Tranquility7 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 How do you eat healthy as a family when *no one* likes it? DH is a VERY healthy eater but even he is getting sick of the same ol’ stuff that he always eats. He prefers a VERY plain diet that I cannot stand – seriously cannot stand it and so I virtually never eat what he eats. I want to make stuff that all of us can eat, but I don't think I have one recipe that meets the requirements and that all of us actually like. Not one. I have come to realize that everyone in my house is a picky eater, DH and I included. I am probably the least picky – I’m THRILLED when we go to supper at someone else’s house or to a potluck because there is always tons of stuff I love at meals like that! My children are quite picky too, although they are like me and LOVE when we go to someone else’s house or a potluck – there is all kinds of good stuff there! My mom made a taco casserole last night and they liked that pretty well (cleaned their plates, which they never do at our house), but it was full of stuff I am always avoiding (cheese and carbs and tortilla chips mainly, although DH would also not want the beef or the cheese either). If I cooked that kind of stuff all the time, my children would never be picky eaters! I give them grilled cheese and tomato soup about once a week and that is their hands down favorite meal (And the only one they get excited about). DH is a *very* healthy eater, but he is also quite picky and has *extremely* plain tastes. He has a few dishes I make multiple times a week, none of which I can even stomach (I could a little at the beginning of our marriage, but *every* week?? Ugh. They seriously make my stomach turn now). The basic things on his list are: Plain chicken, white meat only. Rotisserie is ok sometimes. White fish casserole (white fish fillets + shredded carrots + 2 T cream of chix soup) Calico beans (made with turkey and no onions) Plain lettuce (with rotisserie on top, no dressing) Steamed carrots Pureed cauliflower (fake mashed potatoes – I could stand them the first 100 times but I am SO SICK of them!) Peas Pecan chicken tender salad (chix tenders dredged in egg and pecan and baked, then served on lettuce with mandarin oranges – this is a major splurge for him since the mandarins have so much sugar in them) In general DH wants me to avoid making stuff for him with: Sugar Cheese Beef or pork or lamb (basically anything other than chicken, white fish, or salmon) Carby things like potatoes, pasta, rice, corn, bread, etc. Any “exotic†vegetables (basically, anything other than carrots, peas, cauliflower, lettuce, and occasionally broccoli…) Other stuff too, but I can't remember at the moment... I can’t argue with it being healthier to eat the way he wants to eat. Plus, he is skinny and I am definitely not! But none of us *like it*. And I feel like I am constantly trying to figure out *what* to make because there is no option that fits all the requirements and that everyone likes. Frankly, I usually can't find anything that fits the requirements that the children and I *ever* like. I have salads a few times a week but I've become soooo tired of salads. And I can't stand rotisserie anymore. I have Lean Cuisines (or equivalent) about four times a week, mostly just because I HAVE to have something other than the stuff my family wants. But honestly I get sick of those offerings as well! I used to kind of like to cook – and I still do like it for holidays or potlucks when I get to make things I love to eat and I’d never make normally – but I’ve honestly grown to hate cooking now. It's just such a huge burden trying to find something decent to make, and I’m just so tired of making stuff that I DO NOT want to eat. Like even a little bit. Seriously. I’d rather go hungry. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but sometimes I have sat down to supper with my family and simply not eaten because I could not make myself eat that meal (I would blame it on not being hungry or whatever... but really it was just plain ol' disgust). And how can I make the kids eat something that I cannot make myself eat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I don't see his diet as particularly healthy. Healthy eating tends to have variety because there are nutrients in a variety of foods. Make some plain food, set it aside for your dh and then dress it up with spices and good stuff for you and the kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Food phobia is a terrible thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Modular cooking. Individual components, not casseroles or soups. Who does not like one of the modules is free to omit it. I have one picky eater (DS) who is very limited in the things he eats. I make sure the meal contains something he can eat and do not worry about the rest. For the longest time, he only wanted plain meat, no sauce, no spice. So, I would set aside a portion for him to leave plain, and dress up the same meat for the rest of the family with sauce or spices or whatever. You can cook one of DH's plain boring vegetable, and either another veggie for yourself, or the same one with some interesting means of preparation. You can cook up a large portion of DH's