STUMPED. Trying to make healthy dinner choices..but I keep going back to...

Hi there cat folks=ok I have been trying to make an effort to cook but honestly I am too tired. I work fulltime and up and out by 6am so I dont have time in the morning..often don't get home until after 5. I am usually STARVING then. And go to my local grocery store=hannafords-they have these AWESOME chicken bar-general Taos boneless wings and hot hot buffalo chicken,..they also have boneless buffalo in the refrig section which I cut up and put on nacho chips salsa, cheese, and YUM...and a salad..I always have salad and chicken...

I have noticed the price of chicken is lets say its cheaper for me to buy a precooked rotoiserre chicken than buy raw and take the hour to cook it and spices etc..so we have been bad all week about crappy diet. I dont buy bread=the other half wont eat it...I would but not home enough or have the time to buy cold cuts so I just stopped..then i was buying fruits and vegs and mr picky wouldnt eat it...trash...grrr...

my SO hates all vegetables and noodles and rice...pretty much meat and hamburger rolls (YUCK) so now i told him the other night I am making one meal and if he doesnt eat it tough. He hates peas. I love peas and rice. hates carrots. squash forget it he wont eat it. I love pot pie but nope wont touch it...SO what do you guys do with fussy eaters other than tell them to suck it up and eat?

For weeks he was living on english muffins and peanut butter...and chicken...we have to stop buying that precooked chicken because its loaded with calories..and I would eat the same thing forever..I am weird like that..so no pressure..if you have anything thats healthy but tasty and I have him eating some spicy stuff now where he never ate it before...

Thanks for your help!  

I live in a house of picky eaters, including me.  Drives DH crazy (he cooks).  Now we have special diets in mix.  DS is gluten free and doesn't eat veggies, I am on the FOD-MAP and blood thinners so am restricted as well. 

Every meal we have some melon or fruit for the non-veggies eaters.  Luckily everyone eats meat, if we have fish I try to have a rotisserie chicken for the non-fish eaters.  There are 4 or 5 of us so it makes it easier in some aspects.  Not everyone eats plain rice, flavored rice, noodles, or potatoes.  When we have stew or stir fry, people pick out the pieces they want.

Have you considered making meals over the weekend and portioning them out for the week?  I have a friend who does this.  She is a nurse who works 10 hour days.  Easy meals to fix are chili, tacos, stir fry using left over chicken.  Do you have a slow cooker?  What about frozen/TV dinners?  There is a large variety available.

I agree about the crock pot. You could assemble things the night before and then get it going in the morning. You can throw a whole chicken in there with some seasonings and it would be healthier than the store one.

yeah i work every day..so usually on a day off i sleep...I am trying to get better...tonight is baked chicken...strips..i am too tired..i will keep these in mind for next grocery store trip. I really appreciate it. I am not picky its him..he just texted me that he will eat baked beans for lunch grrrrr...

I have so many healthy quick menu ideas!  (when i was dieting ..now i am just a big fat blob because i love food!)           I love the crock pot!  I also cook one day on a weekend and freeze those things for a later day during the week.  If you like fish or shrimp there are so many quick and easy recipes.  You can prep the night before... so many delicious things out there to cook even for the busiest person!

My dad is super picky; if my mom only ate what he ate, she would die of boredom. She usually makes a few things he'll eat on the weekends, and he'll eat the leftovers all week. Chili, spaghetti, etc. And then she'll make her own meals. So if he'll eat leftovers, that could work.

(And, no, if she put her foot down he wouldn't give in. . .he would either not eat at all, or go to Burger King by himself. He simply will not eat most foods. When he was in the Navy he would lose 20-30 pounds every time the ship went to sea, because he wouldn't eat the mess food. I guess his parents used to force him to eat and he decided that once he was an adult he wasn't going to allow anyone else to have control over his eating habits)

Rotisserie chicken isn't any worse than chicken you prepare at home, except that it's really high in salt. It doesn't have any more calories or fat, it's not fried. Maybe even less fat because the fat drips off in the rotisserie. Nothing wrong with grabbing a rotisserie chicken. . .just don't eat the skin! You can make pretty good meals with rotisserie chicken as a base.

