So, I married an Italian

amatrey17

Oh my I don't have to worry about my in laws but my Italian husband instead!!! All he does is EAT and it doesn't help that he's a gym addict and works out 2-3 hours a day!!

CornellGirl

I'm an Italian-American and I can tell you that "American-Italian" food is not the food people in Italy eat..... I mean, how much fish do you actually see on a typical, affordable Italian restaurant in the US (...or even NY)? - at best it's salmon, mussels, some tuna dish, pasta fra diavolo. I also don't understand the obsession with Italian bread - it's so unhealthy for you!

pitbullmama

I grew up with Italians on one side and Jews on the other. I have no tips except to just keep saying no until they stop.

And keep in mind, while they're pushing that food at you, the second you gain an ounce, they're going to start telling you you're too fat. And then offer you a cookie. And insist you eat it.

LOL Sounds just like my Mother

vs1023

I grew up with Italians on one side and Jews on the other. I have no tips except to just keep saying no until they stop.

And keep in mind, while they're pushing that food at you, the second you gain an ounce, they're going to start telling you you're too fat. And then offer you a cookie. And insist you eat it.

OMG totally!!

Nerple

I grew up with Italians on one side and Jews on the other. I have no tips except to just keep saying no until they stop.

And keep in mind, while they're pushing that food at you, the second you gain an ounce, they're going to start telling you you're too fat. And then offer you a cookie. And insist you eat it.

The Italian side of my family is just the opposite.. They commend how good I look, then tell me I am too skinny and I shouldn't lose any more then instead off to reward me by baking me a cake, a few dozen cookies and lasagana.

Luckily I am one of my grandmother's favorites and am one of the very few people who can say no to her...even if it does take 6 or 7 times and being kind of rude to sink through.

JennyBB125

Ok Ive been dating an 100% Italian guy since I was 16, so 9 years now. We eat dinner there A LOT. I started dieting in the new year so when my boyfriends mom asked us over for dinner he had given her a heads up that I'm eating healthy. Every night is pasta night so she made wheat pasta and I served MYSELF a little ladel full. If she gave it to me she would fill it to the top. Also, she always makes tomato, onion, and cucumber salad and regular salad, I fill up on those. She will always say don't you want more and I just tell her no i had some and it was delicious but I'm full and dont want to waste it. Im also a fast eater so I grab food through the dinner instead of putting it all on my plate at once because it looks like I ate nothing. I make it last so it looks like I'm going back for more and not sitting there watching people eat. I have to say most of the food consists of greens like broccoli rabe and spinach and lean chicken made with olive oil and spices so its not bad. I would normall go back for seconds on the pasta because theres nothing like homemade italian sauce but I just say no thanks I can only have a little and eat other things on the table.

rml_16

I grew up with Italians on one side and Jews on the other. I have no tips except to just keep saying no until they stop.

And keep in mind, while they're pushing that food at you, the second you gain an ounce, they're going to start telling you you're too fat. And then offer you a cookie. And insist you eat it.

The Italian side of my family is just the opposite.. They commend how good I look, then tell me I am too skinny and I shouldn't lose any more then instead off to reward me by baking me a cake, a few dozen cookies and lasagana.

Luckily I am one of my grandmother's favorites and am one of the very few people who can say no to her...even if it does take 6 or 7 times and being kind of rude to sink through.

Are you at a healthy weight? I always was and never had this problem. But my mother and her sister have had weight issues their entire lives and this is what my grandmother did to them. She never commented on MY weight because I didn't have a weight problem.

My point was that they'll push the food and push the food and then if you DO gain, you get the, "You need to lose weight" speech, then immediately after an offer of more food.

cryspetstalerson

I saw the title and immediately thought " Oh **** she is screwed!" lol
I am italian and constantly want pasta....

mariodispenza

Marrying an Italian is NOT GOOD for my waistline. I was doing fab fab fab yesterday and then Grandma Casablanca called and asked us to go to a home-cooked dinner. Pounds of pasta and meatballs later, I obliterated my goals for the day -- and not in a good way!

Any tips for portion control when your grandmother-in-law is insisting you eat more?

you should push for a trip to Italy....I am sure you will see how different, and healthy, real Italian food is. You're talking about American food, like every ethnic based food, Americans amp it up.

