Dealing with a PICKY eater

appelsiinipuu

I know the biggest problem is he's never been exposed to a lot of my foods before. He's a good ol' southern boy raised on Paula Dean, so his main dietary staples are cream, butter, salt, and sugar.

This might be a silly idea, but how about trying some recipes from that show "Not my mama's meals" where Paula Deen's son cooks healthier versions of her dishes?
http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/shows/not-my-mamas-meals.html

RobinC37

Thank you sokerilaura!! I can work with that! Might change some things around here

halobender

Why do women marry men who can't cook for themselves?? Seriously? If you aren't going to eat what is cooked for you..starve!

Incidentally I've never dated a woman who can cook. But that's OK because I don't really like it when people cook for me. I am the picky eater.

I want to know everything that's in it. Because what if someone puts something in there I hate? Like artichoke hearts or something. Gross.

It does suck, though, when someone does want to do something sweet and cook dinner for me ... because I'm exceptionally picky and so I'm always worried I'm going to hate it.

My ex actually made dinner for me once and it was really dry, bland chicken, mashed potatoes in which there were still full chunks of potatoes (with no gravy and she didn't use any milk at all in the potatoes because I'm lactose intolerant ...) and a frozen pumpkin pie. It was terrible. It was very sweet of her, though, so I choked down as much as I could.

Sigh. Being picky sucks, I wish I liked vegetables and stuff. (I circumvent my hatred for veggies with Green Monster smoothies.)

justagirlgeek

PLEASE HELP!!!!!

I am at my wits end with my husband's pickiness. He doesn't like any veggies except corn & carrots. He doesn't like any fruit except green apples & bananas. He doesn't like beans, spicy food, olives, sour cream, cottage cheese, ketchup or any other kind of condiments, and there is probably a lot longer list.

This really messes up my diet, and frustrates me because I feel like I can't cook what I like. He gripes and complains if I add something he doesn't approve of. Even if he can just pick it out. He claims things make him sick, but if I cook chicken with black beans and he picks the beans out, he is still eating the juice. So wouldn't that make him sick?

It's gottens so bad that I feel guilty if I cook chicken alfredo with broccoli, or stir fry with bell peppers. I feel guilty when I even buy tomatoes. I am not FORCING him to eat them. I just want to cook the food. If he doesn't want to eat something he can pick it out. But he sees this as me being selfish and not considering his feelings. Then he yells, and we get in a big fight over something so stupid. I just want to get healthy and would like it if he would join me in this journey, and support me. <sigh>

Does anyone else have a spouse or child like this? Do you have any advice on how to work around it, or to get him to TRY new things??

My guy doesn't need a 'lifestyle change' like I do. He's lucky to have a great metabolism and he's slim and trim.
But I'M the one who does the cooking and I cook meals that I want to eat.

He eats it, or he goes hungry. I don't give him another choice.
I'm not his slave.

Jme03

You might want to look up information on supertasters. It's not the same thing as being picky for being picky's sake. His tastes sound A LOT like mine.

This! I am that "picky" eater & it makes things tough. In school, I had to do the fake allergy thing so I could get something that I could eat. When I eat at a friend's house, I try to be polite & move it around on the plate to make it look like I've enjoyed it. I would love to be able to enjoy a salad, but lettuce, dressing, & just about everything else in them disgusts me.

I cook at home, but much of the food I like taste bland to my husband. I don't do the "eat it or fix your own dinner" thing. I understand that our tastes are different & I work with it. There's always a little give & take in a good marriage.

bethanykf

My husband is a bit of a picky eater, but since we work opposite schedules it's generally not a problem. He knows he's welcome to eat whatever I make and I don't push him to eat it. Unfortunately he was punished with food as a child (forced to eat things he didn't like) so it's really limited his willingness to try new things. He tries new things in his own time and if he doesn't want what I cook for myself and our son then he makes his own meal.

SDHudgins1976

I'm fortunate my husband will eat MOST things... but then he was brought up where he didn't get to eat unless he was in school or at his dad's. About the only thing off limits is turnip greens, and spinich (cooked spinach anyhow) and I don't even KNOW how to make turnip greens, and he just won't eat the spinach if I cook some.

My kids on the other hand can be picky, I've found you eat it or you go to bed without works with them *shrug.

Seriously though... he's a grown man. He's capable of cooking something and/or making a sandwich for himself.

shellyamyethan

In my relationship, I'm the pickier eater. My boyfriend does have some things he doesnt like, mushrooms, blueberries, pineapple, coconut, yogurt....Anyways if I am making something we dont both like I will spit it up and modify. Like I made chicken phillies but I made one pan of chicken, peppers, onions, and mushrooms, and the other had the same but without mushrooms. Also I dont eat beef so when I make spaghetti I will make a pot of sauce with beef and a pot without. If I am making something he just absolutely does not want, theres always frozen pizza

kariannmbc

My boyfriend is very much like this. He eats lettuce, corn, watermelon, and meat and breads/pasta/white rice/etc.

The compromise is that I prepare and eat all the fruits, veggies, and whole grains I want, and he'll just tweak the meal. For example, if we have grilled chicken, he'd have it with some sort of bread, and maybe lettuce (with croutons, ranch dressing, and cheese), and I'd have the chicken with a bunch of veggies, and a vinaigrette dressing. But he does cook, and has expressed I'm free to eat anything I want, as long as I don't force him to eat it, he usually tries it though.

MorgueBabe

Maybe I'm just too 'mean'
But. 1. I would tell a grown man if he doesn't like what I make he can make his own food. I'm a vegetarian who boarders on vegan, my boyfriend is not. I make my own food, he makes his. End of story.
2. and a kid, you just feed them the same meal over and over and over in a row until they finally eat it; they'll get hungry enough and eat it.

BluBecca

Thank you for all of the replies and advice. I used to be picky too, but I am trying so hard to learn to eat healthier. There are days that I just want to say F* it. But I just want him to understand why I have to do this, and appreciate my efforts in trying to cook things that he will like too. I'm not trying to hide it from him. I'm not trying to force things on him. I do buy him vitamins and try to get him to take them, because he does have some health conditions. But I'm not his mom. I am his wife.

He grew up with a mother *believe it or not* who is pickier than him. She won't each cheese, tacos, corn, or pretty much anything. There stew consisted of meat and water. I couldn't imagine that. I grew up with a mom who cooked every meal and it was always something fantastic. Now his parents eat every meal at Dennys. So, I can kinda see where he gets it.

But I tried telling him your tastebuds change every 5 years and something you didn't like when you were young you might like now. I will stick to my guns and tell him "this is what's for dinner, if you don't like it I'm sorry". He needs to learn to pick things out, in my opinion.

I can't continue to just eat pasta, tacos with just meat and cheese, and fried crap. I need to lose weight and get healthy for myself and my future. If he doesn't want to do the same, I guess as hard as that is, I will have to let him do what he wants to do.

zacherybinx

Simple solution make him make his own meals and you for yourself, otherwise he can eat what you make and not complain. lol I was a similar way with my girl ways back and now I just enjoy what she chooses to make and feel lucky to have a meal.

RunForChai

Quick solution:
He cooks his meals.
You cook your's.
Done!

RenewedRunner

I don't think people are husband bashing per se.

My husband may not be on this journey with me, and that is fine. If he doesn't want to eat what I cook, he can make his own food.

I don't why you need to tata a grown man. .???