Here ya go! 55 quick and healthy recipes using rotisserie chicken: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/rotisserie-chicken-recipes

Willowy said:

My dad is super picky; if my mom only ate what he ate, she would die of boredom. She usually makes a few things he'll eat on the weekends, and he'll eat the leftovers all week. Chili, spaghetti, etc. And then she'll make her own meals. So if he'll eat leftovers, that could work.

(And, no, if she put her foot down he wouldn't give in. . .he would either not eat at all, or go to Burger King by himself. He simply will not eat most foods. When he was in the Navy he would lose 20-30 pounds every time the ship went to sea, because he wouldn't eat the mess food. I guess his parents used to force him to eat and he decided that once he was an adult he wasn't going to allow anyone else to have control over his eating habits)

Rotisserie chicken isn't any worse than chicken you prepare at home, except that it's really high in salt. It doesn't have any more calories or fat, it's not fried. Maybe even less fat because the fat drips off in the rotisserie. Nothing wrong with grabbing a rotisserie chicken. . .just don't eat the skin! You can make pretty good meals with rotisserie chicken as a base.

Here ya go! 55 quick and healthy recipes using rotisserie chicken: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/rotisserie-chicken-recipes

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You're father has selective eating disorder. Yes, it's a real thing (I have it). For years I just came up with every excuse I could think of to avoid eating at anyone's house or any function where there was going to be food I knew I couldn't eat. It's not just being picky, it's that if it's not on the list of acceptable, it doesn't even register as being edible.

foxxycat said:

 
Hi there cat folks=ok I have been trying to make an effort to cook but honestly I am too tired. I work fulltime and up and out by 6am so I dont have time in the morning..often don't get home until after 5. I am usually STARVING then. And go to my local grocery store=hannafords-they have these AWESOME chicken bar-general Taos boneless wings and hot hot buffalo chicken,..they also have boneless buffalo in the refrig section which I cut up and put on nacho chips salsa, cheese, and YUM...and a salad..I always have salad and chicken...

I have noticed the price of chicken is lets say its cheaper for me to buy a precooked rotoiserre chicken than buy raw and take the hour to cook it and spices etc..so we have been bad all week about crappy diet. I dont buy bread=the other half wont eat it...I would but not home enough or have the time to buy cold cuts so I just stopped..then i was buying fruits and vegs and mr picky wouldnt eat it...trash...grrr...

my SO hates all vegetables and noodles and rice...pretty much meat and hamburger rolls (YUCK) so now i told him the other night I am making one meal and if he doesnt eat it tough. He hates peas. I love peas and rice. hates carrots. squash forget it he wont eat it. I love pot pie but nope wont touch it...SO what do you guys do with fussy eaters other than tell them to suck it up and eat?

For weeks he was living on english muffins and peanut butter...and chicken...we have to stop buying that precooked chicken because its loaded with calories..and I would eat the same thing forever..I am weird like that..so no pressure..if you have anything thats healthy but tasty and I have him eating some spicy stuff now where he never ate it before...

Thanks for your help!  

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I don't know how your SO feels, but since I have the same issues he does, I don't ever expect anyone to accommodate me.  If I were you, I would cook what you want and if you are willing to accommodate him, great. If not, let him fend for himself.  I know how to get the food I want without expecting anyone to provide it for me .. I'm sure he does to.  If he doesn't eat what you make - he'll go find what he wants somewhere.  Try reading up on Adult Picky Eater or Selective Eating Disorder.  Never knew there was anyone but me out there who had this problem.

http://www.livescience.com/10301-adult-picky-eaters-recognized-disorder.html

Misty8723 said:

 
You're father has selective eating disorder. Yes, it's a real thing (I have it). For years I just came up with every excuse I could think of to avoid eating at anyone's house or any function where there was going to be food I knew I couldn't eat. It's not just being picky, it's that if it's not on the list of acceptable, it doesn't even register as being edible.

