The House of Different Diets

samspam1023

The background: My husband has had great success with keto (down 25 lbs so far), but I'm struggling with my own diet in the process. I don't want to go keto myself because I'm a distance runner. But logging my meals for the last two weeks, I'm eating around 40% fat. I gained 10 lbs last half-marathon season and didn't make the speed gains I hoped for. I'd like my macros to be around 40/30/30 for the off-season but I'm struggling to incorporate low-fat proteins. We also have a small child and I want to make sure he's eating a healthy variety of foods too.

The question: has anyone had success managing two separate diets in a household? Did you find it to be very expensive (it has been for us to buy smaller quantities and different types of food for each of us). Any advice?

NovusDies

This is going to be an over-simplification but your husband can sit down to dinner with a bottle of olive oil and a block of cheese. You can add rice or potatoes to whatever you are eating and what your child is eating.

My wife and I do not eat the same food most of the time. I cook my own. She definitely does not want to eat as much fish as I eat and I really do not want to be eating as much chicken breast as she eats.

katermari

i myself am a pescatarian and my husband eats everything. i do understand how tough it can be.

erjones11

There are four of us in our household and we all have different dietary requirements.

My oldest son is a vegetarian and we all partake in that some times but the rest of us do eat meat as well.

My wife will no eat any fish, eggs or pork because she doesn't want to. But she will eat way more vegetables and other things then our oldest.

My youngest son will eat anything, except what our oldest eats!

As for me I monitor my macros and calories very carefully.

Some nights our kitchen is like a restaurant in that everyone gets a different plated meal. Most of the time I cook for myself and my wife cooks for everyone else, though occasionally the boys also prepare their own meals. I will cook for others if they want what I am eating, rarely.

Some nights we cook together each preparing different dishes that are shared for those who want to eat them.

Friday nights we always eat as a family and mostly eat whatever she prepares (she always includes a vegetarian option), often I will make a side vegetable dish or prepare something if it supports what she has in mind. Desert and baking are among my specialties so I often make Friday's desert choice and rarely eat it. Generally speaking Friday I eat whatever she prepares and do the best I can to measure and log it.

To answer OP's question our approach is probably expensive as we all shop together each selecting our own stuff except the total omnivore youngest, who steals everyone else's food. But we don't care too much about the expense as it is what works for us.

rainbow198

Hubby and I eat *completely* different. I don't eat meat, don't snack and rarely drink calories. He eats all of the meats, snack throughout the day and drink sodas and juice.

It's not so bad however and we respect each others choices. It took some adjusting earlier on however.

For example when I cook I make meatless options for myself.

With pasta I will keep a portion for myself and make the rest with meat - tacos are made with rice, beans and veggies for me and meat for him. With veggie stir-fry I'll add whatever meat he wants to his portion. When we go out for pizza every Friday night he eats all of the meat toppings on my side of the pizza or we'll get half meat/half veggie.

My portion of the grocery bill is so much less expensive, but he pays for everything. We make it work.

kshama2001

samspam1023 wrote: »

The background: My husband has had great success with keto (down 25 lbs so far), but I'm struggling with my own diet in the process. I don't want to go keto myself because I'm a distance runner. But logging my meals for the last two weeks, I'm eating around 40% fat. I gained 10 lbs last half-marathon season and didn't make the speed gains I hoped for. I'd like my macros to be around 40/30/30 for the off-season but I'm struggling to incorporate low-fat proteins. We also have a small child and I want to make sure he's eating a healthy variety of foods too.

The question: has anyone had success managing two separate diets in a household? Did you find it to be very expensive (it has been for us to buy smaller quantities and different types of food for each of us). Any advice?

Seems like your husband can have a lower fat protein and low carb veg and add some fat (cheese, etc.) and you and your child could eat the same protein and veg and add starches (?)

kshama2001

Also, sometimes the meals my OH and I share look very dissimilar. For instance, he will have a giant burger and bun, while I will have a 4 oz burger with a giant salad and a handful of tortilla chips. I make my salad and get out his condiments; he grills and takes care of his burger.

When we have steak, he has potato salad and green salad; I make Thai beef salad for me.

In general, I have proportionally more protein and veggies; he has more carbs.

stephie_nyc

My partner is pescatarian and it can be a struggle. Would it be very difficult for you to cook two different proteins with whatever sides you are having for dinner? Lean meat for you and something with more fat for him. Then you can decide which protein the kids will have. I get it though. I rarely make my boyfriend and I separate proteins. I control our calorie differences with our sides dishes and carbs.

33gail33

I am pescatarian and my husband eats everything, I make a LOT of vegan meals. He eats whatever I make him for dinner - and packs his own lunch. We eat out a couple of times a week. He doesnt need to eat meat at every single meal so it works for us that he generally eats it at restaurants or lunch. Unless you are eating every single meal together it's probably workable to eat one common meal a day that suits everyone.

katsheare

What are your usual sources of protein? I'm assuming that's a slightly separate issue to the different diets thing?

Caveat: I am no expert and (occasionally do struggle with getting my full MFP-recommended amount of protein in a day), but for me fish (we do include some oily fish for the healthy Omegas but also non-oily fish, do that about 2 - 3 nights a week), eggs, beans and legumes (because you can sneak lentils into ANYTHING!!) all help top up my protein without going too fat crazy. We also do a lot of cooking without fats, or with very little (heart health there as well) and steamed fish works a treat. We don't cook red meat, pork or poultry at home (my partner doesn't eat them and I don't like cooking meat) so barring the occasional meaty meal out that's us.

I will also say that our small person - who has many texture issues with food - loves beans and legumes. I know sometimes parents are warned about introducing them too soon, but I've not found digestive issues for him with them.

I also love Quark - it's a more intense, high-protein yogurt-type thing. I use that instead of yogurt, sour cream, toppings on puds....

Just taking a really swift look at some of your recent diary entries, be aware that processed meats and cheese are both going to have a fat (and sodium, if you're tracking that as well) impact, as well as their protein element. Not that you have to stay away from them, just be aware that that's where some of those macros are coming from.

acpgee

Here are some recipes that are essentially meat/oil with veg where I don't miss the optional carbs. But make the accompanying carbs for the rest of the family.

optional addition of rice with Thai nam prik ong and Cambodian beef lok lak, both are meat with veg
https://importfood.com/recipes/recipe/201-spicy-pork-and-tomato-dip-with-veggies-nam-prik-ong
https://refugeekitchen.com/2014/04/04/khmer-lok-lak/

Italian bagna cauda and provencal grande alioli are essentially fat with veg. Keto family member can skip the bread in bagna cauda and the new potatoes in grande alioli. The bagna cauda recipe below is an appetizer. In a traditional Piedmont meal, you would scramble eggs in the last of the sauce for extra protein.
https://umamigirl.com/bagna-cauda-crudites-appetizer/
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grand-aioli

These are salads which serve as mains where the keto family member can skip the potato.
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/gado-gado-salad
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/apr/18/pierre-koffmann-recipe-for-salade-nicoise-with-seared-tuna