Cooking for family, need help!
lzbth_eckert
Posts: 4 Member
I am a semi-vegetarian. (Sometimes I just get grossed out by eating it.) My husband is all about some meat. My young kids are very picky. So, My question is, how do you diet/eat healthy and please everyone, other than fix 3 different meals? We have a few meals we work, but I need more ideas. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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Use meat substitutes to cook the likes of lasagne, spag bol, casseroles, or fajitas, bulked out with loads of veg, cut the veg up small. Don't tell your hubby its a meat substitute. A lot of kids palates genuinely can't handle veg, especially green veg, so don't get stressed if they don't eat as much as you like, your hubby has no choice, tell him he needs to support you with this so he needs to grin and bear it. If you constantly feed your kids healthy food and have the chance to try new things, and they see you and the hubby eating it they will eventually eat it too. Make your own chicken/fish goujons, and get the kids involved. hope this helps x0
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rugratz2015 wrote: »Use meat substitutes to cook the likes of lasagne, spag bol, casseroles, or fajitas, bulked out with loads of veg, cut the veg up small. Don't tell your hubby its a meat substitute. A lot of kids palates genuinely can't handle veg, especially green veg, so don't get stressed if they don't eat as much as you like, your hubby has no choice, tell him he needs to support you with this so he needs to grin and bear it. If you constantly feed your kids healthy food and have the chance to try new things, and they see you and the hubby eating it they will eventually eat it too. Make your own chicken/fish goujons, and get the kids involved. hope this helps x
What? OP is the one on the diet, not her husband. Why does he have to support her?
Also, he'll definitely be able to tell that it's not meat. At the very least he's going to think it's terrible quality meat, but most likely he'll be able to tell that it's not meat. OP, maybe just put your meatless portion aside first, then add meat to the rest of the meal? Maybe you could make whatever your kids/husband feel like eating, but just eat less of it yourself? Portion control is key
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Thanks guys!0
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rugratz2015 wrote: »your hubby has no choice, tell him he needs to support you with this so he needs to grin and bear it.
Haha, what? That's really severe. OP, don't take that tactic. Your husband won't appreciate it and it's not true. He doesn't have to grin and bear anything.
You can try making separate things. Make cajun baked pork chops with red beans and rice and a veggie or salad. You can eat it all but the pork chops and your husband gets his meat and your kids get the protein they definitely need.
You can make casseroles that are meatless and see if they will at least try them, but you can't force semi-vegetarianism on them. You can make lasagna with italian sausage in a separate dish. You just have to figure out how to separate the meat from the main dish.0 -
@Kexessa and @Marzipanda95 - did you read the ops post? - she stated that she didn't want to cook different meals, wanted to please everyone and eat healthy? - This process is (or should be) a lifelong change, not a fad diet to lose a few pounds.
The op needs her husbands support, and as long as she is cooking 2/3 different foods to suit everyone then she will not get it - and I know this because that used to be me.
My hubby knows if I cook I will cook what I like to eat, if he cooks I either make my own or 'grin and bear it' because he cooks processed crap, which I wouldn't cook.
I am a meat lover and have eaten meat substitute - it is not a big deal, especially when in a sauce like lasagne. The op isn't forcing 'semi-vegetarianism' on anyone, having a meat free dinner a couple of times a week won't kill anyone. The op didn't state whether they eat fish - which is another alternative.
Healthy living starts at home, and we ALL have a responsibility to teach our children how to eat healthily, whether they need to 'diet' or not.0 -
I'm assuming the OP gets grossed out, both eating and handling meat. In that case I'd suggest she asks for the hubby's help in preparing meat when/if he wants to eat it. He could also help prepare meat based meals in bulk where the OP could just serve or add it to the rest of the stuff at meal time0
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OP what kinds of things did you cook for your family before starting MFP? We see a lot of posts like this where someone starting a new healthier lifestyle feels they aren't getting support from their spouse, friends, parents, colleagues, etc. it seems to me the biggest challenge in your situation is your aversion to meat, not only eating it but cooking it. But that probably has always been the case, doesn't have anything to do with your MFP "journey" so I'm just curious what kinds of things worked for you family before?0
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Teach your husband to cook meat?
All adults (and kids post-puberty) should have at least the cooking basics down.0 -
lzbth_eckert wrote: »I am a semi-vegetarian. (Sometimes I just get grossed out by eating it.) My husband is all about some meat. My young kids are very picky. So, My question is, how do you diet/eat healthy and please everyone, other than fix 3 different meals? We have a few meals we work, but I need more ideas. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Seems to me like you got some serious challenges. But if you've got the time to do it, you can still make good meals and all be healthy.
So are you semi vegetarian because meat grosses you out? Its a bit confused in your post.
PIcky children? Is that becuase the cooking is not very good perhaps? Don't let your kids grow up to be picky eaters. It makes them really prone to getting fat as far as i can tell.
Cook healthy nutritious meals for the whole family to start with. Then cook the meat extra for your husband and a bit for the kids too if they like it.
Cook with recipe books if you are not a good cook. Mediterranean cuisine is a safe bet because its very traditional, pretty healthy and usually delicious.