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I don't know if that's it.  I was and still am a picky eater.  As a youngster I could not swallow anything that didn't taste or smell good.  I still can't.  It's embarrassing to try and spit out food at dinner.  It's not as bad as I get older but there are still times I would rather go without than eat what is offered.  Now I am lactose intolerant and have other food issues which I am still trying to figure out. running to the bathroom is even more embarrassing.  sigh

I once went on a week long canoe trip and the person buying the food asked if there was anything I couldn't eat.  I said no.  When the day came that we were having tuna fish I asked for some tuna before she polluted it.  she was mystified.  She asked why I didn't say I couldn't eat mayo.  I said it's not that I can't, but won't and not to worry.  I have learned to adapt and rather than starve, learned to speak up.

Try frozen dinners. There's a great variety, and all of them have gotten healthier. Usually one brand or another is on sale, so it's budget-friendly, too. Let SO pick his own after you get them home. He can heat his up in the microwave.

When I was working, I made dinners for four on the weekend, ate one dinner, and put the others in frozen dinner trays to freeze. I had enough to keep them circulating through out the week.

I have tried the frozen dinner thing-nope. its because they have noodles or veggies or gravy. He doesnt like frozen food..I dont know how he fended for himself before me. He never cooked and only ran a microwave...our first date or when i went to his house-i was starving-i am a pig and will eat anythign I dont care and he had no chips or anything for food other than a couple of cans of noodle soup which he will not eat-if i make pasta it has to be angel hair and not cooked...he doesnt like slimy noodles- me-I LOVE pasta-alone, with sauce. I dont care!! I have gotten him to eat chili but only if they are small beans. So I wanted to make corned beef and he says he isnt in the mood...grrr...ok so for now-he lives on subrolls and peanut butter then fruit. He loves fruit but he wants to loose weight so i told him to stick to protein and run far away from fruit since its a simple carb and will not give you much energy...lets see oh jars of peanuts and cashews and crackers sometimes..oranges and grapes and apples..i have gotten him those fruit dishes with all cut up..i dont know how he does it-he reminds me of a dessert cat-he doesnt eat much and never thirsty. me I drink about 2 gallons of water a day=I have to harp on him to drink at least 32 ounces...men!

Yeah if we go to someones house he pretty much only eats a roll and butter and meat. loves potatoes..so thats it in a nutshell..the other thing is he lives on herseys choc bars for 40 years...he used to eat 4 to 8 a day of almond choc bars..then he stopped..oh ice cream..so he has a super sweet tooth and I gained weight when we got together..before it was rice and veg and chic or turkey for years..i loved chips but i didnt eat sweets..i dont bake because he will pig out eat the entire pie/cake etc then ask me to not bake...i have tried for 13 years to bake him a birthday cake-this year I am going to try to find something light and airy like angel food-which I love.

I realize I enabled him-I am my mothers daughter and mom used to cater to dads food wants..so I am slowly changing it...The crockpot is going to be running this weekend. I will put it together at night and cook it overnight then he can pick away at it. probably beef or chicken...

Could you make crock pot buffalo chicken like this, and then put it on sub rolls?

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/04/crock-pot-buffalo-chicken-lettuce-wraps.html

AbbysMom said:

Could you make crock pot buffalo chicken like this, and then put it on sub rolls?

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/04/crock-pot-buffalo-chicken-lettuce-wraps.html

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thats a good idea..last night was shake n bake chicken and baked potatoe..he ate it

Handsome Kitty said:

 
I don't know if that's it.  I was and still am a picky eater.  As a youngster I could not swallow anything that didn't taste or smell good.  I still can't.  It's embarrassing to try and spit out food at dinner.  It's not as bad as I get older but there are still times I would rather go without than eat what is offered.  Now I am lactose intolerant and have other food issues which I am still trying to figure out. running to the bathroom is even more embarrassing.  sigh

I once went on a week long canoe trip and the person buying the food asked if there was anything I couldn't eat.  I said no.  When the day came that we were having tuna fish I asked for some tuna before she polluted it.  she was mystified.  She asked why I didn't say I couldn't eat mayo.  I said it's not that I can't, but won't and not to worry.  I have learned to adapt and rather than starve, learned to speak up.

