Family meals

I'm new to this life style change. What I mean by that is every other time was just a "diet". Never have I had my heart in it. My question is does anyone find that that they are making a separate dinner for their kids/significant other

Replies

  • No, they eat what I make. It just turns out what I make is very good so there are no complaints.
    My father is deathly alergic to cheese so he is an exception.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Hell no, nobody has time for that (yes, I'm the cook in my home). You should understand first and foremost that your weight loss isn't so much about what you're eating as how much...take smaller portions.

    The main thing I adjusted in my cooking was using less oil....I always used a ton of oil and it was completely unnecessary. Other than that, I cook pretty much the same stuff I always have. I would also say that I have always cooked good, nutritious foods made largely from scratch, whole ingredients. I love food, it should be delicious...and proper nutrition requires more than just dry salads and celery sticks.
  • fobs13
    fobs13 Posts: 1,080 Member
    My husband is the cook. We generally eat the same but my portion is smaller and he will note the ingredients,weights for me so I can log. The kids would often have stuff I would not have at other meals but generally all have the,same dinner.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Not usually.
    I might choose to skip some parts of the meal that the others are eating but I don't usually make a whole different meal.
  • rainrain83
    rainrain83 Posts: 82 Member
    Nope everyone eats the same
    i have been trying to make the family eat salad with everything so instead of a massive bowl of pasta i have been putting it on a plate with salad.
    that type of thing. its not a bad idea to get everyone eating better.
    but obviously my portions are smaller than theirs.
  • shai74
    shai74 Posts: 512 Member
    edited November 2014
    My situation is a little different. I live with my partner, and his two teenage girls. I used to cook for everyone, but they are spoilt things and only eat rubbish (won't touch dinner and then are in the cupboard 20 minutes later to make a Nutella sandwich). My partner will eat what I eat, but I kinda eventually gave up and leave it to him to cook for his spoilt children - which means he'll mostly eat what they eat.

    So mostly, I just cook my own. Usually a couple of serves so I don't have to cook the following night. And on occasion (like last night when I made mayo/parmesan chicken) I will make enough for everyone who wants it.

    Having said that, when MY kids lived at home, I made the one meal. They ate normal food, and were thankful for it.
  • StrawberryJam40
    StrawberryJam40 Posts: 274 Member
    I almost always make two meals.

    I have a very stubborn picky 10 year old. If we ate the same things I'd sure be gaining eating what she likes or with my choices she would be losing but crying and throwing a fit the whole time.

    We have things in common we like and that's great when we have the same thing.

    No, it doesn't bother me. No, I'm not forcing my child to eat curry veggies and brown rice if she doesn't want any. Or other things she doesn't like....like Greek yogurt, steel cut oats, or cottage cheese.

    No, I won't stop buying her pizza, chicken nuggets, french fries when she is good about eating her fruits and some veggies and loves a good salad. That she drinks mainly water or milk and not sugary drinks or pop. That she spends a lot of time in the water for swim burning it all off.

    I don't expect her to like the same things I like.

    I grew up in a family that was eat what was made and clean your plate...and I'm fat.
  • My husband and I generally eat the same, he just eats more of it. The only difference is that he eats meat, dairy and eggs, I don't so sometimes our meals are a touch different but usually not.

    If we have tacos, I make hamburger for him and lentils for mine. If I make pizza, half is regular cheese, half is vegan cheese. If I make chicken, veggies, and potatoes for example, he has chicken, I have Quorn.
  • I cook for my boyfriend and I. Usually we have the same. I am lactose intolerant and egg intolerant, so some meals I'll totally give him cheese and other goodies he loves. He needs to gain some, I'm looking to loose a lot. We have different portions or the same but he gets snackies.
  • dashaclaire
    dashaclaire Posts: 127 Member
    fobs13 wrote: »
    My husband is the cook. We generally eat the same but my portion is smaller and he will note the ingredients,weights for me so I can log. The kids would often have stuff I would not have at other meals but generally all have the,same dinner.