If the kids aren't keen on vegetables cook them into dishes rather than as separate items. Cooked into other dishes some of their flavour gets disguised by the herbs spices and other foods they are cooked with.
Feeding people lots of junk food makes normal healthy food less appetising becuase its so highly flavoured iwth salt, sugar, fat and other flavourings. Stop eating junk food and you will find it easier to get everyone used to healthier home cooked meals. Make the desserts rather serving icecream. Try to develop a dependence on fruit for sweetness rather than lots of bought sweets becuase they are too sweet and can lead to out of control sweet tooths. Plus home cooked desserts are more delicious. Keep servings sizes small for anyone who eats them.
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If you don't even want to prepare the meat ask your husband to cook it ahead of time. You can buy 5lb ground lean hamburger and have him cook it and then freeze in containers for later use. He can also Grill a bunch of chicken breasts and freeze also. We vacuums seal everything and love it. You can add the meat after you have taken your portion out. I love meat but I do this for convenience. You can put meat substitute in your portion.
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You can also make stews and chili but take out your portion before adding meat or cook the meat on the side and add it just before serving for them.0
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Well, thanks for all your comments and suggestions!
To answer your questions, I occasionally do eat some meat. I just go through periods where it will sound good, make it and I think about it too much,and get grossed out,like I am aware I'm eating an animal.
My problem is that I am a decent cook, but since I'm trying to drop weight, I try to recreate traditional family meals into either vegetarian style or lower calorie.
Pre-kids I ate pretty healthy and up until about 2 years ago. My kids got out of baby food and moved on to grown up fare. I made the "healthy" nuggets, added veggies to sauce, etc. They would just refuse. Well, time went on, my back went out, and due to lack of exercise, I am 25 pounds overweight. The hubby would grill some sort of meat, and I would fix something simple inside that I know they would eat. Half of the time, it would be more of "heating up" or boil water for noodles. Like fish sticks and macaroni and cheese, spaghetti noodles, black bean burritos, etc. My girls will eat veggies though! I made it a point early on to give them a light fruit and at least 1 vegetable first on their plates before the main entrée.
I also make sure they have a smoothie at lunch. It has 2 green vegetables, 2 fruit, protein powder and a little light juice.
I would say they get more healthy stuff than most! At least 4 veggies and 3 fruit servings, 2 dairy plus a kids multivitamin!
A little off track, I just think I had a bad night last night. I'll figure it out! Thanks for letting me vent!0 -
Lasanga - either make two small pans one veg and one w/meat - or only put meat in half a big pan
burgers - prepare both meat and non-meat versions
soups/stews/chilis - either fix a chop or filet on the side, or cook some meat separately to add in at the end after you've removed your portion.
salad - offer non-meat toppings like tofu or egg and meat toppings like tuna or cooked chicken
Steak and baked potato for him, baked potato topped with beans for you
Stuff like that. My daughter was vegetarian for a while and I never cooked a whole separate meal for her, I just offered veg options of whatever we were having.0 -
Make vegetarian food for yourself and the children as the main dish. Let your husband's food be a side dish.
Involve the little children in food planning, preparation, shopping, and cooking so that they become more welcoming of new foods.0 -
I am a vegetarian and my husband and children are not. My son is only 20 months old, and I WANT him to eat meat. I'm not a vegetarian for ethical reasons. I also am reallllyyyy grossed out by it. I make a main meal with meat--- chicken, beef, whatever. And then I cook myself my own protein (faux meat, beans, tofu, etc.) and have that with the same things they have.
Example: We have stir fry-- I cook chicken stir fry with all the veggies and whatnot. I cook myself faux chicken and mix that in with the stir fry veggies.
Additionally, my son loves tofu and beans, so he gets those too. My husband is a meat and potatoes type of guy, but actually quite enjoys a lot of faux meat products.0 -
My health background means I got used to the diabetic plate, which happens to look a lot like the USDA Choose My Plate campaign.
So when it comes to portioning out to different members of the family, it simply means switching out the protein. The rest of the plate is the same for everyone. Which should make things simpler for you.
Get your man on the grill and get him to cook his steaks.
I have a couple vegetarian meals a week (no reason other than loving variety) one which is based on tofu and another on beans. I try a recipe out and if my meat-and-potatoes guy gobbles it down, it goes on my approved list.
As for fussy kids, it does take some effort to turn them around. Here are some ideas:- Give each child a dinner night where they are in charge and pick the meal. Depending on their skill, let them do some of the prep work.
- Keep out a bowl of attractive fruit that they can attack any time.
- Fruit pizza and fruit kabobs.
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When I was growing up my mom made 1 meal for dinner. It was a take it or leave it situation. I too am a vegetarian now and find it hard to please everyone. Your kids will learn to eat healthier when you show them that these foods aren't so bad. It also helps to have them get in the kitchen. The more they help with prep work and cooking the more apt they are to trying the new foods. I understand that the husband may not want to eat soy based meat products, so have him prepare his own meat. You cook the rest of the food, but he cooks his own meat. I suppose on special occasions you can do it for him.0
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Make a kid/vegetarian friendly main dish and tell your husband to fire up the grill for chicken/steak whatever for him and the kids if they want some! He could cook chicken for several days at once.0
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