What do you do if...

sam4sure

You and your significant other like completely different foods...it is a daily problem where my FI hates veggies and most fruit...and it gets annoying to have to make separate meals or make my side of veggies and fish when he eats a chkn breast and rice- for example. Anyone have a good solution to this ongoing issue...half the time I just give in and eat whatever he eats out of convenience but I know I need to improve my diet.

bsparks81

My hubby doesn't really like veggies either, I make them and then eat them with smaller portions of whatever I made for him and my girls. I give the girls veggies too and once my daughter asked why daddy doesn't eat veggies and I told her that it didn't matter that she had to eat them or at least try.

TheMaidOfAstolat

My hubby and child either eat what I make or they have to make something for themselves. I do not cater to their 'wants' for something different.

Granny2b

Tell him to make his own meals LOL

JStarnes

DH eats what I cook or he can make something for himself. I'm not a short-order cook & thats what I tell him & the kids. :flowerforyou: My Mom raised us the same way "don't like it, don't eat it" DH has warmed up to most new food mostly so he doesn't have to cook.

aippolito1

When I make dinner for my bf and I, he eats what I eat. If he doesn't like the veggies, I usually make more meat for him (he just likes to be full). I try to make 2 sides when I know he won't eat the veggies - so far the only veggies he likes are corn, potatoes and peppers and onions (when sauteed). I made him choke down asparagus this weekend so hopefully we're getting somewhere. I will not forfeit my weight loss because he won't eat vegetables and a little won't hurt him so I'm trying to get him used to them 'cause I'm NOT going to stop making them.

MyaPapaya75

I live with 5 others including kids and teens lol ...what I do is if i make rice for them i have maybe 4 tablespoons of it and add a sliced fruit on my plate or extra veggies to make up the difference..I always add in extra veggies for myself and just steer clear of their sides...if im breading meat for them i simply leave mine plain and boil or bake it or pop it on the forman grill..its not really hard just make extra veggies for yourself or have a side salad or fruit instead of their sides.....the only days that seem to be a challenge are pasta days so what I tend to do is eat something totally different on those days so I save a few lean cuisines in the freezer to have on hand.

somigliana

My DH and son eat what I make or risk the "wrath" of a wife/mother who works all day and then takes the time to cook for them too :laugh: My son, especially, has "learned" to like veggies through repeated exposure and now eats most veggies without complaint. There are also sneakier ways to add veggies to dinners like grating veggies into minced beef and sauces so that they won't notice.

bennettv

Eating what my husband was eating out of convenience earned me an extra 30 pounds during our marriage. I finally just started cooking what I needed. He could eat it or make something else. The kids have the same rule. They don't have to like what I cook, in fact they can trade anything on the table for something already in the fridge that lives in the same food group. Over time everyone has gotten more willing to eat what I cook. Not always, but gradually. I typically make a pot of soup on the weekend and if I don't have enough calories for a full dinner I eat the soup no matter what the rest of the family is eating. The one big difference is that my husband picks the kids up from school and typically cooks dinner, so I'm not making two things. After he saw my initial success he joined me on MFP and it's even less of an issue. He still doesn't eat as many veggies as I do, but he always has some on his plate.

sam4sure

Thank you ladies for all the good responses.....
I would love to tell him 'too bad-if you don't eat what I make then u can cook'. I am the primary cook in the household as he pitches in on a lot of housework during the week so it's a fair trade. However, when I constantly get the huffy response- I say well then you need to try new foods but you're not willing too and I can't stand to eat pizza or pasta or whatever. OHH and he also says it's not his fault since I should be eating well both Breakfast and Lunch...since I should know dinner will not always be the healthiest. How nice of him to say that.
Funny story-when we first started dating in college my plan was to introduce a new veggie once a month. Mistakenly I started him out with trying brocolli. He hated it and puked and said he wasn't going to try another veggie. Stubborn stubborn boy I tell ya. He is so picky as he wont eat pork or fish so I am left with beef, turkey, chicken. He has an aversion to trying new things because as a kid he was forced to eat what his mom made and some of the stuff she makes I will admit are yucky. Because he was forced to sit at table until he ate the food- he actually doesn't enjoy eating- he does it because he has to. Kinda sad but nonetheless, I guess I will have to continue to make something we agree on or meet half way and make a diff side for myself that is healthy like I've been doing. It's frustrating when you are trying to continue to stay healthy and progress with the exercise and healthy diet but have these kind of obstacles.

TheMaidOfAstolat

Thank you ladies for all the good responses.....
I would love to tell him 'too bad-if you don't eat what I make then u can cook'. I am the primary cook in the household as he pitches in on a lot of housework during the week so it's a fair trade. However, when I constantly get the huffy response- I say well then you need to try new foods but you're not willing too and I can't stand to eat pizza or pasta or whatever. OHH and he also says it's not his fault since I should be eating well both Breakfast and Lunch...since I should know dinner will not always be the healthiest. How nice of him to say that.
Funny story-when we first started dating in college my plan was to introduce a new veggie once a month. Mistakenly I started him out with trying brocolli. He hated it and puked and said he wasn't going to try another veggie. Stubborn stubborn boy I tell ya. He is so picky as he wont eat pork or fish so I am left with beef, turkey, chicken. He has an aversion to trying new things because as a kid he was forced to eat what his mom made and some of the stuff she makes I will admit are yucky. Because he was forced to sit at table until he ate the food- he actually doesn't enjoy eating- he does it because he has to. Kinda sad but nonetheless, I guess I will have to continue to make something we agree on or meet half way and make a diff side for myself that is healthy like I've been doing. It's frustrating when you are trying to continue to stay healthy and progress with the exercise and healthy diet but have these kind of obstacles.

