OK, I'm totally new! I've just ordered the "at home" stuff from the WW websight and haven't received it yet, but am still trying to make a healthy start. After an eye-opening visit to the doctor on Monday, and watching my two sister-in-laws lose weight with WW, I think this is the way to go, so here goes!

My question is this: How do you all cook for your families? I'm thinking I can cook a somewhat normal meal, with reduced fat and fat free substitutions, then calculate the total points for that meal, finally figuring approximately 1/5 of the total points for what I've eaten. I know that sounds complicated, but I have to do something where I'm not cooking two separate meals, and where they'll still eat the food. I also thought I could limit my intake of the higher point/fat items myself, as in eating the green beans, but skipping the corn, etc.

Any suggestions and help would be so much appreciated!!

That is 100% correct. However I do have some tried and true Family and Kid Friendly Recipes if you want to e-mail me at [email protected] I'd be happy to share it with you.

Kel,

Thanks for the quick response! I feel like there's a connection here.....my name is also Kelly and my maiden name begins with an S! I'll be emailing you shortly!

Hello Kelly,

Would you mind sharing some of the recipes that you have with me. I am a mother of a 3 year old girl and a 5 year old boy and I also have a wonderful husband. I'm tired of cooking for myself and watching them eat something different. I have always told my children that they eat what is on their plate because that is what I made for dinner. Now I'm cooking for myself and I'm sure they are wondering why mom is such a hypocrite. I would greatly appreciate some pointers. I'm also new to weight watchers, but I love it so far, just need some new ideas.

Thanks a bunch!!

I don't mind sharing my recipes with anyone the only thing I ask is that you send me an e-mail (if ya already haven't) to make it easy to send them to you....

You can find some on the 3fc ww recipe board too.

Here's the link:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=79194

The Weight Watchers websites also have recipes. Dotties weight loss zone has alot of recipes too - dwlz.com. I basically cook everything I did before but I make better choices. I use 2% cheese, Light sour cream, bake or grill and don't fry. I have used shake-n-bake if the fam MUST have a fried type of dinner and they like it! I use light butter or my favorite is Brummel and Brown and my family loves it as well. Chicken and fish is always low in points when grilled or baked and we do steaks too, i have a lean steak while my hubby has a ribeye...Baked potatos are low in points if you are not eating one the size of half your plate! We even do chili dogs and fries - I eat Oscar Meyer Light Beef hotdogs (2 pts) and Wonder Light Buns (1 pt for a whole bun) and Hormel chili for hotdogs is 1pt for 1/4 cup which is more than enough for one hotdog. The best fries for baking are Ore-Ida Crispy Restaraunt Style, and baked you can have something like 30 fries for 3 pts. You could have 2 chili dogs and fries for a 10 pt dinner. Add a green salad with Wishbone Fat Free Italian for zero extra points! I honestly have not found it very hard at all to cook for my family and I rarely, if ever...well I don't think I have ever cooked something different for myself at dinner time!

Wow, I guess I never thought of chili dogs as being low in points. And the french fries!!! WOW!!! I'm gonna have to try this. I guess these are foods that I always thought of being "fattening". I'll bet my kids will love chili dogs. I bought the Jennie-O Turkey Dogs, but I haven't tried them yet. I'm finding that in this area, we don't have alot of the "ingredients" that others have posted about. Like the Weight Watchers bread. I live in Northern Michigan, and it seems that eating healthy is unheard of around here. This healthy things I do find are OUTRAGEOUS and feeding 2 kids and a husband, makes money real tight. But anyways, thanks for the great posts.... they have helped ALOT. If anyone has anymore ideas, please post them. I need all the help I can get. I'm always up for new ideas!!

Thanks again!

I also have never ate anything different than what my family eats... and teenage boys tend to want ALOT of food .. i just make sure that the side dishes are veggies and such that are basicly free in points .. plus whatever meat i count that .. on other meals i just try to plan my day for what points i may need at supper .. only foods in the house they can't touch are my 1 point WW cakes .. *snarls at them if they even think about touchin em* i eat the same as they do .. just smarter .. grinz

I feel that my family deserves to be healthy, too so I never cook 2 separate meals. Shop the sales at the grocery store and plan you meals around the sale items. I seldom buy "Diet" foods, preferring whole foods with complete nutrition rather than a bunch of artificially flavored chemicals. Learn to read ingredient as well as nutrition labels - you'll be amazed at what is put into our food.

Thanks again for all the info, girls! I feel as though I really have a handle on things now!