dinner ideas for a non diet boyfriend and a girl on a diet
2507tiffany
Posts: 3
looking for ideas for dinner. i do not want to cook two meals a night and the whole just keep this off yours and add to his just isnt working out for me. i have been eating smaller portions, but i would like to be able to eat better and smaller. my boyfriend is not on a diet, but i would like him to eat healthier. he "needs" meat in all of his meals, loves carbs, and loves cheese. but i am sure i can make something that isboth delicious and figure friendly. i do things like baked chicken and stuff like that all the time, but he likes beef and sausage...how to make that low cal low carb.? help please!!
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Replies
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There are tons of ideas in the 'recipes' section that you can browse through.0
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why cant you eat beef or sausage?0
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Also, just use lean beef, turkey, seafood, chicken, etc and throw some stuff together. If he's still hungry include some type of starchy side dish and he'll be content.0
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Tonight we are having Turkey Tacoes. So instead of beef you use ground turkey and add in a low sodium or homeade seasonings. We also use Mission Low Carb tortillas (can't tell the difference) and eat away! They are supper nummy and you save tons of bad stuff by switching to Turkey0
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Fajitas (he can load up on sour cream and cheese and you can leave that stuff off), homemade chili and cornbread (hold the cornbread, cheese, and sour cream for you), lean burgers (no cheese/mayo for you, and try only half the bun or use lettuce instead of a bun)...0
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Check out skinnytaste.com. My husband is a transplanted midwesterner who loves his meat, potatoes and cheese. I have found lots there to make us both happy.0
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Well who cooks?
You? He can eat it or go hungry0 -
Its really all about portion sizing. Just make something healthy, not necessarily "diet" concious. And while you have a smaller portion (with maybe a large salad on the side) he can eat as much he wants. My bf's favorite food is pizza. On our pizza nights I have one-two slices and a salad while he murders the rest of the pizza lol0
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I am in the same position... but I've been working on it since February, so I'm making a little head-way. Usually, when we plan out a dinner, he'll get out a steak and I'll get out a piece of chicken/fish. He has his meat, I have mine. We'll eat the same sides (salad, veggies, etc.) but different "core" parts of the meal. Also, there are alternatives you can do when he want pasta, rice, cheese, etc. He can boil a pot of noodles, and you can make some spaghetti squash for yourself. If he wants rice, make yourself some riced cauliflower- then dress them similar (sauces, seasonings, etc.)
Also, I've found some recipes that we both like prepared the same way- lasagna made with homemade sauce (to avoid the sodium and sugar) 99% lean ground turkey with fat free mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese in place of ricotta- you can also alternate layers of the pasta with layers of sliced zucchini. Also, I found a great recipe for Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin, do a Google search for it, you'll find it. It's awesome, even he liked it- it's really good topped with salsa for a Mexican vibe.
Also, you can make chili with ground turkey instead of beef- or omit the meat all together- just make the ground meat he wants on the side and have him mix it into the chili you make.
There's ways around it, it just takes some experimenting to see what he will and won't eat- that's how I managed to get a point that we now can agree on *most* meals0 -
I have one just like him!! My other half is the biggest carnivore going and like you, I am trying to shed a few pounds. I use a lot of different calorie counted recipe books that way I can tailor dinner around us. I like to get the meat out the freezer the night before and I don't really care what meat it is. I always keep a good stock of fresh veg in the fridge too. To be honest you can make what you like then. I am eating much smaller portions too and to start with found it hard. But now, I will do some potatoes for him to go with our steak or sausage and then rather than me have potatoes I will do extra veg for me. He always has twice as much as me if not more so I can pile his plate higher and he's dropped 2 waist sizes in 5 months!!
Don't stop yourself eating certain things, I found that is a sure fire way to fail. Don't deny yourself, just exercise control. You can both eat pretty much the same things, you will just need less than him but you can both be healthy with it.
