Married to a junk food junkie
chunt87
Posts: 161 Member
I need some advisement. I have gone to a nutritionist to help me learn how and what to eat and how many healthy choices are out there and I make them everyday and have had progress but there is a moot point...Dinnertime
I love vegetables after discovering all the different ways to prepare them. I also love lean proteins, 96/4 ground beef, chicken breast, tenderloin, etc. But my husband is a junk food junkie. It doesn't seem like he likes any of the healthy things I cook and it makes me very upset. I feel like I work hard for him to just turn everything into a sandwich, and to have salt dumped on it before he eats it. And I know he doesn't like it because I ask and never get any straight answers.
I work full time and I do the best I can, he is at home all the time and could care less what he eats or how it is prepared but does the snooty face if I make something healthy or 'dupe' him into eating something that might not cause him to have a heart attack. For the record he is thin and I am trying to lose weight.
What healthy things have you guys made for your families that went over well?
I love vegetables after discovering all the different ways to prepare them. I also love lean proteins, 96/4 ground beef, chicken breast, tenderloin, etc. But my husband is a junk food junkie. It doesn't seem like he likes any of the healthy things I cook and it makes me very upset. I feel like I work hard for him to just turn everything into a sandwich, and to have salt dumped on it before he eats it. And I know he doesn't like it because I ask and never get any straight answers.
I work full time and I do the best I can, he is at home all the time and could care less what he eats or how it is prepared but does the snooty face if I make something healthy or 'dupe' him into eating something that might not cause him to have a heart attack. For the record he is thin and I am trying to lose weight.
What healthy things have you guys made for your families that went over well?
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Replies
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I make ONE meal for dinner. If my husband doesn't want what I am making, he can make his own meal. I refuse to make two different dinners. Thankfully he will eat anything I put in front of him and is also trying to eat more healthy (although he is slim & doesn't need to lose a pound). I usually create my weekly meal plan on Sundays and talk to him about my ideas and see if he has something in mind that he would like. As far as snacking we each have our own things. He will eat chips and drink beers and I'll have popcorn/pretzels and drink water. If you are making one meal and he decides to modify it let him. For new dinner ideas check out SkinnyTaste.com & Pinterest. I use them both religiously.0
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This is not worth worrying over. If he likes sandwiches, keep the bread and the other stuff he likes in the fridge so he can make his own food. You make your food for yourself.0
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Make stuff he likes and you eat a smaller portion to make it healthy/less caloric. If you want to eat the same things, someone has got to budge - is he on a diet? If not, then you should budge, imo, or just eat different things at dinner time.0
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Just let him eat as he desires. I don't make my parents eat protein pancakes just because I choose to make them for myself. I don't make my parents eat as much protein as I do in fact, just because it's important to me. I'm guessing he doesn't like what you make because he just doesn't think it has enough flavour. Or he doesn't just want to always eat lean meats and veggies. Let him eat his sandwich, it's fine. Cook for yourself and let him do as he pleases?0
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You're both adults. I always tell my husband that if he doesn't like what I make (but he'll eat anything I put in front of him) that he has to fend for himself. You can't make someone like something that they just don't like - maybe one day he'll appreciate your efforts for a healthier lifestyle and won't be snooty. But I say until that happens, make food you're happy eating and he can either choose to eat it or make his own decision and dump a metric buttload of salt on it. You work all day... you shouldn't be made to feel like crap for getting home and wanting a healthy meal that YOU cook.
Edit because I forgot you asked a question. My husband particularly likes when I make chilis/soups/stews - the ones I make are often under 400 calories per serving so I don't feel bad and it's hearty. As someone else said, though, I still cook almost everything I cooked before I went on this lifestyle change but I just make sure to know how many portions/calories are in it and eat accordingly (this is also good because a meal that I made before and would be "2 servings" is actually like 6 servings and we have lots of leftovers).0 -
I don't think healthy cooking has to be bland at all. I would suggest looking for recipes you BOTH will enjoy and trying those out.0
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First, it is very disrespectful of him .. if he does not like what you cook for him, fine ... let him make his own food. Even though I am a guy .. I am with some others here, you do not need to cater to his needs. You can only hope that eventually he sees the light and eats healthy. I do not have to tell you that unless he changes his ways .. eventually he will not be around to eat your food.0
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Well hold on - unless there's a specific medical issue involved, there's nothing wrong with him salting things. And there's nothing inherently unhealthy about sandwiches, either. If he's turning your meal prep into a sandwich without making you do more work - well, that's just fine.
