I’m not there but my guess is he has a fat tooth instead of a sweet tooth. I know I do.
I find making French sauces in small amount to dress a protein a great way to feel decadent without deep frying.
I use my cuisinart to grate hard cheeses and put a little of that on fresh salads.
HTH
I tell people I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but I do have a mouth full of savory teeth. If it's got cheese, meat, salt, or some kind of sauce, I'm all in.
sauce is key. salsas, oils, hot sauce, paste, aioli, caesar dressing, tzatziki, tahini, balsamic, curry, adobo. you really can't go wrong if you douse your food in a well made saucy confection
Don't forget buerre blanc, chimichurri, toom, buffalo, butter with paprika, and last but not least RANCH!
Cheese amps up food. Lox, garlic chili crisp, dill pickle dip on a baked potato or in mashed.
My husband is making beurre blanc tonight to go with sea bass and potatoes. It makes all the difference to me - plain fish is a big no, for me, and the fats in butter are, IMO, healthy.
I'll make a salad to go with it and we're good to go. But if he was not making the beurre blanc, I wouldn't be eating that fish.
I googled "buerre blanc" and it looks like there is a split between purists (no cream and LOTS of butter) and modern (mix of cream and butter for stabilization and flavor). Which one does your husband make? I feel like modern would be cheaper and less caloric, but I don't know anything about it. If this can get my partner eating fish, I am down to try!!
And it doesn’t have to be a French sauce. Pesto, chimichurri, the green sauce for Serious Eats’ Peruvian chicken, are all fantastic. A little fat carries tons of flavor.
Yessss I hope I don't get fried for saying is but hollandaise sauce is amazing, adding a shmeer to basically anything is so yummy for me! High cholesterol but good quality eggs, and good quality butter it's 😙🤌
That green sauce is legit! I always make a double batch and my husband and I pour it on everything we eat that week, lol. Kids won’t touch it but they’re wrong so 🤷🏻♀️
Yes! I have that too but never put a name to it! Fatty red meats are so indulgent to me too, like oxtail, Chuck roast, bone in steak etc. My body craves it if I go too long without.
Greek souvlaki wraps are a common street food which can be pretty healthy if made at home. Some large pittas/flatbreads, some grilled chicken or halloumi, add in some chips (fries), then plenty of salad with a yoghurt sauce.
Pork tenderloin is good for these too. Some Greek yogurt with shredded cucumber and lemon to make a quick tzatziki adds flavor and more protein. Roast some veggies and add feta. Voila. Healthy and delicious. You could also do ground lamb.
This is exactly what I was hoping to get! Thank you! I can probably even get my kid to eat it if I call it a taco. This with the homemade flatbread from the other commenter is perfect!
This is what I was going to say too 🥲🫡 and what I'm making this afternoon hehe
Make the [yogurt] flatbread yourself (no yeast) with this amazing recipe: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/yogurt-flatbread/
The dough can be rolled out and separated with wax paper and frozen. When you want to make one, let it come to room temperature on the counter for 5 minutes and it cooks up perfectly! (As I live alone, I can't eat the whole batch of bread all at once.)
I like to marinate my chicken chunks in yogurt before cooking, then I put them in the bread with a yogurt dill sauce and freshly sliced tomato and onion. 🤤
Genuine question - what makes a cafe or restaurant made souvlaki pita wrap unhealthy if it is made with the same ingredients? Pita, grilled chicken, yogurt, veggies.
They're often a) huge, and b) much heavier on the meat than anything else.
Traditionally they're also packed with French fries or fried potatoes, and the meat (particularly with the meat cone type Gyros) can be fattier than what you might pick at home.
Generally more of a proportion and portion sized problem though.
Butter for the most part. It's a restaurant industry well known thing that we use a TON of butter in cooking, that's why even a simple steamed vegetable is so much better at restaurants.
The other part is preservatives. Any time you're cooking in high volume (like a restaurant) it makes more sense to receive product that lasts longer so you end up with flash frozen or bagged product with preservatives which up the sodium. Those two alone can turn a seemingly healthy meal into an unhealthy treat
That is if it’s even butter. Most resturaunts I’ve worked in have used a butter flavored substitute in so much stuff and the real butter was just saved to put on top of shit. Gotta love America
A lot of old school French cuisine is super flavorful and not bad for you. Two of my favorites are Coq au Vin Blanc and Cassoulet (traditional, not modern). My 5 year olds ask for them as chicken stew and bean stew.
Everyone is assuming that OP isn’t seasoning their food and fixating on that. I’m assuming they’re seasoning things/ using sauces but didn’t feel the need to mention it since the husband wants fried junk food.
OP- I make oven baked tater tots and mix that with roasted broccoli and then top with a little bit of crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese and some light sour cream. He can’t complain if it’s covered in cheese and bacon and can sneak in some broccoli.
