Family Support

superhockeymom
superhockeymom Posts: 2,000 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So looking for ideas how to get my family behind my healthy eating habits We rarely eat the same meals I normally cook 2 thing one for my boys and husband and then good food for me. Does anyone else do this? I would love to just cook one thing but there is no way I am eating the stuff they like and I am sure they would say the same.
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Replies

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Cook the same thing for everyone. My daughter may eat more, or add another item, but she eats what i cook.
  • superhockeymom
    superhockeymom Posts: 2,000 Member
    I wish they eat no vegetables or salads no fish and chicken is a stretch. They live on pork and beef & noodles. I feel like I have tried everything. Then I feel bad because I am sometimes not even eating with them because my meal is still cooking.
  • mrsnazario1219
    mrsnazario1219 Posts: 173 Member
    I cook one meal. I just have less or add a salad. Most of the meals I cook are pretty healthy anyway. Always a protein, carb and vegetable. Either baked, sautéed or boiled. Never fried.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    When I lived with a picky eater, we learned to compromise on what we'd both eat. Typically it'd end up being a casserole of some kind with a side. Sometimes the side would be just for me (a salad, for instance). Sometimes the side was something fatty/cheesy for him. And then the casserole would be made basically like a diabetic would want (reasonable on the carbs, low fat-ish) and then HIS portion would be topped with cheese or crust or whatever and my side didn't typically have cheese IN IT (but maybe I'd top it with a measured amount). But our favorite compromise was usually pizza or english muffin pizzas or pita pizzas. Again, mainly so I could control the portion of cheese on mine. But also because you could make a thai pizza pita and a meat lovers pizza pita and a veggie lover pizza pita, and people could pick. We always ate dinner together if we were home together. Even if it was breakfast for dinner.
  • MommyL2015
    MommyL2015 Posts: 1,411 Member
    My family eats what I cook. If they don't like it, they go hungry or cook their own food. This isn't a restaurant and I don't hand out menus.
  • choppie70
    choppie70 Posts: 544 Member
    I cook one thing for all of us. I just make sure that I have a good portion of salad first so I don't over do it on the good stuff. For me to be successful in the long run, I am going to have to learn how to manage my portions and control my eating. I am too busy to cook more than one thing. If my husband or children do not like it, they can always make themselves a PB & J!
  • amillenium
    amillenium Posts: 281 Member
    I cook for just my kids and myself (most nights)...My son sounds exactly like your boys and only eats meat (chicken, turkey, beef or pork) and rice/noodles. So what I do is I make one meal that is friendly for him but I modify it for my daughter and myself.

    For spaghetti and meat sauce night, I have mine over zoodles instead of pasta. If we do a beef or chicken stir fry with rice, I do a smaller portion and either eat mine on a bed of mixed greens or if I have time stir fry it with zoodles. I have the veggies cooked on the side for my daughter and always have fruit on the side too. I encourage him to try things but don't force it.

    Tonight we are doing ground turkey "Korean" bowls I will sauté the turkey with the sauce and then have roasted zucchini and red peppers on the side that my daughter can add to top hers. I will have the turkey and sauce combo with the roast veggies over a salad. The kids will have rice. I have diced watermelon on the side too. It will be ready with in 15 minutes after walking in the door after swim practice too :)
  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
    My first thought is telling the kids they can eat what you make or go hungry. Trust me, they won't let themselves starve. Following along those lines, I assume that your husband is open to more than what the kids like so he can/should easily back you up.

    Second thought was making a compromise. Four nights a week you cook what they generally eat. Have a small portion for yourself and have a generous side of something you enjoy (salad/veggies). The other three nights the family eats what you choose. That's fair enough.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Here it depends. Usually.. one meal. Don't care if my kids go to bed hungry. Some nights when we have leftovers though obviously it's more up to them and I'll make my own thing.
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
    Tough love: they eat what you cook or they don't eat.
  • besee_2000
    besee_2000 Posts: 365 Member
    At some point I grew up figuring things out. My mom worked full time with 4 kids and dad worked out of town. In 8th grade I decided I wasn't going to eat red meat anymore. They would go to McD's and I learned to cook up a mean grilled chicken breast.
  • angerelle
    angerelle Posts: 175 Member
    They need to eat vegetables! I find my kids are more likely to eat what is put in front of them if they haven't been allowed to snack. We all eat the same meal together, I do make compromises, they don't like some of the veg we do, so I do an extra veg for us, or steam their veg because they don't like stir fried, Number 1 Son doesn't like gravy or sauces, but no veg, no dessert!
  • superhockeymom
    superhockeymom Posts: 2,000 Member
    I wish I started the eat what I cook a long time ago but at 15 and 13 oh and the worst 50 they expect what they like. I like the make your own pizza we used to do that when they were little not sure why we stopped. Well tonight is 2 meals again. Stack rice and corn for them and ? For me. I am going to work on this though getting tired of being a short order cook and then being called weird because I don't like what they eat. Lol
  • amillenium
    amillenium Posts: 281 Member
    superhockeymom wrote: »
    I wish I started the eat what I cook a long time ago but at 15 and 13 oh and the worst 50 they expect what they like. I like the make your own pizza we used to do that when they were little not sure why we stopped. Well tonight is 2 meals again. Stack rice and corn for them and ? For me. I am going to work on this though getting tired of being a short order cook and then being called weird because I don't like what they eat. Lol