Bottom line - trying to feed people things they don't like is a recipe for disaster.
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So my take is that if you are the one doing the cooking then you cook what you like to eat, one time when I was pregnant with my daughter I cooked tuna mornay for a week straight, it was what I was craving!! Hubby sat down every single night and told me how delicious it was (although he has confessed later that by the end he was OVER it!). If he wants to pull snooty faces then he should get his own food! All of that said keep exploring new recipes, who knows you might just find something he will eat without the drama.0
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Just break up.
In all seriousness, if your husband doesn't have a pressing health issue, I don't see any reason why he should change his food habits to your desire. Like someone else said, cooking food someone doesn't like won't end well, it just makes you both get at each other and unleash negativity in the form of nagging and whatnot. Would it be nice for him and you to be on the same page food-wise? Of course. My fiance doesn't care for most vegetables, and the kinds he actually does like are the ones I hate. I happen to love pasta, but it's not his cup of tea most of the time. But we make it work that both of us can compromise during a meal.
Bottom line, if you're doing all the cooking and he doesn't like your food, he can make his own stuff.
Out of curiosity, what is this so called "junk food" husband is eating?0 -
I don't think it matters if he makes his own food, so long as he doesn't expect you to make his food too.
I'm lucky as my husband likes to eat healthily, and we have kids, so we all eat the same thing. One week in two my husband works late shift so it's just me and the kids anyway, and he can eat junk if he likes then! My husband even makes dinner sometimes..,yesterday he made chicken stew - chicken, carrots, sweet potato, swede and kale with reduced salt chicken stock (baby friendly for our 7 month old).
There are plenty of tasty, healthy things you can make. Curry is nice, and stir fry too, and chilli. I find most things are pretty healthy if you make them yourself from scratch, unless it involves something like pastry!0 -
I cook daily for my husband and two boys. It's really not hard to cook healthy yet delicious meals that everyone will like- chicken breasts, lean ground turkey and beef can be perpared in a variety of ways and what I do is just make some extra vegetables for myself if I am making a side dish for them that I choose not to eat- also I guess over the years they are used to eating healthy most of the time because I am the only one who cooks!0
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Well hold on - unless there's a specific medical issue involved, there's nothing wrong with him salting things. And there's nothing inherently unhealthy about sandwiches, either. If he's turning your meal prep into a sandwich without making you do more work - well, that's just fine.
Bottom line - trying to feed people things they don't like is a recipe for disaster.
That is what I was thinking, too. My husband needs more calories than I do and he gets them both through extra servings of what I make and several bowls of cereal at night. Turning what you make into a sandwich sounds like a great option.
If he likes meatloaf, adapt the recipe to use more vegetables. I also use extra lean ground turkey, but it will be drier than your typical meatloaf.
My husband really liked tonight's eggplant parmesan. I just "breaded" slices of eggplant with an egg wash and straight parmesan cheese. I cooked it in a non stick skillet, so the cheese melts and browns without additional oil. Then I topped it with our favorite spaghettis sauce and some mozzarella.
He's a man: grill it. We grill our food on a regular basis. Yesterday, we had grilled chicken breasts marinated in a chipotle lime sauce and grilled asparagus spritzed with Pam and sprinkled with salt. YUM! (I have no problem grilling skinless chicken breast - I don't know why people complain about it being so dry). We also love grilled fish.
Do you roast your veggies? (Toss with olive oil, salt, maybe some herbs and throw them in the oven. Times and temps vary slightly depending on the vegetable) Even kids will often go for roasted veggies and even I will eat my brussel sprouts!
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Well hold on - unless there's a specific medical issue involved, there's nothing wrong with him salting things. And there's nothing inherently unhealthy about sandwiches, either. If he's turning your meal prep into a sandwich without making you do more work - well, that's just fine.
Yeah, actually this sounds like a pretty great compromise. If he's healthy and happy the way he is, then I don't see the problem at all...
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I don't see anything wrong with a sandwich or adding salt to a meal. That's definitely not what I'd call 'junk' food.
