Sneaking food into other food. How sneaky are you?

@writersedge (22563)
United States
November 26, 2011 4:52pm CST
I have a brother who will not eat veggies except for peas and corn. The trouble is, he's diabetic and the body uses those two veggies like a carb, esp. corn that it uses like a grain. So my Mother had to sneak veggies into hamburgers, lasagna, spaghetti. But now he can't have much tomato sauce becaue he tends to have stomach problems if he eats tomato sauce more than once a week. I told the people who cook for him (he's got assisted living because he is 60 IQ and not stove or oven safe) to chop fine and hide things in his meat loaf. They make meat loaf about once a week for him. He also will only eat fruit from a can. For Thanksgiving, he did eat pumpkin pie. I made diabetic cookies using diabetic cakemix and carrot puree. So he probably got a little bit of veggies during the holidays. My husband doesn't normally care for corn bread, but he liked it this time, it crumbled less. Probably because it was corn flour instead of meal and I used yogurt because we didn't have any milk, so I used a tablespoon of yogurt, the rest of the measure for milk was water and I used a little baking soda in addition to baking powder. He loved it. He normally doesn't eat yogurt either. He told his brother that sweet potato pie was pumpkin pie. His brother wouldn't try sweet potato pie, but he loved pumpkin pie. So he ate the pumpkin pie that was actually sweet potato pie and loved it. I try to put dairy into everything because my husband will only have milk if it's in cereal and he only buys a little bit of cereal once a month. Also he works indoors all day so he doesn't get vitamen D in the winter time. So how sneaky are you and why? So what food had you put into other food that people have eaten?
5 people like this
11 responses
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
27 Nov 11
I had to sneak food to my grand daughter not cause of dietary issues, but just to get her to eat! She was SOOOOOO picky. SO I'd disguise food and tell her it was something silly and she'd eat it! Had a hard time getting her to eat chicken. So I made home made chicken nuggets, and told her it was squid to feed the dolphins, (she loved dolphins nad even played being one) so I told her...go bring the dolpins so I can feed them squid. She played to be a dolphin and ujumped up and took a chicken nugget and ate it and before to long... ate all I had and asked for more! I didn't tell her what it really was...she wouldn't eat if it I did! But I'd do things like this to get her to eat things...and everyone told me to stop doing that as it was treating her like a baby. I told them, I don't care how you view it...she is eating healthy for me and not you...so you tell me which way is "better"... mine with her eating things called something else, or yours where you shout and disipline to get her to eat and she doesn't! Yo just have to play the game on their level sometimes!
2 people like this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
28 Nov 11
Glad you found a way that worked with her. My brother just turned 50, has a 60 IQ and a social age of 12 to 14. So not sure what to heck his level is. He's not really into playing games. Never really has been. My husband is 54 years old and not sure what his problem is. I did get my husband to eat seafood. Took months, but he ordered the fishermen's platter and enjoyed it. Just gave him a bite of my food every time I ordered seafood. His problem is that if he didn't eat it as a kid, he sees no reason to eat it as an adult. He never had seafood and a lot of veggies as a kid, so getting him to try things as an adult is a challenge. Both my brother and my husband eat the best at Chinese or other Asian restaurants and at some other types of buffets. Often they don't know what they're eating. It would be expensive taking them to a buffet even once a week.
• United States
26 Nov 11
My dad has diabetes and when they him and my mom had moved out I remember when my dad was here he wasn't supposed to have chocolate and one day my mom was cleaning and told him to get out of the chair so she could vacuum under it and there were all kinds of candy rappar under the chair. But anyway when we moved in the house we have those track lights over the fire place and I found some hershey kiss rappers in the lights and told my mom and I had asked my dad if he had eaten them and he while he was laughing I don;t know what you are talking about! We were cleaning the ighta because they were flickering. And my mom had asked him and he was laughing and he told her the same thing! And she said you are so busted!! he he he L.OL.!! But I never hide food but my dad is the worst!!
2 people like this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
26 Nov 11
That is quite the story. That is a different version of hiding food. He sounds quite accomplished at hiding chocolates. Thanks and take care.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
27 Nov 11
I do not do a lot of sneaking, hubby is pretty well rounded on his foods. Son not so much, but also not easily fooled. I put flax seed meal and/or wheat germ into all baked products and I do put it in my granola as well. I will use yogurt in things and I try to substitute it for sour cream, but it does not fool my son. He will eat fruity yogurt, but not my plain homemade stuff. We are dairy people so that is not a problem. Son likes the taste of onion, but not the texture, so I am trying to remember to do it like in a food processor so we have the yummy taste.
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
28 Nov 11
My son gets routine urine tests, due to a crime he committed. Flax seed does not throw up a flag for anything, and neither does wheat germ. Wheat germ is part of whole wheat so that is not a problem. As far as I know, yes, poppy seed will throw a positive for opiods, but sesame seeds do not. Think of all the truckers who live on burgers. I think someone got them confused with poppy seeds and started an urban myth.
@beamer88 (4259)
• Philippines
27 Nov 11
I haven't sneaked in any food into other food. But I do put vitamin C in the juice my son drinks. He hates taking his vitamin C. For some reason, he doesn't like the taste. And it's really a bit of a drag trying to make him drink his daily does. But he likes to drink juice, not fresh though. So What I did was to open the vitamin capsule and pour the contents in his juice and he hadn't noticed or tasted it. That was about 2 years ago. We eventually told him what we did. We felt guilty hiding things from him. He know takes his vitamin c, although, it's still mixed with his juice.
1 person likes this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
28 Nov 11
I feel guilty not hiding the stuff because my brother will pick fruit and veggies out of everything. He's 50 years old with diabetes and has been a royal pain to get to eat food all his life. A little kid that grows out of it, that's one thing and only vit C is not the same as entire food groups. Esp. only likes so few things. My brother, I'm sure has more vitamin deficiencies than just needing more C. Esp. the way he eats.