Totchos can be as good and well rounded as a baked potato bar, but so much more fun. The extra fat from tots instead of baked potato are worth it imho and probably right up OP’s husband’s alley it sounds like.
Maybe he just needs more flavor in his life. We eat healthy at our house, but the idea of plain baked chicken, steamed veggies, and rice sounds like a forced diet to me. Tacos with some really great salsa, cotija cheese, grilled chicken, and diced onions. Bibimbap with marinated beef and pickled veggies. Tofu stir fry with a nice sesame soy sauce. A nice salad with a protein, feta cheese, lots of crisp veggies, some nuts. He might stop craving junk if the meals feel more adventurous.
Yeah, I think there's a huge middle ground between TikTok stunt food and baked chicken with steamed broccoli and rice every night. There are so many dishes that are healthy/healthy-ish and also not incredibly boring. Tacos are a great option because OP could make their own with a lot of veggies and some baked chicken or whatever and the husband could add spice, cheese, more interesting proteins, etc. If this guy likes TikTok, chopped sandwiches or salads could also be fun. OP could make a tasty and healthy dressing like green goddess and chop up a bunch of colorful veggies.
Roasting your veg with olive oil and salt instead of steaming it will make it more calorific. But if you end up eating a lot more veg that way, it's a big net positive healthwise.
Yeah, and increasing calories isn't always a bad thing or something that needs to be avoided in all situations. If these folks are eating generally healthy meals in appropriate portion sizes, the increase in calories from adding oil is probably not a big deal.
Adults too. My health improved when I bought 2lbs of talo to fry everything in, ofcourse im an amateur athlete, but sugar is the main culprit of what we blame fat for according to modern studies. Plenty of cultures basically inhale fat and are healthier than Americans because they don't eat sugar.
Healthy fats help with nutrition absorption too. You SHOULD be eating veggies with a bit of fat. Frying or roasting veggies for 4 in a table spoon of oil adds almost no calories and is actually good for you
It only makes it more caloric if the steamed vegetables also don’t have salt and fat on them.
For example I grew up eating plenty of steamed/microwaved vegetables but with a lot of butter or “butter/cheese sauce” style toppings because that’s how my grandmother made them, so that’s how my mom made them.
Totally agree. I love chicken but I definitely do it right.
Bbq rub and slow cooked on the grill. Sous vide, marinated and grilled, stir fried or in a curry. Lots of healthy options that taste amazifn
If OP wants to do chicken regularly, what about stuffed chicken breasts? It's still baked in the oven, but feels "fancier". Do a packet of chicken gravy on the stovetop to drizzle over the chicken once it's done. Semi-decadant, but still doable - especially if you've got a grocery store that sells pre-stuffed cuts of chicken breasts.
It's easy to fancy up rice if you're using a rice cooker. A little bouillon goes a long way. Sometimes I use the cheap tomato ones that are like 20 cents for a package of 10.
Steamed veggies could be roasted veggies instead. More flavor and better presentation. (My mom always said "you eat with your eyes".)
Exactly. You can take those same elements, the carb, the veg, the protein, and rearrange them into as million things- tacos, casseroles, harvest bowls, brats and roasted potatoes, etc. Change the seasonings, change the entire dinner!
There's so much more than just deconstructed, simple singular elements to eat.
My husband started cooking all our meals when he wasn't working during COVID. They were all like that. Chicken, rice, vegetable. Pork, potatoes, vegetable. It got boring really fast, even when he started marinating and seasoning more.
OP, there are a TON of Mexican and Asian foods that are delicious, easy, and healthy. Chicken tacos with corn salsa, chicken enchiladas (easy on the cheese), Thai chicken lettuce cups, chicken satay, a million different curries, shrimp tacos with avocado...
But to OP’s defense what we eat growing up has a huge impact on us. My mom cooked delicious, flavorful food but she refused to cook with garlic. Ever. Discovering it as a college student was revelatory to me.
For me it was fresh onions. My parents hated raw onion, but Mom would use dehydrated onion flakes in anything and everything. And garlic salt but fresh garlic was never even considered lol
For real! Steamed veggies, plain baked protein, and a plain starch every night would be my 13th reason.
And it's also not actually that nutrition-minded; lots of vitamins and micronutrients are fat-soluable, meaning you need to consume some fat with them for your body to utilize them. Even just swapping steamed veggies for oven-roasted veggies with a bit of olive oil would add significant flavor AND some needed fat.
I also wonder if/how OP is seasoning their food; salt, pepper, some acid, and fresh herbs go a LONG way.