Good luck. xx0 -
Brown a pound of lean ground turkey, add sauce (homemade or jarred) and a bunch of veggies (roasted if they're harder ones like carrots, raw if they're softer ones like mushrooms), cook it up and serve on pasta. Pasta is pretty calorie dense but if you add a lot of veggies and watch your portions, it's easy, filling and would work for both of you.
Another thing to do is to just make a meat, starch and veggie and then load up on the veggie with smaller portions for the meat/starch and he can do the opposite if he wants.0 -
Ditto the rec on Skinny Taste. It's a great website because the recipes are so healthy and they taste AWESOME. My husband never complains about those meals
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Typically the difference that I'll see when feeding my "non-diet live in boyfriend" is that I'll make the same thing but I won't eat the starch and I'll eat 3/4 of what I give him.
For example tonight I'm making takeout Beef and Broccoli (no part of it's "DIET", but it's tasty and portion size is under 400 calories). I'll just eat that where I'll make rice for him to make it more of a meal. If I make burgers and fries, I'll only buy a bun for him, I'll eat mine on a plate with veggies and only eat a few fries.
It's all about making what you both like and limiting portions.0 -
Why can't he just have larger portions of whatever you make for yourself?0
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Makehim eat what you are eating? That's what has been happening with my boyfriend and I. I make up something for dinner, he just eats more of it. He is one that needs meat and starch in the meal, I make up an extra bit of veggies for myself. It is going to take a little work, but unless he is super picky, then make him make his own food.0
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My boyfriend isn't on a diet either but then again... neither am I. We still cook the same things, I just eat less. Or I look for "healthier" alternatives... bread or tortillas with less calories. More veggies & fruit. Whole wheat. Almond milk. The biggest thing is just to watch HOW much you eat. Make sure your serving really is a serving size.0
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Here's how I do it with the BF: Different portions of the same food! And he gets to put some extra fat or carbs on his plate. Could be as simple as more pasta or a piece of cheese.
I try to control the amount of fat I "hide" in my food, so instead I put some cheese on top or some yoghurt (greek yoghurt WITH fat, 1 tbsp is more than enough) on top of some dishes. He puts more cheese and more yoghurt,
I try to get him not to buy foods with hidden fat in them, so sausage is a no-go unless it is really high quality stuff (not much fat).
I think the biggest thing is to eat different portion sizes. And you eat your protein with salad, he gets some potatoes or something to go with the protein or veg. There is nothing wrong with carbs as such, just in moderation and the good kind. Try whole grains. In Sweden we have something called matvete which is basically just wheat grain which you boil. Super filling, yummy and tons of fiber. Also very much not processed.
Same goes for cheese. I try to buy cheese I really like with strong flavour. That way I don't need so much to make a sandwich or whatever tasty.
Our biggest issue is he has a huge sweet-tooth. This makes him a bit grumpy when I only allow him cookies or candy in large quantities once a week. But he is very supportive of me taking care of my health, and he wants to learn how to cook good food without it being unhealthy. He even uses the food scale when he cooks. Have your tried getting your BF involved in the cooking? Shown him the nutrients of different dishes? Educated him about the effects of certain types of food? There is nothing forbidding him from ever having red meat, cheese and carbs. Just not all the time, and not when you're around.
How about baked chicken with some sort of marinade on it? It doesn't put on the cals but gives loads of flavour. Tastes nice with potatoes, but even better with some salad. Try putting a small amount of feta cheese in the sallad to see if that makes him happy.0 -
I rarely make two separate meals. My husband just eats more of whatever I fix than I do. About the only thing that I'll do different is I might add a sweet potato or rice for him, if he's wanting extra starch and I'm not.0
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I have 3 males living in my house and I eat everything they do. I have smaller portions. My son requested Italian Pot roast sandwiches tonight. I pre planned my calories. Roast, provolone, deli roll. I even counted the apple crisp and ice cream he requested.
Yesterday I made skinny manicotti,salad, french bread for lunch. The day before we had chicken nachos. There are so many good foods that you can eat. Like I said, I have a 19 year old, a 21 year old and my husband in our house. We eat great!