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That's it exactly - can't swallow it. Gag on it.  One of my most embarrassing moments (as a teen) was at a friend's house for dinner - and gagged on the food. Fortunately, they just thought I swallowed it "wrong" and was chocking. Now that I'm older, I've learned to just admit I won't eat it.  It's not even taste so much I don't think, but maybe texture?  I also am lactose intolerant and have issues with a lot of seasonings and spices as well.  You should do some research on adult picky eater.  I was totally amazed when I first learned there were other people like me, and helps me to be more honest and not embarrassed by it.

foxxycat said:

 
I have tried the frozen dinner thing-nope. its because they have noodles or veggies or gravy. He doesnt like frozen food..I dont know how he fended for himself before me. He never cooked and only ran a microwave...our first date or when i went to his house-i was starving-i am a pig and will eat anythign I dont care and he had no chips or anything for food other than a couple of cans of noodle soup which he will not eat-if i make pasta it has to be angel hair and not cooked...he doesnt like slimy noodles- me-I LOVE pasta-alone, with sauce. I dont care!! I have gotten him to eat chili but only if they are small beans. So I wanted to make corned beef and he says he isnt in the mood...grrr...ok so for now-he lives on subrolls and peanut butter then fruit. He loves fruit but he wants to loose weight so i told him to stick to protein and run far away from fruit since its a simple carb and will not give you much energy...lets see oh jars of peanuts and cashews and crackers sometimes..oranges and grapes and apples..i have gotten him those fruit dishes with all cut up..i dont know how he does it-he reminds me of a dessert cat-he doesnt eat much and never thirsty. me I drink about 2 gallons of water a day=I have to harp on him to drink at least 32 ounces...men!

Yeah if we go to someones house he pretty much only eats a roll and butter and meat. loves potatoes..so thats it in a nutshell..the other thing is he lives on herseys choc bars for 40 years...he used to eat 4 to 8 a day of almond choc bars..then he stopped..oh ice cream..so he has a super sweet tooth and I gained weight when we got together..before it was rice and veg and chic or turkey for years..i loved chips but i didnt eat sweets..i dont bake because he will pig out eat the entire pie/cake etc then ask me to not bake...i have tried for 13 years to bake him a birthday cake-this year I am going to try to find something light and airy like angel food-which I love.

I realize I enabled him-I am my mothers daughter and mom used to cater to dads food wants..so I am slowly changing it...The crockpot is going to be running this weekend. I will put it together at night and cook it overnight then he can pick away at it. probably beef or chicken...

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Sounds more and more like selective eating disorder to me. Most of us live on plain meat, potatoes, bread. I wouldn't steer him away from fruit if he loves it, he won't gain weight eating fruit!  Even on Weight Watchers fruit has no points.  Pasta is more likely to cause weight gain than fruit.  

If you can manage to make meals that you can keep plain for him and fancy up for yourself?  For example, my husband likes meatloaf so I will make it but separate it into two and leave out the stuff I don't want in mine.  Harder with crock pot. I once made a pot roast figuring I could just eat the meat but turns out everything tasted like onions and it was just nasty.

My problem is the opposite. My husband will eat anything, but he doesn't cook either. I can look at a book of recipes and not see any of them sound edible to me. I'm willing to make what he wants, but he has this thing and won't tell me because he is PO'd that I won't eat it, thinks we should be eating the same thing.  

I think you maybe might think about realizing that you can only do so much and all the harping in the world isn't going to change him. It hasn't worked for my husband with me and we've been married for 35 years, but it has become an issue because he has made it one. And I resent the fact that he has.

Misty8723 said:

 
You're father has selective eating disorder. Yes, it's a real thing (I have it). For years I just came up with every excuse I could think of to avoid eating at anyone's house or any function where there was going to be food I knew I couldn't eat. It's not just being picky, it's that if it's not on the list of acceptable, it doesn't even register as being edible.

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I am dealing with this with my 2  year old. Textures are her big no no's. Her list of food is gravy, Wendy's frosty's, Frito cheese dip and schwan's chocolate ice cream push ups. Its so hard. 

