Primal meal planning for the whole family

Niki_Fitz

I'm looking for ideas and solidarity! Are you the only primal or paleo eater in your family or social group and are you in charge of feeding others?

I feed a family who eat grains and dairy; my husband and teenager live for ice cream, pizza and fries. I quietly did two Whole30s in the last year and have the meal planning down but I have to incorporate carb and dairy add-ins for them.

How does everyone else make it work? Ideas, meal plans, prep tips - thanks in advance!

madwells1

I am single, so I don't have to worry too much about things at home. When I am out socially, there are usually options -- I find that restaurants are pretty easy (farm to tables). Short of my last dinner party issue, I haven't had many issues.

What I DO know, is that if I don't prep my food on Sundays (which means, buy fresh vegetables and any other ingredients I may need throughout the week I am out of like raw nuts, eggs, or protein), and if I don't PLAN on what I am going to eat protein wise throughout the week (defrost and ready) I can easily slop back into 'I don't care what I put in my mouth because I am tired'.

Not an excuse....but after work, the gym, and 8:00 if there isn't anything nutritious and healthy for me ready to eat, I will put almost anything in my mouth.

With a family, I would suppose it may help to keep the protein main meal idea the same, as well as the vegetables, but change up the grains for yourself or skip them altogether and double your vegetables.

I am in love with my instant pot...that makes meals very quick and easy for me. For example two nights ago I made butternut squash soup with roasted maple glazed pork loin and it took a total of about 30 minutes. I had the soup going while the pork loin was in the oven, green beans in the microwave.

Prep...and planning!!

Niki_Fitz

@madwells1 - I agree with you on prep and planning and can't be reminded enough. Instant pot? It sounds amazing. I may have to look into buying one.

Niki_Fitz

I cooked up a couple of successful skillet meals in the last couple of days. I have a HUGE Lodge skillet and it's taken me some time to get used to but I love it!

Some recent successes: skillet garlic chicken with fresh tomatoes (added whole wheat pasta for the family) with greens on the side.

Lemon pepper tilapia with carmelized lemon slices (it was poor man's surf and turf for everyone else with a couple of cheeseburgers grilled up, not by me!) with steamed broccoli.

Chicken with salt and pepper with mushrooms. Cooked the mushrooms first in some ghee and they gave great flavor to the whole skillet.

Happy primal/paleo cooking everyone!

madwells1

Yes, the Lodge skillets take time to get used to. I totally still suck at using it!!!

The chicken and mushrooms sounds great!!!

mountainrun73

Yes, that is me! I have been off the primal wagon for a couple of months. When I do cook primal/paleo/low carb meals, I'll usually cook some rice for my husband who feels that as a long-distance cyclist he needs carbs. He just eats a ton of food. So I buy him peanuts (his favorite snack) and other non-primal stuff for him. It can sometimes be tempting for me.

Thanks for the recipe ideas!

HestiaMoon1

I've got a family of 3 carb lovers. I do things like make a side of pasta, Mac & cheese, brown rice, dal, quinoa, potatoes, or bake a baguette or ciabatta for them while the rest of the meal is Primal compliant. Tacos and burritos is a weekly event -- they wrap it, while I have it on greens. It's a bit of a dance, for sure. One thing they love is Coconut chicken with cauliflower "rice" I make in my big red Lodge casserole pot!

Niki_Fitz

mountainrun73 wrote: »

Yes, that is me! I have been off the primal wagon for a couple of months. When I do cook primal/paleo/low carb meals, I'll usually cook some rice for my husband who feels that as a long-distance cyclist he needs carbs. He just eats a ton of food. So I buy him peanuts (his favorite snack) and other non-primal stuff for him. It can sometimes be tempting for me.

Thanks for the recipe ideas!

Peanuts and rice, such a good idea. They go well with stir fry!

HestiaMoon1 wrote: »

I've got a family of 3 carb lovers. I do things like make a side of pasta, Mac & cheese, brown rice, dal, quinoa, potatoes, or bake a baguette or ciabatta for them while the rest of the meal is Primal compliant. Tacos and burritos is a weekly event -- they wrap it, while I have it on greens. It's a bit of a dance, for sure. One thing they love is Coconut chicken with cauliflower "rice" I make in my big red Lodge casserole pot!

Yes to burritos/tacos! I unfortunately am still tempted by tortillas and corn chips so this one can be hard for me. But it's so family friendly.

Niki_Fitz

This past week I marinated chicken in Italian spices and a plain vinegrette and grilled it for family friendly paleo. My family loves the taste of prepared dressings. I'm weaning them off Ken's Italian dressing.

Does anyone have favorite sauces or condiments that are kid friendly?

HestiaMoon1

That old adage of having them help, or at least watch, me make things has worked for us. Mayonnaise and blue cheese dressing are big ones.

madwells1

HestiaMoon1 wrote: »

That old adage of having them help, or at least watch, me make things has worked for us. Mayonnaise and blue cheese dressing are big ones.

Mayonnaise is fun to make because it's a science experience!

Caesar dressing is very easy to make too. I find that I can recreate most sauces with a little effort and my spice rack. This includes bbq sauces, ketchup, all kinds of dressings, and of course garlic aoli!!

I have found that since I started making and eating homemade stuff, the bottled stuff tastes terrible to me. I actually was looking at all the stuff in the dressing aisle the other day as I was thinking of being lazy, and almost every one on the shelf had MSG or sugar in it.