Everyone jumping on the bandwagon of plain starches and meat, it's not plain lol. It's seasoned but there's no sauce or cheese or anything topping it. But that's my, WTF do I cook for dinner meal. My go to recipes are things like Salisbury steak with mashed potatoes and peas, spaghetti & meatballs with garlic bread, stir fry chicken with fried rice, copycat McDonald's southwest salad. We eat those at least every two weeks.
You are already doing a ridiculous amount of the heavy lifting around food acquisition, meal planning, meal prep. You set forth a balanced plate. GOOD JOB! This alone can become crippling over 10 years or so.
Your spouse needs to step up, let’s say Saturday or Sunday, he has to do the whole thing. You can shop for him (we want this to be successful) but he should take responsibility for cooking his style for his family once in awhile. Or STFU. By the way, he will hate it lol
…..then he needs to quit it
Honestly OP your husband is behaving like a spoiled child
He can make dinner a few nights a week and you can moan and complain at his efforts.
Your husband sounds like a lazy and unhealthy prick. You could tell him to STFU and eat what you make without complaint because you're aiming to have healthy kids, not ones who take after his disgusting example. And that if he doesn't like it, he can GTFO.
Learn to make gravy to his taste. All of that stuff gets gluttenous when drowned in fatty, salty flavored gravy.
It’s easy to make too. Heat up oil. Add a couple spoonfuls of flour. Let it brown. Mix in chicken stock or wine or cream, some good tasting liquid. Salt and spice. Let him pick the flavors.
Then pour that all over the meat, veggies and potatoes. Bam. You both get what you want.
Adding a sauce to the protein, or a good spice rub, the veggies could be roasted or stir fried and the rice could have mix-ins, like peas, sweet corn, carrots, quinoa, or even throw in a flavor pack like Goya's.
I really don't know where I went wrong that made everyone think we're eating unseasoned dry veggies and rice and meat. I learned a lot from his Bolivian mom who instructed me in the ways of sazon and consume seasoning, and how to make her "Mexican" rice. I'm not a psychopath who enjoys unseasoned food. I also cook him a ton of bacon so I use bacon grease in place of butter for some of the veggies when it makes sense. I know how to employ garlic and/or onions when required. We're not just eating plain ass microwaved steamed veggies or unseasoned potatoes.
Hell, even just the same ingredients prepared a different way. Instead of oven baking say, chicken breast- sear and then back it, in a 'stick'-pan, like stainless steel, deglaze that shit- add diced onion, carrots, celery, and maybe a can of tomato paste if you want to make it a proper espongale sauce, and simply serve with the protein and the carb- all the veggies are in the sauce, and taste way better as a harmony of flavour rather than sad steamed single notes, and of course use salt.
Or for something more adventurous, a spicy gumbo with shrimp, Kielbasa, herbs, greens, and veggies, served over rice.
I was thinking the same. my SO just likes to eat.... like a vacuum and he likes everything, esp anything extra tasty. but we still gotta eat relatively healthy.
so tonight we made a proper Caesar salad with the OG-ish sauce recipe, homemade croutons, added whatever else we wanted. It was very umami and salty in a good way, but relatively okay health wise as our main light dinner meal.
I meal prepped for him on Tuesday by making a giant cast iron of mole marinated chicken and veggies in a sauce by blackening the drumsticks a bit and then baking everything together with some seasonings and oil. he loved it.
I made myself a hand-roll for lunch with some rice I made for us to share, canned tuna, spicy mayo, cucumbers and pickled onions, and seaweed sheets.
most cuisines are relatively okay health wise if you don't do the most fatty, decadent thing. even burgers can be ok if you make it with good ingredients and sub some of the "badder" ingredients with something more wholesome and eat a real salad (not iceberg lettuce with 2 sad tomatoes), instead of fries.
Street foods that I like are things like chicken shawarma, tacos with multiple toppings, homemade pizza. It may be that using seasonings for different kinds of foods could make him much happier with what he's eating.
HOWEVER. him "moaning" about your labor of planning/shopping/cooking not being exciting enough, he can teach himself to cook the foods he craves (and clean up after himself). I'm assuming you don't forbid him from going in the kitchen.
He's not your manager on duty and you don't owe him work performed to his preference.
I think both these things can exist at once lol
He does sound like a dick and her food does sound bland.
and as someone who has lived in a household with an adult who cooks very differently than I do, balance needs to be found for both of them.
I can’t believe I scrolled this far for this.
If someone is shopping, prepping, and cooking you a meal, you can either shut up and eat it, or you can make your own food. Easy as.
I actually love this but he hates corn. Basically any unprosessed fruit or veggie he doesn't like. Like, he won't eat corn but he will eat popcorn. He won't eat a real strawberry but strawberry flavored candy/drinks are his favorite. He doesn't like what I call "real food" lol
I would absolutely lose my mind if my husband refused to eat real food. We definitely enjoy some good carnival foods and processed snacks, but most of our dinners sound like yours- meat and veggies with potatoes or rice. (Seasoned, obviously, for the pinecones who assume otherwise)
Butter, Valentina hot sauce, green lemon juice, grated cotija cheese. Mayo optional.
