Cooking for me and my non dieting family

erinandej

How do I make my meals along with my family? They shouldn't be punished for my unhealthy relationship with food. My kids don't eat things like veggie frittatas or hummus and carrots. They are chips and dip, meat and potatoes people. They just know when to quit (unlike myself). So do you make a separate meal? It would be hard to eat a salad when everyone else is having homemade macaroni and cheese with bread....

sunburntgalaxy

Well, when I was growing up we did have nights where we all had something different (usually a steak for dad, something diet for mom and something simple for me or something I made because even as a kid I liked to cook) but you could try finding healthy recipes that are also family friendly. I learned on another post about skinnytaste.com and they have a lot of great sounding recipes (tried 2 so far, both great) that I think the whole family would like and that, while being healthy, don't taste like diet food. I am sure there are other healthy sites like that too - take a look in the recipes thread here and they will probably have some things that will work too (that is where I got the link to skinnytaste too.)

VelveteenArabian

Have a properly sized portion.

markrichtsspraytan

What about finding a healthy mac and cheese/lasagna/whatever recipe everyone likes to eat? Or if you make something that is high calorie, you can have a salad with lean protein as you main dish while having a little of the "unhealthy" dish as a side in a small portion that will let you stick to your calorie limit.

RenaTX

Two thoughts. First it wouldn't hurt if your children learned to eat vegetables and second you should eat the same thing as your family just less of it or keep tabs on the calorie count.

The problem I see is your are looking at this as a "diet" rather than a lifestyle if you treat this as a diet you may quit because you feel restricted. If you don't quit and you lose the weight then go back to the lifestyle and habits you had before you may just gain it back.

999tigger

What the horse said. portion control.
Its not going to be a bad thing if you do have more fruit and veg though. Its not punishing them.

Amanda4change

I cook for 6 every day (hubby, four kids and myself). No one else in the house is on a "diet" however I do use lower calorie recipes, the biggest thing that I changed was I portion out my plate before putting everything on the table for everyone else (this allows me to weigh my portions as well). I also do little things, I buy leaner meats for everyone, for some meals I use part of what they are eating. Like the other day I made Chicken Marsala with pasta for the family. Before I added the sauce to the chicken I took my portion of chicken out of the pan and put it on my plate, to keep the calories from adding up from the sauce I put 1 tablespoon of sauce on my chicken instead of cooking it in it. Tonight's dinner is going to be Chicken Fajitas for the family, instead of doing mine on a tortilla, The chicken Fajita mix will be on a mixed green salad instead. Just from the two flour tortillas this is a calorie savings of 280 calories. If you are good about portion control (and can keep from going back for seconds) try having a half or a quarter portion of the higher calorie food they are eating (DO NOT tempt yourself if you can't stop going for seconds though). There are many many low calorie recipes out there for almost any food. You could go and do frozen low calorie dinners ( I know there are many of them out there, though I avoid processed foods) if you can't find a way to make one dinner work for all of you.

Cortneyrenee04

Veggies are not punishment...

Shalva

my 6' tall 175 lb husband eats what I eat and cook. While he might eat more and eat full fat salad dressing, real butter etc, it doesn't hurt for him to eat healthier either. Often he will have desert where I won't...

If you are eating healthy it wouldn't hurt for your family to do the same... this is not to say that occasionally there might be times wherey ou eat differently like tonight he had french toast and egg and I passed on the french toast, but as a whole it is about eating healthy and it doesn't hurt for your family to do that.

I do what the above poster does and portion out what I am eating first ....

erinandej

All great ideas! The kids do eat veggies, I guess I was being slightly sarcastic.... and I do look at it as a diet, I have been down this road sooo many times!! I think I have to eat soup and more soup and eventually I say screw it and eat the whole cake. Then cry the next day and start all over (Always a Monday) (hmmm, and it's Sunday and I'm ranting!).... I need accountability. That's where you all come in...

sewedo1

The more opportunities the whole family has to taste natura/lower caloriel foods, the sooner everyone will be healthy and will actually enjoy the taste of the new foods. Try preparing lots of vegetables as side dishes with a littel olive oil and lots of the spices you love (garlic, red pepper flakes, onion, lemon-pepper, cinnamon...whatever. If they love fried chicken, then try a low calorie 'crust" and oven-fry it. Smaller portions of the high calorie foods served on the side. If your family sees how much you enjoy, they'll wan to eat the good stuff you're eating, too. Try low fat salad dressings/dips/olive oil and spices with veggies and a few chips and then fade out the chips. I now prefer my veggies raw. You all may surpised at how good other foods taste.

