Cooking for a family

How do you stay on track and cook for a family? I have the hardest time at dinnertime, when I'm usually tired and hungry, especially if I've been good about calories and working out through the day. I'm a fair cook, at least I like what I cook, and I try to keep it healthy though not necessarily "diet". Do those of you who have to cook for others eat the same, but manage to watch your portions, do you eat something else, remove yourself from the table completely? Any advice?
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Replies

  • jessjess210
    jessjess210 Posts: 91 Member
    I cook for my husband, 4 year old and 10 month old. Everybody eats the same thing at the same time. I just watch my portions. I'll usually plate my food at the stove with my scale. Or I'll even bring my scale to the table. I'm cooking so I can control how much oil or butter goes into the meal. With the protein, I'll usually pre portion a set amount for myself, according to how many calories I have left.

    Keep at it and soon you'll find you would rather eat your home cooked food over going out
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    I cook for two. Same food my portion is just smaller
    Sometimes i change little things in my husbands dinner like cook his fish in real butter while mine is in PAM Or he get gravy i dont take any

    But in general all my cooking is for two.
    Because he doesn't have to lose any weight he eats in between some snacks/crisps/nuts some extra fruit or a beer.

    I find it simple and have no problems with it at all.
  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
    I cook for my husband, 4 year old and 10 month old. Everybody eats the same thing at the same time. I just watch my portions. I'll usually plate my food at the stove with my scale. Or I'll even bring my scale to the table. I'm cooking so I can control how much oil or butter goes into the meal. With the protein, I'll usually pre portion a set amount for myself, according to how many calories I have left.

    Keep at it and soon you'll find you would rather eat your home cooked food over going out

    This is me, except change 4 year old to 2.
  • usernameenvy
    usernameenvy Posts: 140 Member
    I cook the same meal for everyone and just adjust my portion size to my nutritional and calorie requirements.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    I pretty much eat the same food my family eats. I might have smaller portions or skip a side dish sometimes. It hasn't really been a big deal.
  • Laurend224
    Laurend224 Posts: 1,748 Member
    I am resident chef for my family of five. I make frequent use of the recipe builder, and make sure to weigh out my portion. We usually eat the same things. Just manage your portions.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    edited May 2015
    I just put 50% non starchy vegetables into everything. That way we cut calories while eating the same foods. Burgers, nuggets, meatloaf, meatballs are 1/2 veg, chili is 1/2 veg, enchiladas/burritos/quesadillas are 1/2 veg and so on. I do choose lower calorie bread/tortilla/pita/flatbread options for those in my house, and serve vegetables on the side (sometimes several in one meal). Common meals I serve are cauliflower macaroni and cheese, yellow squash/chicken nuggets and a roasted vegetable, or a bean/veg quesadilla, tomato salad and corn on the cob, or a spinach/mushroom turkey burger with rutabaga or turnip fries, or a zucchini noodle lasagna, or a pita pizza covered with veggies. It doesn't have to be weird food. My kid knows nothing different after almost 8 years of life.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,262 Member
    We eat the same meals. Husband eats larger carb portions. I eat larger protein portions. Daughter eats whatever she is served.

    We aren't into casseroles or many sauces. Our meals are usually grilled or baked meat, mashed potatoes or rice, and raw veggies and/or fruit. The only "all mixed together" meal we eat is spaghetti and meatballs. It makes it super easy for us each to eat more/less of what we like/dislike.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,048 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    We eat the same meals. Husband eats larger carb portions. I eat larger protein portions. Daughter eats whatever she is served.

    We aren't into casseroles or many sauces. Our meals are usually grilled or baked meat, mashed potatoes or rice, and raw veggies and/or fruit. The only "all mixed together" meal we eat is spaghetti and meatballs. It makes it super easy for us each to eat more/less of what we like/dislike.

    Same here. I cook for DH+3 teenagers. For meals I serve on rice or pasta (red beans, lentils, stir fry, ragouts, stews, meatballs& marinara, etc.), I'll usually sub a bed of spinach for the rice/pasta, mostly because I prefer that, but it does give me more carbs to eat at other times.
  • lauracups
    lauracups Posts: 533 Member
    To echo what's been said, I cook the same for all, the only difference is I weigh and measure my food before I plate.
  • elaiesay2
    elaiesay2 Posts: 27 Member
    Thanks! I'm getting the portion control message, I'm going to have to have to be more conscientious about that. The whole tired (erm, lazy) by dinnertime thing I'm going to have to work on. We also all eat the same thing (almost 7 yo and 5 yo, and husband). We rarely eat out. I force my kids to eat things like tagines and quinoa burgers, which they aren't happy with. I find I'm eating my portion, plus what the kids didn't eat, plus the burned bits I can scrape out of the pan. I kinda degenerate at dinner.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
    Everyone eat's the same. In your case, you're just watching your portions.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
    edited May 2015
    Get people to help. They can prep too. Unless they're babies. but anyone over 6 should be pitching in imo. Ever see that Gordon Ramsey show? They can handle it, and it's not a bad way for them to learn.

    I helped when I was a kid. (No kids now, single. But I did cook ELABORATE meals for two for years and rest assured, that division of labour isn't happening again.)
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
    Hubs too
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,048 Member
    edited May 2015
    There are some brilliant prep ahead ideas people on the boards use. Lots of precooking & freezing on Sunday's. My favorite was someone who cooks double portions Sat & Sun to have ready to go Mon & Tue. She does the same Wed, so she is only cooking one night during the work week.
  • mirrim52
    mirrim52 Posts: 763 Member
    I cook for myself, hubby and 5 year old.
    I plan dinners a week or two at a time. It is the only way I can do it without resorting to takeout because I am tired after work. Everyone eats the same thing. I just take my portions first (weighing calorie dense foods) and leave the rest for them to eat as much as they want. The only things I do different for my kid is I will separate her stuff if I am making something too spicy for her, or if it has a sauce she won't eat, and sometimes I will leave her veggies raw, because she prefers them that way.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    We generally eat the same thing, but my husband might eat slightly more and my kids will eat a smaller portion (they're just 4, nearly 6 and just 1). They love simple things like chicken with vegetables, or fish with vegetables. I'm really busy so I don't have time for elaborate meals, so that suits me fine, and it's healthy.
    Occasionally I make spaghetti bolognaise, and my husband does a good chicken stew (also great meals to purée for our baby).
  • jascakes
    jascakes Posts: 26 Member
    My other half and I have totally different dietary needs - he needs to eat over 3000 calories a day and is stick thin, whereas I have an allowance of less than half of that! Dinnertime used to be horrible (it still basically sucks) but we have evened it out a bit by him eating more during the day, so he can manage with less at dinnertime, so our meals can be kind of similar. I always have to cook him something extra, chips or pasta or something while i stick to the protein and veg.

    It sucks but I hope I'll get used to it!
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Everyone eats the same... I just weigh out my portions.

    If someone doesn't want what I've cooked, they're on their own.
  • kristydi
    kristydi Posts: 781 Member
    I cook for my husband, 4 year old and 10 month old. Everybody eats the same thing at the same time. I just watch my portions. I'll usually plate my food at the stove with my scale. Or I'll even bring my scale to the table. I'm cooking so I can control how much oil or butter goes into the meal. With the protein, I'll usually pre portion a set amount for myself, according to how many calories I have left.

    Keep at it and soon you'll find you would rather eat your home cooked food over going out

    Pretty much this, except with a 2 year old and a 7 year old.

    Over time I've added most of the things I cook regularly to the recipe builder and that helps a ton. I also save calories through the day so dinner is by far my biggest meal.