dinner ideas for a non diet boyfriend and a girl on a diet

Options
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!!
«1

Replies

  • jynxxxed
    jynxxxed Posts: 1,010 Member
    Options
    There are tons of ideas in the 'recipes' section that you can browse through.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Options
    why cant you eat beef or sausage?
  • jynxxxed
    jynxxxed Posts: 1,010 Member
    Options
    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.
  • GeekGirl23
    GeekGirl23 Posts: 517 Member
    Options
    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 Turkey
  • SavageFeast
    SavageFeast Posts: 325 Member
    Options
    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)...
  • daisiemae123
    daisiemae123 Posts: 277 Member
    Options
    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.
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    Options
    Well who cooks?

    You? He can eat it or go hungry
  • kooltray87
    kooltray87 Posts: 501 Member
    Options
    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 lol
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    Options
    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* meals
  • MissLotte
    MissLotte Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    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. xx
  • newcs
    newcs Posts: 717 Member
    Options
    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.
  • elleloch
    elleloch Posts: 739 Member
    Options
    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 :)
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
    Options
    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.
  • 126siany
    126siany Posts: 1,386 Member
    Options
    Why can't he just have larger portions of whatever you make for yourself?
  • jealous_loser
    Options
    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.
  • RunsOnEspresso
    RunsOnEspresso Posts: 3,218 Member
    Options
    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.
  • asarwe
    asarwe Posts: 73 Member
    Options
    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.
  • alaskaang
    alaskaang Posts: 493 Member
    Options
    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.
  • DLKeeble
    DLKeeble Posts: 200 Member
    Options
    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!
  • needamulligan
    needamulligan Posts: 558 Member
    Options
    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.