Do you cook differently for your family?

IsleEsme

I have 3 kids (14, 12, 11) and a hubby and they eat what I cook or starve. Plain and simple. We've always done it this way and when I started eating better it became a family thing. My kids aren't deprived, we still have pizza night on Fridays and the occassional hot dog or some other such food but for the most part we eat well, lots of chicken breasts, fish, fruits and veggies and because we've always fed them this way they eat it.

amonroe1343

i try to cook what my family likes, but the healthiest way possible. my boyfriend is not a big guy, works outside hard all day, and has a motabolism most of us would be jealous of.
when i started cutting calories, he decided he would show his support by eating like me. in a week he lost 10 pounds and felt like crap..... SO we compromise. he eats a gross fast food mega calorie lunch, and i make the stuff he likes, and portion mine. it takes a lot.... and there are things he loves that we don't eat. mashed potatoes..... will be my downfall if they are in the house. but i do make raw fries baked with vinegar, and that suites him just fine.

I love mashed potatoes too and I could devour them in they are in close sight. I have made them before with half mashed cauliflower and half mashed potatoes and only make a small amount so that there is enough for whoever is eating that night. Then I don't get tempted with leftovers and I can still enjoy them. I did this for Thanksgiving and it was really good.

Owlie45

There is no good reason why they can eat right too.

lwagnitz

My situation is that I have two picky teens who don't like most of the foods I make for myself. They complain 'there's no food in the house' when they look in the refrigerator. They like a lot of kid-food--pizza, mac & cheese, fettuccini alfredo, fries, burritos, potato chips, taco chips and salsa, veggie versions of chik'n nuggets, cheese burgers, etc. So, I end up buying and/or making those things for them.

Usually, I resist, but in weak moments, I can get pulled into eating these rich foods, and see red in my food diary.

Please don't take this the wrong way because I'm truly not trying to be judgmental, just asking you to maybe reevaluate some things. You are here to lose weight and probably something which is more important: make yourself healthier? I would think about the way your kids eat. Do you really want them to be in your shoes? I know that I don't want my kids to ever feel they way I feel about myself, or have to have any concern about their health due to eating habits. They're in their teens now, and will likely be out of the house in a short time. If they are making bad choices like that already, imagine the choices they will make when they leave. If I were in your shoes, I'd put my foot down. You don't need to deprive them of everything, but they need to understand a balanced diet that they can carry on for when they live on their owns and make their OWN dinners.

I appreciate your take on this. Lately, my children are starting to cook for themselves, but mostly versions of the things I mentioned previously. They are night-owls, so much of this cooking is happening in the late evening--my toughest part of the day to resist temptation. Right now, they are proud of their creations and want me to try them. I do, to encourage them, but sometimes it's hard to stop at one bite. So, perhaps, this will be a transitional thing.

I'd love it if they could join me in eating whole food vegan--fruits, veggies, beans, whole grains, and nuts. They won't even touch nuts. Who doesn't like nuts?

May I suggest having days or even meals where you cook with them and they help in preparation of a meal. You can explain why you are making the choices of product you're using in the kitchen and at the same time make it a fun enjoyable experience as well as some bonding time in such a hectic world we live in

magerum

It's not uncommon for there to be 2 or 3 different dinners at our table at night. I don't know why people feel that have to eat the same thing as everyone else at the table. "It's too hard or inconvenient to make multiple meals." is the answer I know I'll get to this. Adapt or quit, those are your options, everything else is an excuse.

Just my opinion.
:drinker:

lwagnitz

It's not uncommon for there to be 2 or 3 different dinners at our table at night. I don't know why people feel that have to eat the same thing as everyone else at the table. "It's too hard or inconvenient to make multiple meals." is the answer I know I'll get to this. Adapt or quit, those are your options, everything else is an excuse.

Just my opinion.
:drinker:

Just to show a different side of the argument... I was raised as dinner being a time for family to get together. It was a form of structure growing up and a time to be one. We had dinner the same time every night, sat at the same spots at the table, and had a conversation about the day. However, at every meal my parents always had out tons of fresh veggies and fresh fruit and always a salad before the meal, so there were options there. And by I mean tons, is the fruit and vegetables on the table took up all the space, therefore we had more of a "buffet style" meal as we went up and got our own food and portions. I feel like this is a better option. I hope to raise my kids eating this way too. It taught me everything I needed to know about portion control and how to eat right, and what was a balanced diet. Maybe people should look into this option instead of making several different meals a night.

_VoV

The way you are eating is giving you wayyy too little calcium. It will be disastrous for your skeleton if you do not include more dairy. There is no way your teenagers can eat as you do and they shouldn't! How will they get strong bones? I suggest you give up on the idea of becoming a vegan, it's just too extreme. Start feeding those boys real roast chicken, healthy pasta with light cheese sauce and veggies, and salads, and desserts with calcium like pudding and yummy fruits like baked apples, and you will all be better off.

My kids have been vegetarian since birth. I doubt they could even digest roast chicken. I know that they have chosen to be vegetarians of their own accord at this point.

As for calcium--I supplement my own diet with a gentle powder supplement (the same one used in fortified orange juice; soy milk, etc). I more than meet the RDA for my age. My kids eat way more calcium than they need with all the dairy they eat. If they ceased to do that, I know how to supplement calcium, zinc, and vitamins D & B12. Those are mainly the nutrients that can be lacking in a vegetarian diet.

