My dad is picky and I want different foods...

LenGray
LenGray Posts: 858 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So, I live with my dad and he's been really supportive about my diet, even though he wants nothing to do with it himself. We've been eating at home a lot lately and I've realized that I only have a few go-to recipes. I'm starting to get bored of eating the same things all the time and I want to spice things up with some new veggies and/or healthier entrees/side dishes. The only problem is that my dad wants nothing to do with the new stuff I want to try. He tells me that I can make it for me, but that he doesn't want to eat it.

We don't have a whole lot of extra money and I'm already dipping into a lot of what we do have by buying salad and things. I don't want to make things that are 'just for me' and that my dad can't enjoy too, but I also really want to try new flavors. Does anyone have any advice?

Replies

  • 007Aggie
    007Aggie Posts: 110 Member
    Maybe focus on sauces? Make a flavorful sauce to add to meat or veggies, but leave it on the side.

    Do you eat bell peppers and onions? Those are some of the cheapest produce in my area, and can really bulk up a meal. My kids don't like them a lot, so I sautée them separately, give them a few, and then load my plate with them. This works quite well with Texmex and stir fries.

    Have you tried roasting veggies?
  • triciale555
    triciale555 Posts: 57 Member
    What are your go to meals? I agree with the above comment about sauces. Frozen vegetables can be really cheap. You could cook then in a variety of ways or add to sauces. Then you can have more vegetables but still cook what your father likes.

  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    What are you currently eating? What do you want to try?
    You can buy cheaper foods. Buy food in season. Check out the local farmer's market.
    Cook with a friend or different family member and share the cost of ingredients and try new things once in awhile.
    Buy frozen vegetables.
    Soup is a good dollar stretcher. It freezes and reheats well generally.
    Dry beans and lentils are cheap. http://www.lentils.ca/recipes-cooking/recipes/
    Herbs and spices can changes things up for you and you can leave a portion plain.
    http://www.budgetbytes.com has cost concious recipes.

  • Pinkylee77
    Pinkylee77 Posts: 432 Member
    what does your dad eat? What do you want to eat? I eat healthy and never eat salad, I can't digest it, but there are ways to cook healthier that is still cheep.
  • ouryve
    ouryve Posts: 572 Member
    So, just cook the lovely veg for you (cheaper if you buy right), serve the ortion of it he needs and leave him to pick out the meat and carbs he wants.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    It's great that your dad is supportive of you making for yourself what meets your eating plan. Go for it! He's telling you it's ok so why would you insist that you will only eat things that he also wants?
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    Take him up on his offer and make it just for yourself.

    As someone who struggles with picky eating to the point new foods can make me vomit (although I'm slowly getting better), the last thing I want is for my phobias around food to negatively impact the people I care about. Your dad will probably be a lot happier if you make food you enjoy, versus knowing that he's keeping you from enjoying what you want to do.

    Sauces and sides would be logical things - just add them to your plate and not his. Or maybe you switch up where you make something you want to try one day and eat leftovers the next, and on that day you make something he likes and he gets leftovers the following day, etc.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Make chili or bean and cheese tacos. Those are cheap. Maybe both of you can eat them.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    edited October 2016
    Legume based meals are high protein & fiber but low cost and keep in the pantry forever (won't spoil).
    E.g. red beans & rice perhaps with andouille, lentil stew, black beans w a fried egg on top, etc.

    healthy versatile sauces you can freeze in small increments:
    • tomatillo - taste great on chicken, rice, shrimp, enchiladas, and breakfast tostadas/tacos
    • green chile - I will put this on anything and make soup using it as a base
    • tomato/vera cruz- can liven up chicken or fish
    If you line an empty egg carton with plastic wrap and spoon sauce in the egg holes, you can stick it in the freezer and have individual size portions you can put in a freezer bag. Pop one out & microwave it 30 sec. Let me know if you want recipes or more sauce ideas.

    You can also make sauce from pan juices by deglazing the pan with 1/2c wine & reducing by half, then adding 1/2c stock and reducing again by half. Arrowroot is a good low cal thickener if you like a sauce with more body. A little goes a long way.

    Like pinkylee, I also am not that into salad. I know what you mean about salad fixings adding up in cost, and it's perishable.

    Others make a good point -- your dad is asking you to do your own thing. It could be his way of being supportive, not limiting you. That won't be more expensive if you plan it out to avoid waste.

    Let us know what you try and how you like it!

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