As with children...new fruits are usually accepted better than new veggies because of the sweetness. Try to get him to eat a new type of fruit every once in a while. My hubby has the same adversion to veggies for the same reason. His mother made him be a member of the 'clean plate club'...of which I'm not a fan of. You should enjoy food...the aroma, the cooking process, the company that goes with it, and the taste. Have him just try one or two things a month and it may make a difference.

sonjavon

I used to avoid making things that my husband didn't like... which left us with very limited veggie choices. I would either cook only what he liked and eat it or I would cook something else for myself... that all came to a screeching halt when we went to visit his mom and dad a few years back. She put asparagus on his plate... AND HE ATE IT! The next night... she gave him cauliflower.... and HE ATE IT! I sat there completely ticked off for a good long time - then finally said, "What gives? You told me that you don't like those things..." He said, "I don't - but it doesn't mean that I won't eat them... I just don't LIKE them."

I now cook what I know is good for my family. Do they always like it? No. BUT I serve the plates and they all have to eat a serving of veggies at dinner. They are then more than welcome to go back and get 2nds of whatever they LIKE.

When I was a kid I was given 2 options when it came to veggies... RAW or COOKED.... there was no choice about whether or not you would eat them. The same is now true in my home. And sure... he can cook something else for himself if he wants... but he better not use food that I have earmarked for another meal... and since I plan our meals out a week or more in advance... he knows better than to try! LOL!

My husband hasn't even been trying to lose and has lost 15 lbs since I started cooking better.

sam4sure

Thank you ladies for all the good responses.....
I would love to tell him 'too bad-if you don't eat what I make then u can cook'. I am the primary cook in the household as he pitches in on a lot of housework during the week so it's a fair trade. However, when I constantly get the huffy response- I say well then you need to try new foods but you're not willing too and I can't stand to eat pizza or pasta or whatever. OHH and he also says it's not his fault since I should be eating well both Breakfast and Lunch...since I should know dinner will not always be the healthiest. How nice of him to say that.
Funny story-when we first started dating in college my plan was to introduce a new veggie once a month. Mistakenly I started him out with trying brocolli. He hated it and puked and said he wasn't going to try another veggie. Stubborn stubborn boy I tell ya. He is so picky as he wont eat pork or fish so I am left with beef, turkey, chicken. He has an aversion to trying new things because as a kid he was forced to eat what his mom made and some of the stuff she makes I will admit are yucky. Because he was forced to sit at table until he ate the food- he actually doesn't enjoy eating- he does it because he has to. Kinda sad but nonetheless, I guess I will have to continue to make something we agree on or meet half way and make a diff side for myself that is healthy like I've been doing. It's frustrating when you are trying to continue to stay healthy and progress with the exercise and healthy diet but have these kind of obstacles.

As with children...new fruits are usually accepted better than new veggies because of the sweetness. Try to get him to eat a new type of fruit every once in a while. My hubby has the same adversion to veggies for the same reason. His mother made him be a member of the 'clean plate club'...of which I'm not a fan of. You should enjoy food...the aroma, the cooking process, the company that goes with it, and the taste. Have him just try one or two things a month and it may make a difference.

Unfortunately he won't try new fruits either- the only fruit he will eat are green seedless grapes and an occasion apple and watermelon. Everything else he refuses. (

sam4sure

I used to avoid making things that my husband didn't like... which left us with very limited veggie choices. I would either cook only what he liked and eat it or I would cook something else for myself... that all came to a screeching halt when we went to visit his mom and dad a few years back. She put asparagus on his plate... AND HE ATE IT! The next night... she gave him cauliflower.... and HE ATE IT! I sat there completely ticked off for a good long time - then finally said, "What gives? You told me that you don't like those things..." He said, "I don't - but it doesn't mean that I won't eat them... I just don't LIKE them."

I now cook what I know is good for my family. Do they always like it? No. BUT I serve the plates and they all have to eat a serving of veggies at dinner. They are then more than welcome to go back and get 2nds of whatever they LIKE.

When I was a kid I was given 2 options when it came to veggies... RAW or COOKED.... there was no choice about whether or not you would eat them. The same is now true in my home. And sure... he can cook something else for himself if he wants... but he better not use food that I have earmarked for another meal... and since I plan our meals out a week or more in advance... he knows better than to try! LOL!

My husband hasn't even been trying to lose and has lost 15 lbs since I started cooking better.

Sonjavon- isn't that something else? He said he doesn't like them but will eat them- scratching my head here. I think because it was at his parents he felt more obliged to eat them and not refuse...but wow, I wish my FI was the same. That is so great you are able to incorporate the veggies and the fam is willing. And of course, your hubby would lose the weight unintentionally- hehe. That is great and I know if my FI did the same-he too would lose instantly. He is aware he NEEDS to eat veggies and fruits but can't stand most of them-he takes this multigreen vitamin everyday to supplement some of the vital nutrients that only veggies provide. I told him it won't hurt to try new veggies again...taste buds change every 7 years or something right?

Barneystinson

Try different cooking methods for veggies.

My SO hates boiled or steamed veg, but loves them roasted, grilled, raw (in a salad) or sauteed. I'm the same way. We both also enjoy raw veggies with dip or hummus.