I use my crock pot several times a week. I am a stay at home mom but it makes things easier when you are chasing two toddlers. Most nights I am fixing 3-4 different dinners and there is just four of us. It gets hard and expensive. 

I would check out Schwan's they have a great selection of meats and sides. I am addicted to their breaded chicken. It's only 150 calories for a 4 ounce portion. It can be done in 30 minutes. I use it as a main dish or cut up in a salad. That is my go to meal when I am catering to my SO finickiness. He wont eat chicken. But he likes this from them. He would live off of hamburgers and hotdogs if would let him. He loves chilli and spaghetti but there has to be more meat sauce than pasta. When I go to my mom's for a few weeks I usually will fix a big batch and freeze it in individual portions for him.

Misty8723 said:

 
Sounds more and more like selective eating disorder to me. Most of us live on plain meat, potatoes, bread. I wouldn't steer him away from fruit if he loves it, he won't gain weight eating fruit!  Even on Weight Watchers fruit has no points.  Pasta is more likely to cause weight gain than fruit.  

If you can manage to make meals that you can keep plain for him and fancy up for yourself?  For example, my husband likes meatloaf so I will make it but separate it into two and leave out the stuff I don't want in mine.  Harder with crock pot. I once made a pot roast figuring I could just eat the meat but turns out everything tasted like onions and it was just nasty.

My problem is the opposite. My husband will eat anything, but he doesn't cook either. I can look at a book of recipes and not see any of them sound edible to me. I'm willing to make what he wants, but he has this thing and won't tell me because he is PO'd that I won't eat it, thinks we should be eating the same thing.  

I think you maybe might think about realizing that you can only do so much and all the harping in the world isn't going to change him. It hasn't worked for my husband with me and we've been married for 35 years, but it has become an issue because he has made it one. And I resent the fact that he has.

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Luckily he doesnt mind onions..he just doesnt like cooked veggies but if I make spaghetti sauce I just chop pepers and mushroom  and add at the very end so they are not mushy. He is fine with fruit-he has been complaining about an extra 15 pounds (like seriously?! I say-Ive got 40 BIG EYEROLL) 

Yep plain ol meat and tators and he is fine and of course daily choc bars...luckyl...I wont change him I know this..it used to bother me that he wouldnt eat what I make but I am getting to that point like you say its not my problem so I try to keep oatmeal and bake beans for him if he wants it..We will figure it out..summer is coming and we will just eat more salads..he doesnt mind salad and I put several dif veggies in there..

when he was working he made the same lunch everyday-broccoli, pickles, red/orange/yellow peppers sometimes cauliflower and pickle juice. and cherry tomatoe. He loved it. So thats what I mean about his eating weird things. and puts lettuce mixture ontop of it- otherwise its dressing on the hard veggies then lettuce ontop and it doesnt wilt. he loves spring mix and spinach believe it or not..croutons too..so I think we will make some kind of meat three times a week as he loves left overs. he doesnt mind..I am more picky about what I am in the mood for than he is.

meatloaf, spaghetti, chicken/pork shake n bake, turkey/chicken rotesseri (sp?) sometimes liver and onions if I remember, but normally he lives on scalloped potatoes=loves these. will eat these the most. So for now I just need to stop being lazy and cook more.

Misty8723 said:

 
That's it exactly - can't swallow it. Gag on it.  One of my most embarrassing moments (as a teen) was at a friend's house for dinner - and gagged on the food. Fortunately, they just thought I swallowed it "wrong" and was chocking. Now that I'm older, I've learned to just admit I won't eat it.  It's not even taste so much I don't think, but maybe texture?  I also am lactose intolerant and have issues with a lot of seasonings and spices as well.  You should do some research on adult picky eater.  I was totally amazed when I first learned there were other people like me, and helps me to be more honest and not embarrassed by it.

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It's nice to hear I am not alone.  One of my sisters said she is amazed I am still alive.  My mother used to make me Chocolate pudding for breakfast just so I'd eat something before school.

