spinach salad - hubby says BLEHHHH

LOL hubby would be fixing his own salad. I always fixed dinner and put it on the table. My kids either ate what I fixed or waited til the next meal. Children are very survival oriented...trust me they won't starve - they will learn to eat the healthy meals you fix.

I grew up with the "eat it now, or eat it later" rule. If I didn't eat what my mom was gracious enough to make for the family for dinner, guess what would be for breakfast?

If my wife and child don't want what I cook, they are welcome to cook for themselves.

I am a vegetarian and my DH is not
I often cook something we can both use
I might do a roasted veg casserole and when it is cooked that is fine for me - but he might have a chopped chicken breast with his

or we might have something an mashed potatoes with veggies - he can have sausages and I might have a veggie option with mine

if he really doesnt want what I am cooking he does his own

nope. they eat what I cook, all of them. If they don't then they are hungry. I do try not to cook things that literally make them gag, I'm not trying to torture them.

That is me! I fix something healthy and put it on a plate. If they don't like it they can make something else. My son is only 5 so i don't force him to eat things he HATES (like spinach salad or squash). I do try to find a happy medium...something that fits into my diet that we all like. If I am eating something they don't like, my husband will fix something easy for himself and our son.

I make whatever I feel like eating. If my girlfriend wants to eat it also, great. If not, she heats up a frozen meal, or gets carryout, or skips dinner altogether, and I bring the leftovers for lunch the next day. Life's too short to be cooking special meals for picky eaters, or nagging picky eaters to eat only what I cook.

I grew up with the "eat it now, or eat it later" rule. If I didn't eat what my mom was gracious enough to make for the family for dinner, guess what would be for breakfast?

I like your mom! She sounds like one smart lady! I am going to start doing this with my son I usually just save it so he can eat it before bed (because he is always hungry before bed), but the threat of dinner for breakfast! He would shovel it down with a smile!

nope. they eat what I cook, all of them. If they don't then they are hungry. I do try not to cook things that literally make them gag, I'm not trying to torture them.

I'm the same way. If I make it, you eat it or go hungry. I noticed with my daughter at least, that some veggies have a "stigma" about them. Like Brussel sprouts, spinach...food that are typically seen as gross on the TV shows she watches etc. I bet a lot of adults are the same way.

As for the salad, why not try staying traditional for a while, and slowly introduce new things. Like make a salad with lettuce, tomato, olives, handful of spinach leaves (sliced them if you want to make them not so big and leafy), grilled chicken and ranch....

Once the family gets used to the spinach (which I bet they will, my daughter actually picks spinach over lettuce when we go to a buffet), then switch it up, and try something new, but 1 ingredient at a time. lol

If I'm making something that I'm not sure others will eat, I make other sides to go with it, so a spinach salad- if I'm not eating alone- would not be the ONLY thing on the table.

However, I grew up with ONE RULE in our kitchen- and it applied to grown ups AND kids....
you can dislike something- and say so respectfully....
but comments like "Ewww YUCK" gets you 2 helpings- and the privilege of cooking the NEXT meal- AND dishes.

Did he at least try it? That's one of the yummiest salads.

I have trouble with my hubs eating somethings but never spinach salad! He LOOOOOVES strawberry spinach salad with almonds and a poppyseed dressing. But our favorite is spinach salad with bacon (I know not the best for you!), onions, boiled eggs and mushrooms with a garlic and olive oil dressing. SO good, we could both eat it everyday. Yum yum! There are a ton of salad options with spinach and it is SO good for you.....

My guy likes healthy things but isn't always too keen on new things.... I'm trying to mix it up with healthier choices. He looooves his fried chicken but hated my crispy baked chicken, hmm.... It's a work in progress. ^_^

my hubby is kind of the same way..he cant eat anything without meat...what about adding seasoned chicken to the salad?

If my wife is cooking, I am eating it. I am one lazy guy. I am not oppossed to eating different things either. The only I will not eat is coconut.

You could do a "salad bar" type thing. Put out a bunch of salad ingredients and let everyone choose what they want. You can also apply the make-your-own approach to stir fries, pizzas, and probably other things I haven't thought of.

The rule in my household is simple: If you do not like what I am preparing then you can prepare your own meal or not eat. I am not unreasonable. I am a vegetarian but my household is not and make an effort to put together menu items where I can easily incorporate meat for others and tofu for myself. But two or three days a week, dinner is vegetarian because of recipe constraints. I am not going to make two or three entirely different meals. I am a busy professional and I don't want to spend my entire evening in the kitchen.

I largely attribute my largest weight gain to just going with the flow and eating what was prepared in the house, whether or not I actually wanted it. I grew up in a house where we ate meat three to four meals a week and ate tons of vegetables, whole grains, lentils and beans. I married an individual who grew up eating meat every single meal and only a few select vegetables, largely potatoes, green beans and corn accompanied by bread. I don't blame him. It was my own fault and I could have at any point made meals myself for the two of us or even made my own meal. I certainly didn't have to get into the routine of heaps eggs, hashbrowns, toast and bacon or sausage every morning and I didn't have to carry those choices when I was alone or traveling. We both embarked on a lifestyle change last year and committed to making some changes together, but each also made personal decisions that were not always meal friendly to the other. And thus, the theory of "if you don't want to eat this, that is fine but you need to take responsibility and feed yourself" entered our household. There are a few basic principles. The dinner cook shares what he or she is preparing PRIOR to cooking. If the other person declines, they share what they will be making as an alternative. Sometimes we go with the alternative for both of us. If not, by having the discussion before we cook, we can each reduce the batch size of our respective dinners. It minimizes waste, we don't have the "I don't like that" argument and frankly, we each get something we want without pissing off the other.

My parents actually used this with me when I was growing up starting at around six years old. I learned how to make basic things with supervision and was responsible for cleaning up after myself as well (I am sure my dad did the dishes a second time after I did them but hey, the lesson was learned LOL!). As a result, I learned to not only eat but LOVE foods with popular social stigma. It isn't to say my parents were unreasonable or even hard on me about it. I don't like tomato sauce on my pasta so my dad would always leave the spaghetti sauce separate so I could put a little butter, garlic and parmesan on my noodles. And I never was forced to eat liver and onions. After I first tried it and found the texture and smell so repulsive, I never complained when my parents made it because I could make mac and cheese or even stir fried veggies and rice. But because I had to put in work if I didn't want something, I was actually more likely to try new things and <gasp> even like them. I did enjoy tofu sandwiches on wheat bread with sprouts for school lunches and spinach salads and roasted brussel sprouts are among my favorite foods.

So anyway, that is what works for us. Even or nieces and nephews know that when they come to visit, if they do not like something there is always an option - but they will actually have to put in the work and help out.