PrizePopple

I do the shopping and I do the cooking. My kids eat what I make. Then again, I didn't make such drastic changes that I refer to meals as "punishment" for anyone. I'm not catering to one side of the spectrum or the other in my house. Friday night I made frittata with turkey breakfast sausage and red bell pepper. My youngest was not amused by the bell pepper, but she ate it. If I'm making something that I really need to portion control I'll make extra veggies so I have that available.

Firefly0606

The best thing about using MFP is that you can eat anything. No foods are off limits.

I thought cooking for me and cooking for my family would be an issue when I started this. It's not - simply because I am cooking exactly what I was cooking before. The change has been in the portion size. I weigh / measure my food now.

I used to serve dinner for myself and hubby on large dinner plates, and the kids on side plates. By weighing and measuring, I now serve hubby's on the dinner plate, and I get out side plates for the kids and myself. Because what I am weighing / measuring for myself doesn't need a huge plate - portion control.

Give yourself time to adjust to this. Counting calories seems like a pain at first, but only after a few weeks it will be the teacher and you will learn a lot. Be patient.

Kalikel

OMG, I don't know. That would suck, having to prepare it, serve it and watch them eat it!

I have no help. Just popped in to empathize.

I know everyone is saying "Just eat small portions!", but if you're changing to healthier eating and/or if you want to eat bigger portions (who wants to be hungry?), that won't work.

Good luck.

shardown

I'd usually just include a big bowl of veggies for myself and a small portion of whatever I've made for my husband so that way I get fuller and less tempted to go for seconds.

Also skinnytaste.com has some really good healthy recipes that my husband now loves and it gives me good ideas on how to replace the kind of food we eat. I make turkey lasagna with only one layer of a pasta sheet and two of eggplant and zucchini instead of the normal beef with a tonne of layers of pasta. He likes how light it tastes and I get to eat lasagna!

chadya07

easy.

i make food. normal food. steak and potatoes for example.

i get one steak, a decent sized one. i cut off a portion for me that is 2-3 oz, and eat more veggies and less meat. i eat some potatoes...

there is no reason you have to eat diet food either. you just need to proportion your meals and portion your meals.

however, i dont think it is punishing your family to make healthy meals. maybe not diet meals but healthy meals. its not punishment to eat healthy.

erinandej

I do have a hearty appetite

carolinaem

For the most part, my kids and husband eat what I cook. Healthy meals are good for everyone in the family. My children are expanding their palate and learning to enjoy healthier items. Honestly, I wouldn't cook anything different for them.

mitch16

I eat what the family is eating, just a smaller portion of the calorie-rich items and a bigger serving of vegetables.

Taco Tuesday? The boys have tacos, I have a big taco salad with a lot of lettuce and tomato and a small bit of meat and cheese.

Mac and cheese? I take a reasonable size portion (to fit in my calorie allotment) and a heaping portion of green beans.

Portion control is key.

One of my biggest downfalls is working up an appetite while I'm cooking. A taste of this, a taste of that--it all adds up. I try to have a bit cup of green tea (hot or cold) beforehand to fill up my stomach a bit...

independant2406

I don't have kids yet but here's what has worked for me and my non-dieting hubby.

Him - Chinese for dinner (high calorie kind out of the freezer aisle mixed with rice and whatever sugary sauce he wants)
Me - lots of steamed veggies some grilled chicken w/ measured soy sauce - and one tasty bite stolen from his plate ;-)

Him - Pizza (large with all the toppings, cheese sauce, soda etc.)
Me - Salad, grilled chicken and measured dressing. 1/2 slice of pizza

I've found its super helpful to have a George Foreman grill. As soon as I know my husband is making (or ordering) something that is going to be hard to resist I throw on some lean protein (usually chicken, a pork chop or a steak) and as much veggies as I can stand. Most meat even frozen cooks in less than 10 mins...and this stops me from having the excuse "its too much work to cook a second meal" These healthy foods make up the majority of my meal and then at the end I'll have a bite or two of whatever he's eating..keeps me from feeling deprived and doesn't kill my calorie counting.

It really helps to have a meal plan each week using meals that are easy to drop 1-2 ingredients that pack the most calories

When he has beef soft tacos - I have a chicken taco salad and just cut back on the heavier calorie ingredients (cheese/sour cream, no tortilla etc.). I still have all the flavor and most/all the ingredients but I measure out each one and log it on MFP.

So far its working. Its tough when there are foods in the house that are just so easy to grab and overeat. It is possible though with lots of planning and fortitude to still lose weight!