@TrvlArrngr (4045)
• United States
28 Nov 11
I puree carrots to put in my tomato sauce so the kids eat them without knowing about it. I also finely chop spinach and use it like parsley or oregano on salads, pasta, chicken, etc...lol - mothers need to be creative and sneaky!
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
28 Nov 11
Those are all terrific ideas! Yes, Mothers do need to be sneaky. Wish my brother wasn't so diabetic. I think the fusions are pretty high in immediate use sugars. Not sure if he would drink them anyway since he doesn't seem to like fruit or veggies. Maybe they will come up with a diabetic one that tastes like canned fruit. One can only hope. Meanwhile, I like the sneaky smoothies idea for me. Maybe I'll make some of those. Thanks and take care.
• United States
28 Nov 11
My friend gives her kids V8 fusion - the one with all the veggies in it and sometimes she puts it in the blender with yogurt and ice and makes sneaky smoothees! Love it!
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
26 Nov 11
I used to try to sneak other foods in when my children were younger. it usually involved broccoli and it usually backfired but I figured it would be worth a shot. I know I was not amused by this anymore than my children when i was younger and my mother would try to trick me into eating something. You can lead a horse to water but you just can't make him drink unless he wants to.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
26 Nov 11
The problem is that it's almost two entire food groups for my brother and one food group for my husband. I love broccoli, esp. in Asian cooking!
1 person likes this
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
27 Nov 11
I went thru a long period of time, when my son was younger...and very picky (all came from his step sister)that I became a master at camoflauging foods...! My huge "fait accompli" was Chocolate, Chocolate Chip cookies with lots & lots of Garlic in them (great for the immune systems as he was born with a hole in his heart)...pureed spinach in zucchini spice cake. My greatest accomplishments in disguised foods! Cheers!
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
28 Nov 11
I don't have to camoflage garlic thank goodness, strangely enough, he likes that. Pureed spinach in a zucchini spice cake soulds like quite the accomplishment. I hope your son is doing well. Too bad his step sister didn't influence him to eating better instead of worse. AAAh families. Such a challenge.
@alnilam (969)
• United States
27 Nov 11
Well somewhat sneaky. my partner thinks he dislikes some stuff... Well he just decides he dislikes it... Then out of spite I use the food he thinks he does not like in the dishes he usually eats to spice them up a bit - there is always a combination one can do. 99% of the time he likes the food and asks what have I done to improve it - and then it comes the sneak attack when I reveal that he has eaten something that he apparently dislikes.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
28 Nov 11
That's a good one. I thought I hated eggplant, chic peas, and tofu. Then I went to a Middle Eastern Restaurant buffet. Loved the Babagnouche (spelling?), hummus, and fried tofu that had been marinated in a fruit juice, covered in bread crumbs, fried and rolled in crushed nuts. So now I still don't like them unless they're made into b, h, and ft. I think it's all in how you prepare something. There is usually some way to eat a food, even if you think you don't like it where it tastes good. Thanks and hope he realizes that he really likes a lot more foods than he thinks. Maybe you'll "open his eyes."
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
27 Nov 11
Its funny you mention the veggies problem. My kids don't like spinach. There is a dip made with spinach and sour cream and afew other things and the kids like it. Now notice I said 'like' not love or really like. I was amazed. I love spinach, collard green, lamb's quarter, etc.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
28 Nov 11
I like that dip, too. I don't like cooked greens, but I like them raw. Love lamb's quarters in a salad.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Nov 11
I used to like them raw but now with bad teeth I like them roasted or sauteed. No lamb quarter around here that I have found.
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
28 Nov 11
Is it me or does it seem most men prefer meat over any vegetable? I put celery and added shredded carrots in my stuffing. first time I ever added the carrots but since I can get the men to eat stuffing I am beginning to add more veggies in it to get them to eat vegetables LOL. My husband is diabetic too and he thinks he is healthy if he eats tons of meat. Drives me crazy to try and keep him balanced. I have been known to take food out of his hand and replace with something healthy. Sounds mean I know but us mothers get that instilled in us and its just a normal mechanism to do. I use splenda when I make his sweet potato pie. the trick is sometimes not what they eat as how much they eat. I have read and cooked enough to learn the proper portions for him, its getting him to eat that ONLY and not go back for another snack after he has had one. Its a daily battle here. I have celery left over from the stuffing so he will get celery with peanut butter on it for a healthy snack this week.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
28 Nov 11
Yes, and what they don't understand is that veggies can make you feel full. A nice greens salad before a meal with a variety of foods make a person feel full. But just meat, you will fill good once it finally gets used in the stomach but meat can take up to 4 hours to digest. I dated a guy who served me a slab of meat and potatoes. I asked where the veggies were and if we were going to have fruit for desert. Deer in the headlights. Luckily, it's only dairy that's a problem with my hubbie. Grew upon powdered milk, so you can see why. Thanks and take care.
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
27 Nov 11
We make home made pizza's on a regular basis. I puree veggies my family would not normally eat into the sauce, I use skim mozzerrella for the cheese on it, and spiced ground turkey instead of sausage on it. I always mix spinach into my lasagnas, this one is for me because I know spinach is healthy, but I hate the taste of it. I give my daugther the V8 fusion juice which is a mixture of fruits and veggies. I just want to make sure that she stays healthy.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
28 Nov 11
I like the pizza sauce idea. Yeah, I don't like cooked spinach either, but I do eat it in lasagna if the cheese and sauce are high enough ratio so I can't takes it. I tried the V8 Fusion, too. The fruit taste I like, the veggie aftertaste, I'm not sure who they're fooling, but it's not me.