Family's Blatant Lack of Understanding of Basic Nutrition

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Replies

  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    ;)
  • PennWalker
    PennWalker Posts: 554 Member
    siraphine wrote: »
    When I started, they kind of didn't take my needs into consideration with meal planning if they were going to have me for dinner. Now they kind of do, but it's almost worse than it was before. They've added veggies to the menu, but they cook them ALL in butter and tons of salt. Totally kills the low calorie aspect and *kitten* the nutrition. I may as well eat pizza but stop after one piece.
    They are so proud of themselves too...
    "Is this healthy?"
    "Uh..no, not exactly.."
    "But why? We have three kinds of veggies."

    Yeah, you did. But you've smothered them in other unhealthy *kitten*...veggies are delicious why do you feel the need to kill them with grease?

    I feel for you. I would want my family to feel appreciated but wouldn't want the butter and salt either. I remember being in a foreign country when somebody proudly gave me cookies cooked with lard (more lard than cookie). I ate one.

    Options:
    Eat before you go to their house so you aren't hungry and then eat a tiny amount.
    Tell them you appreciate the vegetables, but ask if you can season your serving yourself.
    Show up early to help cook and set some for yourself aside.
    Bring a dish with food to share cooked the way you want it.
    Eat some of it regardless. How often do you eat there and will it hurt you?
  • Shana67
    Shana67 Posts: 680 Member
    siraphine wrote: »
    Wow, my bad. Apparently I'm an ungrateful *kitten* for expressing a frustration I'm sure many of you could relate to at some point. I'm so glad you strangers on the internet know me well enough from one post to set me straight.

    Sister, I am sorry. Sometimes these MFPers can be super judgmental and jump on the Judgement-Train pretty quickly. There is *nothing wrong* with wanting your veggies to be served without butter and salt. Heck, I have never made veggies with butter/salt for my kids, and I am nearly 50 years old. Just very kindly, politely ask them to set some aside without the fats/salts, and if they don't , you can easily just stop eating there.

    Having said that, my daughters are 18 and 22 and I would be heartbroken if they stopped eating dinner with me because of a silly issue like butter and salt, and I would do my best to leave those (mostly unnecessary) items off of their vegetables. I am betting that your parents/family members love you just as much to do the same :)
  • Ninjaeema
    Ninjaeema Posts: 21 Member
    There's nothing wrong with wanting to eat a low fat/low sodium diet, but this is also your thing, not theirs. If I'm not sure that there will be something that I can/want to eat, I bring a dish to pass that I know fits within my own nutrition parameters. I've been on a variety of diets in the past, both for weight loss, and for medical issues, and I never expected people to cater to those diets when they invited me over. Maybe offer to come over and cook with your family?
  • Hamsibian
    Hamsibian Posts: 1,388 Member
    edited November 2016
    It's okay to feel frustrated. Just recognize that your family is actively trying to accommodate your needs. I have to make everything myself For health issues, and bring my own food to events and restaurants (Every once in a while I'll order/find a side that won't make me sick ). Because I save money from not buying a bunch of snacks or going out, I am able to buy local grass-fed foods. I like to do research on most of the food I eat. I know organic and other labels don't mean squat, but how animals are being fed and treated are important to me. I don't ask others to buy food for me, but sometimes my dad will bring home something like Target's organic eggs. Bless his heart, he takes labels and looks ('they're brown eggs!) at face value. I just feel so touched that he wants to help that I eat them. They're still delicious! We like to talk about food a lot, especially in regards to health and economics, so I just use those opportunities to make general comments about why I buy foods the way I do. He has picked up on it to some extent.

    Anyway, my point is they're not doing what you're doing, so appreciated their efforts. Continue to communicate with them about your goals and how they can help. Send them recipes, bring your own dish for all of them to enjoy, or go early and cook with them. See if they're willing to do an activity that is not food related every now and then, like bowling.
  • magicpickles
    magicpickles Posts: 286 Member
    Do you live with them? how often do they cook for you?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited November 2016
    You need to talk to your family (rather than rant about them on the internet using pretty unpleasant and judgemental phrases), butter and salt can be added after cooking as a compromise for example.

    Or you could cook for a change?
  • trisH_7183
    trisH_7183 Posts: 1,486 Member
    You can work with this. As someone said,it's family first. My Mama was a great cook with no knowledge of nutrition,adding home made butter to all veggies,home made bread & sweet rolls.Yes,she tried...saying I only added a " bit" of butter today.Her bit was a nice hunk!
    I simply learned to pick & choose.Did the best I could by appreciating her home cooked food.Thankfully,We never had a bad word over food.
    My parents are gone now,along with my Bro & a Sis.

    You are young & still learning. My advice is to love your family,enjoy your meals with them & just cut back where you can....in your own kitchen.
  • Sara1791
    Sara1791 Posts: 760 Member
    A few suggestions you could try:
    eat alone,
    cook all of your own meals,
    print out this little rant and present it to your family.

    Hope that helps.