Meal ideas for picky/diabetic mom?

Francl27
Francl27 Posts: 26,368 Member
edited March 7 in Food and Nutrition
My mom is staying a week and it's always a total nightmare to figure out what to have for lunch. She just says 'whatever you're having'... but what I eat for lunch is not necessarily things she can/will eat. She doesn't like beef, and she's diabetic so I can't just make pasta. She doesn't like sandwiches. I don't think she eats wraps either. And she doesn't like salads.

She'd be fine eating eggs and ham but if I eat that for lunch I'm starving two hours later. So far I got chicken burritos (she liked that last time), ham steaks and veggies, maybe some sausage and veggies another time, I'm making some butternut squash soup...

But I have to plan dinners too! And all I got is pretty much sausage, chicken, tacos, fish.

Help?

Replies

  • sodakat
    sodakat Posts: 1,126 Member
    http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/food-tips/quick-meal-ideas/

    Lots of ideas here ^^

    If she says "whatever you're having" then why not just give her that? I think you may be overthinking this. Its only a week. She will be okay eating things she isn't crazy about.
  • amberj32
    amberj32 Posts: 663 Member
    Yes, way too picky but it's moms. I'm also diabetic. I pretty much eat the same things everyone else does but a smaller portion. You can do turkey or veggie burgers. I'm not sure how many carbs she eats per meal/day. Something with bacon? Fruit? Stir fry? Chili? Soup?
    SIDES - Yogurt, cottage cheese, celery and peanut butter, celery and cream cheese, carrots and hummus, baked sweet potato fries, quinoa, fake mashed potatoes(using half cauliflower and half potatoes)
    Eggplant Parmesan is a good meal. Meatloaf made with ground turkey. Stuffed cabbage.


    I hope this gives you a few more ideas.
  • crisb2
    crisb2 Posts: 329 Member
    Look for keto recipes on pinterest. They're perfect for diabetics and the fat content makes them very filling. I especially like mashed cauliflower, they really do taste as good as buttery mashed potatoes! http://www.pinterest.com/pin/127226758198862054/

    Or cauliflower fried rice, it's super easy to make! http://www.pinterest.com/pin/417849671649600334/
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    My mom is staying a week and it's always a total nightmare to figure out what to have for lunch. She just says 'whatever you're having'... but what I eat for lunch is not necessarily things she can/will eat. She doesn't like beef, and she's diabetic so I can't just make pasta. She doesn't like sandwiches. I don't think she eats wraps either. And she doesn't like salads.

    She'd be fine eating eggs and ham but if I eat that for lunch I'm starving two hours later. So far I got chicken burritos (she liked that last time), ham steaks and veggies, maybe some sausage and veggies another time, I'm making some butternut squash soup...

    But I have to plan dinners too! And all I got is pretty much sausage, chicken, tacos, fish.

    Help?

    She is leaving soon.
    For now prepare sausage, chicken, tacos, fish. Does she eat beans?
    Cook vegetables like butternut squash and whatever you like to eat:
    broccoli, broccoli, swiss chard, kale, spinach, romaine, cabbage, mushrooms, asparagus, avocados, okra, cauliflower, bell peppers, snow peas, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, winter squash, brussels sprouts.

    She can have what you are having.

    Pasta is o.k. as a side dish. Maybe put a lot of vegetables with it.
    Let her cook the ham and eggs for herself and you make something for yourself.
    If you are up to it, limit bread, pizza, corn, potatoes.
    Mostly, do what works best for you.

    The two of you can eat the same thing for lunch and dinner.




  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,368 Member
    Thanks all!

    Adding meatloaf and sweet potato fries to my list... I love mashed cauliflower but we just finished a huge batch and my family might kill me if I make more. I don't think she likes burgers but I'll offer (I often just have them bunless anyway). We'll probably end up having fish twice or something... I've never tried eggplant parmesan but it's a good idea too. Definitely go to do some cauliflower fried rice... YUM.

    The main problem is that she likes eating bread at breakfast so that typically uses up most of the carbs she can eat during the day. It's a pain. She doesn't like nut butters and I don't think I've ever seen her eat yogurt... but she's fine with just veggies, so whatever (main issue is I have to make two bags of frozen veggies for all of us now, and I'll have to share one with her at lunch - oh the horror).
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    Any way you guys can do a joint shopping trip, so you can pick up stuff she'll want to eat during the week? May help a little, especially if you can stock up on a few things that she can eat multiple times over the visit!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,368 Member
    missiontofitness wrote: »
    Any way you guys can do a joint shopping trip, so you can pick up stuff she'll want to eat during the week? May help a little, especially if you can stock up on a few things that she can eat multiple times over the visit!

    We always do. She just says she doesn't care, then she's like 'oh I can't have that'.
  • crisb2
    crisb2 Posts: 329 Member
    Google the oopsie roll for the "bread for breakfast" thing.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,368 Member
    crisb2 wrote: »
    Google the oopsie roll for the "bread for breakfast" thing.

    She won't eat it. She wants her bread. Then say things like 'I can't have any' if I want to make pasta later. We're going to someone and having sandwiches at lunch I believe, we'll see how that goes...

    I mean, I kinda get it, she has her carb limit and wants to spend it on what she likes, it's just very annoying for me, lol.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    edited October 2014
    We had an adult relative stay with us and we asked if there were any foods they wanted or needed to avoid. We got the "anything is fine" response. It turned out that they hated garlic (used liberally in many dishes) and ate a lot of stuff they knew they shouldn't for their medical condition and got pretty sick. I was really frustrated and mad because I would've happily made food they would like and could safely eat. It wouldn't have been difficult to accomadate them at all if they had just given some information.
    If you have a specific diet or strong dislikes and someone asks what they can prepare for you then please just tell them honestly instead of saying whatever.

