healthy meals my bf would like

Oh, let me just address the elephant in the room: Let him cook for himself? :-) Then you can worry about yourself and your baby. Just an idea.

If that is totally not workable, then maybe you can ask him to come up with some ideas of what he would eat for 400 calories per meal - then he is making the choice and it will fit into your goal.

I am also working on baby weight and have a husband who does not cook at all, but asking him to come up with recipes has been working so far. But I am lucky he likes steamed veggies and simple foods that I am eating now too.

Oh and here is a months worth of ideas with pictures!

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/healthy-meals/400-calorie-dinners-00000000027141/index.html?viewdate=20110302

Good luck!
Christy

I make my fiance regular food like tacos, and fix his with tortillas, beans, rice, meat, cheese sour cream, guacamole, lettuce and tomatoes and salsa, and then I just eat lettuce and tomatoes with the beans, and maybe a little rice and cheese. I make him what he wants and then just take out the fatty parts for myself.

good question...

I have gotten my bf to like salmon (grilled or baked). There are tons of healthy chicken recipes on the forums. When we are together I usually fix a Salmon or Chicken and he may eat a baked potato and I may have a side salad. If he thinks anything is too "weird" make him try at least one bite we may like it. For example my bf said he hated asparagus but I grilled some with olive oil, salt & pepper, garlic powder and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and he loves it now.

I am interested to see if anyone has any better ideas..

Yes. If he doesn't want to eat what you're cooking, he can get his own food.

Of course, that can be volatile. Part of a relationship is compromise. Make sure he knows that you're meeting him halfway, and you expect him to do so also. So, if you're trying to compromise, here are two things to keep in mind:

1. Healthy doesn't mean cardboard; it means fewer calories and balanced meals. Lean meats with whole grains make healthy meals--what guy would turn down a steak and a good wild rice blend with a Caesar salad (croutons, parmesan, you know...)? I make a killer homemade pepperoni pizza with less cheese, lower fat and calories, and twice the flavor of commercial pizza. Hubby eats it up great, and he's losing weight, too.

2. 400 calorie meals are generally not enough for men. Aim for 400 for you, but 500 for him. Any less and he will feel unsatisfied.

If he's unwilling to compromise about food, don't cave. You need to do what's best for you and your baby, first and foremost. I have some serious questions if he refuses to support that.

Peace

My recent kick is tinfoil veggies on the grill: potatoes, onions, carrots ... The possibilities are endless. Spray the foil with Pam, load with veggies and spices (salt, garlic, parsley) and grill 15 to 20 each side. I measure all my ingredients and put into a separate foil pack, then add just a teaspoon of melted butter after its all cooked. While the grill is going, do lean burgers, steak, fish in foil .... There are almost no pots / pans for clean up, and only takes a few minutes to slice the veggies. (Veggies can be sliced and soaked in water overnight for quicker prep)

My fiance and I spent some time drawing up a list of menus - we starting aiming for 10 meals, but it's currently 20 and rising!

Now, he's pretty good about me experimenting a bit in the kitchen, but I dont take it to heart if he's honest and says "I really don't like that"

And we now have some brilliant meals that he truly looks forward to! I always give him larger portions, and he's allowed bread and dessert that I can easily skip.

In the butchers, they now know me when I joke about "his and hers steaks" - I'll get a small fillet for me, and a large rib-eye for him. Thye get cooked the same way, and served with the same sides (usually sweet potato mash and leeks in a cheesy sauce. Easy sauce is just to stir some laughing cow light through the cooked leeks)

He really loves quinoa pilaff.

Sometimes I'll get a cookbook out (like Cook Yourself Thin) and we'll have a look at some recipes together and see if anything grabs his fancy - the latest find was maple syrup glazed pork with roast garlic mashed potato. Mmmmm!

If he's willing to try new things, that's half the battle. Portion control is the next 25%.

Take it a step at a time - find one thing to switch, then look for another. Doing it all in one go is too daunting.

And good luck!

Yes. If he doesn't want to eat what you're cooking, he can get his own food.

Of course, that can be volatile. Part of a relationship is compromise. Make sure he knows that you're meeting him halfway, and you expect him to do so also. So, if you're trying to compromise, here are two things to keep in mind:

1. Healthy doesn't mean cardboard; it means fewer calories and balanced meals. Lean meats with whole grains make healthy meals--what guy would turn down a steak and a good wild rice blend with a Caesar salad (croutons, parmesan, you know...)? I make a killer homemade pepperoni pizza with less cheese, lower fat and calories, and twice the flavor of commercial pizza. Hubby eats it up great, and he's losing weight, too.

2. 400 calorie meals are generally not enough for men. Aim for 400 for you, but 500 for him. Any less and he will feel unsatisfied.

If he's unwilling to compromise about food, don't cave. You need to do what's best for you and your baby, first and foremost. I have some serious questions if he refuses to support that.

Peace

Then he should compromise and realize she's trying to eat healthier - and he might need to take matters into his own hands, sounds like, for once.

If it's hard to come up with meals on the spot, then plan for one afternoon to cook a bunch of meals to keep in the freezer that are fitting into your healthy lifestyle but simple enough for him to enjoy.

Lasagna with lots of veggies
Pasta and meat sauce with lots of veggies in it
Make a bunch of grilled/baked chicken and then throw together with vegetables and a grain for a quick meal

Just cook him all the meals he's used to but use fresh, healthy ingredients. For example, Instead of buying frozen pizzas, get ready made, whole wheat pizza dough and fresh toppings and make your own pizza. My bf and I did this recently and it was A LOT of fun. Use low-fat mozzerella and fresh veggies and, if you need to add some meat to the pizza, use ground turkey or turkey pepperoni. I promise it will taste amazing AND it will be fun to make togeter.

For pasta nights I like to make a "pasta fresca" which is whole wheat penne pasta, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh garlic, low-fat mozzerella, fresh tomoatoes, artichoke hearts and greek olives. That's it! No sauce necessary. It tastes GREAT and is low in calories and fat.

Those are just a few ideas for now. You can also replace mashes potatoes with mashed cauliflower (I promise it tastes better than it sounds) and use grilled, thinly sliced veggies (like peppers and squash) for noodles in asian dishes rather than actual noodles. Just get creative! It's actually a lot more fun cooking that way :-)

First of all, no one wants to / agrees with cooking for a man because he says we have to, BUT if you like to cook and you love your man, sometimes you WANT to cook for him. Should he appreciate it? yes. Should he clean up (or at least offer, if you are one of us girls who likes to clean up the way we like)? yes. Ok. Here are some easy options that I cook that my boyfriend and I both like!

1. Cube chicken breast, cook in pan (with Pam only), add marinara sauce once chicken is cooked & cook long enough to warm up sauce. Pour over Barilla Three Cheese Tortellini. Sprinkle with shredded Parm/Romano/Asiago cheese blend - for some reason this is the kicker for my bf. Serve with a green salad.

2. Cube chicken breast, cook in pan (with Pam only), add Patak's Tikka Masala sauce once chicken is cooked & cook long enough to warm up sauce. Serve over steamed rice.

3. Grill 93% lean ground beef burgers. Top with reduced fat cheese. Serve (without bun) with Bush's beans and a green salad.

I guess those are our faves, and I basically do variations of those. Keeps me within my calories and keeps us both happy! Hope you and your bf try and like them!