meat and veggie, freeze some, and serve it when you are having "forbidden" food. Btw, your DH's diet does not strike me as particularly healthy, precisely because it is so limited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 In my house they eat what I make. I take their wants and likes into account most of the time but if I'm the one doing the meal planning/grocery shopping/ cooking then I have the final say. If dh doesn't like it he can make something else (he doesn't because he's not picky.) But as for the kids, they eat what is put in front of them or they don't eat. If I know that one really hates a certain food they can refrain from eating it but it can't just be "i don't want that" it has to be a dislike. In order to find that out I make them eat at least 3 bites of something anytime I make it. After so many tries and them still gagging they are no longer obligated to take 3 bites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Take his out before you add the tasty spices and sauce. I would die of boredom on his diet too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolt. Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Honestly, your DH likes -ingredients- but there isn't any reason that you can't cook what you like from that sort of selection. Also, your DH's meals can very easily be prepared by the boatload -- like 20 servings at a swoop -- then frozen in portions. Cook for yourself, the kids can join you, and warm up your DH's restricted diet portion by portion -- like a dietician would. Better yet, teach him to bulk-cook and warm-to-serve these things himself. Honestly, it's a really easy set if things to make, and he can bulk cook for an hour every second weekend or so. Easy peasy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 That's not healthy, that's picky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Can you try to make a more interesting meal for yourselves out of the basic things your dh will eat by experimenting with spices and sauces? For instance, if he has steamed carrots, separately fry onions, pine nuts or sliced almonds and spices (cumin, ginger) in a little olive oil and toss your carrots in that (it's delicious). Or roast your carrots with the same. If he wants white chicken meat and lettuce, make yours into an Asian inspired salad with rice noodles and a dressing of soy sauce, fish sauce and lime juice. I'm not sure how those would rate on your 'healthy' scale, though. I believe a balanced, sensible diet is healthy, and that taste is very important. We don't eat much processed food, or ready-made sauces, but uses lots of spices and soy sauce, for instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I would cook what you want to eat and serve your DH his plain chicken breast and steamed veggies. As others pointed out, you can prepare those ahead of time and just reheat. Your DH's diet is not healthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I don't consider your dh's diet healthy either. I'd buy big bags of fish and chicken and pre-cook them for the week. I'd make the stuff he likes for some of the days and then on the other days I'd just let him eat some of the pre-cooked foods that he wants so we didn't have to suffere through such limited choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Have you looked through the meal plans (weekly, monthly) that people post here? Mine for this week included some very healthy options like lentil stew. Not eating a wide variety of vegetables is not healthy at all. You need variety for vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Cook for you and your kids. Introduce one or two new dishes a week. The more you cook them, the less resistance you will receive. The kids and you will gradually get used to new foods. Let your dh cook his very plain and limited diet for himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I have one who likes salad without dressing. Before I toss the salad, I plate that person's salad. Dh and I try to go easy on the carbs, so I keep our protein/sauces etc separate from most of the potato, rice or pasta. I plate out ours, then finish the starch. If I were to make chicken breasts or fish etc., I would just put the plain one over arugula/whatever, and season/sauce/etc the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 If I were to make chicken breasts or fish etc., , I would just put the plain one on a plate, and season/sauce/etc the rest. And I guess it could work the other way. Season all but one, then cook them plain. But, I think it would be easier to poach a bunch for the week, let him reheat and actually cook for everyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Consistently preparing a whole different protein for someone would be a pain, I think. I can deal with not adding rice, seasoning etc to a plate, but preparing two different main meats would get old fast. If I truly loved the person ;) :), I would probably fix up whole bunch of ham//chicken at a crack, and let the person decide what they prefer. I have compassion as I rarely (ever) make foods I do not like. The limited veggies your dh will eat would bother me. Peas are nothing compared to bok choy, Chinese cabbage, onions, garlic etc etc. And etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSOchristie Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 For you and your kids I would recommend skinny taste.com, her recipes are great and healthy. For your dh, poach a bunch of chicken breasts once or twice a week, make his fish casserole and he can reheat. I just refuse to make multiple meals around here, too much extra effort and clean up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSOchristie Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 For dh's salads, you can prep the lettuce and it will keep in a glass jar for a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I'd definitely precook his and put the plain boring food to the side, then I'd throw in the garlic and cheese lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tranquility7 Posted January 2, 2014 Author Share Posted January 2, 2014 Thanks for all the ideas, I *really* appreciate them... I need to get over my current (major) burnout and give it another try. Btw, by "healthy" I wasn't at all meaning DH eats a "perfect" diet. Really I just mean that he eats only healthy things and virtually *nothing* that is regarded as unhealthy. Not that he eats ALL the healthy things he should. We have talked about the variety issue - that is what I'm getting at when I say that *no one* in our family likes eating healthy. He has lots of ideas about what healthy eating is, but then he crosses a ton of things off that healthy list simply because he doesn't like them (and usually neither do I, so how can I blame him!). Which leaves a very small list of only healthy items, and not enough variety (which he acknowledges). To his credit, though, he has the ability to stick to his tiny healthy list, which I cannot even imagine doing. And in our family, we *all* struggle with liking vegetables... I like far more than he does (though ironically I hate two that are on his tiny list - carrots and cauliflower), but if I could live without veggies I totally would! Also by my saying that DH eats "very healthy" I was contrasting it with ME - who wants to add variety in by adding lots of rich stuff like cheese and butter and potatoes and corn and sugar! I totally can't get away with eating like that anyway, but it is absolutely what I LIKE and WANT, kwim? And frankly, I miss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 If he likes to eat healthy food, would he enjoy a veggie stir fry with bok choy, red peppers, onions, garlic, cabbage, Chinese broccoli etc? You could add noodles or rice for you and the kids, and you all could enjoy a greater variety of veggies than he is eating. Is this a taste bud issue, a 'health' issue, a texture issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Healthy people should not avoid things like butter, cheese, corn or potatoes in moderation. Potatoes in particular have acquired a bad rap. Potatoes are chocked full of vitamins, potassium and fiber (skins on). Dairy fat helps you feel full faster and stay that way longer. It also helps to slow down carb absorption and avoid blood sugar spikes and is highly protective against diabetes. Corn is full of phytochemicals like lutein, antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber. There is nothing wrong with using the ingredients you mention, so I say go for it :) Food is supposed to be pleasurable, but in your house eating sounds pretty grim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellydon Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Here are a few things my entire family likes and I make regularly. I typically repeat meals every 6 weeks or so. Spaghetti with Bolognese sauce Chicken Tikka Masala Coconut Curry Chicken Tomato Basil Bisque Cream Pesto Pasta Chalupas Cheese Enchiladas Chicken Parmegian Homemade pizza Chicken fried rice Penne pasta with shrimp At each meal a wide variety of fresh fruit and veggies are on the table. Tonight we had cut red bell pepper, cucumbers, carrots, sliced red cabbage, spinach, lettuce, clementine oranges, and sliced pear. Children eat at least one serving of 2 different veggies. They can make a salad or eat it plain. If I had a picky husband, I would make his food once a month and freeze it. I would make a wide variety of meals for the rest of the family and require my children to take a minimum of three bites (each time it is made) before rejecting it. It often takes 10 or more times of trying something to develop a taste for it. I was a feeding specialist pre-kids and your DH diet would be considered highly abnormal. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 For vegetables I would recommend trying a new one every few months. Get them fresh (not canned or frozen) and if possible in season. Usually you get the best sense of what a vegetable tastes like if you boil or steam them and add a little butter and salt (and sometimes pepper). Obviously vegetables vary widely so this preparation may not apply to all. I would buy/make a small amount and ask everyone to try a bite - including yourself. You may be surprised to find that you like beets, leeks or brussel sprouts. I think your DH's diet is limited but healthy. I would want some cheese or potatoes/rice with those meals, but I'm not a fan of low carb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Just asking; with DH's rigid food ideas and limited list, is it possible he is on the spectrum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I'd cook whatever I wanted and just be sure to serve a salad with it for DH. That, or cook something wonderfully savory for yourself and freeze it into individual portions. Will they eat soups? What if you make a masala or korma sauce? That old really dress up some of the ingredients on your list. I'd make a giant lasagna now and then. If you don't expose your kids to a variety of foods, they might be limited too. Sometimes it takes several tries to develop a taste for something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Your kids will learn to approach food in the way they see their parents approach it. Your husband's ideas about food are remarkably unhealthful, so I think it's on you to be the good example. Have you heard of Ellyn Satter? https://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/htf/howtofeed.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 And in our family, we *all* struggle with liking vegetables... I like far more than he does (though ironically I hate two that are on his tiny list - carrots and cauliflower), but if I could live without veggies I totally would! Also by my saying that DH eats "very healthy" I was contrasting it with ME - who wants to add variety in by adding lots of rich stuff like cheese and butter and potatoes and corn and sugar! I totally can't get away with eating like that anyway, but it is absolutely what I LIKE and WANT, kwim? And frankly, I miss it. I defy anyone not to like cauliflower kofta. Rich stuff in moderation is necessary. You don't get your fat soluble vitamins without eating fat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 If my Dh wanted that diet he would get the same response as a child who wanted to eat a very limited menu..."you may choose to eat what I make or you may cook for yourself. I do not cater to one person." In my opinion a diet that limited is not healthy. It reminds me of the warning signs for anorexia that were described in a pamphlet I was given at my tween daughters most recent well child appt (extreme control of diet, limiting food to only a few allowed options). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Ok, I think you seriously need to ignore everything hubby does when planning meals for you and the kids. There are tons of definitions of healthy. If getting veggies in the kids and you is the problem, start there - what can you do for you and the kids to get in more veggies? Dont label any food as 'bad' - just aim for moderation. Carbs are not evil. Eating nothing but carbs is a problem. (and sometimes just avoiding gluten gets a lot of the same benefits, since wheat is a carb a lot of people dont handle well) If you are unhappy with your meals, you are more likely to snack - you need to feel satisfied emotionally with your meals and they need to meet your nutritional needs - and bodies actually need some carbs. Can you make tacos (instead of taco casserole) and use some of dh's plain chicken but mix it with taco seasoning and have various toppings on the table (including cheese!) - so your husband could just have his plain chicken on the plain lettuce, but you and the kids take the seasoned chicken shreds, put it in a shell with some refries, lettuce, salsa and a LITTLE cheese . . . . olives maybe . . . doable? When he has chicken tenders salads - but the tenders on bread for you and the kids. Why not? I think you have to stop letting your husbands issues (he really has serious food issues) ruin mealtime for everyone else. He has a serious problem - and I am fine with supporting him with special foods for him - but i'm not ok with him dictating a miserable existence for the rest of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berta Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I have one who likes salad without dressing. Before I toss the salad, I plate that's person's salad. Dh and I try to go easy on the carbs, so I keep our protein/sauces etc separate from most of the potato, rice or pasta. I plate out ours, then finish the starch. It's not a big deal. If I were to make chicken breasts or fish etc., I would just put the plain one over arugula/whatever, and season/sauce/etc the rest. This is how I do it too. I don't eat potato, rice or pasta (very rarely) but I still make it for the rest of my family. I eat the meat and veggies, they add the starch. I make sure there is something for everyone but I don't go out of my way to make special meals. Like someone else posted, it's much easier to make modular meals then all-in-one meals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Thanks for all the ideas, I *really* appreciate them... I need to get over my current (major) burnout and give it another try. Btw, by "healthy" I wasn't at all meaning DH eats a "perfect" diet. Really I just mean that he eats only healthy things and virtually *nothing* that is regarded as unhealthy. Not that he eats ALL the healthy things he should. We have talked about the variety issue - that is what I'm getting at when I say that *no one* in our family likes