Lasagna, cabbage rolls and beef stir fry on my dinner menu this week. We like beef. We probably will have chicken 3 or 4 times next week.
You could make lean ground beef patties with salad and he can have a bun, and you can have it plain. Chicken tostadas are awesome!0 -
I cook for a family of 5 most of the time. Not everyone is careful about their diet. Except for my vegetarian, we all eat the same food . I just watch my portions more carefully. I always offer more than one veg and don't cook carbs everyday. I eat more of the veg they eat more of the carbs. Sometimes we eat turkey or chicken burgers. Some get cheese some don't. Some eat the bun some don't. No worries here.0
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Make the man beef, hamburger and sausage at least once a week. You have a small piece and fill up on salad and veggies. You are going to have to learn to modify your eating to live in this world.0
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"Well who cooks? You? He can eat it or go hungry."
Amen! 0 -
Thanks for all the ideas. I have been doing the smaller portions for me, even before i started dieting(he is a big guy). I do the cooking, and he doesnt usually complain about what i make, but if i were to cut out his favorites for more than a meal or two a week he would have a coniption! I am gunna try some of the ideas posted and as far as starchy sides go....any alternative to velveeta or regular mac and cheese that i won't feel like a cow after eating?!?!0
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Brown rice. Cook it in broth for some extra flavor.
Sweet potato. They are amazingly good for you. Even regular potato, baked or boiled.0 -
Thanks for all the ideas. I have been doing the smaller portions for me, even before i started dieting(he is a big guy). I do the cooking, and he doesnt usually complain about what i make, but if i were to cut out his favorites for more than a meal or two a week he would have a coniption! I am gunna try some of the ideas posted and as far as starchy sides go....any alternative to velveeta or regular mac and cheese that i won't feel like a cow after eating?!?!
Starchy sides: sweet potatoes, baked potatoes (calorie dense but filling), quinoa, brown rice (try Alton Brown's baked brown rice...I hated brown rice until that recipe), couscous, make your own mac and cheese (check out rice cooker macaroni and cheese for an easy one), pasta, bread. Starches tend to be pretty calorie dense so just watch your portions.0 -
Tell him to feed himself.0
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Agreed! This website is AMAZING!Check out skinnytaste.com. My husband is a transplanted midwesterner who loves his meat, potatoes and cheese. I have found lots there to make us both happy.0 -
You could always just make your own if that suits you better. I personally hate cooking so my boyfriend cooks 75% of the time and we always find ways to make it work. If we want hamburgers we use whole wheat bread instead of white buns, lean meat, veggie toppings/whatever sauce we want as well as sweet potato fries on the side. Lower calorie alternatives that really taste the same and we both enjoy.Thanks for all the ideas. I have been doing the smaller portions for me, even before i started dieting(he is a big guy). I do the cooking, and he doesnt usually complain about what i make, but if i were to cut out his favorites for more than a meal or two a week he would have a coniption! I am gunna try some of the ideas posted and as far as starchy sides go....any alternative to velveeta or regular mac and cheese that i won't feel like a cow after eating?!?!
As time goes on you'll figure out things similar to this that you both enjoy and don't feel like either of you are on some stupid diet.0 -
Clean Eating Magazine really should reward me for the number of times I mention them on this site. It's my go-to source for healthy, family friendly recipes. It's especially well suited for healthy meal resistent family members, because you're offering them cleaned up versions of things they already recognize and enjoy.
The recipes are fantastic. Check it out. You won't be sorry.
http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/Recipes/Dinner-Tonight.aspx0 -
This is craziness to me. People have a hard enough time keeping themselves motivated to eat healthily without working about someone else pooping on their parade.
Listen...you are doing something that you feel you need to do for you. Your man should be supportive of that. I am not passing judgment in the least, but the easiest path to derailment is going to be creating extra work for yourself, trying to accommodate others, potentially adding foods to your meals that you would otherwise not, etc.
Make what you want to make. Make the things that will keep you motivated to eat healthy. If he wants sausage and you feel that you shouldn't eat it. Tell him to go make it himself.0
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