I haven't been to Italy, but would appreciate it if you would try to fit me into your luggage.

Well, I have been to Italy a number of times (note that my names end in vowels). I've also been to France and Sicily. All Mediterranean cultures have fantiastic food. But, there are three things that the Italians who came to the U.S. lost as the generations Americanized. First, vegetables are a huge part of the Mediterranean diet and while pasta is indeed eaten almost every day by everyone in Italy, it is more of a side dish, not a main dish. The Italian-Americans somehow came to have pasta as the main meal. There are theories out ther like the cost of produce and meat vs. the cost of pasta and let's face it, most if not all of the immigrants were poor (who leaves a country when s/he is doing well?). But,it's a departure from what Italian cuisine really is.

The second factor is portion size. Yes, they tend to walk more, etc. But very simply, they eat less. They do not have "super sized" anything and when they eat, it's a mixture of starch, vegetable and sometimes protein. This tends to lower the glycemic effect of the starch they eat, too because the vegetables and protein slow the rate of digestion of the starch.

Finally, the freshness of the food matters. They don't eat canned vegetables, etc. The fresher the food, the more nutrients it has, the slower the digestion rate, and the fuller you feel after eating it.

This is why the "Mediterranean diet" works. It's not a "diet" at all, it's a way of life - a delicious way of life.

TanzaMarie

I'm an Italian-American who's vegan - but no one else in the family is. Veggies, fresh fruits and nuts will never steer you wrong. We finish most meals with pistachios and fresh fruit. But when we do feast and they start pushing food on me, I begin to busy myself with helping the women in the kitchen to get the next course, start cleaning dishes and just fuss about with them. At our house, they barely sit down let alone have time to eat monstrous amounts of food. It's also nice because these are the ones who were grew up in Italy and they are all late 70s early 80s and it gives me time to learn from them to make sure our traditions and recipes don't die with them.

Also, when you cook for your Italian husband, learn about the area where his family is from is get cookbooks that represent that area (and others). If they are authentic you'll get healthier and more reasonable recipes. If he complains just tell him that you wanted to make him real (enter region) food. Most Italian American's I know, esp those who are 2nd generation are fiercely devoted to their Italian-ness so eating like Italians actually do would probably be fun for him - as long as you still have the massive bowl of pasta with stuffed meatballs every once in a while of course.

mirandamayhem

Marrying an Italian is NOT GOOD for my waistline. I was doing fab fab fab yesterday and then Grandma Casablanca called and asked us to go to a home-cooked dinner. Pounds of pasta and meatballs later, I obliterated my goals for the day -- and not in a good way!

Any tips for portion control when your grandmother-in-law is insisting you eat more?

you should push for a trip to Italy....I am sure you will see how different, and healthy, real Italian food is. You're talking about American food, like every ethnic based food, Americans amp it up.

I haven't been to Italy, but would appreciate it if you would try to fit me into your luggage.

I was going to say this. A true Mediterranean diet is wonderful, fresh pastas yes, but huge salads and healthy pizzas.
But it's ok, I've seen Man V Food, I've seen that American Italian stuff, and it looks good! Huge! But good! :laugh:

laurenz2501

I grew up with Italians on one side and Jews on the other. I have no tips except to just keep saying no until they stop.

And keep in mind, while they're pushing that food at you, the second you gain an ounce, they're going to start telling you you're too fat. And then offer you a cookie. And insist you eat it.

SOOOO TRUE!!! I'm half Italian and i couldn't have said this better myself!!! SPOT ON!!!

laurenz2501

I completely understand where you're coming from with the Italian thing, but my mom is not Italian at all (Dad is), and every single time I go to her house she has Thanksgiving ready to go. The last time she cooked, she literally made 2 starches. 2!! And she ALWAYS has dessert. She will tell me she bought me a cake or made me a pie. JUST FOR ME! It makes me not want to go to her house for dinner anymore. I'd rather go out so that she doesn't feel bad because she made dessert that no one will eat. I feel bad, because she loves doing it, and does it out of love and has for her whole life. It makes me want to cry.

ohmariposa

My Irish MIL is just the same. She had us over for dinner the other day and made 2 pies for dessert...what the....I guess we have to just learn to politely decline food. She always takes offense though....