    Why don't you have the steak over a bed of mixed greens with a nice vinaigrette and some blue cheese crumbles? A simple modification can make both you and them happy. My ex-husband was the same way--to this day he still eats no veggies. As for my son, I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Ive tried forcing it in the past when he was younger and it just doesnt work. To be honest the main reason I cook dinner is for them when they are with me, so I am not going to make something that makes 1/3 of my family unhappy and refusing to eat....it just means leftovers I have to eat when they go to their dads.

  • NJGamerChick
    NJGamerChick Posts: 467 Member
    I will usually only make one thing for me and my husband, but on the occasion there is something for me, I will treat hubby with something he likes. He loves when I make pasta with bacon and spinach (I hate spinach and eat gluten-free) on a random day. I will also sometimes make chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes as a treat and eat a half portion. Other times I will make a nice pot of meat sauce and it's something he enjoys that he can make whenever he wants it. I won't go out of my way to make 2 different meals every day, but I will cook 2 different kinds of pasta or make pasta for him and veggies for me.

    I'm not a short order cook. Eat what I make, fend for yourself, or just don't eat. Being picky is no excuse to stress me out or make my life more difficult and busy than it is already.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Get the kids eating healthy food. It's good for them and you will raise people who won't be able to blame you for their bad habits. Get your husband on board because the kids will groan and whine about he doesn't eat them, lol.
  • thunder1982
    thunder1982 Posts: 280 Member
    We always pretty much eat separate from the kids, some meals like spag or stew we will eat together but my husband normally cooks spicy food not suitable for young kids. But each has their own taste i.e. my daughter wont eat stew but the boys gobble it up, boys dont eat salad but eat cucumbers whole (my dh doesn't eat tomato so I am used to making small side salads with different ingredients for whoever). But we do try to get dinner ready asap as otherwise they come home raid the fridge and dont eat dinner. On Mondays for example we dont bother making them dinner as my parents have them afterschool and they have usually had a sandwich, fruit and icecream by the time we pick them up (and thats fater they have alreday have afternoon tea at school). Baked beans is usually whats on offer for dinner if they are still hungry.

    That being said if they dont eat whats given to them (shared meal or unshared) I dont make them something else they have to fend for themselves (even my 3yo has learnt to make pb sandwichs). The only rule is that it has to be healthy (yogurt, fruit, sandwich) it also means that if I did happen to get dessert for them that night they dont get any.

    The older kids gets separate lunchboxes too. My daughter doesnt eat bread and likes things like olives, dips and grape tomartoes in her lunchbox. My older son sticks to a ham sandwich and apple and doesnt like to eat many other types of fruit.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    superhockeymom wrote: »
    I wish I started the eat what I cook a long time ago but at 15 and 13 oh and the worst 50 they expect what they like. I like the make your own pizza we used to do that when they were little not sure why we stopped. Well tonight is 2 meals again. Stack rice and corn for them and ? For me. I am going to work on this though getting tired of being a short order cook and then being called weird because I don't like what they eat. Lol

    Good thing they are all old enough to cook for themselves. Stop catering to them. Mine is 15 and prior to my boy hitting adulthood, he ate what I cooked as well.
    Additionally, there is nothing wrong with you eating rice or corn, so get to it woman.
  • superhockeymom
    superhockeymom Posts: 2,000 Member
    edited October 2015
    Not a fan of either but may later not sure. I hate steak tips though.
    Right now I am freaking because I ran in the woods and just found 2 ticks on my. I am seriously grossed out.

    Yes later
    Rice
    Corn
    Cauliflower
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  • superhockeymom
    superhockeymom Posts: 2,000 Member
    But honestly I'm the one that eats different from them so I feel bad but it would be nice to just all sit and eat.
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  • KateTii
    KateTii Posts: 886 Member
    edited October 2015
    superhockeymom wrote: »
    But honestly I'm the one that eats different from them so I feel bad but it would be nice to just all sit and eat.

