When you have to make non-diet food for others...staying on

Will you come over and cook for me? I'm the exact opposite of a good cook.

I love to cook healthy, and my hubby, and his parents who I often invite to dinner don't even know the difference! So remember, there is always a way to make what looks hearty and unhealthy, actually healthy. I just substitute healthy ingredients. Just a thought if you ever want to get the rest of your family down the same road you are going. Good job by the way! Keep it up!

Mandi

I try to stay away from the "separate meals" altogether. I have never made "diet food"--just healthy food with qualify ingredients, with some modifications when possible.

I made it a point when I first started on my "weight loss" program to not get into any type of "diet", but to focus on whole foods and portion control--the way I had cooked for myself for over 30 years before my second marriage.

When I started in March, I took over all the food preparation. I changed my typical menu to accommodate everyone's tastes, but not my basic principles. I keep enough of the "old favorites" in the rotation to balance the newer items I have introduced or the new recipes I am trying all the time.

I just limit my portions and include sufficient "bulk" (salad, fresh veggies) for me to fill up w/out overindulging in the more calorie-dense items.

I agree with mommy, I cook all the time for the wife and myself, we also host at least 12 to 15 "parties" a year, and I make thanksgiving dinner for 18 people every year. It doesn't need to be horrible. Cooking for mixed company can be slightly more challenging. But I submit that there's no reason to make separate meals for everyone.

Being smart about the food you are cooking makes all the difference. People complaining about the taste? Use more spices (I love chilli pepper and garlic powder), people complaining about how it's prepared? Use a little EVO, evo is a great cooking oil, it's high in healthy fats, and will really bring together any type of veggi dish.

Things to watch for:

High sodium, yes it makes it taste better, but you don't need it, use garlic powder and/or lemon juice. Both are very flavorful and good for you.

High saturated fat content, use EVO or coconut oil. Yes coconut oil is a saturated fat, but don't let that fool you, it's a special kind of saturated fat, it's actually very good for you.

Bleached or processed white flour, there's a million different kinds of whole grain flour that you can use, there's one for almost every single situation, you can google recipies.

processed grains (like white rice), obviously, whole grain rices are better, like wild rice.

white pasta, you can use wheat pasta instead, there's very little difference in taste (at least for me)

bottled sauces, like pasta sauce. There are healthy choices out there, or make your own, so you know just what goes in there, pasta sauce is actually very simple to make if you have a stove and 2 big pots.

high fat beef, bison meat is a good alternative, or venison, both are a great alternative. Ground turkey breast is also good for meat that goes in sauces.

just a few tips. Hope it helps.

I'd just like to add that I, in good consience, cannot feed my own family food that I cannot or will not eat. If a dish is too fatty, rich, or unhealthy for ME to eat, it's too fatty, rich or unhealthy for me to feed my husband and children. Eating normally (healthy) less a small deficit (400-500 calories) just means I eat smaller portions and forego the bread or dessert or whatever. But I use fat-free cheese, whole grain bread, tortilla, pita and pasta, sugar free jellies and natural peanut butter, organic hotdogs and lunch meat. And so it goes...if I am eating healthily, then everyone in my home is :flowerforyou:

Side note:
My 14yr old daughter went out with friends to a halloween 'thing' last night and picked up McDonalds on teh way home. She was sitting with me, eating her huge burger, and telling me about the party. After two bites, she looks down at teh burger and then at me and says, I don't think I want this...knowing all the unhealthy fat and stuff thats in it! She then threw it away. Even though I never said a single word about her food choices, she is beginning to make wise ones. Hooray for being a good example.

I agree with you. Thats so cool that your daughter came to that realization without your input! My daughter is only nine, but shes getting there too. I have found that the key is no restriction. I don't purchase junk food, but if she has it somewhere else, I don't complain. I also leave the weekends to freebies. A cup of soda and some pizza, thats her fave. So every now and again we have the real thing. But, for the most part, we make our own ww pizza a stick with water.

I don't cook her anything seperate from what I cook. She doesn't always like what I make, and she is entitled to that. The most important thing is that she knows what is an appropriate food choice and portion size. Also, most of the traditional favorites can be made healthful with just a few minor changes. Having the entire family participate in meal planning and preparation really helps when making changes. I'd say switching from white bread to whole wheat has been the biggest challenge for my daughter. However, she'll eat up some whole grain pasta or pizza like theres no tomorrow.

Try slowly changing ingredients for healthier ones, your family won't even notice unless you tell them.