SPNLuver83

My husband is Italian, but thankfully, well kinda, his mother lives in New Mexico lol.

You just gotta have that willpower woman!!!! They might fight ya when you say no, but deep down they respect you for having a backbone lol

Tat2dDom624

I'm 100 % Eye-talian, and my grandmother (may she RIP), used to constantly tell me to eat more, even after i would stuff my face. But when she made her signature guinea meal, she would fry up some meatballs and put them on the side for me. She also made a KILLER eggplant parmigiana, which i miss. :frown:

MinMin97

Family get-togethers were always so fun to me.
But as a married person, I have learned....don't let extended (those outside your marriage) family members take the reigns of your life in any way, shape or form!
YOU take the reigns of your schedule, dietary habits, children (when you have them), household etc, etc...
Do you WANT an in-law to dictate to you what you will eat that day? Well then???
One way to handle it is to simply hook up with them right after the meal...for whatever timeframe you and husband decide is best for you.
If they don't like the schedule that you have to offer, another plan or another day will have to do.
Others will have to adjust. Period.
You can communicate this will all due respect. And you don't have to be manipulated it they decide to have an attutude about it.
Enjoy your time with your extended family, on terms you can agree to.

MinMin97

My husband is Italian, but thankfully, well kinda, his mother lives in New Mexico lol.

You just gotta have that willpower woman!!!! They might fight ya when you say no, but deep down they respect you for having a backbone lol

Love it

DominiqueSmall

Marrying an Italian is NOT GOOD for my waistline. I was doing fab fab fab yesterday and then Grandma Casablanca called and asked us to go to a home-cooked dinner. Pounds of pasta and meatballs later, I obliterated my goals for the day -- and not in a good way!

Any tips for portion control when your grandmother-in-law is insisting you eat more?

you should push for a trip to Italy....I am sure you will see how different, and healthy, real Italian food is. You're talking about American food, like every ethnic based food, Americans amp it up.

I haven't been to Italy, but would appreciate it if you would try to fit me into your luggage.

Well, I have been to Italy a number of times (note that my names end in vowels). I've also been to France and Sicily. All Mediterranean cultures have fantiastic food. But, there are three things that the Italians who came to the U.S. lost as the generations Americanized. First, vegetables are a huge part of the Mediterranean diet and while pasta is indeed eaten almost every day by everyone in Italy, it is more of a side dish, not a main dish. The Italian-Americans somehow came to have pasta as the main meal. There are theories out ther like the cost of produce and meat vs. the cost of pasta and let's face it, most if not all of the immigrants were poor (who leaves a country when s/he is doing well?). But,it's a departure from what Italian cuisine really is.

The second factor is portion size. Yes, they tend to walk more, etc. But very simply, they eat less. They do not have "super sized" anything and when they eat, it's a mixture of starch, vegetable and sometimes protein. This tends to lower the glycemic effect of the starch they eat, too because the vegetables and protein slow the rate of digestion of the starch.

Finally, the freshness of the food matters. They don't eat canned vegetables, etc. The fresher the food, the more nutrients it has, the slower the digestion rate, and the fuller you feel after eating it.

This is why the "Mediterranean diet" works. It's not a "diet" at all, it's a way of life - a delicious way of life.

^^^^ Totally agree. I am from France and I can tell you they eat exactly like this poster said. I think there is one other thing that we have to take in account in America. Our food here is processed in a way that is unhealthy. For instance, I can drink French Expresso with no problems but American Expresso kills me. Much of our food is not pure, and it loaded with chemicals and addictive ingredients which in turns feeds our addictions.

I absolutely agree that the diet of Eurpeans is far healthier than ours.

Good luck with your new family. I'm sure you will find a graceful, honest way to work around their wonderful food!

Avandel

<quote>I would normall go back for seconds on the pasta because theres nothing like homemade italian sauce</quote>

It's not necessarily the homemade sauce, it's the pasta! As long as the sauce doesn't have meat in it it's quit low in calories but only 2 oz of pasta at 300 cals is what makes it high, so I buy Dreamfield's pasta to cut the cals.