But he's home all day you say, let him cook his own food if he doesn't like what you make. Problem solved.0 -
I need some advisement. I have gone to a nutritionist to help me learn how and what to eat and how many healthy choices are out there and I make them everyday and have had progress but there is a moot point...Dinnertime
I love vegetables after discovering all the different ways to prepare them. I also love lean proteins, 96/4 ground beef, chicken breast, tenderloin, etc. But my husband is a junk food junkie. It doesn't seem like he likes any of the healthy things I cook and it makes me very upset. I feel like I work hard for him to just turn everything into a sandwich, and to have salt dumped on it before he eats it. And I know he doesn't like it because I ask and never get any straight answers.
I work full time and I do the best I can, he is at home all the time and could care less what he eats or how it is prepared but does the snooty face if I make something healthy or 'dupe' him into eating something that might not cause him to have a heart attack. For the record he is thin and I am trying to lose weight.
What healthy things have you guys made for your families that went over well?
stop letting it bother you that he puts salt on it or eats it as a sandwich... simple!0 -
When my bf first moved in with me, he salted EVERYTHING. He also used lots of pepper, added hot sauce, ketchup, jalapenos and other stuff with everything. At first i was offended because i always thought my cooking was good. Turns out, his mother was a terrible cook and it was a tool he used to get through meals. He adjusted and now the only thing he salts is fries and he occasionally adds hot sauce because he likes it.
It also helps that i got rid of the salt and pepper shakers, now it takes more effort to use it.
I make one dinner for my family and I try to include one thing that everyone enjoys. We all eat different amounts of each item. On breakfast night, my bf turns his items into a pancake, egg, and scrapple sandwich.
Give it time, he will adjust.0 -
When I met my boyfriend we found we were both picky eaters. I don't like many types of meat and he doesn't eat vegetables. Almost polar opposites, besides the fact that we both like fries and pizza, lol. Luckily, we've foud restaurants that will accommodate both o our tastes (for instance, the cheesecake factory's numerous food choices and combos) I suggest you focus on yourself. Have the foods you love and the foods that will help you achieve your goals. Continue to cook the healthy dinners you've been cooking and make some extra in case he wants some. He's a man, he can cook for himself if he really doesn't like it. Otherwise, he's going to eat however he wants and there's nothing we can do to sway our junk food eating men, lol.
On a more serious note, I know you may be a little worried about his eating habits, but unfortunately he is the only one who can change his own eating habits.0 -
Great marinades will be your best friend. When in doubt, grill it, roast it or broil it.
You also can't force him to like what you like. But, you also don't have to cook for him.0 -
What he likes or not, is non of your business. And you getting upset and (from what I can tell) passive aggressive over it, make YOU the bad-guy.
Bottom line. You have no right to force anyone to change to fit what you want. That is massively selfish.0 -
I need some advisement. I have gone to a nutritionist to help me learn how and what to eat and how many healthy choices are out there and I make them everyday and have had progress but there is a moot point...Dinnertime
I love vegetables after discovering all the different ways to prepare them. I also love lean proteins, 96/4 ground beef, chicken breast, tenderloin, etc. But my husband is a junk food junkie. It doesn't seem like he likes any of the healthy things I cook and it makes me very upset. I feel like I work hard for him to just turn everything into a sandwich, and to have salt dumped on it before he eats it. And I know he doesn't like it because I ask and never get any straight answers.
I work full time and I do the best I can, he is at home all the time and could care less what he eats or how it is prepared but does the snooty face if I make something healthy or 'dupe' him into eating something that might not cause him to have a heart attack. For the record he is thin and I am trying to lose weight.
What healthy things have you guys made for your families that went over well?
I'm in exactly the same situation (I work all day, dh is home all day) and have decided to just let him do what he does. I tell him what I'm cooking and offer to make enough for him. If he doesn't want it, he can find something to eat - there's plenty of food in the house.