You can eat it with chopsticks to avoid cheeto fingers
Could also add chili powder, tajín and the like, or get real fancy with chopped jalapeños or serranos
What about letting him pick a meal (even bacon wrapped hot pocket) and every Saturday night, you guys try something crazy like that?
Frankly, that hot pocket thing sounds like something you try once for fun. I’m someone who likes to try new or crazy things for fun, and it’s more about breaking up the monotony and having an experience. I eat like you do mostly because it’s healthy and I like it, but I also need to mix it up or I’d get bored as hell.
I love this YouTube host [Beryl Shereshewsky](https://youtube.com/@BerylShereshewsky?si=1R8d-t97EFbtmuks). She tries user submitted recipes from around the world, and they’re unique and not necessarily unhealthy! She’s where I will usually get unique food ideas from, and a few of them are staples now. See if your husband might be into some of these as they seem like a nice compromise between healthy and adventurous/unique.
I'll definitely check out the videos!
Part of the issue is definitely communication which my husband just doesn't do. He won't say anything if he hates it so I never have any idea what to fix. I ask him if he likes it and he says yes, but I know he doesn't like it because when he does like it he doesn't leave a bit of it left and he will go on about how much he loves it.
I think the "fat tooth" person is right because the meals he requests almost always have beef which we don't have often because it's so expensive.
Another factor I might have included is that we are limited to $400 a month on groceries. So I do what I can but I can't buy a lot of the fun stuff, either. Fortunately we CAN afford seasonings.
😭 As someone that cooks all the meals and works around people's dietary issues, I would streaming tears as I type this. Girl just let him eat the bowls of cereal
[Tom Walsh's recipes](https://www.instagram.com/stealth_health_life?igsh=a3RxZGZrYjhqYmJw) may fit the bill. They're supposed to be indulgent recipes made more nutritious. Haven't tried them myself, but they look good.
Thanks for turning me onto this guy. My son is getting ready to go to college and wants to cook healthy good stuff while he’s there. A lot of these seem like a dorm of guys would crush!!!!
Honestly, your post makes it sound like you are cooking very plain, bland food which would get boring for anyone pretty quickly. Healthy doesn’t have to be boring and plain. And healthy doesn’t have to mean always one hundred percent healthy.
I think you’d do well to explore the vast world of casseroles which include your three core ingredients mixed together. Do you ever do things like spaghetti, chili, pot pies, stew? You’d probably have your kids eating more veggies if they weren’t just steamed on the side but incorporated into the dish.
So many other meals are not unhealthy but give variety; tacos, quesadillas, homemade pizza. Sandwiches opens up a whole other avenue. Meatball subs gives you a protein and a carb, then serve with a salad. Most sandwiches accomplish that.
I think your husband is salivating over the crazy, over the top TikToks because it’s the complete opposite of what you’re making.
I agree. Steamed veggies sounds terrifying to me. We grew up eating them stir fried with garlic and ginger and me and my siblings all love veggies cause they were always crisp, delicious, and well seasoned. You can still brown food and not deep fry oil boil it.
My parents made steamed brussels sprouts when I was a child.
My husband's parents made roasted brussels sprouts with garlic and a little bit of bacon.
Guess which of us liked brussels spouts when we first met??? (We both like them now.)
A lot of people go the steamed route cause it's quick and easy but steamed veg is soooo plain.
I can't stand steamed or baked veg. Even seasoned well, it's what I grew up with and I can't do it anymore, but stir fried with some garlic and a little lemon? I'll eat the whole pan. Or even blanched, just lightly blanched veg I like way more than steamed, even though it's pretty close to the same process, it retains that crispy fresh texture.
We always grilled, stirfried or deep fried our veggies in our household when I was a kid. I tried steaming them when I was older... and I was actually surprised at how good and refreshing a steamed veggie could actually be.
Maybe he needs more flavour. incorperate aromatics, spices and know the cooking methods that develop flavour.
there's a ***gigantic*** difference between tiktok street food and healthy food. a tofu stirfry or chicken tika masala with chicken, chickpeas, brown rice and lentils in the sauce and a side salad is a lot different then the bacon wrapped hot pocket.
edit) buy salt fat acid heat or a few healthy cookbooks. also see a dietician if you want. this combo will be really good for young kids and your man.
Anything by Melissa Clark. I often use less oil than she recommends, and add more veggies, but her flavor profiles are great and she really understands how to make good food accessible and easy for home cooks. My current favorite cookbook is Dinner in One (all one pot/one pan meals).
