Preparing meals for non-dieting significant other

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  • amy1612
    amy1612 Posts: 1,356 Member
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    For the majority of the time, I make us both the same meals.

    E.g.

    Breakfasts, unless specifically stated otherwise, I make us both toast and spreads of choice, or both of us porridge or both of us a cooked breakfast of the same thing (different quantities if desired). If cereal is being had, then it's cereal of choice. If I'm leaving for work first, and well before my partner wants to eat, then I just make myself food and leave her to her own devices. I've also been known to pack her off with an Up & Go for her drive to work in the car rather than make her breakfast. If we go out to eat for breakfast on the weekend or on a day off, we order what we want.

    Lunches - I pack the same or similar foods for lunches. Sometimes I just pack her off with snacks and she gets her own lunch at work. Usually she has whatever she wants for lunch! lol

    Dinner - I cook one meal and we both eat it. If we go out for dinner, we often order two separate dishes and share so we get to experience the different flavours.

    She has been a fantastic support to me the whole way and if she cooks then she always writes down the weights of everything and always asks how many calories I have left for the meal and then she either makes a dinner within my calorie goal or we make a plan to walk off the excess after dinner together. I know. I'm extremely lucky.

    I don't see the point in making two separate meals. If you want something different to what I'm eating, there's the kitchen. Make it yourself.

    This. My partner is pretty happy to eat whatever I'm cooking. Sometimes he moans that I 'ruin it with veg'. When I tried strict paleo he drank almond milk (which he still buys instead of regular), ate coconut flour pancakes etc. Sometimes I'll add some brocoli to my plate and not his or give him regular read instead of gf, but thats about the biggest difference.
  • Ccole90
    Ccole90 Posts: 7
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    For us, i usually have two different shopping lists. I buy my healthy fruits and veggies, ground turkey, etc and then i buy his processed foods. As much as it sucks, i have to keep in mind that he is an adult and a man, and will eat what he pleases. Sometimes i can sneak in healthy foods to him and he doesn't notice, but he has to make the choice for himself. I am thankful that i have such a supportive husband. He's in the army (you'd think he would want to eat healthier lol) but he's still a typical man and he's going to eat crap because that's what most soldiers do lol.
  • marasw
    marasw Posts: 75 Member
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    I struggle with this because my husband eats what I eat and doesn't ask for or want a larger portion, and he is losing weight because of it. He is a healthy weight already and does not need to lose so it's a problem. It's very frustrating trying to force him to eat more calories when he's quite content to have what I have and nothing more. Maybe I should start forcing him to eat protein bars or something. The worst part is I usually feel hungry and want more but can't have it, but he NEEDS more and doesn't feel hungry! ARG
  • Jennyd1314
    Jennyd1314 Posts: 61 Member
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    I cook 2 similar meals, not a huge problem. I always have leftovers to use for lunches/other dinners. The kids are fussy so eat before us & different foods 50% of time. But I don't work (stay at home mum) so not a issue. It might become one when I go back to work next year.
  • Sieden76
    Sieden76 Posts: 127 Member
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    My house is very opposite I eat a mainly raw vegan diet and my boyfriend eats a very meat and dairy heavy diet. I cook whatever he wants but I've stopped tasting as I go, I now have him taste it for me and tell me if it needs extra seasoning. He doesn't know how to cook or I would make him do it himself. I do all of the shopping so we sit down together and plan the meals for the week.
  • sozisraw
    sozisraw Posts: 418 Member
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    My house is very opposite I eat a mainly raw vegan diet and my boyfriend eats a very meat and dairy heavy diet. I cook whatever he wants but I've stopped tasting as I go, I now have him taste it for me and tell me if it needs extra seasoning. He doesn't know how to cook or I would make him do it himself. I do all of the shopping so we sit down together and plan the meals for the week.

    Similar situation here, now way would my hyperactive Autistic son eat only my raw vegan foods, he would fade and die! But the fruit bowl is loved by both of us :))
  • oOxXxOo
    oOxXxOo Posts: 75 Member
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    I cook everything in the house and my partner eats what I make him he just gets a bigger portion. I also usually give him and the kids a baked potato with their protein and he gets a bigger portion.. we all have the same vegetables bar the potato. I have to cook substantial evening meals because he does very physical work during the day and if I dont feed him properly he will be ravenous and I dont want that. If I make a salad for dinner, I make him a steak and bacon to go with it (he sees salad as a side dish LOL). I do quite a bit of research online to try and make things as healthy as possible for everyone but we eat pretty regular food.. soup, casserole, we have breakkie for dinner one night, pasta...
    That all being said my boyfriend is not picky, he doesnt have a special diet and for the most part loves my cooking (I didnt get this big by being a crappy cook :P)
  • helenmelon29
    helenmelon29 Posts: 787 Member
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    We eat the same meal with a few adjustments. e.g last night we had pasta.

    I had mushroom carbonara with big salad. My OH had the same but it was topped with bacon and garlic bread.

    Tonight we are having homemade beef burgers. I will have one in a bun with lots of salad (with no or very little cheese and light Mayo), prob serve with Sweet pot fries. OH will have 2 burgers in a bun with mayo/cheese etc and sweet potato fries.

    I like to eat what we normally eat but try and keep it healthy.

    We eat a different breakfast and lunch as we don't eat that together, as OH eats at work.
  • courtneylyn1
    courtneylyn1 Posts: 71 Member
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    Thanks for all of the replies! It was fun to read how everyone does different things with their family. For the most part, I bake for my hubby during the week for dinner. I tend to cook something from scratch on Saturday or Sunday since I am off and have the time to. Since I don't eat meat(and haven't since I was a child), he has to be the one to taste everything also. Stinks to be the taster as I know at least one of my meals was horrid! Haha. Hey! I try though. It doesn't bother me at all to cook something separate pending I have the time. We have only been married for a year and two months so I am still experimenting when it comes to cooking meat. When I have children, I will raise them to eat like my husband. He eats a large variety of meals and that is how I want them to be. I am very picky and couldn't imagine having another like me living in the same household. Haha. When I go to the grocery, I do buy snacks also. In this case, being picky has kind of helped me. For example, when I buy things that I like too, I try to go in a different direction of what I think my husband would like but me not so much. For chips(which are my biggest weakness), I will stick to Doritos as I am not a huge fan of them, but he loves them. Same with cookies and all of the other items. He still gets his good snack, but I also don't get my cravings when I open up the pantry and see my favorite items! I also try to sneak in healthier foods too by getting the items with no added salts/sugars and what not. There is no harm in that! He doesn't need to diet but it won't hurt him to eat healthier items either. Especially if it doesn't compromise the taste much :)
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    I just cook food and we eat the amount we want to eat. We often have leftovers. It's not terribly complex.

    This! I don't eat "diet" foods or meals. I've been on the MFP merry-go-round before but this time the difference is that I have made a conscious effort to NOT rely on "diet food." I eat the same recipes I've always prepared but I control my portions. That way no one gets upset over what I prepare (any more than usual anyway) and I'm not making more than one meal (no way in HELL would I anyway). Obviously it's working as I've lost 51 and counting.

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