I don't know what to do any more

lindz4ever
lindz4ever Posts: 593 Member
edited January 2016 in Food and Nutrition
I need some major help. My husband is in a high protein diet only wants stake eggs cheese oatmeal and stuff. I have two toddlers I can't get to eat and veggies or mear half the time mostly sandwiches and chicken nuggets and fish stick. My husband wants us all on the same diet for the most part to cut out the macaroni and hotdogs abd chips and such.But he doesn't want me spending over 250 preferably less to last us two weeks at a time fir a family of four. I'm at a loss I'm trying to learn this while healthy thing. But have know idea where to start with planning meals and how to get my kids to eat better when they won't eat. I have clue what to fix for any meals any more. What a healthy meal with little to no carbs is abd to have something different every day. I dont know what to do Any more

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Make him his dinner of steak or whatever he wants and make mac and cheese for the your kids. Your husband does not have to eat it. Putting your kids on a low carb diet is really not smart. They have growing bodies.
  • Bambalina22
    Bambalina22 Posts: 54 Member
    edited January 2016
    Bribery. I have two children aged 8 and 5. The youngest is convinced she hates all veggies. So I bribe her with a treat/ ipad time if she eats all her dinner. It is currently taking her around 1 hour to eat a child's size portion. Get rid of the chicken nuggets and make your own with flour and breadcrumbs egg and chicken breast tell them that the shop ran out and that's all there is left, do the same with fish, again bribe them. Kids tend to like pretty plain food so you don't need to add a million ingredients ect. Both my kids have oatmeal for breakfast just add a little honey or maple syrup not gallons just a drizzle. Another idea is making your own veggie tomato soup/ pasta sauce blitz up all the cooked vegetables (Carrots, tomatoes, onion, celery, garlic and basil and a quarter of a teaspoon of brown sugar) until its very smooth they won't know what's in it. It may seem daunting at first but after a few months you'll realise how easy it is.

    Edit: Saw that you wrote low carb, the kiddos don't need low carb, fruit and veg yes but they can still have carbs, your husband will just have to not have steak all the time and substitute it with cheaper protein sources. Don't beat yourself up to much over this and if he doesn't like it give him a 1/3 of the shopping money and tell him to get his own stuff in xxx
  • lindz4ever
    lindz4ever Posts: 593 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Make him his dinner of steak or whatever he wants and make mac and cheese for the your kids. Your husband does not have to eat it. Putting your kids on a low carb diet is really not smart. They have growing bodies.

    To him Mac and cheese is junk. He doesn't want the kids to eat junk any more, ravioli, hot dogs. They do eat allot of bananas, grapes, peanut butter andjelly sandwiches, cheese, crackers,and apples for allot of lunches oatmeal, cereal, milk and water is all they drink in our house. So I don't think they eat to bad. Im confused on what he is wanting for me to feed the family. He gets mad when I try to talk to him about it. Tells me figure out it, learn what's healthy, spending 300 every t wo weeks is stupid and have nothing to show for it ( have to by house hold products) we should all have the same diet.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    lindz4ever wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Make him his dinner of steak or whatever he wants and make mac and cheese for the your kids. Your husband does not have to eat it. Putting your kids on a low carb diet is really not smart. They have growing bodies.

    To him Mac and cheese is junk. He doesn't want the kids to eat junk any more, ravioli, hot dogs. They do eat allot of bananas, grapes, peanut butter andjelly sandwiches, cheese, crackers,and apples for allot of lunches oatmeal, cereal, milk and water is all they drink in our house. So I don't think they eat to bad. Im confused on what he is wanting for me to feed the family. He gets mad when I try to talk to him about it. Tells me figure out it, learn what's healthy, spending 300 every t wo weeks is stupid and have nothing to show for it ( have to by house hold products) we should all have the same diet.

    I believe that couples should work together and compromise when it comes to major changes like this. Does he care what you think the children should eat?

    If he has such strict standards for what to prepare, how much it should cost, and how varied the menus should be, maybe he should help you figure out how to do it. His behavior (refusing to talk about how to fulfill his dictates, anger when you try to discuss it, using words like "stupid") sounds almost abusive -- and that isn't a term I throw around.

