How do you cook for others?

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I am the cook of the family, and I have a hard time cooking the foods I should be eating and resisting the food that others like to eat. My partner works outside all day and needs lots of calories when he comes home. What do you other cooks do? make separate meals? only eat a little of the high calorie food (ever still hungry)?

Replies

  • jerzgrl03
    jerzgrl03 Posts: 15 Member
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    I can really relate to your situation. My fiance has a very physically demanding job (and a metabolism I could only dream about!) and so I need to make large meals that are full of carbs. What I usually do is pick and chose what I can eat from "his" meal, such as the steamed veges and maybe a half serving of the mashed potatoes. Then I will just make what I need to complete my own meal. So, for example, if he is eating polish keilbasa (his favorite) with mashed potatoes, a steamed vegetable, and rolls then I will take maybe two servings of the veges, a spoonfull of the potatoes (just so I don't feel I am missing out) and then I will broil a small chicken breast for myself. I like to buy frozen, individually wrapped chicken breasts. This way I can throw one in for myself and not waste the rest.

    This isn't the easiest but it is better than "un-doing" my whole day by stuffing myself with sausage! Anyway, hope this helps!! Good luck!

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  • pattitricia85
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    I don't have kids yet but i cook for my hubby. He works hard physically at work too. I cook a lot of whole grain pastas w/ lots of veggies, for sauce i usually use marinara or pesto sauce and sometimes no sauce, just olive oil and a few tablespoons of sour cream w/ some herbs is really good. You can add lots of lean meats to the pastas that will really fill your hubby up, and you can measure yours. Also, I like to make brown rice w/ veggies and meat, like chicken or shrimp. I recommend your dinners (and all meals actually)have a complex carb that is very good for you and will keep people full w/ bigger appetites. Unless your doing south beach or something....
  • laughingdani
    laughingdani Posts: 2,275 Member
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    If I cook a high calorie meal I will eat a small amount and then eat tons of veggies to go with it. A lot of meals I have altered to be low fat but still taste good ex: pizza, spaghetti, etc. Sometimes I will eat something totally different than my family, but it is just too much trouble. A lot of times I will eat a healthy snack while cooking dinner and drink a large glass of water as well so that when we sit down for dinner I am not starving and I dont eat as much. I limit myself to one serving of the main course (meat, pasta or whatever it is), then I eat atleast 2 veggies, if I am still hungry then I will eat a piece of fruit or a salad. But usually I am full after dinner. I also have been trying new meals for the family that we have never had and surprisingly most of them they like. You should play around with different ingredients in old favorites or new recipes all together.
  • AlmostHot
    AlmostHot Posts: 312 Member
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    I have a very active family, and I cook the same for everyone, but my 10 and 11 year olds both eat more than I do, they are competitive swimmers and can train up to 3 hours a day. My 11 year old eats as much as my husband and I eat about half. Plus they eat a lot more snacks through the day, healthy snacks. Remember that they need good nutrition to keep up with their life stylestoo, they just have to eat more. Hope it helps, you can check out my diary if you want. On the days I had soup for dinner I only had 100 calories left for the day, it's the only time I eat different.:wink:

    I make an effort to eat the same, it is the only way I am going to be able to keep this as a lifestyle change, rather than just a diet I do for a set period of time.
  • Johnnyswife
    Johnnyswife Posts: 1,447 Member
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    I make my stuff ahead of time and than have something planned for John. He jumped on the diet plan with me, so I make healthy stuff for him, but stuff with more calories since he also does a lot of heavy grunt work.
  • LeanLioness
    LeanLioness Posts: 1,091 Member
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    Since I am low carbing, cooking is very easy for me and hubby..............

    I cook what ever meat we are going to eat for supper, fix a green veggie along with it, fix both of us a salad and then make him a couple of whole grain dinner rolls..........

    He is eating a controlled carb plan, just higher than my body can tolerate...........He will eat the whole grain bread and I leave it alone.

    If he wants a baked potato or his favorite, a baked sweet potato, I fix that for him, I will cut a small piece of the sweet potato on occasion for myself as I love them too, but can't have them very often. About once a week.
  • OhLaceyOh
    OhLaceyOh Posts: 30
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    when my fiance comes home from work i make him a good size meal but i toss in a lil bit of healthy foods to make it balance out with me. for example ill make a roast with some mash potatoes and gravy with a side of cheesy veggies, (brocoli, carrots, colliflower,ect.. with cheese sauce) and for desert. scoop of vanilla icecream with sme frozen fruit
  • lalawitheca
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    My husband actually does a lot of the cooking, but what helps me is simply portion control and letting him take his serving first. If all else fails I have bags of salad on hand at all times.