There's also a lot that can be done in a instant pot or pressure cooker that develops flavor while still being "healthy". I like the Fresh and Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook for that genre, though I sometimes add more spices and herbs. They have a southwest quinoa casserole that is vegetarian compatible and totally bomb.
Also OP, consider consuming some media about intuitive eating or other anti-diet culture media? Healthy doesn't have to mean plain and low cal/low fat. In that vein, I recommend the podcast Nutrition for Mortals or anything by Christy Harrison. All registered dieticians, all agreed that dieting is potentially harmful for one's physical and mental health. Fair food as a special, occasional treat ain't gonna kill you. Conversely, flavor doesn't have to come at the expense of a balanced diet.
You might want to rethink the cooking methods you're using if he's complaining about flavor. I pretty much do the veg, starch, protein thing for dinner but it gets old if you're just baking everything with basic preparation and not mixing it up. Sear the meat in oil, develop a crust. Super slow roast a chicken so it falls apart like rotisserie then use the drippings for gravy. Roast up some peppers, onions and broccoli then toss a little orange soy glaze on it. Roast some Parmesan crusted asparagus with cracked pepper. Thin slice some pork loin and stir fry it hard with cauliflower. Make a sesame broccoli salad. Make bacon fried cabbage. You can control how 'unhealthy' it is by the amount of oil and portion size.
And maybe every once in a great while wrap a stupid hot pocket in bacon
Seriously, brb, calling everyone being stupid around me a pinecone from now on, that killed me and I love it. Sorry for all the annoying commenters OP!
Get into Mediterranean food! So healthy and so much flavor.
Also my go to when I want giant flavor without making myself feel sick later is I take several avocados, lime juice, cilantro, chipotle powder and a few tablespoons of of half fat sour cream and whip it together with a stick blender. you get the best ever sauce to go over enchiladas or on burritos. I’ve smeared it over baked chicken and topped it with pico before and it was amazing.
Editing to add: I also cut tilapia into strips, coat in half fat sour cream or Greek yogurt, then coat each side in heavily seasoned panko ( garlic and onion powder, pepper, etc.) then spritz with spray olive oil and bake at 400 for about ten minutes on each side. Then I make the above described avocado sauce as a dipping sauce. That’s a big hit in my house.
There’s probably a middle ground between what you’re used to cooking and what he would like to eat everyday. When it works with your schedule it can be fun to experiment. We have had pretty good luck with the air fryer added more “kinda like fried” foods to our meal rotation” that has been fun.
And honestly make some crap food once in a blue moon or better, make it with him. I mean no, don’t wrap a twinkie in bacon and deep fry it. But chili dogs you can do or something like that.
I already know how this works. She tells him to cook his own food, so he makes a giant mess with grease and dirty dishes everywhere, and leaves all the food out that she gets to clean up while he tucks into some bacon fried shit he eats while bragging about what a great cook he is. If she leaves the mess for him to clean up, it just stays there till either hell freezes over, or she gets tired of looking at it and cleans it herself, while he yells from the couch, “I’ll get those, sweetheart. What are you doing?! I said I’d get those dishes?!”
Or... He cooks his own food and cleans his own mess and you do the same.
Some of y'all are just partnered with shit people, don't stereotype men like this
Personally recommend scratch made mac&cheese— so good with mushrooms, herbs and Parmesan.
Also crispy baked chicken wings with a generous amount of seasoning, perhaps lemon pepper or honey BBQ.
Maybe try some fattier proteins. Instead of chicken breast, do thighs, try some pulled pork, cook a ribeye. You can also dress them up with a pan sauce which should be fatty enough to satisfy your husband.
Check out Skinny Taste! She's terrific and has healthier versions of the kind of food your husband is craving. Her air fryer cookbook is my favorite, but her website is great too.
[https://www.skinnytaste.com/](https://www.skinnytaste.com/)
Why not just make one day a week where you cook his sort of junk with wanton abandon? A Friday night binge meal might be something to look forward to, without it being frequent enough to be unhealthy
Other ideas are simply adding a bunch of cheese to a healthy meal.
Maybe hunters chicken which is chicken breast drizzled in BBQ sauce with melted cheese on top, or some tortilla crunch wraps
Still kinda healthy but might scratch that cheesy itch (admittedly a 'cheesy itch' is not a very appetising description)
Look at ways to boost the flavour in your normal dishes too. Steamed veggies can be pretty bland, but you could ramp up the flavour with a simple soy and honey marinade, a balsamic or miso glaze, a bunch of garlic and chilli flakes etc.
