Funny story and poll

[lsdesign]

My DH loves vegetarian food and often asks for it to be included in our menu and blames meat on weight gain. The only thing he doesn't like are nuts or fruit in a main dish. My FIL on the other hand says that he needs a microscope in order to see the meat in some of the meals I've served him and he is a retired doctor!

[hhcowgirl]

Jessica: My SO is definitely more into bacon and cheese than tofu and beans. But what has really worked--because even though he is active and slim, I worry about his cholesterol--has been to cut out articles (either from the web or newspapers) about the health benefits of traditionally "bad for you " foods, like nuts and avocadoes, and give them to him. He has started consciously ordering those things now. Also, articles on just how bad saturated fat, etc. are have really gotten his attention.

[Jodi]

My father and I put on boxing gloves every time I'm in Pennsylvania for a visit, because he's definitely a mean and potatoes guy. He loves Emeril's pork fat, he loves dessert, he loves all of it. He used to be very active, but a knee injury has left him pretty limited as far as sports go (read: golf and only golf), so he's put on some pounds. Heart disease runs in the family, but on my mom's side. After seeing each of my maternal grandparents have multiple heart attacks, I worry about him. To him, though, my worry comes out as nagging. We've agreed that I'll be more careful about what I say (and not glare every time he puts salt on something) and that he'll try to watch the fat intake. I wonder, though, since I live out of state, does he really watch the fat intake or only when I'm around? I probably don't want to know...

[MrsReber]

My husband eats alot of fruit and veggies since he knows they're good for him. He even yells at the guys at work when he sees them eating junk all day. He'll tell them to bring in some fruit instead!

He does crave meat and potatoes on occasion, but he's more than happy when I make a vegetarian pizza or a big salad and some pasta with marinara sauce.

[This message has been edited by MrsReber (edited 01-09-2001).]

[Jessica]

MrsReber--any way we can seat your husband next to mine http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif?

[kwormann]

I consider myself the luckiest girl in the world, DH hates meat and potaotes (even tho he grew up on it!) He thinks its fun to cook healthy!

I can say, though, I watched my mom try to get my meat'n'taters dad to eat healthy..she would make lasagna with turkey, etc., things like that. He could never tell the differnce, but if he found out, boy was he MAD!

After watching that, all I can say is GOOD LUCK!

Kim http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[karen w]

I am fortunate to have a husband whose main complaint when I give him dinner might be something like this: "Needs more vegetables, but otherwise very tasty." As a matter of fact tonight I gave him a choice (of various leftovers) for dinner. All he wanted was several side dishes-the squash rice bake and the eggplant mushroom casserole(both very good, by the way). He could make a meal of side dishes and skip the entree(meat) and be very happy. Although we are not vegetarians we do not eat alot of meat, but on occasion he does like a nice piece of meat. He also loves to make a meal of a big salads on hot summer days. What a rare bird! But I love it!!

[Jessica]

I received Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven for Christmas. My husband is usually on the road during the week, but he has a couple weeks in the office and I have been using that as an excuse to cook up a storm.
Last night, I tried a curried cauliflower dish. I thought it was tasty, if not as amazing as the other things I had tried from that book, but I could tell my husband was not thrilled. He is usually enthusiastic about my cooking and patient with my vegetarian experiments (he grew up in Nebraska as the grandson of a rancher and loves meat). I asked him what he did not like about the dish and he said, "I am not such a big fan of cauliflower. How about substituting pork?"
It just struck me as funny.
So...the poll part is, do you ever have trouble convincing loved ones to eat healthy? I don't mean going overnight from steak and potatoes to fruit salad and broccoli, but just little changes that can make a difference. How do you go about it? I cannot wait to hear your ideas.
TIA

[SueK]

Jessica- too funny! My husband is also a meat and potatoes person. I think what has helped him realize that eating healthy doesn't mean no taste is that we still eat meat, but I cook it using more healthy methods, with lots of flavorful sauces. There have been many a night where I make something with no meat in it, and he never misses it, because of all the herbs, etc, that I cook with.

I will also say that low-fat and no-fat products on the market have come along way the past few years. They are much better tasting, and have more of the "fatty" taste to them. I think this has made more people turn to low-fat cooking, since they can still retain the flavor of dishes.

[BarrieCov]

My hubby is the proverbial junk food junkie! He eats what I cook, but supplements it with cookies, chips, fried foods, etc.

My only hope is to try to keep him filled up on the good stuff. He loves the CL Oatmeal Hermits, so I try to make those so he'll reach for them instead of Twinkies. At least they have some fiber and fruit...

[MrsReber]

Jessica, I consider myself very lucky that my husband eats such healthy food. I worry about him all the time since cancer runs on both sides of his family. His father was in his early 40's when he died of cancer. I got my husband to quit smoking when we first met (told him the cigarettes had to go because the smoke makes me sick). He's even been telling ME to eat more fruits and vegetables (for the baby) and I eat more salad and fruit than most people. I think he may drive your husband over the edge, though! The guys at work complain that he nags them. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Angelina]

My husband's standard reply to the question: "what do you want for dinner?" is "Whatever you want." Eventually, I get it out from him, "Something light." But after 8 years of being married to this guy, I still am not quite sure of what light means. Once he made one his childhood favorites, a mix of mashed cooked plaintains, potatoes and fried bacon, and to him that's....light! While my childhood favorites, like a dish of pasta, broth, peas and a beaten egg (VERY light!), is like lead to him. He really eats anything I put in front of him, and if he doesn't like it, he just won't say anything. He's a sweetheart, but I don't know if I will ever figure out what's light!

Angelina

[luv2cook]

my DH is fixated on protein. He criticizes vegetarians because he says they never get enough protein (probably true in a lot of cases) but I never ate near the meat that I do now because there's no protein like meat protein. Chix and Turkey top the menu most times, but the other white meat hits the plates often. Tofu is out of the question and I personally am not a nut person...should I dare venture into soy? Hmmmm

[MrsReber]

luv2cook- how about beans? Baked beans, refried beans lentils, kidney and black beans have lots of protein! My sister is vegetarian and she never knows how to get all her protein.

[Susann]

Ooooh, what a topic! For reasons which I am still working on figuring out, my husband actually *thinks* he doesn't like a lot of things.

Many of you have heard the polenta story, but here goes for all you newbies: Here in the south, grits are a necessity. For as long as I have known him, dh insists he does not like grits. One day I decided to do a little test. I prepared grits and served them as polenta (I know, I really am evil). Dh *loved* them and often asks when we will have polenta. Of course, I didn't tell him!

Another thing he is picky about is beans. However, he will eat garbanzo beans. I have recently begun serving more bean dishes. Of course, his immediate reaction is "ewwww, beans." This is when I tell him that it is just a variety of garbanzo beans, and he is fine with that!!

[food girl]

I wait until he is very, very hungry... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[JenS]

My husband of almost 30 years isn't a picky eater, but we had been in the routine of "meat, starch, vegetables" for dinner, which was the way we fed the kids as they grew up.

I'm not a big meat eater, and about 2 years ago, decided to start a meatless meal once a week. I began by making pasta and a red sauce, plenty of garlic and herbs from our garden. He said,"meatless pasta?"....but got used to it eventually.

The last time I made spaghetti I just had to have meatballs with it. He said "meat with our pasta?"

It's true....we can train them! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[luv2cook]

Mrs. Reber. yeah, beans are okay. I said no to tofu because my stomach just didn't like it - gave me pains. That was his criticsm, not mine. We eat lots of beans, turkey, fresh veggies, chix, fish, some red meat...and dont' forget the cheese!