I've been doing this a year. I have two sons (19 & 13) and a husband. And, I only cook one meal. Everyone eats. OK, we have our days when there are leftovers and they might want a burger. I've also had one or two duds.
But, there is no way, I'd make a habit of making 2-3 different meals. I cook it, you eat it. So, I had to find things that they'd like. Lots of ground beef/turkey dishes. Lots of chicken breasts. Pork loin, pork chops.
I have a team, Cooking Made Easy, which I made specifically to show people that you can cook healthy for your family and friends and they will love it. We all share healthy, easy to prepare & good recipes.
Anyone can join. Check my page for the team link!
ELAINEHN 2/23/07 2:03 P
The whole wheat or wheat blend pasta should be right with the other pasta in your grocery store. Ronzoni makes a Healthy Harvest line of products ... and I'm not sure what the other brands call theirs, but just look for light brown or tan boxes usually. I really can't tell a big difference in them and 'regular' pasta as far as taste/texture goes. If anything, they may have a little better texture than the white pasta. The calorie savings isn't much per serving ... but I think the benefit is maily in the fact that they contain more fiber and are more filling ... as well as having a little more nutritional value in genera.
DANIECE 2/23/07 1:58 P
Oh wow! Thank y'all so much for the recipe ideas!!! They sound delicious! My oldest daughter is a vegetarian - has been since the first time she tasted meat - and the rest, well, it varies. I didn't even know there was such a thing as whole wheat noodles. I can't wait to try some of these out on my kids. I think I'm gonna try the, "You can eat what I cook or breakfast is in the morning," approach, also. My 8-year-old twins are getting to be a tad on the big side, and maybe if I start now, they'll learn to eat healthier. I'll be sure not to mention how healthy the meals are for them. lol That does seem to be a turn off for kids, doesn't it? Thank y'all again for your recipe ideas. I'm going to look them up and make out a shopping list for this weekend. And if you happen to think of anymore, please post them. I'll take as many as I can get!
RMCREM 2/23/07 1:05 P
I know its hard! Sometimes you feel like a short order cook! My daughter is thirteen and just turned into a vegeterian my son is meat and potatoe person all the way and me and my husband like both vegetarian dinners and meat dishes also! The nights I prepare meats my daughter cooks for herself she is turning into a good cook! She makes a great tofu, vegtetable stir fry!
Things that everyone eats are:
Home made pizza's spaghetti Fajita's (daughter substitutes tofu strips for chicken) Bean Borritos Bean botanas chicken, rice and broccoli
BDEVILLE 2/23/07 12:34 P
On the mac and cheese, my mom used to make it for us for but she added tuna and a can of sweet peas, and we ate it up.
BDEVILLE 2/23/07 12:26 P
I don't have any ideas to fix just yet, but I grew up in a house with 7 kids, and my moms rule was you eat what I cook or breakfast is in the morning. Believe me I never starved, and usually ate at least some of it.
After my Dad had his heart attack, we went on a very healthy diet, and believe me all of us kids resisted, but she won!
CRAMEY 2/23/07 12:22 P
Oh my son is just plain outright picky at what he eats! It has nothing to do whether it is healthy or not! He knows what things are good and bad for you. But for example, when I fix spaghetti, he will eat just the noodles with parmasian cheese, no sauce! Now we do eat the whole wheat noodles and he seems to love them. I use to be the type that you ate what I fixed or you were "on your own", but when I made the decision that I was going to go on a diet, I knew that there are some things that he will not eat so I knew I would have to fix him something different. It's working but sometimes I wish I only had to fix one thing and one thing only. Sometimes I get lucky and only fix one dinner, but that is very rare. And in those cases if I fix mac n' cheese, I just skip on it.
ELAINEHN 2/23/07 11:27 A
Do they actually not like the food ... or is it just the idea that it's healthy that they resist?
I generally cook just one meal and my family seems to enjoy most anything. I don't so much make special "diet" meals ... but rather I just make regular food but make it as healthy as possible. I don't make a big deal about the 'different' ingredients or if something is 'healthier' than how I used to cook it.
Sometimes I'll fix a side item that they like, but I don't want to eat such as Macaroni 'n Cheese ... but I just skip it and eat a salad or maybe if we have pasta or rice as a side dish or part of an entree, I only have half a portion and they have more.
Here are some of the meals we've had recently that everyone has eaten (most of the entree recipes are posted somewhere on this forum, but if you can't find them and want me to repost any of them on this thread just let me know.):
Baked Chicken Parmesan w/ wheat pasta, salads and green beans Cowboy Chicken with rice/corn Hamburgers - 4 oz. patties w/ light buns (I skip the cheese & mayo & load up on veggie toppings)... fries baked in the oven, salads Chili - 1 lb. of extra lean ground beef, lots of tomatoes, onions, beans, etc. Flat Out Pizzas Baked Pasta casserole Sausage (Turkey smoked sausage) & cabbage - mac 'n chesse & tomatoes Shrimp Scampi with veggies over pasta
When we have smoked sausage, my daughter eats a few slices of Turkey Sandwich meat because she doesn't like hotdogs or sausages of any kind ... but she eats the rest of the meal so it's no big deal.
DANIECE 2/23/07 11:14 A
Oh, man, does it ever get old quick! And if they don't like what I cook, they're wanting a balogna sandwich or to make a hot dog or whatever. Very unhealthy. I finally quit buying those things, but they always seem to come up with something equally unhealthy. Maybe I should just tell them to eat what I cook or be hungry, but I'm kind of a softy.
CRAMEY 2/23/07 11:05 A
I am right with you. I end up fixing 2 different dinners and that gets really old really quick!!
DANIECE 2/23/07 11:03 A
Does anyone know where I can find some healthy recipes that my kids would actually eat? I have five kids and every time I cook anything healthy, they want nothing to do with it, or two out of the five will eat it or something like that. So I'm cooking for six, but only two or three are actually eating. I can't afford to, nor do I have the energy to, cook different meals for everyone. I'm at a total loss.
