I have eaten certain ( mostly bad for me!) foods for going on 40 + years, I know that I need to make changes but my head is still being stubborn. I dont like many veggies although I do like green beans, broccoli and salads. I love white potatoes cooked in all ways but cant stand sweet potatoes. The only fish I like are fish sticks. I love steak but am still in that mindset that every meal needs potatoes or pasta. My friend who had a lap band years ago tries to get me to eat healthier foods but I take a bite or two and cant force myself to eat any more ( this was before surgery) So my question is how do I get myself to try and like healthier foods?

If you like Green Beans and Broccoli you're on a good start. Salad will definitely make you fuller sooner and not provide enough nutrition to get you through to the next meal unless paired with protein.

White potatoes just need to come out of your diet, if they are a trigger to bad food.

Why fish sticks, the cheap minced meat kind? Then make your own and instead of flour and breadcrumbs use flax meal and almond flour. Don't deep fry, put in an air fryer. I love taking fresh cod and slicing it into nuggets to give me that sense of something fun is about to be eaten.

You are the only person that can make yourself "try" new foods. It has to be a conscious effort every time. I love steak, but I prefer to just have my meat with a salad or fresh veggies. My household does not eat potatoes, except rarely (Maybe 3 times a year). We don't keep pasta in the house and in fact I had to buy some this weekend to make a pesto - it was a waste because we barely touched it. I had maybe 1/4 cup - the joy of pasta is not there. The desire to eat healthy and be healthy is there.

I'm the same way . Picky eater and the unhealthy tastes better. I'm now 3 weeks post OP and I am enjoying trying new things now ,new flavors really , cause not everything I once loved agrees with me. Cauli mash is wonderful..who'd of thought.

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I should add just start small with changes. New spices, taking healthier choices and cooking with "comfort" spices and go from there. Make small changes and just go from there. Don't try to change everything at once! I still don't eat any fish... yuck.

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It is really hard but doable! And just because you don't like something the first time, if you keep giving it a try, you may acquire a taste for it, whatever "it" is. But... in the meantime, the fact that you like brocolli and beans is a great start. Really good for you.

Do you like chicken? Turkey? If so, there are a billion recipes for chicken. And anything that I used to make with ground beef, I now do with ground turkey. And love it! Meatloaf for example.

There are pasta substitutions, though they also may be an acquired taste. You've heard of Zoodles? THese are "noodles" made from zuchinni. You can get the spiralizer anywhere, especially Bed Bath and Beyond. There is also spaghetti squash. You make these and then put whatever sauce you normally put on your pasta. Now, keep i mind, they aren't exactly like pasta but I know what I discovered is that it really isn't the pasta I like, it is the sauce. Which really helps.

I'm betting you don't like to cook? If that is true, you should learn to cook or take some cooking classes to take you to that next level.

I know that there are some good recipes out there that are really tasty, even for picky eaters.

Try this recipe. It is perfect during the puree stage but also later:

Baked Ricotta with Marinara

This is the one that everyone RAVES about!

8 oz of ricotta cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Salt & pepper to taste

½ cup marinara sauce

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Mix ricotta cheese, parmesan, beaten egg, seasonings together and place in a oven proof dish. Pour marinara on top and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake it in the oven @ 450 for about 20-25 minutes (best) or nuke it till hot and bubbly.

Also, try something like this:

Easy Turkey Skillet

Non-stick cooking spray

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon each basil, oregano, red pepper and garlic powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

3 tomatoes, chopped

2 medium zucchini, sliced & halved (I actually do green peppers instead)

1. Brown turkey and onion in non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Cook until turkey is cooked through and onion is soft (about 10 minutes)

2. Add tomato paste and seasoning. Simmer another 10 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes and simmer another 5 minutes.

4. Add zucchini and cook 5 minutes more. Serve hot.

Serves 4 (about 1 cup per serving)

Calories 181; Carbs 13g; Fiber 4g ; Protein 21g ; Fat 6g

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions and support. I will have to work on the potatoes! The day I went to see the counselor and he asked what a typical breakfast was for me I had to answer a bag of chips a big bag, not one of those little vending machine bags, and he said you will definitely need to change that ....so I put it on my nope cant eat that cause I dont have a cut off point list and I have not has a potato chip since April ....I dont want to have too many foods on my never list. I actually do like to cook but again its all the unhealthy food I usually cook and the fact that cooking for myself and staying in a motel with a 2 burner stove and no oven make it difficult.....

