I have had sooo many attempts at this.... I'm back.... again.... But I am really having trouble. My husband works in construction so he needs alot of energy, I have a 3 year old so I have to fix dinners that she likes, but then I also don't want to spend a fortune at the store, but I want things that are healthy for all of us and help me lose weight. I'm going nutso here?! does anyone else have a situation like this??? I know I'm not the only one to ever lose weight while feeding a family!:
This is definitely a challenge! I try to make adaptable meals. For example, if I am making stir-fry, my son likes his chicken plain. He eats it with rice and raw vegetables (carrots and snap peas usually), so I take his portion of chicken out before I add the veggies and sauce. Or if we are having burgers, I use a sandwich thin or split my bun, use 96/4 ground beef, and add lots of lettuce/tomato/avocado. Tacos is another good one. Sometimes I'll make mine into a taco salad, and he likes to have control over what goes into his. He does like salad, so we have that most nights.
He's picky, and I am always struggling to find foods that he will try and that are on plan for me. But several nights a week, I do make two dinners. I make enough so that we both have leftovers to take for lunch for a few days afterward, so it does save me time on that front.
I am feeding a very picky - continental food only 76 year old Mother in law - no spicy, ethnic, nothing food and she doesn't really like pasta or pizza. My husband who likes wholesome, healthy food and will eat anything as long as it's wholesome and healthy. A teenage boy that is just like his dad, but doesn't like potatoes and some veggies (asparagus, eggplant and zucchini) and a 7 year old autistic son who only likes plain, white food and some veggies and fruit (his diet is slowly expanding). And then there's me who will eat pretty much anything, but now I'm not as I'm trying to lose weight.
For me, what I do is eat a lean meat and the veggies with the meal and skip the starch. Rice, pasta, potatoes and breads are calories - pretty empty calories at that.
For your family you can do the same - make a protein you all can enjoy, a starch for the husband and kid and then some veggies which, of which, you might be the one eating most of it (but trying to get th 3 year old to eat it and encouraging DH to eat it too). Stay away from casseroles and even pasta dishes. Protein, veggie and starch. Pork, chicken, beef - and so on.
I found a great way to keep sane while counting calories and cooking for 4 people with different tastes/diets was:
A big pot of pinto beans with optional side meat like sausage or ham - easy to smash the beans another meal for burritos in corn tortillas and pile up veggies to ensure the calories are kept low.
Greek salad night: where the salad is the main fixture of the meal and everyone can pile on the ingredients they most enjoy. I always liked serving cold sliced turkey with this.
Any roasted fowl with boiled/mashed potatoes, broccoli/green beans/ English peas - can be turned into a pot pie another night and then it is only a matter of portion control to keep your count low.
Kebabs - let the husband go wild with more steak or lamb on his skewer, roast corn and bell peppers to fill up without all the red meat.
Micro mac-n-cheese with bacon: keeps the kiddo happy and can be made in ramekins of different sizes for you and the husband.
These were some of my usual ideas. Anything you can make ahead of time on the weekend and freeze into portions will take some of the work off of you all during the week.
It is hard. I sometimes cook three or even four different meals.
What I like to do though, I cook child friendly meals like pasta with meat sauce or taco meat etc on Sundays for the upcoming week, that way I have always something handy for kids. I usually cook a big pot of stew or chili for my husband, freeze some ( I try to keep 5 or 6 different meal options in the freezer, in portion size containers.)
But I mostly just cook lean protein, veggie and starch each night. I don't usually eat the starch. Also if your family likes fried foods, this sounds like a great opportunity to start eating healthier and baked options.
My husband is a tall man, and requires quite bit of calories. I keep nuts handy, also loads of fruits and yogurt....
It turns into a life style. I feel much better for feeding "good stuff" for my kids and teaching them how to eat healthy, naturally.
Beans. I can't tell you how much I'm loving bean/legume soups these days.
Just ate a Southern favorite for lunch: Black Eyed Peas with just enough smoked turkey sausage to add flavor and some Rotel tomatoes for acid and a little kick.
I eat beans because I love them, but something like this is also super cheap: I'm going to guess around 6 dollars total for enough to feed eight.
Very nutritious: tons of protein and fiber and calcium in black eyed peas!
Very filling/energy-rich for your hubby: You could also cook rice to go along with it as well for more bulk, or pan fry some of the leftover turkey sausage and add it to his.
It freezes well, it tastes delicious, and it's mild enough (especially if you leave out the Rotel) for the 3-year-old's palette. Although, she might appreciate it more if you mushed the beans up.
Leftovers are pretty versatile as well. Mashed, they can be turned into fritters or even used as a spread/dip/filling for just about anything. Kind of like a substitute for refried beans, or a funky hummus.
Okay, ode to black-eyed peas is over. Can you tell I enjoyed my lunch?
I was doing that for awhile but it cost too much. I do like berryblonde and have a protein that everyone eats, a veggie for everyone (that I eat most of), a starch for my son and BF and sometimes a salad for everyone.
I'm new here and I've just restarted a calorie counting diet but what's worked for me is to eat less breakfast and lunch then try to eat the same food as my family at dinner cutting the portion size to fit my calorie allotment. Also, I keep some frozen low cal meals for times that I just cannot eat what my family is eating.
I really like some of the ideas already posted and will try them too!
Thanks for all the ideas ladies! I am definitely going to try some of them. My husband has recently decided that he wants to get fit with me so maybe this won't be as bad as I think
What were you cooking before? I make a few swaps here and there for myself, but not too many. I also do the freezer meals and I have a four year old so I make veggie/chicken nuggets and veggie/turkey meatballs when I have time and keep them frozen.
I try to keep really quick, easy alternatives for myself. So I'll cook up a batch of chicken and then I can slice down what I need and put it in a salad or make a wrap with chicken, some raw veggies etc... My boys can't keep weight on them so we eat completely different thing but having easy options for me has really made this all work. Good luck!
I almost always pair my dinner with a salad. I eat a large salad first and then the 'main course' as almost a side dish. I get to taste some of the food my husband wants but not the calories. For my 4 year old I'd say half the time I'm still cooking a slightly separate meal for him. I do some prep work on Sundays though so I don't have to spend as much time during the week. Good luck!
There are 5 of us. I never cook multiple meals. I do pretty much what another poster above mentioned beef, chicken or pork plus a green veggie every night. If it is one of our high days I add a starchy veggie (mashed sweet potatoes, carrots, corn or peas.) I have some picky eaters, but they are all old enough to know that I expect them to at least eat a couple of bites of the veggies and most of the protein. They don't have to like it. They don't have to finish it. But they do have to try it. They are all old enough to make a sandwich or a snack later if it wasn't their favorite meal ever.
I've started eating a salad with every meal. Then I can have a little bit of what everyone else is eating. I was thinking about buying some WW meals or lean cuisines but they are so high in sodium and honestly, they don't leave me feeling very satisfied.
Luckily my daughter isn't very picky so she'll eat whatever my husband is eating. I guess I just wanted one thing that wasn't work and that I didn't have to think about. I know it's worth it and I have tons of motivation, but sometimes, come 6 o'clock, I'm tired of thinking.
How do I make everyone happy?!