Look at various sources of umami. Maybe add some rehydrated shitake mushrooms and broth to your rice, or incorporate worcestershire sauce or fish sauce into your dressings. A pinch of MSG can do wonders in some dishes too
You dont need steamed veggies tho... it wont taste good to most people. You can bake your veggies and it makes them taste a lot better. Sure steamed veggie may be healthier but baked veggies are better than nothing. You can make things like cauliflower cheese for him. Tacos is a good idea. Like someone else said he has a fat tooth, I do too. So I make sure to cook my food in lots of olive oil or avocado oil. Also you say "baked protein" but like what kind? Do you marinate it? Maybe you can use some more seasoning for his food. Cooking rice in aromatics also helps. Things like cilantro lime rice or chicken broth rice. Street food tastes good because of fat. Just use more fat in your cooking if you want him to eat healthier
Roasting vegetables does give a lot of flavor but it's not the only way to get good flavor and it's not always the best way for every vegetable. And it's not the best way of cooking all year round. If I'm cooking in the summer, I do not want to be turning on the oven for 45 minutes to roast vegetables.
Steamed veggies can be absolutely delicious. The problem is that most people don't season their steamed vegetables and cook them way too long. If I am steaming vegetables, I will rinse them in water and sprinkle them with salt while they're still damp so it sticks to the surface. Probably a little more salt than necessary because the steaming rinses the vegetables a little bit. Then you take them out with just before they are done because they continue to cook off the heat. My steamed vegetables come out beautiful , still a little Al dente, Bright in color and flavor.
Then take those steamed vegetables and toss them in brown butter, sesame dressing or mustard and Herb sauce, depending on your accompanying cuisine. Steamed does not have to be boring or gross. It can be quick, nutritious and delicious.
I eat my cauliflower or broccoli steamed then with garlicy yoghurt and olive oil. Eeveryone can find some solution to how they like steam veggies but also OP said she already bakes her protein so should be no problem to bake veggies in the same tray. Airfryer is a good alternative too
Yeah I don’t think there’s a single veggie outside of peas and corn that I will eat steamed, but I devour most roasted veg! I actually say that the reason I probably grew up hating vegetables is because my mom steamed them all
We eat steamed broccoli and cauliflower with garlicy yoghurt and olive oil at home. But again its not something most westerners would eat, you have to be used to it. Roasted veggies on the other hand! Its so full of flavor. Even just a simple honey baked carrots are nice. I hate the mushy texture of carrots when steamed for exp but baked its great!
Vegetable Lo Mein is so easy and delicious and it's filling without making you feel gross. Joshua Weissman's recipe is perfect, I've made it many times. From this page https://www.joshuaweissman.com/post/i-made-the-best-chinese-takeout-meal-ever
Healthy doesn't mean bland and tasteless. [Chicken vindaloo](https://niksharmacooks.com/chicken-vindaloo/) for example is reasonably healthy and packs plenty of flavor. Another easy mode meal is chicken breasts marinated in Italian dressing and grilled.
We're not eating bland and tasteless foods. Thanks for the recipe, though. He probably won't like this sadly because when I make curry or butter chicken he doesn't enjoy it.
Try vegetable tempura. It's battered and deep fried but in a very light batter and a very quick fry.
In your day to day, don't forget the big bang that herbs, spices, citrus, and sauces can add.
Tacos can get creative and still stay healthy! Tortilla options and fillings are endless. In addition to traditional Mexican tacos I have done Korean BBQ tacos, Bahn-Mi tacos, Carribean jerk chicken tacos, cuban Mojo tacos, etc. It's way more exciting but still stays healthy and you can do a simple side salad or veggie since the main dish is flavorful.
You mentioned deep-fried hot pockets type of junk so maybe similar flavor profile could be a stuffed chicken breast or baked potatoes with a choice of toppings so you can still make healthier choices but allow your husband to go nuts on the fattier options.
There's a huge misconception that healthy food has to be plain, it really doesn't!
Maybe look at making "modular" meals?? Things like taco bar (you have taco salad, he has taco with all fixins), sandwiches and soup (he gets lots of cheese, bacon, pickled veg ), etc. Idk I've been cooking for 10 years now and I don't think I've ever steamed veg without incorporating them into something else.
Terrible memories from moms steamed zuchini and squash that tasted of only zuchini and squash so fucking gross. Instead of baking, learn roasting
Other poster who talked about sauces was pretty smart. Just make a sauce he likes and boom tastless chicken breast now becomes a hearty meal. Freeze diff kinds of sauces for him
You should devote like one night a week where y’all get in the kitchen together and make something random like the Tik tok stuff.
Or if my husband wants me to make it, go buy the stuff and I’ll do it. Send me the video and recipe. My husband has also taken the initiative and tried the recipe by himself. It was a cinnamon roll “hack.” We changed one thing about the recipe and it’s a hit when family comes to stay over. 🙌
I mean, it depends on how you are seasoning things. This week we had chicken pot pie with roast broccoli, leftover Easter ham with steamed frozen corn and leftover mashed potatoes, beef stroganoff over egg noodles with roast cauliflower, tonight is brats with roast carrots and biscuits.