    You don't have to eat exactly what she is eating. You could make chicken with vegetables and pasta as side dishes. She can eat the chicken and veggies and you can have everything.
    Stir fry with chicken and vegetables?
    Could you do a lettuce wrap or stuffed cabbage or peppers?
    I've seen recipes for lasagna that use zucchini or eggplant instead of noodles. Maybe something like that would be okay.
    Lentil or bean soup?
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    I'm T2D, here's a recipe for a ham bowl that's pretty darned good in my opinion.

    http://yourlighterside.com/2012/08/bacon-cheese-chive-stuffed-ham/

    There's also a bunch of other low carb recipes on the site if you want to poke around.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    You said she doesn't like beef but maybe she'll eat chili? You can make it ahead and get a couple lunches out of it especially if you serve it with a salad.

    Some more ideas:
    Steak & Salad, Beef & Cabbage Goulosh, Taco Salad, Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/10295936/#Comment_10295936

    Chili - Beef & Black Beans
    =====================

    16oz Ground Beef 75%
    Black Beans - 1/2 cup dry
    Garlic 12g - about a tbsp
    Onion 139g - 1 large
    Green Pepper 148g - 1 large
    Tomato 250g - 1 large

    Spices:
    1/8 tsp Cheyenne Pepper
    1 tsp Black Pepper
    2 tsp Kosher Salk
    2 tsp Garlic Powder
    2 tsp Onion Powder
    2 TBSP Chili Powder

    Cook the beans ahead of time.
    Blanch the tomato and peel the skin off.
    Mix the spices together in a small bowl.

    Brown the hamburger and chop your vegetables while it's browning. When the meat is done add your spices to the meat and let them cook for a minute or two, then add your onions & garlic and again let them cook for a minute or two before you add in the tomato, green pepper and black beans. Add water (1 or 2 cups), cover and cook for 20 minutes on a medium-low flame. Remove the cover and let simmer another twenty minutes or until it's the consitency you like your chili.

    Entire Pot
    1,812 Calories, 97g Carbs, 45g Fiber, 52 Net Carbs

    2 Huge Servings: 906 Calories, 26g Net Carbs
    3 Large Servings: 604 Calories, 17g Net Carbs
    4 Normal Servings: 453 Calories, 13 Net Carbs
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    AlabasterVerve wrote: »
    You said she doesn't like beef but maybe she'll eat chili? You can make it ahead and get a couple lunches out of it especially if you serve it with a salad.

    Some more ideas:
    Steak & Salad, Beef & Cabbage Goulosh, Taco Salad, Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/10295936/#Comment_10295936

    Chili - Beef & Black Beans
    =====================

    16oz Ground Beef 75%
    Black Beans - 1/2 cup dry
    Garlic 12g - about a tbsp
    Onion 139g - 1 large
    Green Pepper 148g - 1 large
    Tomato 250g - 1 large

    Spices:
    1/8 tsp Cheyenne Pepper
    1 tsp Black Pepper
    2 tsp Kosher Salk
    2 tsp Garlic Powder
    2 tsp Onion Powder
    2 TBSP Chili Powder

    Cook the beans ahead of time.
    Blanch the tomato and peel the skin off.
    Mix the spices together in a small bowl.

    Brown the hamburger and chop your vegetables while it's browning. When the meat is done add your spices to the meat and let them cook for a minute or two, then add your onions & garlic and again let them cook for a minute or two before you add in the tomato, green pepper and black beans. Add water (1 or 2 cups), cover and cook for 20 minutes on a medium-low flame. Remove the cover and let simmer another twenty minutes or until it's the consitency you like your chili.

    Entire Pot
    1,812 Calories, 97g Carbs, 45g Fiber, 52 Net Carbs

    2 Huge Servings: 906 Calories, 26g Net Carbs
    3 Large Servings: 604 Calories, 17g Net Carbs
    4 Normal Servings: 453 Calories, 13 Net Carbs

    I actually did chili stuffed peppers yesterday; they were great! If you use 93% lean ground beef, you can cut the calories down significantly per ounce of meat used.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    missiontofitness wrote: »
    I actually did chili stuffed peppers yesterday; they were great! If you use 93% lean ground beef, you can cut the calories down significantly per ounce of meat used.
    That sounds delicious. But for a diabetic eating a low carb diet fat is key and not something you want to reduce, IMO. It's delicious, satiating and unlike carbs and protein it doesn't raise your blood sugar -- all good things.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    AlabasterVerve wrote: »
    missiontofitness wrote: »
    I actually did chili stuffed peppers yesterday; they were great! If you use 93% lean ground beef, you can cut the calories down significantly per ounce of meat used.
    That sounds delicious. But for a diabetic eating a low carb diet fat is key and not something you want to reduce, IMO. It's delicious, satiating and unlike carbs and protein it doesn't raise your blood sugar -- all good things.

    Thanks for the heads up! I had no clue. I'm planning out a recipe for a diabetic vegetarian relative for Thanksgiving, and that is really helpful to know.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    missiontofitness wrote: »
    AlabasterVerve wrote: »
    missiontofitness wrote: »
    I actually did chili stuffed peppers yesterday; they were great! If you use 93% lean ground beef, you can cut the calories down significantly per ounce of meat used.
    That sounds delicious. But for a diabetic eating a low carb diet fat is key and not something you want to reduce, IMO. It's delicious, satiating and unlike carbs and protein it doesn't raise your blood sugar -- all good things.

    Thanks for the heads up! I had no clue. I'm planning out a recipe for a diabetic vegetarian relative for Thanksgiving, and that is really helpful to know.


    A type II diabetic needs to focus on eating protein and fat.
    (Fats are good just like Protein is good.)

    They need to reduce their carbs and sugars as much as possible.



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