    I hope you've told you husband how wonderful he is because wow that is really sweet and helpful!
  • fobs13
    fobs13 Posts: 1,080 Member
    fobs13 wrote: »
    My husband is the cook. We generally eat the same but my portion is smaller and he will note the ingredients,weights for me so I can log. The kids would often have stuff I would not have at other meals but generally all have the,same dinner.

    I hope you've told you husband how wonderful he is because wow that is really sweet and helpful!

    He knows I think he us wonderful ad would be hard to track otherwise.
  • ViolaLeeBlueberry
    ViolaLeeBlueberry Posts: 182 Member
    We have the same dinner. The only difference is that my husband and I both ditched grains, so I sometimes make pasta for our son (and then husband and I just eat the sauce/topping as a chili).

    In reality, portions aren't very different. Everyone pretty much feels like having the same amount.

    I'm the cook but my husband is the "weighing-it-by-eyeballing" person. He's really, really uncannily good at it. (Grew up on a farm.) But I guess he's getting a wee bit tired of me saying "so how many grams would this be?", and now he's the one saying, "We need a real scale." LOL!
  • greendragon
    greendragon Posts: 8 Member
    gizmo_2014 wrote: »
    My husband and I generally eat the same, he just eats more of it. The only difference is that he eats meat, dairy and eggs, I don't so sometimes our meals are a touch different but usually not.

    If we have tacos, I make hamburger for him and lentils for mine. If I make pizza, half is regular cheese, half is vegan cheese. If I make chicken, veggies, and potatoes for example, he has chicken, I have Quorn.

    Um... a little off topic but just wanted to check... are you aware that Quorn isn't vegan? (all Quorn products contain a small amount of egg white, and most also contain milk ingredients according to their website)
  • stickeysweet
    stickeysweet Posts: 5 Member
    I cook most of my family's meals everyday. That way I have control of keeping it a little healthier for everyone.
    And if anyone doesn't like what I am serving, they make something else.
  • rides4sanity
    rides4sanity Posts: 1,269 Member
    In general we serve a protein, 2 veggies, and a starch (rice, potatoes, pasta). I skip the starch and the kiddos can do only one veggie if they want. They have options so they don't fuss... The only time I have different food is on spaghetti night. I have spaghetti squash or mix it in with regular spaghetti, they eat whole grain spaghetti and all is right with the world...
  • NoelFigart1
    NoelFigart1 Posts: 1,276 Member
    DevilsNegu wrote: »
    I'm new to this life style change. What I mean by that is every other time was just a "diet". Never have I had my heart in it. My question is does anyone find that that they are making a separate dinner for their kids/significant other

    Hell no.

    At most, I will make a quick side dish for teenage appetites (rice or pasta or something) that I may not put on my own plate.

    I was a Mean Mommy with an "Eat or Starve" policy with the kids, but I didn't exactly serve them meals they hated every night, either, 'cause that would have crossed from Mean to downright cruel.

    I did teach the kids to cook their favorite dishes, so if they just HAD to have pizza or something, they were welcome to cook the family meal that night. (If I have to cook for everyone, anyone who wants to be a special snowflake can do the same damn thing. My son got really good at stir frys, and my daughter makes a mean quiche)

    I'm an empty nester now, but my husband and I both share cooking duties. We have a No Complain policy. Does he cook that meal exactly as I would and weigh everything properly? Nope. Those are the nights I estimate and move on with it. He doesn't cook often enough to truly screw up my diet and I don't want to be stuck with being the only chef.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    We all eat exactly the same thing. Either that or they can do their own. It was the same when I was losing as well. For me, this is all about being healthy and fueling my body correctly, and DH and DD need to be healthy too.
  • Fit147
    Fit147 Posts: 209 Member
    I have a very picky 3 and 11 year old. The 3 year old can't handle the spices we have in our food and I won't eat bland food every night just so we are eating the same. I have a rotation of healthy chicken, pasta, panini sandwiches, etc that I will make quickly if he won't eat what we are. I am trying to get my daughter to eat what we are eating. I make her try every meal. If she can't/won't then she can have a banana after trying. I have taught her how to make English muffin pizzas on her own. It's a balancing act.