Want to get healthier but struggling on cooking healthy family meals

xxSharntayxx

i've started using MFP and its good knowing how many calories I should be having and keeping track of them. But I'm struggling with family meals as I really don't know what is healthy and what isn't.
add me.
the help and advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
Sharn.

kommodevaran

Home cooked meals made from single ingredients is healthy, if you follow some simple rules, take a look at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ to start, and tweak to suit your needs.

k80flec

Hopefully you will take the time to read this, apologies for its length.
I use the recipe tool, to cook the food I've always cooked, weighing each ingredient as it's added. When it's cooked, I weigh the food. I either transfer it to an empty jug (after zeroing the scale) or I weigh it in the casserole dish (having previously weighed the empty casserole dish). If it weighs 2000 grams I say that there are 2000 servings. Then my 300 grams are 300 portions. Then each plate can have as much or as little as desired. I never eat the same size portion as my DH or adult sons, so saying 6 portions per recipe wouldn't work for me.

If it's cakes or cookies, I weigh the baked product and make the total grams the number of portions. 12 biscuits at about 70 or 60 g each = 720 portions ( if I've got my maths right)
the app it asks you to state the number of servings at the start. You can then, just before you save the recipe, edit the number of 'servings'. As for the measurement, it can be whatever you want it to be - cups, ounces, grams . . . You can also edit the recipe later when you've finished cooking it, (and each time you cook it) whatever it is, using whatever weighing method suits you (at least you can edit using the iPhone/Pad app - you can't on the windows app).

The recipe tool is fab, one of my favourite elements, means I can be so accurate with the calorie content of my creations and what goes on my plate
Edited for typo.

jacklfc88

xxSharntayxx wrote: »

i've started using MFP and its good knowing how many calories I should be having and keeping track of them. But I'm struggling with family meals as I really don't know what is healthy and what isn't.
add me.
the help and advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
Sharn.

Check out the body coach on instagram if you're on it. His recipes are great, really simple and can be adapted for families

allaboutthefood

I have a family of 5, when I started this journey I had the same problem, but than I hit google and found some great sites and info, now most of the time, I just replace the pasta, rice, potatoes, bread with other healthier options, my family was us to eating lots of veggies before so the change wasn't to noticeable for them. If you would like add me, I post recipes and helpful tips and jokes all the time. I am a very active member and like my friends on here to be the same way.

truelight_photo_craig

cookinglight.com/food/recipe-finder

This is one of my go-to resources.

NewMeSM75

I try to focus on lean proteins (chicken, turkey, fish, pork tenderloin, etc). I grill, roast or bake my meats instead of frying. I do my best to include one of their favorites that I might not eat such as creamed potatoes, mac n cheese, french fries. Lastly, I add some type of steamed or roasted veggie. I feel like biggest thing to learn is to not complicate it. When you do, it becomes overwhelming.

jacklfc88

good advice @Steph38878 - keep it simple!

jessica22222

Healthy meals for my family
Chicken burrito rice bowls- I substitute cauliflower rice for me
Chicken breasts (any lean meat pork tenderloin, fish, steak) plus veggies
Ground turkey sweet potato hash

I find it hard sometimes to stay on track with family as they like pasta and other high cal foods. I'll make a small side for them to make them happy. Since it's a small amount I don't dig into it and no leftovers to tempt me:)

westindiangal

I have been using skinnyms.com I cook for one, and first I'm challenged by cooking, add healthy cooking, and it can be quite the challenge.

earlnabby

There are so many healthy recipes on the internet. I like Cookinglight.com like toadhunter911 mentioned. I also go to http://www.skinnytaste.com/ , http://www.diabetes.org/mfa-recipes/recipes/ and the "healthy" or "diabetic" section of regular websites like http://allrecipes.com/recipes/everyday-cooking/special-diets/diabetic/ . Don't be put off by listings such as "diabetic" or "paleo", there are great recipes in all types of eating plans. Diabetic recipes especially are likely to be lower calorie and full of lean meats and veggies.

ElizabethKalmbach

What sorts of things are you cooking now? What kinds of things do you want to cook? Log what you're doing now, and add twists and complications and substitutions as you grow comfortable. If you change EVERYTHING overnight, your family may rebel. One change a week to add more veggies or remove processed ingredient X or use whole grain something will turn you into a healthy eater for life just by gradually altering habits.

If you give us some examples of where you are now, we may be able to suggest some hacks for you to try.

penfaith

I would say refrain from buying possessed/frozen foods that you can just heat up and eat. Just keep in mind meat is not a necessity and either are dairy products. There are tons of research that shows the linear relationship between animal products and cancer, heart strokes, diabetes and decrease in bone density. Also you won't have to worry about your calorie intake as you will automatically lose weight if on vegan diet!

teanahk

There are some great suggestions above for places to find recipes.

If you need a bit more info about general nutrition and cooking for family/kids I found a free online child nutrition and cooking course from Stanford University. https://www.coursera.org/learn/childnutrition
It includes a lot of information on nutrition and a bunch of cooking demonstrations.

bbontheb

penfaith wrote: »

I would say refrain from buying possessed/frozen foods that you can just heat up and eat. Just keep in mind meat is not a necessity and either are dairy products. There are tons of research that shows the linear relationship between animal products and cancer, heart strokes, diabetes and decrease in bone density. Also you won't have to worry about your calorie intake as you will automatically lose weight if on vegan diet!

Um.....no.

brburrell77

If you are used to eating premade meals/processed foods and now want to make homemade healthier meals, I just remembered this is one thing that helped me and you may find it useful: eatthis.com. On that site you'll find the book, Eat This! Not that! and is loaded with the basics of eating healthier if you are used to quick foods. One tip I have always remembered - shop the outside perimeter of the grocery store. There you will find the freshest, healthiest ingredients. Never put that together before but now it makes it easier to make meal plans. Make meals out of what you find there!

