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Different eaters

ksmommy5
ksmommy5 Posts: 142 Member
edited November 2024 in Recipes
This is where I am going to struggle. I have an extremely picky 6 year old and also have a vegetarian to feed dinners to. What kinds of things can i make to satisfy everyone without being a short order cook?

Replies

  • Clawsal
    Clawsal Posts: 255 Member
    Feed your 6 year old the same you will be eating, and let the vegetarian fend for themselves :D.

    I was a vegetarian for many years and my parents used to cook the meat separately from the veggies / carbs. I would eat the side dish + vegetarian version of whatever. So no crock pots or casseroles.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    edited January 2017
    Plan meals. If there are 3 of you let child suggest 2 dinners, vegetarian suggest 2-3 dinners and you fill in the rest of the week. Post it where everyone can see it. It is okay if everyone doesn't love dinner every night.
    Plan a main dish and side dishes. Like have meat with a pasta side dish the vegetarian likes.
    Plan meals that people can easily adjust to suit themselves like tacos, pasta with sauce on the side, individual pizzas instead of mixed casseroles.
    If someone doesn't like dinner you prepare then they can make themselves a sandwich or eat a bowl of cereal or heat up some leftovers.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    The six year old needs to learn to eat the meals that are prepared. Growing up, we didn't have a choice. We sat down to dinner, whatever my mom had prepared. Its not a punishment, it just helps develop good eating habits. You can do many vegetarian meal ideas that will appeal to most. I make pasta with vegetable-based sauces(you can even blend some veggies into spaghetti sauce) and serve with mushrooms and cheese. You can always make a meat on the side to add to a plant-based meal. Beans, lentils, quinoa, and peas also have protein. Try Allrecipes.com they have lost of vegetarian recipes.
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    Plan meals. If there are 3 of you let child suggest 2 dinners, vegetarian suggest 2-3 dinners and you fill in the rest of the week. Post it where everyone can see it. It is okay if everyone doesn't love dinner every night.
    Plan a main dish and side dishes. Like have meat with a pasta side dish the vegetarian likes.
    Plan meals that people can easily adjust to suit themselves like tacos, pasta with sauce on the side, individual pizzas instead of mixed casseroles.
    If someone doesn't like dinner you prepare then they can make themselves a sandwich or eat a bowl of cereal or heat up some leftovers.

    Is the 6 year old working?

    I agree with Clawsal feed the 6 year old the same as you. The last thing you need is to start problems that can escalate into something bigger.
  • dklibert
    dklibert Posts: 1,196 Member
    You might try cooking a batch of ground beef or turkey or chicken and a batch of lentils each week. Then for dinner reheat some beef for you and 6 yr old and some lentils for vegetarian. It can be seasoned so many ways. Taco, marinara, sloppy joes, bbq, etc. It can probably be done in the microwave. Then the rest of the meal can be the same rice bowls, stuffed potatoes, pasta, sandwiches, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, pizzas, etc. Get your vegetarian to help. Good luck!
  • dklibert
    dklibert Posts: 1,196 Member
    Also I bet a store-bought rotisserie chicken and can beans would work in a pinch too.
  • demorelli
    demorelli Posts: 508 Member
    Build your own salad! Chop lettuce into bite size pieces, separately stack diced tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, cucumbers, whatever veggie options you have on hand. For protein, hard boil a couple eggs, dice some ham, shred or cube cheese, and have some kidney beans and nuts or seeds on hand. See what salad dressings are in your fridge and let the kids go through and fill their plates buffet style
  • demorelli
    demorelli Posts: 508 Member
    How old is your vegetarian?
  • ksmommy5
    ksmommy5 Posts: 142 Member
    demorelli wrote: »
    How old is your vegetarian?

    50 lol she said she's ok. We are working together to come up with ideas. I'm planning on making an overly large batch of veggie soup (no potato) for the both of us to graze on (me for lunch her for when it's meat night for dinners).
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    Clawsal wrote: »
    Feed your 6 year old the same you will be eating, and let the vegetarian fend for themselves :D.

    This. 6 year olds don't get an opinion about food.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member


    Mostly because I grew up in the south and hated collard greens, shrimp, crab (most seafood) and most of what my mom/grandma made and I was forced to eat it. As a result I instituted a one bite rule. No matter what I made the kids had to eat one bite even if I just made it the night before.

    When my son went vegan (in his teens) I accommodated him, sorta.

    I prepared whatever I was making for the rest of us but I would make a side that was vegan. After a few months of "how is he going to get enough protein" I started the whole family having one or two vegan nights, there was very little pushback from the rest of the family.

    Different diets for different family members doesn't mean you need to become a short order cook. Just means you have to get creative with main & side dishes:).
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