What's for dinner??

lowpro1983

As a single woman, it was easy for me to cook grilled chicken & veggies for dinner .....

As a woman in a relationship with a man who likes to EAT, IDK what to do. So far, he's been pretty understanding that I typically don't fry foods & stick to simple meals. I felt bad when we went to his parents house and he (well, we) indulged in FRIED chicken....and other veggies (filled with butter I'm sure)...and COOKIES.

Let's face it, he's not going to eat healthy meals with me ALL the time. Am I always going to have to cook healthy meals for just me...and something not so healthy for him?

What do you cook?? Just curious how others deal with this scenario.....

just a side note, he is very supportive ....but I know he wants some FRIED chicken more often than just at his parent's home.

kehuizenga

I cook mexican food that is healthy and he still likes it. Chicken fajitas are a staple for me when he is coming over.

bcattoes

You can "oven fry" chicken to lessen the fat content. Spray a baking sheet or pan with a light coat of oil and put in a moderately hot oven. Coat the chicken just as you always would, spray it with a thin coating of oil, put it on the hot pan and bake until done. It gets crispy and the thin coating of oil gives it a fried taste.

My husband was raised on unhealthy foods too. Honestly his family has the worst eating habits of anyone I know and seem to think eating healthy means eating only steamed vegetables and salads. So they stick to the processed carbs and fried foods because they "can't live on salad". Luckily he married me. He sometimes still wants the "real stuff" (as he puts it) of some favorite foods but for the most part he has learned to like my healthier versions of old favorites. And on the occasions where we splurge with the real stuff it is that much more of a treat.

I flat out refuse to prepare food that I believe will eventually lead to disease on a regular basis. I have no interest in eating that way and I will not be party to my having to grow old alone.

tararocks

can you just add his preferences, for example, grill yourself the chicken breast like normal, but grill a nice big steak for him? you can still do your grilled veggies and throw a baked potato in for him and a baked sweet potato for you?
also are there things that you can make for him like a hearty plate of spaghetti, but you can eat a smaller portion and a larger salad with it?
thats how we usually work it.

beckajw

I have found a lot of healthy recipes my husband likes. So, we generally stick with those. However, I also have the occasional unhealthy meal--which I think is healthy for both me and him because neither of us feels deprived and neither of us has to worry about our diets.

cutchro

My "friend" like meatloaf so I make it with lean beef and lean turkey mixed. As long as it has "red" sauce on it he is good! He is also supportive but likes to make comments about oh you will love this restaurant they have healthy stuff like sprouts and stuff and I can have a burger! LOL

Shelbert79

I have a hubby and 4 kids, we're having spaghetti and meatballs cooked all day in the crockpot.

ashlinmarie

I make a southwest grilled chicken wrap that tastes so good that I feel like I am eating something unhealthy. It is about 500 calories but there are ways to modify my recipe and make it lower cal. I don't usually have a problem staying under though.

kattipoo93

I live with my bf so I know how this can be, especially when he cooks dinner :P We typically cook pretty healthy dinners even if they aren't always calorie friendly. Anyways, I know several things I've made that my bf and I both enjoyed and it didn't take over my calories.
- homemade tortillas made into chicken enchiladas
-chicken and rice
-baked chicken and veggies
-chicken pasta salad
lots more, those are just the few i have in mind at the moment

mandypizzle

Well my husband is a very unhealthy eater. He loves fried food, fast food ect. I don't budge on it though. I cook for my family and buy groceries for everyone. I NEVER buy junk food or cook crappy. I just refuse. He doesn't complain and likes my food. I compromise in making sure I cook things I know he will like like, no rice (but we discovered he loves quinoa so we cook that instead:) and I cook him steak and potatoes ect. I just cook it all healthy, buy healthy cuts of meat and only a couple times a month for certain things. We also look for new healthy recipes together and he is fine with that. MY problem is the fast food being brought home way too often. I am very weak when it is put in my face.

turkeyhunter60

Totally agree. Did the chicken fajitas last night.

somedaysoon84

can you just add his preferences, for example, grill yourself the chicken breast like normal, but grill a nice big steak for him? you can still do your grilled veggies and throw a baked potato in for him and a baked sweet potato for you?
also are there things that you can make for him like a hearty plate of spaghetti, but you can eat a smaller portion and a larger salad with it?
thats how we usually work it.

