I cannot relate at all but wish I could. For me, a love of all things edible is the monster within me.
Click to expand...

Don't hate me for this....but that is the one thing I miss about smoking. The only thing. It was a fantastic appetite suppressant. If I got hungry, I smoked a cigarette and wasn't hungry anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy I'm a non-smoker(for 10 years now), but it's much more difficult to fight off the munchies for me now.
OMG, I was sitting in the waiting room at my doctors office the other day and two women smelled of cigarette smoke. The smell was making me so ill!! It's THE most revolting odor! Having been a smoker myself, I knew they had no idea. It's just awful:confused:
 
SirenSongWoman said:
I want to die and come back as you.

Seriously. My late mother hardly ever ate (she WAS a smoker, but not a chain smoker) and was rarely larger than a size 2. One time she turned to me and asked "You get cravings, don't you?" I was like "Are you kidding? Don't you?" "No." I cannot relate at all but wish I could. For me, a love of all things edible is the monster within me.
Click to expand...

You really don't though. No offense to those with reduced appetites, but if you tried it the other way, I think you would change your mind. Food is one of life's great pleasures. If you have a great appetite and you love a lot of different foods, you are more likely to enjoy vibrant health for a longer time. And don't forget: if you can get just as excited over a dish of asparagus as you can over a plate of french fries, it's a lot easier to forgo the french fries. ;)
 
fit44 said:
Don't hate me for this....but that is the one thing I miss about smoking. The only thing. It was a fantastic appetite suppressant. If I got hungry, I smoked a cigarette and wasn't hungry anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy I'm a non-smoker(for 10 years now), but it's much more difficult to fight off the munchies for me now.
OMG, I was sitting in the waiting room at my doctors office the other day and two women smelled of cigarette smoke. The smell was making me so ill!! It's THE most revolting odor! Having been a smoker myself, I knew they had no idea. It's just awful:confused:
Click to expand...

They say quitting smoking is as tough as kicking heroin. It's dangerous and expensive so I believe it or everyone would quit. Kudos to you for pulling it off.

You know, where I used to work (Ohio Department of Health), the smokers always were the first to know what was going on. The smoking area was made up of people from all over the building (from different departments) and they all stood around talking about everything going down. If you didn't smoke you were totally out of the loop. Several times, people were walked out (by state troopers) for embezzling. The smokers all knew it was coming but the rest of us were clueless until it actually happened.
 
I love the idea of soups- lentils are wonderful! I'm in this breakfast for dinner or chicken soup stage. I make my own chicken soup, and I could eat it for days. For some reason the chicken in the soup doesn't gross me out. Maybe because it's in small pieces and there isn't a lot of it.

Trust me. I have cravings, but for sweets mostly. I have one of those skinny cow ice cream sandwiches on the weekend, and that pretty much does it for me. That's the only thing that gets me excited (sweets). I could care less about other food. If I didn't have to eat, I wouldn't. Yeah, I guess that's good as far as weight goes. Maybe that's why I can never gain weight (don't hate me!). Some nights I just go to bed after only eating some corn tortillas and salsa because that's all that sounds good to me.

My mom, who is in her late 60's, doesn't really eat much. She can eat breakfast and a small lunch and be done for the day. I wonder if all of this happens as we age.

Thanks for the suggestions. At least I'm not alone.
 
SirenSongWoman said:
They say quitting smoking is as tough as kicking heroin. It's dangerous and expensive so I believe it or everyone would quit. Kudos to you for pulling it off.

You know, where I used to work (Ohio Department of Health), the smokers always were the first to know what was going on. The smoking area was made up of people from all over the building (from different departments) and they all stood around talking about everything going down. If you didn't smoke you were totally out of the loop. Several times, people were walked out (by state troopers) for embezzling. The smokers all knew it was coming but the rest of us were clueless until it actually happened.
Click to expand...

This was the part of smoking I missed the most when I first quit. I no longer got to go hang out and get all the good gossip.

As for food, I love everything about it. I like shopping for it, cooking it, eating it and even reading about it. Right now I'm reading 'In Defense of Food' by Michael Pollan and I recommend it to everyone. He has given me my new mantra - "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
 
fit44 said:
Don't hate me for this....but that is the one thing I miss about smoking. The only thing. It was a fantastic appetite suppressant. If I got hungry, I smoked a cigarette and wasn't hungry anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy I'm a non-smoker(for 10 years now), but it's much more difficult to fight off the munchies for me now.
Click to expand...

One possible reason for this is that smoking essentially numbs the taste buds. DH recently quit smoking (he didn't smoke a lot) and he very quickly noticed that both his sense of smell and taste became more sensitive within a few weeks. One big factor was that he didn't need to salt his food as much as he used to.

It would make sense that food in general would seem pretty dull if you couldn't taste or smell it fully.
 
I am a super picky eater but when I decided to make the switch to clean eating my brain just sorta programed myself to pick and choose foods that are good for me. There are days when I hate salads and other days when I can eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I go through chicken phases, and soybean phases. My daughter is the pickiest eater in the world and the only foods on her menu are chocolate and chocolate. I do tire and get sick of the same ol thing though. Variety is the key, . . . and sometimes eating out at a restaurant. I'll order something healthy and try to recreate it at home. I went through a tuna phase once, . . then there was the egg white phase.
 
I think it's hormonal. Some days the thought of eating fruits or veggies or anything healthy makes me sick to my stomach!! These are my major junkfood binge days. Then other days I only want healthy stuff. Wish I always craved the good stuff!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top