Telling your parents...

kelseey73x
kelseey73x Posts: 65 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How do you tell your parents that you dont want to eat something because its unhealthy for dinner?
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Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    State that exact sentence.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    What is the dinner?
  • Jen800
    Jen800 Posts: 548 Member
    Try saying "i'm focussing on my health right now, and I've noticed that a lot of dinner tonight would sabotage all of my efforts. Perhaps tommorrow we could work together to make something all of us can enjoy that would also benefit our health" Or something like that.
  • Josh_H
    Josh_H Posts: 1,151
    That can be a tough one. sometimes your family can be your biggest obstacle when it comes to a diet.
  • babycakes1970
    babycakes1970 Posts: 111 Member
    How do you tell your parents that you dont want to eat something because its unhealthy for dinner?

    How old are you? If you are young enough to depend on your parents to provide your dinner than you might be stuck with what they choose. If you are old enought to have a job you could ask your parents if they mind if you provide your own dinner of your choice. Chances are they won't mind since you will presumably be paying for it yourself. I am a parent of teenagers and I would not mind.

    Also, you could have a respectful adult conversation with your parents and expain your reasons for your dietary preferences. They might just come around to your way of thinking and be willing to make changes or substitutions to the menu.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
    No one wants someone to point out that whatever they're going to eat is unhealthy. I think your best bet is to help plan and prepare meals.
  • dogacreek
    dogacreek Posts: 289 Member
    No one wants someone to point out that whatever they're going to eat is unhealthy. I think your best bet is to help plan and prepare meals.

    I agree with helping plan and prepare the meals. Not only will you help your parents create eating healthy habits, but you will build stronger habits for yourself.
  • Amlong1977
    Amlong1977 Posts: 125 Member
    I just looked at your profile & first I want to tell you congratulations on all your hard work & for getting on top of this while you're so young! You're a beautiful girl! I would just flat out tell them, in a nice way, that you don't think whatever they made is the healthiest choice for you & that you don't want to get off track because you're doing so well. Surely they know you're losing weight & getting healthy. If they're on board you could find some healthier alternatives to what they usually make. It's not hard to find lighter versions of meals. If they're not up for that then make your own dinner. A lot if times my family eats one thing fir dinner & I have something different. Tonight they had pizza & I had tuna & a baked potato. Whatever works. :) If you need additional support & motivation feel free to add me. I really can't express how happy I am that you've decided on a healthy lifestyle so young. I wish I had!
  • CynthiasChoice
    CynthiasChoice Posts: 1,047 Member
    My advise would be to have a conversation with whoever prepares the food rather than with the whole family, and the conversation shouldn't be held at the dinner table, but a full day before the meal. You could offer to help with the shopping and food prep. or at least offer to write a list of the foods you would like to see on the table that will help you stay on your diet. I wish you luck, and I hope the cook is receptive and supportive.
  • fattypattybinger
    fattypattybinger Posts: 337
    Offer to help go grocery shopping and making the menu for the week. Look thru the grocery store flyers to help with the grocery list, Pick out healthy foods, look for buy one get one free offers, help clip coupons. Assist with meal prep. My Mother hated making the menu out for the week. Get involved.!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Iberipped
    Iberipped Posts: 12
    Just tell them you do not want to eat junk because you're trying to lose weight or something.
    I'm sure they'll understand.
  • Arexxx
    Arexxx Posts: 486 Member
    I'm your age an when my mum prepares something unhealthy for dinner I just make my own meal. Just tell them you're trying to eat healthy and you're going to make your own dinner for the night :)
  • kuntry_navy
    kuntry_navy Posts: 677 Member
    just eat part of it, theres starving kids overseas
  • Arexxx
    Arexxx Posts: 486 Member
    just eat part of it, theres starving kids overseas

    What does that have to do with her dinner?
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
    Whatever you do, just don't expect your parents to cook differently for you. They won't take that well. You could make food for everyone, pay for and make your own food, or just cut back on your portion sizes and eat more veggies/less main course with what they already serve.
  • Ocarina
    Ocarina Posts: 1,550 Member
    I would say unless you help cook and or buy the foods you have no real say. Help them with cooking if you don't work or buy healthier things for yourself.
  • Rocking_Robin
    Rocking_Robin Posts: 238 Member
    I am proud of you for posting that question! In my family, if we have something that might be hard to hear, we know to first say....You may not like this but..... When we say that little bit, the other people know to kind of prepare themselves for something that may be hard to hear..
  • luppic8
    luppic8 Posts: 580 Member
    I would say it just as you phrased it above. You are an adult and you have the right to make the choices that you feel are right for you!
  • anifani4
    anifani4 Posts: 457 Member
    You say, "No thanks".