YEP!! my boyfriend LOVES LOVES LOVES hot wings. i do too.... but calories are crazy high. SO.... i make him baked hot wings in the oven, and toss me 4-5 chicken breast strips in too. i put the same sauce on them, and he eats his with blue cheese, and i eat mine with no fat ranch. everybody is happy.... and i can eat as much celery as i can stuff.

FISH TACOS!!!! dudes love em, super easy, and good for you! he gets reg. tortilla shells, i do the low carb ones (80 cals) and he never seemed to notice that i was heaping greek yogurt, not sour cream onto his tacos.....

RitaSantoss

Well I ate the leftover half of a croissant I had for a snack in the afternoon. I just added a couple of lettuce leaves, tomato slices and a tablespoon of peanut butter to it just to make it more nutritious, Then I drank Lipton's Forest Fruit tea and ate Danone's strawberry greek yogurt with pieces of yellow peach in it.

lowpro1983

Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions! Maybe we can find a "healthy" balance!!! My bf will eat whatever I put in front of him...but to see the excitement on his face this past Sunday.... sigh....I want him to get his comfort food too...I want us to BOTH be healthier eaters. Plus, it tempts the he// out of me when he "can" eat whatever he wants so to speak...and I can't. But for the most part, he never complains.

I was told that I had to get the recipe for his mom's cookies....LOL. How on Earth will I overcome THAT temptation?????

Gidzmo

I live with extended family. One member does not wish to lose weight and should for medical reasons. Another one is trying to lose some weight (I told her about MFP). The third one is 'que sera, sera" about weight (but she is a good cook).

It's easier when everyone is on board, but that's not always possible.

I had 3 ounces of pan-fried beef liver and onions last night. Definitely too much meat.

bcattoes

I was told that I had to get the recipe for his mom's cookies....LOL. How on Earth will I overcome THAT temptation?????

Use part of the dough to make a small batch, have a couple and let him have the rest. Then freeze the rest of the dough for later. Most cookie dough freezes well.

lowpro1983

I was told that I had to get the recipe for his mom's cookies....LOL. How on Earth will I overcome THAT temptation?????

Use part of the dough to make a small batch, have a couple and let him have the rest. Then freeze the rest of the dough for later. Most cookie dough freezes well.

Good idea!!! Thanks....bc those cookies (as prepared by the recipe) were 241 calories!!!

trophywife24

Do you have Pintrest? I have no idea how I planned dinner before Pintrest.

emilymnyc

My fiancee is 5'11" and 150 if you get him wet...and the man eats like a frat boy.

Here's what I do:

Dinner last night was Haddock, green beans and mushrooms and brown rice. I had it as is, threw some lemon pepper on the fish and garlic on the veggies. for him: made tartar sauce, added parm cheese to the rice and he ate WAY more than I did.

He eats healthier because of me, and I in turn jazz his food up. We had fajitas the other day I skipped the tortillas, cheese and sour cream and he went to town on them.

beckajw

I was told that I had to get the recipe for his mom's cookies....LOL. How on Earth will I overcome THAT temptation?????

Use part of the dough to make a small batch, have a couple and let him have the rest. Then freeze the rest of the dough for later. Most cookie dough freezes well.

Good idea!!! Thanks....bc those cookies (as prepared by the recipe) were 241 calories!!!

I have recipes like that, that I have "tampered" with. I add a little whole wheat or oat flour. I cut down on the sugar. I add in applesauce and cut out butter, etc. If you do it right (and this takes practice) no one will know the difference. Then I do the same as suggested above, I only cook a small amount and freeze the rest for later.

cartrat

stir fries.

the fiance loves them and so do i. he gets his protein and you get your veggies and flavor. the recipes usually call for lighter ingredients for the flavoring like vinegar, soy sauce and herbs and there's rarely any dairy or anything heavy involved if you're worried about calories. if you want to keep it low carb, nix the cornstarch and you can eat the stir fry with just the meat and veggies or use shirataki rice.