Superbritt2drescu

If you think you shouldn't have them, why is it justifiable for your family to put those foods in their mouths as well? I can't speak from experience because I don't have kids, but I do have a husband. He eats what I make, it's plain and simple. If he wants to eat bad, he can go and get the food to make it and make it himself because I refuse. It helps just not having those foods in the house, at all. I wouldn't make it totally obvious that it's healthy stuff. Of course, it is, but it shouldn't be looked at as bad, or something abnormal. I think the best way for your family to embrace the healthier meals by not saying making it clear you made it because it's healthy, but you made it because it's what's for dinner.

I believe in this. We are all picky eaters in my house but there is no reason we can't eat healthy. Why should my kids be eating crap I won't even eat?

ExplorinLauren

I do not make different meals... What I eat is healthy, good food... So I don't see why they need something bad for them (I have a husband and 4 kids) But, you can start by making healthier versions of the foods you already eat.
For instance, make your own pizza... (I slip in turkey pepperoni and no one seems to notice lol) and you can add tons of veggies and control how much cheese is on there. I still make steak, but we use sirloin instead of rib eye now.... and we add the salad ON the plate, to fill you up more with salad and just a small portion of steak. Grill potatoes in tin foil instead of mashed, Switch the type of butter you use, switch to light dressings...etc.
Good luck

predent

Nope. Only thing is that my boyfriend will get larger portion sizes!

Drop_it_Like_Its_Hawt

My kids are 8 and 11, and really picky about their foods too. Before I started getting serious about getting healthier, I'd just give in and go through drive through, rather than fight them on what to have. And, of course, as long as I was there already...yeah. Inevitable diet fail. My husband was a little adverse to the healthy eating at first too, because he didn't want a bunch of "fake" foods (all nonfat, super low cal, etc.). He was from Louisiana originally, and has a fondness for real Cokes, real fried food, real butter...etc.
I'd say I was going to make some lean grilled catfish for us, and he'd say "Great! Let me fry up some potatoes to go with those!"

Once I stuck to it long enough though, my husband started to realize just how serious I was, and started making some adjustments so we wouldn't be making seperate meals. We still eat rice, but it's brown instead of white, and in lower portions (while veggie portions get larger). Still use butter, but it's lowered fat butter (and not as much). I used to let him do almost all of the cooking, but now at least half of the time, I'm cooking and trying out new healthier versions of stuff I know we liked before. Usually, it goes over well (still learning though - years of fast food eating made my cooking skills rate pretty low). The kids would much rather have fast food, pizza, chicken nuggets, etc. Some nights I still give in, but at least three nights of the week, they eat what we eat. By next month, I hope to make it four nights. Then five, until they're just used to eating what we eat, period.

mandypizzle

I refuse to cook everyone different meals because they choose to be picky. I take care of meals and shopping so I choose what we all eat together. We splurge on crap once in a while OUT of the house. That is what works for us.

Crossfitjessi

I usually make 2 or 3 meals. Some nights yes,I make one for myself, one for my husband and then one for our son. it makes it easier for my diet to portion meals and just cook what each person likes. They are very supportive of it though because theen they get what they want and I get my healthy meals.

sammys1girly

What I cook is what they eat, or they go hungry. I try to make things most of the time that I know nobody hates or allow a couple things per person that they don't have to eat, but it's rude for them to say they don't like what I spent time making them. Also they need to learn to eat something other than mac n cheese. It's been like that here since they were born, so it's not like they have to get used to all kinds of new foods. I say if you don't eat what I make, that's fine, but no dessert and no snacks after supper. Nobody even argues about it anymore, just eats what's put in front of them...except for a few occasional veggies that aren't someone's favs and I will let them just try one bite or eat fruit instead. I am not a short order cook!:noway:

bulbadoof

I try to meet in the middle. If my boyfriend wants cheeseburgers for dinner, that's fine by me - I'll have mine in lettuce instead of a bun and skip the cheese. I can't force him to eat what I want to eat and it's none of my business if he doesn't care as much for his health as I do for mine. It's his life, and I'm not his mother. Maybe when I AM somebody's mother, things will be different, but for now, this works for us.

now_or_never12

I only make one meal for dinner. My husband eats what I make since I do the cooking. We do the grocery shopping together so he has input as to what we have in the house.

I tend to not make the few things he doesn't like... but there isn't much he doesn't like which makes it a bit easier. I just make extra and he gets a larger portion than me (much larger if it's a non-healthy food). If he's still hungry he gets himself a snack.

When kids come along unless there is a food allergy they will eat what is made. If they don't like it, it gets packed up and put in the fridge until they are hungry. Kids will eventually eat what you give them when they are hungry enough. I won't make separate meals and I won't just take them through the drive thru. You have to teach healthy habits young... I don't want my children having the same weight problems I do.

easycure

I have always been overweight and a poor eater. Knowing this, when I had children, I have always fed them healthy stuff. I watch what they eat closely. Not to say we don't do pizza every once in a while or mcds tho. My husband is 5,9 and weighs 128 lbs.... so he needs to eat more! lol.

Over the years, I have learned to make things that we all like and manage to keep it healthy on most days (or remake our favorites in a healthy way). Sometimes I would have to show my kids something 100 times before they would eat it!!! My kiddos are picky eaters.

Generally what I make is what they get, altho If its something they absolutely will not touch, I don't mind giving them another healthy option occasionally.

I do love to cook! I have learned to remake a ton of recipes to satisfy everyone!