DS9 won’t eat salad/cold veg

[everygreenleaf]

He’ll eat steamed veg so broccoli, carrots, cauli and baby sweetcorn so that’s good but I’m looking at the picky teas once the weather warms up.

He won’t eat fruit and veg with a skin on so none of the following:

Cucumber
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Sweetcorn
Peppers
Onion

Does anyone else’s DC not eat any salad at all? Do u just keep steaming the 3 veg in place of the cold picky salad the rest of us will have?

My DS is 9 and I consider him a really good eater, but no he won't eat salad or cold veg. Maybe crudites of cucumber or carrot.

Don't think I liked salad until I was about 30...

He will eat cold carrots so could just do that with the baby sweetcorn. Think I’ve answered my own question lol and it’s just me whose sick of the boiled/steamed veg and he’s fine with it!

DS is 16 now and the only cold salad or veg he will eat is cucumber and sometimes a bit of lettuce in a wrap, he has never been a veg fan but will eat peas, sweetcorn and broccoli if I plonk it in front of him. Not ideal in the warmer weather
He will eat huge amounts of fruit though so I just focus on those

Unsurprising really

Try again when the weather is hot

He won’t eat it in summer or winter and doesn’t eat fruit (only smoothies). At least he drinks those.

Coleslaw? Will he eat stuff with a dip on the side?

What about something like coleslaw?Or other salads where veg are shredded very finely.

What about jarred things like olives, beetroot, gherkins, sundried tomatoes, jarred artichoke?

Mashed or cubed avocado?

Cold pasta or rice salad with cooked, but cold veg in? - you could cook up a batch for a few days.

Does it matter? I prefer cooked veg to salad so tend to cook some for me although I do eat salad they just need to be more interesting than lettuce, tomato and cucumber. I also prefer veg to fruit but again do eat fruit. As long as he’s eating some fruit/veg I’d be quite happy.

Ds1 also doesn't eat salad. In fairness, I'm not overkeen either. We just do veg instead. Salad isn't essential.

There are lots of other options.

What about blanched french beans ? Or broad beans or blanched fennel?

Beetroot cubes and cheese on cocktail sticks? Olives? Nuts? Stuffed mushrooms

I don't know that I'd worry about it tbh, mine are the other way and want a slice of raw carrot on the side of a roast dinner. I just think of it as a phase and be glad that they're eating veggies in some form.
You could make ahead things like veggie fritters, ready for picky teas in the summer?

Instead of boiling the veg, why don't you roast it with a bit of seasoning? It's much nicer than boiled.

Or just bung a portion in the microwave?

I wouldn't do roast veg unless you've got the oven on for something else.

There are lots of ways of cooking veg that arent boiling or steaming if you are bored. I would be bored of plain boiled ir steamed veg too. Try
Stir fry, good for most veg
Roast, root veg, butternut squashed or do peppers onion and courgette.
Fine green beans in a frying lan, just cover with water, add a jnib of butter, salt and pepper and cook till water evaporates.
Could you try making some salad with roasted tomatoes and peppers rather than raw.
Do you put dressing on the salad? A plate of undressed lettuce, tomato and cucumber isn't very appealing.

I didn't like salad until I had a 'chopped' salad, so chopped really fine then with a tasty dressing (honey mustard) with a load of rotisserie chicken and potato salad on the side. Ones with beans worked well. It was a good starting point for me and now I eat salad (but still don't really get any satisfaction from a bowl of just salad and meat)

I feel your pain. Neither of mine will and the eldest is now 15. It's only raw carrot, so they just eat that any time we have picky things or meals I'm having salad with. So boring... The eldest is just starting to maybe eat a few lettuce leaves if they are ina sandwich / wrap but still not keen and not as a proper side. Even with raw carrot they have recently informed me they don't really like it in packed lunch/ picnics because it hadn't been cut fresh...

They are also fussy about things like roasted Mediterranean veg, so I'm getting so bored of boiled or steamed broccoli and carrots with most meals!

Luckily they will eat fruit

My youngest DD is very picky. I find if I put a platter of cut up veg/salad out with lunch (like a buffet), she'll eat far more than if i put it on her plate. I saw someone well known say they always put out a plate of salad before they serve the main meal and their kids pick while they wait, which might be worth a shout?

I mean …so what ? Does he need to ? I don’t eat salad or cold veg. Well expect olives.

I eat cooked vegetables. Lots and lots of them. I certainly y don’t steam them all though - so boring.

Usually I roast or fry. Sometimes grill. Mushrooms. Frittatas. Grilled corn. Aubergine. Roast carrots, parsnip, baby corn, sweet potato - even broccoli or cauliflower. Stir fry - baby corn, peppers.

So many options.

Continue with the smoothies and steamed etc veg. He's getting his greens that way.

If he likes pasta you can put veg in the smoothie maker and add that to the sauces.

You can add smuggled veg in cakes too - parsnips, carrots, beetroot.

I just struggle to think outside of the box because it’s very much about texture so it’s great to get some new ideas to try.

He loves veg blended into pasta sauce.

He doesn’t like roasted veg because it’s got what he calls burnt bits on (even though it’s not burnt, it’s just a slightly different texture).

I’m not worried as he does eat fruit and veg in some form. It’s just good to get ideas so thank you.

He’s the same with roasted sausages. He prefers them in the slow cooker because they are soft. I really don’t burn my food LOL.

Does he try things or just assume he won’t like them? My DS who admittedly is pretty good at eating recently shocked me by asking me to make marinated beetroot. I’d done it as an experiment - he’d said it was dusgusting, but tried it under process. And liked it! May be worth persisting and encouraging him to try things with dressings etc.

I don’t eat salad at all…

Neither of my DC will touch salad. It always makes me laugh when crudities are suggested on here because mine would be disgusted!

Just carry on with veg, it’s no biggie really.

“Picky teas” 🤮

DD15 won’t eat salad either. I don’t think I ate any salad apart from cucumber till I was about 25.