    Well then you have two options:

    A. Eat what they eat, just in portions that fit your needs

    B. Decide that eating healthier is something that you all need to do as a family. As the kids are older, sit them down and explain and work on meal ideas together.
  • Kimegatron
    Kimegatron Posts: 772 Member
    I'm a vegetarian, so they eat what I cook, and the husband may make a separate meat dish to go with their (husband and our daughter) portion that I made
  • superhockeymom
    superhockeymom Posts: 2,000 Member
    In going to work on this. Tomorrow will be rotisserie chicken or hamburgers crazy day with schedules. I'm all for the chicken.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    I feed two athletes and a husband every day. My kids know that good nutrition is important to their training and competing. We eat the exact same meals every day unless they are eating something I am allergic to. I just eat less of the higher calorie choices, and more of the veggies and proteins.

    Persistance pays off. Even my husband eats most veggies as long as I cook them the way they like them. Like brussels sprouts, they will only eat them roasted in a bit of oil and lots of salt. They wouldn't touch them boiled. Works for me, I love them roasted! And this is a significant victory, growing up he only ate peas, corn and carrots.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    1) Family support and family eating exactly the same things as you are not the same issue. They have different nutritional needs.

    2) Are you the adult or what? You need to find ways to get your kids eating their veggies. Hide them in the meatloaf, cover them in cheese, or just put them on the plate and tell the kids they can't have seconds of anything until they eat them. Keep trying until everyone has found at least one veg they like. I highly recommend roasting for this purpose.

    3) You are setting the whole family up for a weird dynamic, separating out "healthy/diet" vs. "normal" (aka, what most of the family is doing). Barring conflicting medical issues, everyone should be able to eat similar foods, with small adjustments (such as covering something with cheese for those who need more calories).
  • superhockeymom
    superhockeymom Posts: 2,000 Member
    concordancia wrote: »
    1) Family support and family eating exactly the same things as you are not the same issue. They have different nutritional needs.

    2) Are you the adult or what? You need to find ways to get your kids eating their veggies. Hide them in the meatloaf, cover them in cheese, or just put them on the plate and tell the kids they can't have seconds of anything until they eat them. Keep trying until everyone has found at least one veg they like. I highly recommend roasting for this purpose.

    3) You are setting the whole family up for a weird dynamic, separating out "healthy/diet" vs. "normal" (aka, what most of the family is doing). Barring conflicting medical issues, everyone should be able to eat similar foods, with small adjustments (such as covering something with cheese for those who need more calories).

    I guess I titled it that because I was thinking they were not supporting my eating/ trying to loose weight but everyone's right I cater to them and segregate myself. Definitely going to work on it.
  • llUndecidedll
    llUndecidedll Posts: 724 Member
    That's a hard thing to do depending on how picky an eater they are. I have a little sister who's been picky since birth and at 21 shows no signs of changing. As a young child, she would sit and stare at her plate for hours.. Hours... Until my mother gave up on trying to make her eat certain foods. Oh, and it wasn't just veggies... She despises all condiments, sauces, salads of all kinds, beans, eggs, soups/stews, everything with onions, oeppers, etc added to it, any and all school cafeteria food since day one, etc.

    I know a lot of people say their family will have to eat what they cook or starve, but that's a gray area for children like my sister who will literally go the entire day without eating. So my mother just made sure she always had something to eat.

    If your family isn't that picky, then I would just make a mix of 'good' and 'bad' foods. You can't expect someone to change their preferences overnight, and it may just be a case of ignorance. I cooked a vegetable lasagna for my younger cousins and they simply weren't having it, but when I made them taste it, they said they liked it.
  • superhockeymom
    superhockeymom Posts: 2,000 Member
    llUndecidedll wrote: »
    That's a hard thing to do depending on how picky an eater they are. I have a little sister who's been picky since birth and at 21 shows no signs of changing. As a young child, she would sit and stare at her plate for hours.. Hours... Until my mother gave up on trying to make her eat certain foods. Oh, and it wasn't just veggies... She despises all condiments, sauces, salads of all kinds, beans, eggs, soups/stews, everything with onions, oeppers, etc added to it, any and all school cafeteria food since day one, etc.

    I know a lot of people say their family will have to eat what they cook or starve, but that's a gray area for children like my sister who will literally go the entire day without eating. So my mother just made sure she always had something to eat.

    If your family isn't that picky, then I would just make a mix of 'good' and 'bad' foods. You can't expect someone to change their preferences overnight, and it may just be a case of ignorance. I cooked a vegetable lasagna for my younger cousins and they simply weren't having it, but when I made them taste it, they said they liked it.

    It's been a struggle since they were little and honestly my husband is more of a problem then a help he gags and practically cries if I put a bean or pea on his plate. Hard to get the boys yo try if fear old dad is carrying on like an infant. I do have one son that will eat Caesar salad so I guess it's something.

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