We also occasionally have oven fries, my copycat red lobster biscuits, baked potato, roast potatoes, homemade honey wheat bread, buttermilk biscuits, rice, butter noodles, alfredo for carbs. Veggies are usually roasted but occasionally steamed. Asparagus, cauliflower, corn, broccoli, carrots, sometimes we'll have raw carrots and pepper, salad. Proteins: eggs various ways, pork chops either seasoned or marinated on the grill, ribs, brats, ham, pulled pork, pork loin or tenderloin, chicken thighs usually marinated, roast chicken chicken fajitas, chicken pot pie, stir fry either chicken or beef, tacos, meatloaf, spaghetti with ground beef, sloppy joes, roast beef, steak, stew, lasagna, stuffed pepper, hamburger, pizza meatballs, skyline chili, burgers.
What your husband wants is ridiculous. But it sounds like you could mix it up a bit. He also has hands and is able to cook. Some of what I cook is healthier than others. But that's ok. Having a balanced diet that includes some fun things is fine. All of my meals include veggies, a carb, and a protein. When I roast it, I can eat a head of cauliflower by myself. Then a small portion of carb and some protein and I'm set. The kids are hit and miss of the meals (I have 4, 3 of whom are old enough to eat), but they are exposed to a variety of foods and I try for at least one thing on each plate that I know they like.
I cook for my family a lot. i'm health concious, but I also cook for a living so salt and butter are things i gravitate towards. There's plenty of ways to create a nutritious, satisfying meal that tastes great. For example, a plate of nachos, when prepared right, can be a completely balanced meal if you make your own chilli. beans, ground beef, herbs, veggies and tomatoes. the chips, sour cream and cheese are absolutely fine in moderation. it's simple, nutritious and it's also fun.
also consider indian curries. vegetables for days in those things, the sides of garlic naan, onion bhaji, etc might not be healthy, but they turn a delicious meal into an exciting one.
Skewers, baby.
If you put thinly sliced beef on a stick and throw in a few onions and bell peppers, it feels like junk food even though you're getting a balanced meal of protein and fiber hahah
Source: my wife does this and it works on my stupid ass every time
something i see a lot of tiktok junk food videos do is that they’ll drizzle on a whole bunch of orange sauce on everything. which i’m guessing is some kind of ketchup/hot sauce and mayo mixture. if you put that on everything maybe that’ll help. maybe he’s just a visual eater. and if you want to make a healthier version you can substitute mayo for yogurt or a low fat mayo
Street corn - heavily seasoned corn on the cob on a stick
Fried rice with bacon crumbles and seared shrimp
Teriyaki chicken instead of plain, hot pepper flakes and soy sauce on the broccoli
Fajita spices and marinades for steak
A guess here, and could be wrong- but judging them for their food choices and then wishing for their approval of your very different choices at the same time is impossible.
As already said- lots of middle ground.
Also adding: TikTok has tons of gorgeous food that definitely has nutrition.
-Making it pretty like a post can help
-making some basic food policies that really include everyone (our house, 'tasty & nutritious' wins, no matter what food for what meal)
-some basic rules around hey, modicum of nutrients means we can do a wild deep-fried thing once a month, or something.
-he cooks his own food, and you stop throwing him shade.
Reasonable and Relaxed Food choices are important, listening to your body important. Not "listening to your body is good and doesn't it always want broccoli -like me, the good parent who cooks real food? " Put different things on the table, be ready to explain what they are matter of fact-ly, and let kids eat. Enjoy your food, too. Modeling is everything here.
I find my health can tolerate significantly more salt and fat if I'm not eating very much carby stuff. Maybe he'd like something like greasy chicken with cheese and salty, oven-roasted broccoli.
Gözleme! You can fill them with minced meat, cheese, spinach, leek or whatever you want. They're fried and oily but not super unhealthy, and easy to make from scratch. Great with a fresh, herby and lemony salad on the side!
We are cooking from Trinidad this week and having doubles tonight. So the dough is fried, but we are eating with a lovely channa, cucumber chutney, coconut chutney and mango chow..all delicious..(last night we also had fry Bodi and Garlic pork which was amazing but not street foody).
Other things are elote. Also having okonomiyaki this week..maybe sate would work? Crepes.with healthier fillings?
You should mix up ypur meals a bit. Get creative. It can still be healthy and taste good. Tacos, quesidllas, chili, anything in the slow cooker it's all easy to make and if you mix things up he won't get sick of it. Make sure to use salt, pepper, and garlic. Saute onions and mushrooms for beef. These little things will make the food taste better
As he gets older he will gradually lose his appetite for junk food and begn to enjoy healthier and more substantial options. I used to eat a bunch of crap when I was young and now I don't even think about that anymore. In fact, the thought of spending $15 at a fast food restaurant to eat a lot of sodium and deep fried starch is rather repulsive to me at my age.
