I need creative help

okeefester3

I'm in a bind. I've always been active and haven't really had trouble with my fitness/nutrition. In March a few things changed. My boyfriend and I moved in together and I tore my meniscus.

My fitness is struggling big time until January when I can get my knee operated on, I've gained 10 lbs!

So the easy answer is to cut calories...which is pretty difficult when you're depressed about an injury to begin with but the real problem is my new family.

My boyfriend is lactose intolerant. Is eldest son is extremely picky. He won't eat pasta! Neither of them are fond of fish, vegetables, etc. I can only eat so much chicken and potatoes! It's killing me. I have to cook for five people and I just can't get this figured out...on top of this I work full time and am becoming bitter with this task. This often leads to frustration and eating out to avoid the issue.

I need creative help, everything I find online is too out of the box for these boys and it drives me crazy.

Anyone dealing with something similar? I'm killing myself slowly trying to keep everyone happy.

Barbs2222

I feel for you. I really do. My family is extremely picky too. Daughter is vegetarian, my son eats about 10 things plus all kinds of fruit. My husband won't eat anything salty because high blood pressure and strokes run in his family. And then there's me, I'm extremely fussy too. But I'm a stay at home mom so cooking all these different meals for everyone isn't so bad. But you work so no way. I wouldn't do it.

If I were you I'd call a family meeting and make a meal plan every week. That way if someone doesn't like something they can make their own food, like a sandwich or something.

queenliz99

Okey dokey Okeef, you can make what they like but just eat less of it. Seriously. You could steam a little veggie and if they want to eat it, great. If not, oh well. Make the calories work for you.

Barbs2222

How old are the kids?

okeefester3

My daughter is 17 and pretty diverse in her tastes. Boys are 15 (picky) and 7 (not so bad).

Thanks for the suggestions and support, I'm taking it all in and trying to come up with a plan.

queenliz99

okeefester3 wrote: »

My daughter is 17 and pretty diverse in her tastes. Boys are 15 (picky) and 7 (not so bad).

Thanks for the suggestions and support, I'm taking it all in and trying to come up with a plan.

My son is freekin' picky, so I get it. Just do what you can do and there ain't much else you can do. Lead by example.

cmtigger

Just an exercise idea- have you tried swimming?

On the food issue, I'm not sure. I know that if you repeatedly offer something that picky eaters eventually try things. Also, you could make meals and have an easy back up, like peanut butter and jelly, or cereal, that the kids could make for themselves.

cdudley628

My stepdad got really frustrated with how picky my sister and I am, so the rule was that if you didn't want what was for dinner, you had to make your own. I think most of the time we ended up eating variations of what my parents were making or making our own sandwiches, but this also helped us to expand our tastes a little and become a little more independent in the kitchen.

You should make a meal that almost everybody will eat then have the people who won't eat what you're making either help you make them a meal, or have them make their own meal.

ahoy_m8

I feel for you. It can be done, though. Primarily vegetables with some of the meat for you. Primarily potato & meat with some vegetable for them. The same main course but different sides and different proportions. Fish is expensive anyway, so I make it on nights when only the ones who appreciate it are eating at home.

We aren't huge pasta eaters, but when I do a pasta meal, I often have it on a bed of spinach instead (mostly because I like it that way, but it helps with my macros as well). Would the non-pasta eater like the meatballs & sauce (or whatever you are putting on the pasta) on a bun or flour tortillas or a baked potato instead? Small substitutions for picky eaters can make it work.

Whatever you do, please don't let the resentment fester. Best of luck to you!

MissJay75

How is everyone with leftovers? As a family can you cook meals for the week on the weekend? Each person can help make their favorite and then you only have to dish and reheat during the week? That way everyone gets to eat what they like, and you don't have to cook 5 different meals every night?

robertw486

cdudley628 wrote: »

My stepdad got really frustrated with how picky my sister and I am, so the rule was that if you didn't want what was for dinner, you had to make your own. I think most of the time we ended up eating variations of what my parents were making or making our own sandwiches, but this also helped us to expand our tastes a little and become a little more independent in the kitchen.

You should make a meal that almost everybody will eat then have the people who won't eat what you're making either help you make them a meal, or have them make their own meal.

This. It shouldn't be the responsibility of the family cook to also be a meal planner for each individual. If the other family members do think that is ok and reasonable, turn the tides and tell them you expect healthy meals planned and cooked for you. Fair is fair.

Barbs2222

I just thought of something, how about everybody writes down two of their favorite meals, throw the pieces of paper into a hat and pull them out and write them on the calendar. I read somewhere that when people know what's for dinner they get hungry for it. Then always have a veggie on the side you and your daughter can eat.

dutchandkiwi

Once we reached the age of 12, my mother told my brother and me that one day a week they were the cook of the household. It meant that one day a week we were responsible for the meal planning of that day. As we generally shopped once a week we 'shopped' in the fridge. She and dad would always be there to ask the questions on how to.
It gave my mother 3-4 days a week off at least (dad also was the cook 1-2 days a week) so feeding the family was less overwhelming for her, as she, like my dad, worked full time. Added bonus we the children learned to cook, shop, plan, clean and appreciated the difficulties of feeding a family with different tastes more.

I am delighted that my brother has adopted the same approach with my nephews. 14 and 18 now and both can plan and cook a decent meal, clean up afterward.

So be ceative, get all involved. Just because you are the eldest female in the household, doesn't mean that you are the only one allowed to cook and feed the family. That too can be a family affair.

Queenmunchy

Cabot cheese is lactose free - FYI!

47Jacqueline

okeefester3 wrote: »

... I'm killing myself slowly trying to keep everyone happy.

Your last statement is your problem. Stop doing that. No one else will die if you don't make them happy.

eugenia94102

The only people who go hungry are people who don't have what to eat.

okeefester3

Wow just made it back here and didn't expect to see so many replies! Thank you everyone, I love the idea of "2 meals everyone likes".

We also have the challenge of endless sports and school events that run into the late evening but this I'm used to dealing with.

Thanks again, I really needed to vent and know that I'm not the only one out there dealing with these challenges.

middlehaitch

dutchandkiwi wrote: »

Once we reached the age of 12, my mother told my brother and me that one day a week they were the cook of the household. It meant that one day a week we were responsible for the meal planning of that day. As we generally shopped once a week we 'shopped' in the fridge. She and dad would always be there to ask the questions on how to.
It gave my mother 3-4 days a week off at least (dad also was the cook 1-2 days a week) so feeding the family was less overwhelming for her, as she, like my dad, worked full time. Added bonus we the children learned to cook, shop, plan, clean and appreciated the difficulties of feeding a family with different tastes more.

I am delighted that my brother has adopted the same approach with my nephews. 14 and 18 now and both can plan and cook a decent meal, clean up afterward.

So be ceative, get all involved. Just because you are the eldest female in the household, doesn't mean that you are the only one allowed to cook and feed the family. That too can be a family affair.

This, so much this. ^^^^^

I was a single parent and my son from the moment he could reach the sink on a stool helped with food prep, then, as he got older, planning and cooking meals.

As an adult away at college, he was self sufficient and not reliant on fast food.
Now as a husband and father he cooks and shops 50% of the time.

I find a lot, not all, of the younger posters on MFP have problems with food because they never learnt.

Give yourself a break and get the whole family involved in menu planning, food prep, and cooking the evening meal.
They may hate it to begin with, none of us like change, but they will thank you later.

Cheers, h.