[Marchmallow]

I live in a house of four gals, and I'm usually the cook. The problem is, we all have dinner together every evening once everyone gets home from work/college, and we all tend to eat the same meal (because cooking four different dishes would be rather bothersome), and this tends to be about 6pm. I would like to start eating dinner earlier, or having healthier meals, but this would be a pain for the other ladies, as they're all wonderfully skinny and like to eat a lot. It's also a strain on the house shopping budget if I start getting in a load of low fat healthy food for myself while they keep their menu, and they sure as **** won't want falafel and salad for dinner instead of their pie and chips!

[stacygee]

Are these ladies your friends? If they are they should offer support in helping you with your endeavor. How about asking them? What about healthy meal Monday through Friday and "regular" on Sat and Sun?

I cook three meals for 4 people in my household. The kids eat kids food. My husband eat "man" food and I eat "diet" food. This is how some of our meals go: kids will have macaroni and apples. Husband will have macaroni, hamburger and salad. I will have salad with cut up hamburger (no bun.)

[Nola Celeste]

Ooh, that's a tough situation. Have you talked to the whole crew? They might not mind a mealtime that gets moved up a little, which would make the timing aspect a bit easier on you. If that doesn't work, you might want to have a pre-meal snack while cooking; one poster here described eating raw veggies throughout her Christmas cooking and it kept her going without overdoing on calories.

Skinny people can eat healthful food too! I think the key here is to have a couple of components that everyone can enjoy, then a few additions here and there for those who follow a different plan. For example, you might eat just falafel and salad, but others might eat their falafel with pita bread or kebabs. You might have chicken soup, they might eat it as chicken and dumplings or a chicken pie or serve it over rice. Steak night? You have yours with spinach and a baked sweet potato, they have theirs with white potatoes and creamed spinach.

I live in a household of two, not four, but the logistical problems of feeding people with different dietary preferences and habits still comes up. Our best solution is pretty much what I described above. That way my husband still gets the calories he needs and I don't exceed the calories I need.

[DixC Chix]

Maybe you could try substitutions - use ground chicken or turkey breast, egg substitutes, brown rice, extra invisible vegetables (zucchini, chopped broccoli) in spaghetti sauce, mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes under the guise of trying something different or expanding your cooking skills?

[Jesse Taylor]

I feel your pain. Definitely feel it. I live in a house with three other people. Two are "fat and happy" with no problem with themselves which is fine for them. She knows I'm obsessed with not over eating. He doesn't or didn't until recently. The other will scarf down anything in the fridge no matter whose it is and that includes my diet foods. I had hard boiled eggs allotted for the week to get me through, he ate them. I had yogurt, he ate it. It's like if it's mine, it''s okay to eat even though I've already contributed $100 toward the month's food. Sorry ~ mini vent because I went for days without eating and when I wanted my food, it was gone.

They like chili and corn bread and last night was grilled cheese and tomato soup. I did the soup with skim milk and since it was my favorite, I ate. But instead of two grilled cheese, I had one because tomato soup and grilled cheese are the bomb....but I only do it occasionally and because yesterday I missed the bus and had to walk 6 miles, I figured I was good.

I've learned, I'm the minority in all of this. I have to make healthy choices and maybe move meals around to do the calorie count right for the day. I also walk a little more and keep good food in my room. For me calorie counting saves me. When I shop, I buy good stuff like ground turkey instead of beef. But if they shop and I partake, I just make sure I've walked my 3 miles or have eaten light in the mornings. My biggest issue, however, is what yours it. TIME. I don't like eating past 6:30 and they like to eat at 8:00. It gets me out of a lot.

I wish I had some better advice. Right now all I have is sympathy for your situation. Hugs.