Do you make your meals separate from the rest of the family?

Icandoityayme

Usually we eat the same dinner but at breakfast I usually have two over easy eggs cooked in pam with a piece of dry toast and he has 2 ham, egg and cheese on toast for breakfast sandwiches. He is usually gone at lunch so that is good for me. Dinner, we compromise on things. Sometimes I adjust a few things for myself but all in all, I ask what he wants for dinner early in the day so I can work that into my calories and to see what I can do for lunch.

NaurielR

I find it works to make a very basic meal, but make it customizable so everyone gets what they want. For example, I may cook up some taco meat, but put all the condiments in separate bowls. That way my brother can load up his taco with sour cream and cheese, while I can top mine with lettuce and salsa. Or, when I make meat balls, I keep them separate from the pasta. That way I can choose how much pasta I want. There may be a little more prep work, but I find this way makes everyone happy.

kristydi

I make one meal. I am not going to make 3 different meals all at once. I'm not that organized, nor am I willing to add that extra stress to my life. I will be happy to leave the sauce off my daughter's food or put a little extra spice on my husband's, but everybody gets the same basic meal.

Lorleee

We eat the same things, it's just that I'll have a smaller portion (like a cup of stew for me, a giant mound of it for my husband, lol). Or I'll have just chicken and veggies and he'll have a potato on his plate as well. Or his salmon will be doused in sauce while mine is plain, etc. It works for us. Breakfasts and lunches we are each on our own anyway.

amcook4

GiveMeCoffee wrote: »

No. I make one meal for myself and my husband, I just eat less of it than he does. I don't eat diet food, and would not subject my husband or myself to that.

If it's a meal you are making either log the ingredients or create a recipe in the recipe builder.

Same here. No "diet" food in our home, just good healthy food we both enjoy. Put the entire dish into the recipe builder, then portion it out, can easily be done by weight. I still know exactly what I'm eating, without making multiple meals.

KeysGirl23

I don't, but then again I do not have kids. If I make a meal it's the things that I can eat a lot of without all the calories that are healthy. I make enough for the husband and if he eats it, great. If not, he fends for himself & I have left overs. If he makes a meal which is never healthy, I decide if it's something I want to use my allotted calorie intake on. If not, I fend for myself and he has left overs. Win/Win.

nessab70

No we all eat the same, I dont run a restaurant and all I am doing by cooking the same meal for everyone is making sure they eat healthy to

enterdanger

I usually only make 1 meal, but occasionally I get tired of dumbing down my food for the kids so sometimes I'll give them a 2nd option. Like tonight I'm making shrimp & grits from the skinnytaste cookbook. The kids will eat grits and chicken nuggets since they are 3 and 1 and don't care for shrimp yet.

mom2mcjc

The whole family is on the same bandwagon as me. They can eat a little more if they want to, but nothing different. I have a hubby and two teens, fwiw.

I've tried making separate meals; it's too time consuming, creates too many dishes, and the temptation to cheat (or feel irritated because you can't eat what they're eating) is too great.

50sFit

For sure!
I need to let my kids be kids and enjoy their occasional junk foods as well as fun meals. I have 5, and though each kid is in peak physical condition, I cut them more slack with food than myself.
Also, my eating schedule is much different.

k8blujay2

Nope.



We alternate between comfort foods that everyone likes and healthier meals that I want to try and I just try to make it all fit into my calorie goals.

tigerblue

gypsy_spirit wrote: »

No. I make one meal for myself and my husband, I just eat less of it than he does. I don't eat diet food, and would not subject my husband or myself to that.

If it's a meal you are making either log the ingredients or create a recipe in the recipe builder.

Good advice. Start today and learn to eat appropriately for your goals/macros while eating the food you plan to eat forever. This does not have to be hard or a punishment. It can't be if you expect to do it for the rest of your life.

Definitely this! When I started this journey 5 years ago, my sons were 11 and 8. I vowed that what I was doing would not affect my family negatively. I also knew from prior experience that relying on "special" foods may work, but as soon as you go back to eating "normally", the weight flies back on, and then some!

So I used a combination of methods to meet my calorie goals. I made it a point to cook healthier meals most of the time for all of us, and I also used portion control.

Because I know I want to eat a "normal" meal with my family each night, I also make sure that I eat moderately during the rest of the day, so I will have enough calories left for dinner.

The end result:

I lost my weight and I am maintaining. (Also working on body recomp). My husband got on board and has lost some weight and now exercises regularly and watches what he eats. My sons are learning healthy habits, and are learning to like healthier foods. (Now, since they are growing, very active competitive swimmers who are now bigger than their dad and I, they do have to "supplement" with plenty of snacks! I try to steer them toward healthy ones when I can, but that is always a challenge! They can eat constantly and gain only muscle! Remember hearing what Michael phelps eats??)

Bottom line, create your deficit using foods that you will continue to eat for the rest of your life. You won't feel as deprived, and it will work long term!

Aine8046

I think my loved ones are spoiled, but I probably could've get away with one dish if I wanted, but I think I just love cooking. It relaxes me, and I forget about all my stressful work... After a long day of making decisions and being in charge of everything I can finally just be a woman taking care of my family

dukesangel

Nope. I make one meal for the entire family. We all eat it. Last night we had chicken broccoli casserole. Tonight is pulled pork. Tomm is enchiladas. I just serve with a higher proportion of veggies with mine so I eat less of the main. So with the enchiladas I'll eat more beans. With the pulled pork I'll eat half a sandwich and a huge portion of steamed broccoli.

Screw it, I love broccoli casserole lol But I can take 8oz of chicken and make it into 6 servings. No cheese added and its delicious.

raelynnsmama52512

Nope. I plan our meals out from one payday to another, which is usually 2 weeks, and my husband knows what's for dinner and if he doesn't like it he makes himself something else, plus he gets 2 days per week where he's in charge of dinner while I'm in school. Pretty much the only person who gets a special meal is my daughter because of her severe sensory issues. Yes, I am aware that I sound like a mean wife, but I'm really not.

segacs

I live by myself, so yep, I do my own cooking.

I do often eat out at friends' or relatives' houses, though. It's tricky, but I'm learning slowly how to guesstimate portions even when I wasn't the one who cooked the food.