3 minutes ago, veehappy said:

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions and support. I will have to work on the potatoes! The day I went to see the counselor and he asked what a typical Breakfast was for me I had to answer a bag of chips a big bag, not one of those little vending machine bags, and he said you will definitely need to change that ....so I put it on my nope cant eat that cause I dont have a cut off point list and I have not has a potato chip since April ....I dont want to have too many foods on my never list. I actually do like to cook but again its all the unhealthy food I usually cook and the fact that cooking for myself and staying in a motel with a 2 burner stove and no oven make it difficult.....

First... Invest in an above average Toaster Over or microwave / convection oven - So it can do multiple things... Even the Power XL Air Fryer Oven would be a good investment for you - multi-function.

Learn to read labels to the items you're buying are more healthy. Living in Motel not sure if you have a full size fridge or compact. But if Full size... When going grocery shopping (Best thing I Ever learned).... Stay in the perimeter of the grocery store. There is nothing you ever really need to buy that's in aisles. Shop the sales, I use the flipp app for price comparison. The only thing I ever buy in the aisles is canned green beans, or dry beans, Tuna, Canned Chicken, and nuts. Everything else I eat comes from the perimeter of the store. (stay away from the store made fried chickens... LOL)

You have a challenge, but it's doable. Nothing is "off" your list forever. But somethings should be or at least within moderation.

You've got this...

Go simple at first. Variety can come later. Try to focus on the best quality of what you do like.

Start with steamed broccoli in the bags with Gordon's fish fillets instead of fish sticks.

Then work your way up to higher quality unprocessed foods like fresh cooked broccoli and pan seared haddock/cod/pollock (what fish sticks are made from)

Safe journey

3 hours ago, veehappy said:

I have eaten certain ( mostly bad for me!) foods for going on 40 + years, I know that I need to make changes but my head is still being stubborn. I dont like many veggies although I do like green Beans, broccoli and salads. I love white potatoes cooked in all ways but cant stand sweet potatoes. The only fish I like are fish sticks. I love steak but am still in that mindset that every meal needs potatoes or Pasta. My friend who had a lap band years ago tries to get me to eat healthier foods but I take a bite or two and cant force myself to eat any more ( this was before surgery) So my question is how do I get myself to try and like healthier foods?

Prepackaged foods kill your tastebuds with salt and make people hate less salty things like vegetables; it's a fact. You're a product of your upbringing and if you're fed these things growing up, chances are you're going to continue the trend.

Education on nutrition and applying this knowledge is important. Its the main reason most insurance companies for WLS require the months of nutrition appointments and/or classes. You must change your ways or your surgery will not be worth it.

I know what I'm supposed to eat, I minored in nutrition in college, but my problem is that I don't apply what I know most of the time and I have a deadly relationship with full-fat dairy products, also loaded with sodium. This is going to be my biggest challenge going through this process, I wish you well.

Like most of the others here said already, go slow. Try new veggies, but try to avoid over-salting them. Use herbs, garlic, non salt containing spices. If you like spicy things, use that, it's a great sub for salt.

All the Best!

And the Best right back at you! A LOT OF WISDOM IN WHAT YOU POSTED!

Someone suggested a toaster oven! Genius! A crock pot or Instapot can also be very helpful. I've made meatloaf in a crockpot and it turned out really good. But a sauteed chicken breast on the stove top is always good. I add some salt and pepper and paprika, then when it is getting closer to done, I throw a bunch of raw spinach in to sautee that and pour in a bit of chicken broth. Makes it REALLY tasty!! Just having that can be amazing. And sauteed spinach is so much better than canned spinach. It really shrinks up so you have to use most of the bag. And having it sauteed in the chicken broth is yummy!! Or, you can even buy the rotisserie chicken at the grocery store. The first night I buy it when it is still warm and just cut off a bunch of it and eat it like that. The next night I might make a salad and put chicken on it. Or, sometimes I'll make chicken sandwiches but use butter lettuce instead of bread.

speaking of butter lettuce, you can use those when you make the Thai Lettuce wraps like from PF Changs! Really good.

I want an air fryer, will I get one? Sure hope so, they sound like a wonderful kitchen asset. Think I want it more than. Ninja.