FitForL1fe

conniescakes1 wrote: »

I have a family of 5, when I started this journey I had the same problem, but than I hit google and found some great sites and info, now most of the time, I just replace the pasta, rice, potatoes, bread with other healthier options, my family was us to eating lots of veggies before so the change wasn't to noticeable for them. If you would like add me, I post recipes and helpful tips and jokes all the time. I am a very active member and like my friends on here to be the same way.

you got rid of pasta, rice, potatoes, and bread?

why would you do this terrible thing to your family

aliciasilfies

The sites listed above are great! skinnyms.com is one of my favorites, as is skinnymom.com. Pinterest has become my go-to for great new healthy recipes.

You can continue to eat the foods you love, just be sure to keep your portions under control. Swapping to healthier ingredients has helped me a lot: white rice to whole grain or quinoa, ground beef to ground turkey, etc. When you find a recipe that your whole family loves, make extras and freeze it. This will definitely come in handy for busy days.

madz0007

I have swapped meat for quorn, I use water or olive oil spray for cooking. I don't add fats to foods, I use peas, carrots, celery to bulk out casseroles or stews. For example tonight I made Shepherds pie

1.00 tbsp(s), Gravy salt
1.00 clove, Garlic - Raw
1.00 container (300 gs ea.), Quorn Mince (300g Bag, Frozen)
(1pint), Water - Municipal
1.00 leaf, Bay Leaf
1.00 tsp, leaves, Spices, oregano, dried
1.00 tbsp, Basil, fresh
1.00 tbsp, Spices, rosemary, dried


2.00 Tin, Chopped Tinned Tomatoes
2.00 large (7-1/4" to 8-1/2" long), Carrots - Raw
1.00 large, Onions - Raw
2.00 cube, Reduced Salt Beef Stock Cube
2.00 stalk large (11"-12" long), Celery - Raw
1.00 small, Peppers - Sweet, green, raw
500.00 g, Swede Boiled and mashed
600.00 g, Potatoes boiled and mashed


Fry the onion, mince, garlic, celery, pepper in the pan using water to fry with add the garlic and herbs apart from the bay leaves. Add the stock cubes to boiling water, add the chopped toms and stock cubes to the mince, add carrots and bay leaves.
Simmer until veg is soft add 1 table spoon of gravy salt mixed with water to thicken the mix. put in a casserole dish
cook then mash potato and swede together put on top of the pie and put in the oven until the top is crispy. Serve with peas or other veg.

It was yum

dargytaylor

jessica22222 wrote: »

Ground turkey sweet potato hash

would love this recipe!! please and thank you

dargytaylor

http://www.skinnytaste.com/

awesome site!

disasterman

I agree with the person who said make small changes. For weight loss, the most emphasis should be put on portion control. Try a balanced plate with protein/starch/vegetable - add a salad maybe (watch out for high calorie dressings and toppings) eliminating extra servings of high calorie items (usually carbs). For example, instead of potatoes and bread have one or the other. Learn to cook with smaller amounts high calorie oils and fats - every gram of fat has 9 calories! so a little can go a long way.

It used to be common for me to have pasta AND bread and have that be the majority of my calories in a meal. Now I might pile a bunch of veggies on the plate with a small serving of pasta (1 cup or less cooked) and a 4 ounce serving of meat or fish. I'll have a salad too or seconds and thirds of veggies, and skip the bread. Doing this has taken my average evening meal down from over 1000 calories to more like 600.

dargytaylor

k80flec wrote: »

Hopefully you will take the time to read this, apologies for its length.
I use the recipe tool, to cook the food I've always cooked, weighing each ingredient as it's added. When it's cooked, I weigh the food. I either transfer it to an empty jug (after zeroing the scale) or I weigh it in the casserole dish (having previously weighed the empty casserole dish). If it weighs 2000 grams I say that there are 2000 servings. Then my 300 grams are 300 portions. Then each plate can have as much or as little as desired. I never eat the same size portion as my DH or adult sons, so saying 6 portions per recipe wouldn't work for me.

If it's cakes or cookies, I weigh the baked product and make the total grams the number of portions. 12 biscuits at about 70 or 60 g each = 720 portions ( if I've got my maths right)
the app it asks you to state the number of servings at the start. You can then, just before you save the recipe, edit the number of 'servings'. As for the measurement, it can be whatever you want it to be - cups, ounces, grams . . . You can also edit the recipe later when you've finished cooking it, (and each time you cook it) whatever it is, using whatever weighing method suits you (at least you can edit using the iPhone/Pad app - you can't on the windows app).

The recipe tool is fab, one of my favourite elements, means I can be so accurate with the calorie content of my creations and what goes on my plate
Edited for typo.

I love this!! I just recently starting really weighing my food (not guessing the size of a banana for instance) and this is great information in regards to the recipe builder, as I use it all the time!

Tried30UserNames

What are your family's current favorite meals? Instead of throwing a completely new way of eating at them, I would recommend taking those favorite meals and making them healthier.

One example inspired by Madz0007's post, is my own Shepherd's Pie recipe. It used to contain meat, onions, gravy and mashed potatoes. I bulked it up and slimmed it down by adding a whole variety of vegetables to the meat mixture and topping it with a combo of mashed potatoes and mashed cauliflower. I can eat a larger portion for fewer calories and I get more nutrients because of the vegetable content.

My spaghetti recipe used to just include meat, tomatoes/paste, and herbs/spices over spaghetti noodles. Now, I add a variety of roasted vegetables to the sauce and serve it over a mixture of spaghetti and zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.