    Have you spoken with your parents, assuming it's your parents who provide the meals, about your desire to eat more healthy meals? If not, it's time for a little chat. Be serious and ask for cooperation rather than be accusatory or critical. Offer to help with shopping, planning, and cooking.
  • Makers72
    Makers72 Posts: 65
    I dont think she was stating that the problem was so much the fact that her family was making an "unhealthy" meal, i think the underlying problem for her is how tell her family that THEY shouldn't be eating it either.
  • jenihullett
    jenihullett Posts: 241 Member
    No one wants someone to point out that whatever they're going to eat is unhealthy. I think your best bet is to help plan and prepare meals.

    This is great advice. Maybe get more involved in your family's meal prep and grocery shopping.
  • reallifealien
    reallifealien Posts: 128 Member
    just tell them you're watching what you eat? i'm very involved with what my family buys when we go out grocery shopping. it was my parents who encouraged me to start watching what i eat in the first place!
  • tcatcarson
    tcatcarson Posts: 227 Member
    How do you tell your parents that you dont want to eat something because its unhealthy for dinner?

    Timing is important : speak about this while your parents are planning or buying the food, not when it's cooked and put down in front of you! Get more involved in the whole process and politely show them what you know and how seriously you take it.
  • kayduro
    kayduro Posts: 249 Member
    Offer to help go grocery shopping and making the menu for the week. Look thru the grocery store flyers to help with the grocery list, Pick out healthy foods, look for buy one get one free offers, help clip coupons. Assist with meal prep. My Mother hated making the menu out for the week. Get involved.!!!!!!!!!!!

    ^^this^^. No need to hurt your moms feelings by telling her her food is unhealthy. Step up and offer to cook healthy dishes for the family. She will be ever so grateful and it will be a win/win!
  • xSophia19
    xSophia19 Posts: 1,536 Member
    :laugh: ermm, well you just tell them 'i dont want to eat this dinner because its not healthy'

    You are entilted to make your own desicions.. I understand that they have cooked it all for you, but if you dont want it then thats up to you. Im sure they would enjoy 2nd helpings of it anyway :smile:
  • ErinGBragh
    ErinGBragh Posts: 183 Member
    Show her skinnytaste.com...it has some really tasty meals that are healthy. Maybe tell her you are interested in learning to cook and could we try some recipes on this website for a week and I'll help make them. The good thing too is that they have the calorie count with each recipe, so it's easy to plug them into your MFP. I make those dinners every night for my family (with two kids, 6 and 8) and the whole family loves them!
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    My step daughter is only 13 but I would be really happy if she came to me and said she wanted to eat healthier. I'd do anything to aid her. I commend you for doing it now. I often have to have a separate meal as she refuses to eat anything remotely healthy. I try to find ways around it, but it's difficult.

    Have a little chat with her and say could we please incorporate some healthy meals into next weeks shop. I'm, sure she will support you... If you could get a little work on a Saturday If your in school, you could do a little grocery shopping for yourself too. Certainly don't not say anything. What's the worst that can happen?

    Zara x
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    BBCgoodfood is a great website too. Usually tells you calories x
  • Lyssa62
    Lyssa62 Posts: 930 Member
    State that exact sentence.

    yep pretty simple
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    What's unhealthy? Does it have lead paint?
    Is it raw chicken rolled in dirt? Tubs of "bad fat"? Marshmallow pie?

    Very few things are truly unhealthy. It a question of quantify and variety - if you eat giant cheeseburgers evey night - yes unhealthy but mostly due to the quantity not the actual food.

    My daughter tried to tell me that tortilla and avocado soup was "unhealthy" - home made tortillas, tomato stock ... Let's say her education has been improved.

    There are times when parents do prepare poor food choices.

    The place to help make dinner decisions is before we have spent energy and time preparing the food. If you don't participate in the process, you should voice any criticism or dislike with the respect and attention deserved to someone who has worked to put the food before you. You can always say, "thanks you, I appreciate it but this is to much for me." Propose to help.

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