    I think the menu planning issue is a symptom of something larger. If my husband wanted me to do something and I had no idea how to do it, I would be upfront about that and I would let him know that it probably wasn't going to happen until he gave me some help figuring out what he wanted and how to accomplish it. I'm not sure if that is a practical approach for you to take or not.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I don't know where you live but it would be quite a challenge for me to get 2 weeks of food and household products for $250 for my family of 3. I could do it but I'd have to spend a lot more time comparison shopping and couponing and getting cheaper (often fattier) meats and other products. Has your husband ever had to do the shopping?
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Wow. I'm sorry. Most definitely not fair to your kids.

    https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/orthorexia-nervosa
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Everyone has different nutritional needs, especially children. Your husband needs to understand this. Go to their pediatrician and explain the problem. Have the doctor explain to your husband what foods are okay and not okay. He can't expect you all to be on the same diet just because he prefers to eat one way. The last thing you need to do is deprive your children of nutrients they need for their growing bodies.

    IMO, mac & cheese is a great source of calcium, protein, fat and carbs. All of which are needed. Maybe spend some time researching the nutrients the foods they eat and breaking it down for your husband so he can see exactly where they are for macros and why they're needed.

    But I'd definitely talk to their pediatrician. Children's nutrition is just not something you can mess with based on a whim.
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
    You are all different people with different needs. All of you being on the same diet is just absurd. Your husband is being pig headed and insensitive. Maybe you can suggest that getting the advice of a dietician for the family would be a good idea. The expert can explain to your husband why his kids need the carbs in their diet and that a little "junk food" is fine.

    It a little sad that he does not respect you as his partner enough to hear what you have to say and a little alarming that you feel that you have to bend to his unrealistic whims when you know better. You do have the right to stand up to him and be heard and to be respected as the mother of those children. This is the 21st century. You and the kids are not his property to do with as he pleases.

    If it comes down to it just tell him that he can do the shopping and the cooking for one month and then see if he would like to hear what you are saying.
  • ivanhogsmybed
    ivanhogsmybed Posts: 13 Member
    shadowfax_c11 wrote: »
    If it comes down to it just tell him that he can do the shopping and the cooking for one month and then see if he would like to hear what you are saying.

    This. There will have to be compromises, failed experiments and mistakes as the whole family tries to eat a little healthier day by day. Creating anxiety and conflict over food isn't going to help at all.

  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    I don't understand why toddlers need a low carb diet (unless they have medical conditions)
    I'd ask your pediatric doctor if he feels putting kids on a low carb diet is a good idea. Make sure your husband is standing there when you ask this.
    It sounds like your husband has no idea what healthy is either . he may think carbs are not healthy . he's wrong.
    Everything in moderation.
    Good luck .
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    What's funny is that he wants kids to eat more meat but meat is the most expensive part of the meal most of the time. If you prepared chicken breast, sweet potato, and green beans for dinner the meat would be the most expensive part. So if he wants more meat then its not going to be easy to cut the family grocery budget.
    He sounds like he has no idea what he is talking about . I'd let him do the shopping and meal prep and see how far he gets. Also let him deal with toddler screaming because they don't want steak. It will likely be a disaster.
    Your kids sound like normal toddlers to me. Try raw veggies cut up small like carrot sticks, celery with peanut butter dip, and continue with all the fruit you mentioned. My son wouldn't eat steak until he was about 6, before then he wanted chicken and ground beef. Sometimes kids are fussy. Just do your best. Tell your husband he can gladly take over cooking and shopping if he doesn't like how you do it. I have a family of 3 and spend @ 200$ per week. I also live in jersey so things are more expensive.
    Its alarming that he asked for the diet to be low or no carbs for everyone. I'd love to see your kids pediatrician hear him say that.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I'm sorry, your husband sounds difficult.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    Pasta comes in whole grain and organic, maybe that would appease him as far as it not being "junk". Kids usually like to dip their veggies, so try all different kinds of raw veggies with different kinds of dips: hummus, yogurt(great to mix in dry soup mix for flavor), lemon butter, mild salsa, peanut butter (better with fruit). Artichokes are also fun to dip in lemon butter.

    You can make the same basic meal for the family, and hubby can just take less or none of whatever starch you serve. Growing children need those carbs. Pretend you want spaghetti. Make the whole grain or whatever pasta, hide some finely chopped veggies in the sauce, cook some ground beef or chicken breast. You and kids get a bit of each, hubby can take just meat and veggie sauce.

    Also, don't beat yourself up too badly. You have already named lots of foods that your kids do like. Just keep introducing new ones, some will stick.

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