Preparing Meals/Picky Family

jkern9110

Good Morning All!!! My question today revolves around preparing meals for me and my boyfriend.

Preface: My bf is not a big guy, but could benefit from a 5-10 pound weight loss. He claims he wants to loose the weight, but is not committed to doing the things necessary to accomplish such a goal. I want to help him to eat better. We have always been an "eat out" couple. We have cut back substantially since I had my surgery, but it still happens more than I would like. I want to entice him to eat at home more, but the "healthy" meals just aren't revving his engine. The bf loves meat and carbs and starches! I always call him a carbo-terrian. He is somewhat picky...won't eat fish of any kind or beans of any kind. He will force down some vegetables, but only after I bicker. He loves pasta, rice, potatoes, cheese and MEAT!

Help Needed: I need help with recipes that I can make that are good for both of us and appeal to his limited pallet. Please let me know of any breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes that you've prepared that fit into your health guidelines and appeal to picky family members?!

DJRonnieLINY

First up; I'm a guy, been married 22 years, love meat and was an absolute carbaholic pre surgery. So I think I may be able to offer some insight.

Do not try to change him because you made a wonderful change for yourself (great picture BTW). Regardless of how well you are doing if he feels you are putting him on a diet he will push back. That's just how we roll. His desire to change must come from within. If you are the primary cook (not saying you should be) and you don't make what he likes he will simply eat out more when you are not around. Cutting back on carbs in the house will not stop him from craving them, finding them and most likely gaining more weight. Spoken from experience.

I suggest giving him more protein to fill him up and finding what his favorite, least bicker indcucing veggie is and make that as a side dish. Try a green veggie sauted with oilive oil, garlic and onions for him (steamed for you). Make a baked potato instead of fries or mashed. Make it a sweet potato for you. It's really easy to overload mashed or fries but with baked you have to see HOW MANY potatoes you are eating. Eggs & Bacon for breakfast. You need the protein as well,

The best way to get him on the health program is to model it. Keep working hard and he will notice. At some point he will look at you and say to himself "I need to get in shape or she will get turned off". My lovely wife saw me shredding weight and proclaimed "I am NOT going to be the fat one in this relationship!" and has lost over 50 pounds eating healthy and exercising. We are both now lighter than our wedding day and enjoying the benefits.

JxAAA

I am going to echo the above. The change has to come from him and he has to make the first move to eat healthy. Right before I had my surgery my husband started using MFP and sort of watching his calorie intake. He still loves his pizza, pasta and carbs but he has cut down a bit on his own. As far as cooking goes what I did start doing was filling him and my daughter up with more lean proteins, veggies and the portions of rice and pasta were cut down by half. They didn't even notice. He ended up losing 20lbs but that was really on him for watching what he was eating and being diligent with MFP. Sometimes he still craves some junk and I'll cook it for him the key is eating healthy without feeling deprived.

I know before I had surgery I would not have taken him nitpicking my eating choices very well and would have grown resentful and that would have driven me to eat more when he wasn't around so I didnt have to hear him critique me. I think most people may get defensive about it. When he's ready he'll commit.

jkern9110

Great advice! I'm definitely not looking to change him and I don't want him to feel pressured. My goal is to find healthy recipes that appeal to his pallet and that he won't immediately think are "diet" foods.

He is usually good with the protein that I cook. Sides are the main issue. I found some recipes on skinnytaste.com that I think he may enjoy: Baked Zucchini Chips, Skinny Baked Mozzarella Sticks, Zucchini Pizza Bites, Bacon Wrapped Green Beans, and Twice Baked Super Stuffed Cheesy Potatoes.

JxAAA

Pinterest is great too. And when you do make him those high carb/fatty stuff he likes just make less of it.

Mangopickle

Watch the Farinata video at Food Wishes. Tastes like potato pizza flat bread. insanely delicious

Mangopickle

Here is a thought, while you are cooking lay out appetizers. Cubes of cheese and smoked meat 1 night. veggie sticks and yogurt dip or hummus another night. Pickles nuts and olives and marinated mushrooms another night. Edamame another. Completely portion control the side starch. Tangerine sized baked potato, only cook 1/2 cup of dried whole grain pasta and put minced veggie in the sauce. Zucchini bread. Corn muffins with minced bell pepper. If he eats salad or any raw veg at all use it 3 days a wk. jello has some amazing veggie salad recipes-I had a jello dish once that had shredded carrots raisin and pecans in it. Will he eat slaw or carrot salad? Frozen Sugar snap peas thawed are an easy entrance into veggies because they are so sweet. Green giant cauliflower in cheese sauce or broccoli casserole with rice,cheese sauce topped with breadcrumbs are the next baby steps I suggest. What about green bean casserole?

Latse

I sneak the veg into some of our meals cuz hubby and daughter are not big on them. I replaced tator tots with zucchini tots (recipe on pinterest). I got one of those cool spiral veggie cutters and make "pasta" with it. Anything with ground meat in it has a mixture of veg that has gone through the food processer in it. I have started to replace white flour items with almond meal or coconut flour alternitives. A lot of the time I don't even make a starch, just roasted veg (brussel sprouts and asparugus are my fav) and a protein, if they want more there is always mixed greens in the frig or I make smoothies for dessert (healthy ones of course)