I think you guys know where I am coming from with today’s article.

We all have had those foods in our lives that , for whatever reason, we avoided eating for the longest time but ended up feeling foolish for doing so.

In today’s article I am going to share with you the 5 foods that fall under this category for me, why I avoided them initially and how I now incorporate them into my diet.

These are foods that are currently fixtures in my diet, but that I would not even consider touching 5-10 years ago.

Brussels Sprouts: My mother always would tell me how annoyed she was that I would not eat Brussels sprouts as an adult, because I loved them so much as a child.  I paid little attention to her concerns until one day I decided to take a ride on the wild side.  I roasted them at home with olive oil at 375F for 8 minutes and I’ve never looked back since.  I don’t necessarily have time to prepare them for dinner but I often use them as a post-workout meal vegetable.

Tofu: Tofu,tofu,tofu… Do I really need to explain why it took me 25+ years to ever touch this white spongey mass? Well one faithful day on vacation in Florida I didn’t have enough cash on me to purchase anything else, and I figured that was as good a time as ever to give it a shot. Boy am I glad I did because tofu not only tastes great but is such a great protein rich alternative to the usual animal sources of protein.  I often swap in a brick of tofu for a chicken breast at meal time, but there are more creative ways to use it.

Avocado: My relationship with avocados went from 0-100 real quick. In the past year or so I went from never having had one to opting for avocado as my breakfast food of choice most days a week. I turned to avocados as I was looking for a replacement/alternative for eggs and nuts at breakfast ( I was getting sick of both) and it didn’t take me long to fall in love. You can now find me enjoying 3 avocados and 3 bananas for breakfast on a good day and I’ve never felt better about this choice. Yes, I eat the avocado directly out of the shell ( skin) with a tiny spoon. Do not hesitate to abandon your cookie cutter breakfast for something better!

Sushi: I’ve been a sushi lover for the past several years, but I wasn’t always. As a picky kid growing up it just wasn’t on my radar but when I encountered how diversely students at university ate I knew it would be hard to avoid it. With fish being one of the only food sources of vitamin D and one of the best sources of omega 3s, I’m glad I did. I can honestly say sushi rocks ( I prefer salmon rolls and salmon hand rolls) and with the plethora of all you can eat places popping up, it’s so easy to incorporate as a lunch or dinner out.

 Lentils:  Ah yes lentils…… the affordable and extraordinarily healthy “meat alternative” that is rich in protein and an absolutely wonderful way to eat more of a plant-based diet.  These took me the longest to try, but I’ve grown to absolutely love them. I recommend buying them dry, boiling them and than transferring them to a pan with herbs/spices and roasting them for a bit at 400F. Thank me later!

There you go guys, the 5 foods I used to avoid but have since become absolute dietary staples.

Now that I’ve told you mine, I am so curious to find out what yours are!!

Until next time,

Andy De Santis RD MPH