And yes, some textures make me cringe, like cheese.  Like nails on a chalkboard.

So true about the recipes! LOL 

Handsome Kitty said:

 
It's nice to hear I am not alone.  One of my sisters said she is amazed I am still alive.  My mother used to make me Chocolate pudding for breakfast just so I'd eat something before school.

And yes, some textures make me cringe, like cheese.  Like nails on a chalkboard.

So true about the recipes! LOL 

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I felt that way when I first found there is a whole lot of people like me. I was actually googling trying to find a healthy diet for picky eaters and found all sorts of interesting information. There is a Duke study you can participate in (online questionnaire, but I don't know if that's still going on), Anderson Cooper is a picky eater, there was a forum once but I haven't looked lately so it might not still be around, etc.

I'm single, live alone and absolutely hate cooking.  Years ago when I entertained a lot, I really enjoyed cooking, but I no longer entertain, and since I only cook for me, I can't stand having to cook for one. 

I found myself often eating out, or ordering in, and I found my weight ballooning up, and my bank account shrinking from the expense.  When I went grocery shopping, I would buy all kinds of healthy foods but found myself too tired when I got home from work to cook, so I ordered in instead and the groceries would spoil and get thrown out.

I did find a happy, and healthy work around to my problem.  What I needed was some healthy foods, that were ready to be heated up, so I wasn't tempted to order in when I got home from work.  I started cooking for 4 people, eating one portion and freezing 3 portions.  Basically my own homemade TV dinners, complete, and ready to microwave.  I also made soups and portioned them out into single servings and froze them.

I am currently on a weight loss program, and rarely if ever order in, and only eat lunch out twice per month, so that means I am doing a lot of my own cooking.  But since each time I cook I am freezing 3 meals, after a couple weeks I find myself with a stock pile of frozen meals for the next 6 weeks, which means I can slack off on cooking.

At the beginning of January when I started on my weight loss program, I went into manic mode and cooked for almost a full week.  By the time I had finished I had the following in my freezer, all Jenny Craig recipes.

4 servings of each:
Lemon chicken with noodles
Orange Chicken with rice
Beef Sukyaki with rice

Shrimp Creole with rice

Poached Salmon with pasta
Lamb chops with noodles

8 Servings:
Chicken veg soup

Pasta with turkey meat sauce

Turkey Taco filling (ready to use to make soft tacos)

6 Servings:
Cut up melon

12 servings (Breakfast foods)
Zucchini bread

Sweet Potato Waffles (Not Jenny Craig, but diabetic)

Bluebery coffee cake

Premade frozen sandwiches:
- Bread, mustard, and meat. Wrap in cling film and put into a large ziploc bag.
Turkey sandwiches

Ham sandwiches


I also like Turkey, but the turkey breast and leg are not my most favourite cuts, so I occasionally roast a turkey and freeze it into meals complete with turkey, potatoes and veggies. Sometimes gravy, but not often.  A turkey will give me about 21 meals.

When I get down to 2 left of a recipe, I make and freeze another 4 portions. This way I'm not doing marathon cooking.

Once I have my stock pile, it's easy to eat healthy. I can go to the freezer and grab a breakfast, a sandwich and portion of soup for lunch.   I can add a yogurt, milk, some sliced tomato and lettuce, and take that with me.  I can finish assembling the sandwich at work with the tomato and lettuce once the sandwich has thawed.

When I come home I can microwave a healthy meal and add a salad, and dinner is ready in 5 minutes.

You can use a slow cooker and make batches of soups, stews, beans. Or do up a few casseroles in the oven and freeze portions in freezer bags.

You can also freeze batches of  raw ingredients for cooking later.  If I'm making soup, I will put out 3 or 4 large freezer bags and as I'm making my batch of soup I'm adding the same ingredients to each freezer bag.  I put everything in except for the liquid ingredients.  Legumes, cut up veggies, spices, oil, herbs, beans, cut up raw meat/chicken.....it all goes into the bag for freezing.  When I want soup or stew it's already to go, just add liquid.

Here is my Pinterest board dedicated to all things canning and make ahead freezing.