Family Friendly Dieting

PhionaKitty
PhionaKitty Posts: 3 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Although no one else in my household is on a "diet," I need some good family friendly ideas for food. I really hate having to make separate meals and I cant live on salads. My kids are 1, 2, 6, and 8 and my husband is a big "steak and potatoes" eater.

Replies

  • geneticsteacher
    geneticsteacher Posts: 623 Member
    My husband is underweight and I have a teenage son. I usually make just one meal and watch my portions with careful weighing. I will add extra butter and sauces to dh's bigger portions.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    We all eat the same meals, just different portion sizes. My husband eats more of the starchy side dishes. I eat more non-starchy vegetables. Probably eat equal amounts of meat. My daughter eats the same foods.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    Same as other posters said. I make us all the same meal and just eat smaller portions. And on occasion I will also add a small side salad to mine or a serving of frozen veggies. Saves on making separate meals and means I can still eat at a deficit.
  • stephaniej2888
    stephaniej2888 Posts: 93 Member
    My husband is the same way....big steak and potatoes kids do of guy. I only make one meal for everyone and just have smaller portions. Also I try and make a good veggie with every meal that way if my husband does want steak and a baked potatoes, he can have it, but I will steam some broccoli and coliflower to go with it and have steak and veggies and let him and the kids have the potatoes. I always put the good for me stuff on the plate first and then if I really want the stuff that's worse then there's only so much room and for a smaller portion of the bad lol
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    We all eat the same foods in my house particularly dinner and weekends. Weekdays are not a problem as these are "my calories" and everyone eats differently during they day as they are at work, school.

    So for cooking at home when we all eat together, I weigh it, I cook it and I portion mine out separately. You can still cook foods for the entire family to enjoy.. I having a steak and baked potato for dinner tonight, mind you my steak has been cut to a portion size that fits my calories..
  • tryett
    tryett Posts: 530 Member
    My sons eat the same things that I do. I sometimes add additional sides for them. Their portions are bigger but that's about it.
  • kiwitreelady
    kiwitreelady Posts: 12 Member
    I eat what the family eats. We've had conversations about eating healthier as a family. What helps in our house is to have input from everyone, even the 3-year-old, when I make our menu for the week. If they can tell me what they want, I can make it healthy and they'll still eat it.
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    Steak and potatoes are excellent foods to lose weight on.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    PhionaKitty wrote: »
    Although no one else in my household is on a "diet," I need some good family friendly ideas for food. I really hate having to make separate meals and I cant live on salads. My kids are 1, 2, 6, and 8 and my husband is a big "steak and potatoes" eater.

    There's nothing wrong with steak and potatoes...that's actually what I'm making tomorrow evening...grilled sirloin (it's pretty lean), baked potato, and probably roasted asparagus. In fact, most of our meals are some kind of grilled meat, poultry, or fish (we do eat a lot of fish), a starch or grain, and a veggie side.

    This is a pretty healthy way to eat...what's more important here is eating appropriate portions of food...my servings are bigger than my wife's servings because I'm a grown man and need more food.

    Pretty much if you're cooking at home using largely whole food ingredients or minimally processed ingredients, you're eating pretty healthy by default...it's usually portions that get people.
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
    We are a meat and potatoes family. Most dinners include meat, starch and vegetable.....and dessert!

    Over time, I have found that I can still eat the same things as I did before, just cut down portions or vary the preparation. I make swaps that are not noticeable, instead of slathering things in butter only (like vegetables) I will do a smaller amount of butter and increase or add spices. It provides flavor with less calories and you really don't miss it.

    Another thing that was a HUGE problem for me was mashed potatoes. I just cannot stop at a serving, so I swapped that out (only making them on special occasions) and started doing roasted potatoes. It is easier to determine the calories (at least for me) and I still get the potato.

    So, my suggestion is keep making the meals your people love and make little swaps or adjustments (they probably wont even notice) or reduce the serving for yourself. It is definitely doable.
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
    just echoing what everyone else says. I never make something different for myself UNLESS he wants fish cause i dont eat that. Last night we had breaded chicken, homemade mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and a veg. (hes a pro athlete so his jerk *kitten* gets to have a 6 pack and eat like a dinosaur) i ate a little of everything weighed to my needs.

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