Cooking for picky family while trying to eat healthy

You could consider making meals where people pick and choose what they put on their plate.

You could reduce your portion sizes however this can be problematic if it's a very calorie dense meal.

You could supplement your meal with something they may not eat like additional vegetables or additional protein for satiety.

You could make something separate for yourself.


You could make whatever it is you are making and they can choose whether or not to eat it.

I realize that not all of these would be feasible solutions for everyone.


I do have one client who started I do have one client who started eating an entirely different meal from her partner at dinner end it has been incredibly helpful for her and her weight loss.

Hopefully there is a scenario where people are willing to compromise at some level.

This obviously depends a great deal on family dynamics but if you're comfortable doing so and you've not done so already, perhaps having a discussion about it with your family would also be helpful.

I will normally pick a meat that we all like then make a side they love which I may eat a little but I will add a salad or healthier version to mine. Such as tonight I'm doing chicken. Then for side frozen corn because we all like it. But I'm also adding a side salad with light Italian. I know it's harder when you have a picky family. Luckily my family doesn't like very many fried foods.

Can I suggest checking out the Skinny Taste website?
There are lots of kid-friendly recipes for fewer calories. Your husband can eat double portions, you can have the regular portion and veggies, soup, or salad as a side.
Meatballs, chicken parmesan, soups, chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, a thousand kinds of chili, etc. The kinds of things my pickier friends are happy to eat, but lighter versions.

One thing that worked for a number of my family members - encourage your child to take one bite of something new whenever it's available. They don't have to eat it all, just take one bite then go back to whatever they wanted. After trying a new food a few times, they started to like it more and eventually ended up eating just about everything - olive, pickles, sushi, salsa, veggies. I can see this being more challenging for you though, if your husband is talking about how gross something is or refusing to try it.

Add bacon.

I'm only partly kidding about that. But do explore with various spices & lemon. They may need to get used to the cleaner tastes.

What are they picky about? What is your definition of "healthy eating?" I'm asking in all seriousness because one issue I see come up time and time again is an overly myopic definition of what constitutes healthy eating. Many people seem to think that healthy eating means bland and boring...lots and lots of salads and/or dried out, unseasoned chicken breasts with steamed broccoli, etc.

Healthy eating can be very flavorful and IMO, if you're preparing meals from scratch, whole ingredients or minimally processed ingredients, you're eating pretty healthy.

I'm making this tonight...



http://honestcooking.com/braised-chicken-thighs-mushrooms-creamy-polenta/

If polenta is too odd then one could easily substitute mashed potatoes...and I know a lot of people aren't keen on mushrooms, but the mushrooms are what make this dish...but I guess you could just season and cook some chicken thighs with potatoes and a side of a more preferable veg.

About the only veg I can get my kids to eat right now are green beans...so I will make some for them and that'll just be more mushrooms for my wife and I.

I always just make the same protein for everyone. but everyone else gets calorie dense sides (fries, potatoes, rice) and I just eat veggies.

I plan the meals, shop for the meals and cook the meals so we eat whatever I say we eat.

I do try to take into consideration the things they like to eat compared to the things I can't fit into my calorie allowance. For instance, we all love hamburgers, I make myself a smaller patty with half a slice of cheese but lots of healthy toppings. Or I have a premade turkey burger. I buy smaller hamburger buns and whole grain if the calories fit. I made a healthified version of Shepards Pie with a topping of mashed potatoes and cauliflower to keep calories down. (It was on the Skinny Taste website that laur357 mentioned.) We even have fried foods sometimes (particularly fish) but I weigh it and only eat what I can afford calorically. The rest of that meal would include a huge chopped romaine salad.

It take a little bit of planning but it's doable.

How old is your son? My kids are 6 & 9 and involving them in the food prep is a good way to get them to eat more things - plus a few extra raw veges while they are cutting them up. Even when they were younger, they "helped" with vege prep. And even better if we can grow something for the dinner - maybe just herbs in a pot. My son didn't even like potatoes until we grew some.

But if it's healthier for me it's also healthier for them, so that's what I provide for all of us.
My job is to cook it, their job is to eat. If they don't want to eat what is on offer, then they can wait until the next meal!
If I've made a curry that's too hot or something, it's quite acceptable they eat just the rice & naan bread and maybe have a piece of fruit after, otherwise it's get what you're given or go without.

Sometimes our servings are different - DH gets more meat and carbs, I have a higher proportion of veges/salad. The kids get some of everything, but small quantities of things I know they don't really like (yet - sometimes they grow to like things).

Jakep2323 wrote: »

When I grew up there was a 'have what you're given' attitude. Your husband should share the cooking or am I talking crazy here? Or you just switch your main dish - i.e. if they are having fried chicken, you have fish but the same sides?

Yes, ask your husband and child to share the cooking and maybe they will have an attitude change,