Since this is about both health and food, I didn't really know which forum to put it in. If it needs to be moved, feel free, but I thought it might fit better here.
Here's the issue (and FTR, I was asked for help by the person running this household, I'm not just giving my unsolicited advice
): Some members of my extended family have been eating pretty much only processed food and basically zero fruits and vegetables (think hash brown patties with hot dogs or highly processed sausages, or something from a box, for every meal, and mostly sugary sodas/sports drinks). Part of the reason for this is that the foods they eat seem (and often are) a lot cheaper, and they are extremely tight on money. They're also easier and quicker to prepare, and let's face it, are highly palatable.
One member of the household is a 16 year old boy (he lost his mom in August, and his 35-yo sister is now taking care of him - they all already lived together tho), and he hates almost any food that's somewhat healthy, and is really resistant to trying new types of foods. They are in a difficult spot right now, all dealing with grief after their mom's death (they were an extremely tight-knit group), but what they're eating is really not helping them to feel good and nourished and healthy, y'know? It's actually really taking a toll on them - not only bodily, but in their moods and energy level and everything else. And the older sister sought my advice.
Knowing them, I think it's going to work best to take very small and very easy steps toward incorporating more fruits or vegetables into their diet, not trying for an immediate 180, you know? I recommended things like buying frozen chopped spinach and after defrosting and draining it, mixing it in with the tomato sauce for spaghetti. That way the 16-yo might not even notice, and might get some vegetables in him (I have snuck vegetables into people's bodies this way more than once!) Or if broccoli is on sale (or whatever other vegetable is on sale), buy that, steam it in the microwave, and then melt as much cheese on it until it's palatable for them. Or use frozen vegetables and put cheese on them. The key is to use cheese to ease into the vegetable flavor... Or even to eat canned, if that's all they can swing at a certain time.
So the two issues are:
1) Do you have ways of cooking food where you use vegetables but they don't exactly taste super vegetable-y and are very easy and cheap? (The older sister also can't stand for long periods at a time, so cooking over the stove is less of an option.)
2) Do you have any suggestions for how to get a 16-yo finicky boy who desperately needs to eat some actual food, to really do so? (The older sister hasn't had to be a mother before...so it's hard for her to know how to handle this.)
Thanks for any help or suggestions anyone has!
Here's the issue (and FTR, I was asked for help by the person running this household, I'm not just giving my unsolicited advice
): Some members of my extended family have been eating pretty much only processed food and basically zero fruits and vegetables (think hash brown patties with hot dogs or highly processed sausages, or something from a box, for every meal, and mostly sugary sodas/sports drinks). Part of the reason for this is that the foods they eat seem (and often are) a lot cheaper, and they are extremely tight on money. They're also easier and quicker to prepare, and let's face it, are highly palatable. One member of the household is a 16 year old boy (he lost his mom in August, and his 35-yo sister is now taking care of him - they all already lived together tho), and he hates almost any food that's somewhat healthy, and is really resistant to trying new types of foods. They are in a difficult spot right now, all dealing with grief after their mom's death (they were an extremely tight-knit group), but what they're eating is really not helping them to feel good and nourished and healthy, y'know? It's actually really taking a toll on them - not only bodily, but in their moods and energy level and everything else. And the older sister sought my advice.
Knowing them, I think it's going to work best to take very small and very easy steps toward incorporating more fruits or vegetables into their diet, not trying for an immediate 180, you know? I recommended things like buying frozen chopped spinach and after defrosting and draining it, mixing it in with the tomato sauce for spaghetti. That way the 16-yo might not even notice, and might get some vegetables in him (I have snuck vegetables into people's bodies this way more than once!)
Or if broccoli is on sale (or whatever other vegetable is on sale), buy that, steam it in the microwave, and then melt as much cheese on it until it's palatable for them. Or use frozen vegetables and put cheese on them. The key is to use cheese to ease into the vegetable flavor... Or even to eat canned, if that's all they can swing at a certain time.So the two issues are:
1) Do you have ways of cooking food where you use vegetables but they don't exactly taste super vegetable-y and are very easy and cheap? (The older sister also can't stand for long periods at a time, so cooking over the stove is less of an option.)
2) Do you have any suggestions for how to get a 16-yo finicky boy who desperately needs to eat some actual food, to really do so? (The older sister hasn't had to be a mother before...so it's hard for her to know how to handle this.)
Thanks for any help or suggestions anyone has!