eating healthy. He has lots of ideas about what healthy eating is, but then he crosses a ton of things off that healthy list simply because he doesn't like them (and usually neither do I, so how can I blame him!). Which leaves a very small list of only healthy items, and not enough variety (which he acknowledges). To his credit, though, he has the ability to stick to his tiny healthy list, which I cannot even imagine doing. And in our family, we *all* struggle with liking vegetables... I like far more than he does (though ironically I hate two that are on his tiny list - carrots and cauliflower), but if I could live without veggies I totally would! Also by my saying that DH eats "very healthy" I was contrasting it with ME - who wants to add variety in by adding lots of rich stuff like cheese and butter and potatoes and corn and sugar! I totally can't get away with eating like that anyway, but it is absolutely what I LIKE and WANT, kwim? And frankly, I miss it. I like the suggestion to eat in components. You could use some of his ingredients as a starter base (or bulk prepare his when you are not). A mini-buffet might make people more adventurous also. It's definitely not that hard to leave out some stuff while you add more things to it for you and the kids. I was a picky eater as a child, and we have quite a few picky people in our extended family, including one family much like yours. They struggle with consistent meal times and family meals as well. I've read that getting kids interested in cooking and gardening makes them more open to new foods. If that is an option, I would try to pursue it. I've also found that I like foods prepared some ways but not others. I will eat frozen broccoli if I have to, but I don't buy it except to use in a casserole. I don't like the texture or the huge number of unpealed stem chunks in the stuff. I do like fresh broccoli steamed, etc. As a child, the smell of cooked broccoli drove me from the house with nausea, so we're definitely ahead of where I started out in life! Maybe you can find another picky eater you know IRL who has learned to eat a wider variety and ask that person to give you ideas (and samples!) to try out. It can be pricey to try stuff if you don't like it, but I would definitely encourage you to consider the differences in how things are prepared (or how fresh they are when they arrive at your store, etc.) and try to find at least one way you all like that particular food. Many foods that I ate fresh from the garden or orchard growing up are just not the same from the store. You may find you are more of a seasonal eater if you try some fresh, local stuff next summer. Just some ideas--you may have tried all this before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathnerd Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 My whole family has diet limitations and I need to make 3 varieties of food at dinner. So, I cook all the food the exact same way, plate 2 portions before I salt/spice/add sauces to my portion - I have lived a lifetime with people with several dietary issues and special diets that I am a pro at cooking, plating their food and carrying on cooking mine as per my taste. I do not blame your husband at all - because, I live with people who will have major digestive problems when they are made to eat anything even slightly spiced or seasoned - they seem to know instinctively that these plain foods are the best for their systems and frankly, I am so glad that they are able to tell me that fact because it is hell to watch someone suffering after eating a meal that I cooked :( In your case, why not buy a rotisserie chicken or cook a bunch of white chicken meat and steam carrots, peas etc and store in ziplocs for him? You can either microwave his food or steam them again in a steamer before serving. Or, why not cook chicken, pull out his plain chicken and then cook another dish with cheese or mexican seasonings etc for the rest of you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I don't think your dh's diet is particularly healthy or balanced, and I don't understand why you don't want your kids to have a wide variety of foods (including things like cheese and butter and a variety of other stuff.) In all honesty, your dh sounds like a royal pain when it comes to food, and I wouldn't cater to his incredible pickiness at the expense of everyone else. And unless he has a medical condition that requires a special diet, I wouldn't be cooking separate meals for him every night, either. If he didn't want to eat what I was making for everyone else, he would be cooking his own meals. I don't think you need to restrict your children's diets unless they are very overweight or have food sensitivities or allergies. It just doesn't make sense to keep serving them meals they don't like well enough to ever want to "clear their plates." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 My friend has a large family and everyone has different needs. They are all vegetarian, two kids are lactose intolerant, one kid is on the spectrum etc. Her general rule is that she makes things that at least half the family will eat. That is the best she can do. The rest of the family can pick out the parts they can eat or make themselves something else. Her kids were all taught to cook very well at an early age and are quite adept in the kitchen. The 'make it yourself' isn't presented as a punishment or punitive, just a fact of life. They have a big family and people have to be team players. I have a small family (two adults and two kids) and we eat different things. I am the one who eats the most differently from the others. I keep veggies and protein cooked and prepped in the fridge at all times. Bags of pre-chopped veggies are my best friend. Anyone can have some, but I am the one who eats it for dinner,not the kids I always have a pot of cooked brown rice and a pot of cooked beans and hard cooked eggs in the fridge ready to go for hungry boys. Sometimes I have a batch of broiled salmon in there. I also keep a couple dozen homemade muffins in the freezer. I should add that my boys are ballet dancers and are sometimes VERY hungry. They are on winter break right now and their food intake has dropped by half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I try and make someone happy each night and make sure it’s not always the same person. I have a son who is now a vegetarian (his choice), a daughter who only really wants meat, another son who would eat pretty much anything but spicy food and a husband who is pretty easy going but really loves it when I cook new/interesting/more exotic things for him. We do a lot more veggie meals to make the veg son happy but on some nights the main dish is meat and he has to either eat the sides or make himself a Pb&J (or I’ll make it sometimes, he is only 7). Sometimes I’ll make something I know the kids won’t like because I know dh will love it (mushroom soup) and the kids can eat the side or get a piece of fruit. We have a rule that anyone can get a piece of fruit or a salad if they don’t like what we are having. I think the big thing is it’s the rare family that everyone is going to like what you make each night. Your family does sound pickier than most, especially due to your dh but I agree that I’d try and find ways of cooking for everyone else and giving him his own meal either pre-cooked or leftovers or what you are eating pre-adding sauce/spices/etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Oh, one other thought for maybe you and your kids. I don’t know how old your kids are but last year we did a fruit and veg challenge for a month that was really helpful. I tracked how many fruits and veggies we each ate every day. The winner was the one with the most days of eating five fruits and veggies. If there had a been a tie the person with the most veggies would have won. The winner got to pick a fun physical activity that we all did together (turned out to be roller-skating). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixstar Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Right now, I hear a need to find joy and satisfaction in the kitchen and at the table again. When I've hit points where I'm essentially over thinking healthy eating and greatly limiting everything, we stop eating well and life is kinda sucky. My solution is to completely throw out all food rules for a while and just buy and cook food that gets me excited again, gets my family excited again. It's much easier to work to improve something when there is satisfaction present versus trying to force yourself through the motions. I would aim for a variety of meals, even if they're not the healthiest and consider the entire week more than the specific days. If you made the casserole you loved so much once during the week but were enjoying some awesome veggie-heavy stir fry dishes and salad or other items during the week, that is fine. It all balances out, especially if it means that everyone is excited to come eat again, including you. For increasing your preference for vegetables, I recommend the book Vegetables Every Day and picking 1 vegetable each week/two weeks to give it a try. There is usually a few recipes to go with each vegetable and try them out and see if you like them. That book helped me stop being so picky and learned to try new things. Once being at the table and kitchen is enjoyable, then maybe look for suggestions on helping to improve specific meals if you need to or maybe you'll notice a trend of overall positive. But I find getting back into eating is easier. As for dh, I would follow to suggest to bulk prep some food and portion them into individual containers that can be frozen and he can warm something up if the dinner isn't to is preferences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I agree with others' suggestions to cook boring stuff for your husband and cook real food for the rest of you, but since there's no sense in beating that dead horse, I'll suggest a couple of options: *Spaghetti and meatballs made with chicken or turkey meatballs, your husband could eat around the pasta. *Chicken tacos (your husband could skip the tortilla; he could use plain shredded chicken while the rest of you use seasoned meat and load 'em up with cheese, sour cream, etc.). *If he will eat carrots, will he eat butternut squash? it is sweeter and more versatile. For example, sautéed, it makes a yummy quesadilla filling with monterey jack cheese (Pioneer