Archerychickge

I have lost almost 75 pounds by eating the same exact foods that my family eats. I did start tweeking their foods a little with healthier options, more veggie options, lower fat, lower carb, etc, and I did it gradually so they really didn't notice that much. Plus I made sure to make enough of everything that they could have seconds if they wanted. But I watched my portions very closely. If you make gradual changes, I bet you could even trun them on to some healthier foods.

Ultimately though, I told them I wasn't running a restaurant and they had two choices... 1. eat what I cooked, or 2. go hungry. It's amazing how fast they learned to eat healthier along with me.

shexy16

I think it's a good idea to encourage your kids to eat healthier like you are, instead of just letting them eat junk. A lot of times, the kids and husband don't notice when you change up meals to make them healthier, unless you tell them and their immediate reaction is "ew, gross, healthy, yuck". You can change recipes to be lower fat, lower calorie, and they won't notice. If they do, sorry, but you shouldn't be expected to make two separate meals. Ain't noboby got time for that!

nicolejo143

What other people have said is true, control your portions.

I try to make 1/2 of my dinner plate veggies, 1/4 of it a carb and the other 1/4 a protein. Having macaroni and cheese with bread is not going to be good for your diet. Its all carbs, too much carbs and your body converts it too sugar. I would try to make 1/4 plate of mac and cheese, add a protein and lots of veggies.

Fresh or frozen veggies can be sautéed or steamed in minutes. Salads can be tossed in seconds. Quinoa can be microwaved in a few minutes for a healthier carb alternative. They also make brown rice you can microwave in a minute. My family only eats white rice and not many vegetables so I have to make my own healthier stuff.

RodaRose

How do I make my meals along with my family? They shouldn't be punished for my unhealthy relationship with food. My kids don't eat things like veggie frittatas or hummus and carrots. They are chips and dip, meat and potatoes people. They just know when to quit (unlike myself). So do you make a separate meal? It would be hard to eat a salad when everyone else is having homemade macaroni and cheese with bread....

You and your family need to eat the same things.
Make meat and a potato for yourself. Leave off the butter and cream to save some calories.

helpimfalling

I go through a little of this with my husband, since he is a very picky eater. I look through healthy recipes and find things with ingredients he would like. Then I make a salad or veggies with it and fill my plate with a much smaller portion of the main and a big portion of the salad or veggies, while leaving off the veggies for him. You could make a game of trying new recipes and see what they like and don't like!

gotonenerveleft

Try to find the Taste of Home Diet Comfort Food cookbooks. The food is exactly like I was cooking before just lightened up. You can't tell the difference in taste. Meat and potatoes kind of meals. They have helped me so very very much.

Liftng4Lis

You make one meal that everyone eats, only you watch portion size.

ukaryote

erinandej said: I think I have to eat soup and more soup

Screw that. Set a realistic calorie deficit and enjoy smaller portions of the mac-and-cheese family chow,

Until I had better impulse control, I really depended on frozen vegetables to fill me up. Nuke a whole bag of mixed veggies, add a pat of butter. A pat or two of butter is not a deal breaker if I can avoid a double-portion of whatever it is that night. There are many combinations of frozen vegetables, something might appeal to you. Now i use frozen veggies for a quick lunch.

I've been trying stuff I never considered before. A sweet potato for breakfast (nuked in the micro) instead of a big bowl of cereal with milk. Treats are fresh strawberries or raspberries over yogurt or cottage cheese. Raspberries are costly but much nicer than a bag of chips. Curried vegetables ( MFP has a recipe for it right now), curried anything is better than plain. The other day I made London Broil, braised with a splash of red wine. I cut it into 1/4 lb portions and everyone had ONE piece because that is exactly the size I bought to enforce portion control. "What else is there, Dad?" "Well, there's a whole bowl of vegetables in the middle of the table."

Mayonnaise is not necessary for life. I mix tuna with dijon and horseradish for a big kick. Sliced egg sandwiches sprinkled with curry. If I must make a salad with mayo for them, I can reserve some of the main ingredient to create a variation for me.

We order pizza, they each have several slices, I have one slice - and a big bowl of nice greens with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (regular olive oil is bland), a sprinkle of oregano and pepper, and a dash of balsamic vinegar.

MysteriousDreamer

Making cooking and eating fun for them. Teach them what you wish you had known. If you make it boring, they won't want anything to do with it. It's all about portions of course.

RodaRose

Involve them in the planning, shopping, and cooking.
Buy cool gadgets for you kitchen.

hearthwood

Yes, kids can be unhealthy eaters, and really stubborn about eating healthier foods. But it's important to lead by example. Portion control your dinners for yourself, and always encourage them to try the vegetables. We all acquire tastes for certain foods, and the best time to do it is when they're young. More vegis on the table at dinner time.