Seriously, quit worrying about it. Make what you want, offer to share and if there's leftovers because that's not what he wants to eat well, bonus! You have enough for another meal.0 -
I need some advisement. I have gone to a nutritionist to help me learn how and what to eat and how many healthy choices are out there and I make them everyday and have had progress but there is a moot point...Dinnertime
I love vegetables after discovering all the different ways to prepare them. I also love lean proteins, 96/4 ground beef, chicken breast, tenderloin, etc. But my husband is a junk food junkie. It doesn't seem like he likes any of the healthy things I cook and it makes me very upset. I feel like I work hard for him to just turn everything into a sandwich, and to have salt dumped on it before he eats it. And I know he doesn't like it because I ask and never get any straight answers.
I work full time and I do the best I can, he is at home all the time and could care less what he eats or how it is prepared but does the snooty face if I make something healthy or 'dupe' him into eating something that might not cause him to have a heart attack. For the record he is thin and I am trying to lose weight.
What healthy things have you guys made for your families that went over well?
I am trying to figure out where the "junk food" part comes in. Sandwiches aren't junk and maybe he piles the food with salt because it's bland to him. If he doesn't want to eat what you cook then he can make his own food.
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You're not a short order cook. Cook for yourself and let him do his thing.0
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Sounds like you make bland food. No salt, no fat. I wouldn't eat it, either. You already said he's healthy and not overweight, so why are you trying to force him into your weight loss diet?0
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My husband is also a "junk food junkie." I have chosen to eliminate many foods from my diet (dairy, sugar, grains) and eat lean protein and vegetables and have done so for many years. Usually, what I do is cook the lean protein (chicken, fish, flank steak) and make different sides for him such as pasta and rice. I always make extra of my vegetables for him to try if he wants to and throughout the years he has tried some and actually like it now. I find that if I cook with plenty of seasonings and don't overcook a lean protein, he enjoys it very much. A couple of times a week, when I am having some kind of left over, I will make him meals that are his ideal. Although I would like him to jump on my bandwagon, I know that won't happen so I do what I can to make us both happy...and turn my head as he scarfs down a half dozen dunkin donuts...0
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tigersword wrote: »Sounds like you make bland food. No salt, no fat. I wouldn't eat it, either. You already said he's healthy and not overweight, so why are you trying to force him into your weight loss diet?
Yeah, exactly. Maybe he already knows what he's doing. A lot of nutritionists aren't very good at their jobs, and if yours is pushing "lean protein" I wouldn't trust him/her either.
Anyways, everybody should make their own food.
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Thanks for the helpful responses with other things to make. I do use some salt in my cooking along with garlic and a myriad of other spices. So i don't think it's bland.
I will try to make more stews but after all the responses in nor going to sweat it too much if he turns everything into sandwiches or complains he isn't hungry when dinner is done after he scarfs down pop tarts and a sleeve of crackers with a half of a block of cheese. His idea of dinner when it's his turn to cook is hamburger helper. It is upsetting because he is thin but not healthy and a number of his doctors have told him to eat greens but he refuses. Maybe he will snap out of it or end up with more health issues than he has now
Thank you to the people who were helpful by suggesting different things to try.0 -
What healthy things have you guys made for your families that went over well?
I don't really consider any food junk. We eat all kinds of things at my house that you may or may not consider healthy depending on your definition of healthy.
My vegetable-hating-doesn't-like-to-try-new-things dd likes minestrone, fassolatha, veggie burgers, gyros, Greek bean and potato stew, chili, pasta dishes, almost all fruit, turkey, eggs, oatmeal, cereal, pancakes, french toast, tacos, burritos, bread of all types, rice, sandwiches and lemon lentil soup.
My will-eat-almost-anything dh doesn't care for pasta much anymore especially with Alfredo sauce (dd's favorite sauce) but other than that he will happily eat anything I make.
Sometimes I make a side dish that everyone likes along with something else that only 2 of us eat.
Tomato soup and sandwiches- dd won't eat the soup but will eat the sandwich, dh and I eat the soup and sandwich
Pasta, chicken breast and salad- dh avoids the pasta but eats the other choices, dd avoids the salad and sometimes the chicken but eats the pasta and I eat every item choice.
I would compromise and have some of what you both like each week.
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To answer your question - what went over well for our family. Oven "fried" chicken, Asian Orange Salmon, vegetables hidden in pasta sauce, Tuna Mornay done properly, pancakes with berries...0
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I refuse to make him live my lifestyle, so I still buy whatever he likes when I grocery shop and I make 2 dinners, or sometimes he'll eat what I'm eating.0
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