Woman has a recipe), but your husband could eat it without the quesadilla and cheese, or he could eat the filling on a salad. *I am with you on the mashed cauliflower--ick--but what about sweet potatoes? Would he eat those baked? Everyone else could load them up with butter and brown sugar. *Parsnips are yummy roasted, and mashed, they are certainly better than cauliflower. Turnips are better than mashed cauliflower also. I used to have a recipe that combined mashed parsnips and turnips but can't remember where it went or where it came from, but we all liked it. I haven't made it again because it's not that much different from mashed potatoes, but for a potato-hater, it might be just the thing. *I take it he doesn't like his ingredients combined into casseroles and the like (white fish excepting), so would pot pies and the like be out? He could always push aside your yummy, flaky homemade crust and eat the guts only. Best of luck with your efforts. Hope you can encourage some variety in all of your diets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuleeTN Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Have you tried roasted veggies? I roast everything---carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, cabbage.... When we made a transition to a healthier diet, I did it slowly. At first, I always included something from the old diet that the kids liked. After a while I reduced that portion and maybe served it less often. For example, I would fix grilled chicken tenders, roasted zucchini, steamed green beans, and mac and cheese. I always fix their plates at the counter and take the plates to the table. Now I rarely serve mac and cheese, but I still do occasionally (maybe once a month). I also MADE my kids eat the veggies. At first, I might serve them a meal (like the one above) and only give them a few spoonfuls of mac and cheese. I would give them a few spoonfuls of the veggies as well, and they could not get more mac and cheese until they ate their veggies. No exceptions. It was only like a few bites, so I knew I wasn't overfeeding them. As time went on, I increased the amount of veggies to a more appropriate serving. I never made them clean their plates, but to get the other half of your roll, you had to eat veggies first. If they weren't very hungry, I would say, "You don't have to eat your rice but you must eat your (very small serving) of veggies. That kept them from just eating the "yummy stuff". As months went by, they started complaining less and actually liking most veggies. They still don't love beans, but they tolerate them. I only make them eat a few spoonfuls of beans anyway. If I were you, I would just explore healthy foods to find what I liked. Then I would just fix dh the very simple food he wanted. After a while I bet he will start to eat what you are eating. Make the kids eat either what you eat or what your dh eats. Serve one thing you know they like at every meal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I agree with JuleeTN, roasted veggies are wonderful! I also roast sliced potatoes with olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and herbs for DH and the kids. Roasted salmon and tilapia is very good and some of the few fish options my kids will eat. Also, roasted or sautéed shrimp are excellent. I often cook pork tenderloin in the crockpot, remove a few portions for MIL who is on a restricted diet, then add barbecue sauce or maple butter and pineapple to season. Does he like steamed spinach or kale greens? Hope these suggestions help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I think a lot of "liking" vegetables or other foods is finding ways to cook them so that you enjoy them best. Asparagus out of a canned are terrible. It really isn't even great steamed. But, if you buy fairly thin fresh asparagus, cut off the woody ends and sauté them in some olive oil, add some salt and pepper, maybe a squeeze of lemon juice? I really love asparagus cooked that way. I also love it roasted in the oven. Likewise, black eyed peas simply dumped out of a can and boiled on the stove are not delicious, IMO. But, cook a pepper, onion and some celery, add a bag of fresh or frozen black eyed peas with a ham bone and cook them that way? Really tasty, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I have a picky dh too. I on the other hand only like 'weird' stuff. I keep cooked chicken breasts and individual servings of casseroles and soups frozen. No problem to zap it for him (or me) and add veggies. I do big crockpts of entire packages of chicken, make 2 or 3 casseroles and portion out. It really isn't a big deal. I'm probably the one who has the strangest stuff from the freezer while everyone else is happy with plain meat, a veg and brown rice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 I was curious, too. Looks like calico beans is supposed to be 3 kinds of canned beans (kidney, butter or lima, and pork and beans or baked beans), ground beef and bacon, and a quick bbq-type sauce (brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, maybe ketchup). Sounds weird but is apparently a southern thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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