Dinner Disaster!

LilBrat71

Hi Everyone!

Ok... I take full responsibility for my family and their picky eating habits. Now... they are not unhealthy eaters, just picky eaters. The problem? I am too! None of us like the same thing so I have basically spent my entire adult life cooking 4 different meals for dinner. Ok... so, maybe 3 different meals and I would just grab something quick and easy (not the healhiest choice).

Dinner time is probably the hardest thing about this lifestyle change for me and I'm hoping someone can offer some suggestions. I have no problem making their meals but for me to have to count out portions and weigh meat before I cook it for everyone and then cook mine with butter spray instead of smart balance, etc... it's very time consuming. Especially considering that I'm usually starting out making 3 different meals to begin with.

Has anyone else been confronted with a similar issue? What do you suggest I do to make it a little more efficient? As of now, I just feel like not even bothering with monitoring portions and just hope I'm within my calorie goal

Thanks in advance for your suggestions and have a Happy, Healthy, Energetic Friday!

melaniecheeks

What ages are they?

I have a similar situation with my fiance and my daughter, but I've persuaded them both to at least try different things. We also work on coming up with a dozen or so standard meals that we know we all like, and can be tweaked pretty easily, for instance burritos, where people just add the fillings they like. Or a sort of tapas supper with a variety of small dishes to choose from.

LilBrat71

Hi!
Thank you for your reply. My girls are 17 and 15 - very well set in their ways
I like your idea of taking the time to sit down and come up with some meals together. And.... I LOVE burritos!
Thank you so much for your suggestions. I will implement both of them for sure!

capricorn144

I think that would make anyone a little crazy at dinner time that was cooking the meal!

How about they each get a day to cook. That way you are teaching them to be good cooks and meal planners and everyone takes a turn at the job?
That is one way to get everyone on board with "let's choose ONE meal for tonight"

I have noticed that not a lot of teens and young adults I come in contact with cook. They do lots of take out and fast food.
This would be a great time to start your girls on the road to being good cooks.

randa_behnam

wow i dont know how you can make all these differnt meals each day! iv always been brought up to eat what ever has been made for me and everyone else. my mother wouldnt accept fussy eaters. and she knew that if we didnt eat it, then we didnt eat! haha

i think i have carried that trait on with my partner, he used to be the fussiest eater ever, but i know that if he doesnt want what iv cooked, then he goes without and pretty soon he got sick of gorging on crappy foods (cos hes not one for cooking) so he started eating the same foods as me and now its not even a problem anymore. although im not mean and i dont make him eat the foods that he really hates like courgettes or fish with bones. But i will get there...

LilBrat71

Hiya!

I have become so used to it that it doesn't really phase me. Well, it didn't phase me until I started counting calories!

I was also brought up to eat what was put in front of me or don't eat at all I'm not sure how the restaurant theme became everpresent in my household but no one is to blame but me

The girls have actually expressed a bit of interest in cooking so that is a wonderful idea! I know it will take time in the beginning to teach them but in the longrun, it will definitely pay off. Unless ofcourse, they turn 18 (right around the corner) and take their wonderful cooking skills elsewhere!

Thank you so very much for the suggestions and have a great weekend!!!

melaniecheeks

Definitely, get them interested in cooking themselves, but take it one step at a time. I aim for one night a week which is "cookery class" night, but that's a best case scenario, lol! Daughter (17) has just discovered the joys of humous and carrot sticks for school break -time snack so I thought we'd experiment making our own - she loves the lemon and coriander version so we'll have fun working on that.

mkennedym

15 and 17? tell them to make their own meals and take care of yourself.

melaniecheeks

I'll try to think of more "make your own from this selection" dinners we have - sandwiches where they can choose their own fillings? We often have "soup-and-toastie" night where everyone can choose the filling for their toasted sandwich. Or baked potatoes with a selection of toppings - grated cheese, sour cream and chive, crispy bacon, prawn mayo, leftover curry...

LilBrat71

Melaniecheeks... you are so sweet for giving me such wonderful suggestions. Not only are they fast and easy but they sound yummy!!

Mkennedym... thank you for your post. You are absolutely right.

Have a great day!!

scarletleavy

I would definitely get them involved in cooking. My parents started having me help to cook when I was 15 or 16 and I am so thankful. My dad went to culinary school just because he loved to cook, not a career move or anything, so he really passed on his love of cooking to me. I really think it's one of the best gifts you can give your children. When I was in college I couldn't believe how many kids who were 21 and 22 years old who didn't know even basics of cooking: how to make pasta, knowing when a meat is done or raw, etc. It was so surprising.

What works for me at the moment is to prepare a main protein and some vegetables or something healthy on the side and then allow everyone to add their own sides, toppings, etc. Could do sandwiches, pasta, etc. I would start with the healthy basis of what you want to eat and let the others change it for their taste. You could also start to replace unhealthier fillings with more healthy things: replace some of the meat in lasagna or sloppy joes with lentils, sweet potatoes for normal potatoes, homemade pestos (so easy to make, especially if you have a food processor) for canned pasta sauces, whole grain pasta for normal pasta (could even do 50/50 mixes).

Good luck!