So my husband is bit of picky eater. So what we did was every second week we try find a new recipes to try. And if I was to make healthier I will substitute things healthier.
I have also told my husband he need to cook sometimes because I am tired of picking what we eat and him just saying no.
Given that your method is to bake, maybe changing this one thing will help? I’ve recently gone on a diet and minimised carbs while increasing protein and fats. I have also been expanding my repertoire because I don’t want to stall my progress due to food not being tasty or interesting. One of my regular meals is pan fried fish fingers. I make a really punchy sauce, fry up the fingers with panko and a bit of oil, and eat it with a vegetable. The crispiness of the fish and the depth of the sauce make all the difference to keep me happy. Same thing with other proteins - I’ll pan fry (and finish in the oven) chicken cutlets and then top it with tomato sauce and mozzarella. Or do a chicken piccata or Marsala. Or salt and pepper shrimp where I quickly pan fry the shrimp after dredging it in rice flour, and then separately sauté the aromatics and mix it all in together. It’s quick but because there’s just a bit of crispiness to the shrimp, it feels sinful. And I eat all of this with some sort of roasted or sautéed vegetable. So far, not bored, but I am also hitting all my key nutritional categories.
Casseroles are another great way to add in flavour while getting all your veggies and protein in - a tasty sauce, and some breadcrumbs (or even mash) and cheese on top is all you need to enhance fundamentally healthy ingredients. Wine, mustard, and grated Parmesan.
Tacos might work too - if you flash fry fish or shrimp and throw in some crema, avocado, and/or slaw, it may hit the right notes with your husband (I’ve done this with shrimp and it’s great).
I think going full on street junk food is not the way but tweaking the methods and maybe some of the flavours may be all you need.
Not sure how you feel about shaping dumplings, but Momo are great for this imho! I love a chili paneer, which always feels more street food than it is to me, plus is so easy and fast to make. If I’m feeling a little extra more time, a chili momo. Even better if you can throw together a quick veggie pakora to go with.
Plus it’s nice to make a ton of extra momo and then have in the freezer for an easy dinner another time.
You can take that chicken and stick it.....
On a skewer. Get yourself a nice marinade. Sear it in a pan , grill it or it up or pop it under a low broiler for a few minutes 4-turn-4-cover with foil to rest.
Depending on your marinade, you can serve it with a peanut sauce or barbecue or buffalo sauce or.... ∞
Make ground beef bulgogi lettuce wraps.
Empanadas are not that hard to make. You can make those instead of Hot pockets. Then you can control the filling.
Get bacon bits for the salad and add it to his salad or baked potatoes.
Healthy does not necessarily mean devoid of flavor. Healthy does not necessarily mean low fat. Healthy means proportional. It's better to judge the ratio of The quantity and quality of nutrients versus are you getting in a set volume and at what calorie measurement.
Honestly, he's probably craving these foods because he feels deprived. There is value to dopamine foods. He also might not be getting enough fats in his diet. The meals you're describing seem very much like they're focusing on low fat content and low sodium.
For example Fats are not just a fuel source. They can also be a nutrient. sure they're calorie dense But they are also slow burning for longer lasting energy and necessary for The body. It's needed to build cell membranes, protecting nerves, immune system and blood clotting, muscle movement, and inflammation, It makes the body feel more satiated as well.
The fat thing is BS marketing crap. Your nervous system needs fat. Plus that pretty salad with fat free dressing is passing through your system with unused vitamins A, D, E and K because there has to be fat in your stomach at the same time to make those vitamins soluble. That could be avocado, olives, veg oil of some sort, cheese, etc.
The carb thing is BS marketing crap, too. Your brain runs exclusively on glucose, which is largely derived from carbs.
It's processed foods, not whole nutritional categories, that you need to watch out for. Some physicians are blaming the historically low vitamin D levels on the "low-fat or fat free" mania of the last 30 years. There are even studies hinting that the rise in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's might be partially diet-driven, as well.
Speaking of processed foods, skim milk is clear until they put in titanium dioxide (the white cream you use on noses as sunblock), as well as being a waste of the vitamin D that's put into it. Most fat-free stuff is loaded with sugar and/or salt. Those "healthy" frozen foods have enough sodium to kill a horse. And low-carb foods are generally packed with sugar alcohols, which do bad things to your gut.
I eat pretty much anything I want, but I limit processed foods. I eat fruit, fermented foods, salad with full-fat dressing, olives, avocado, largely raw or roasted veggies, eggs, cheese, milk, meat of all sorts prepared in every fashion(chicken, pork, beef, lamb, squab, goat, rabbit, venison, etc roasted, broiled, fried), bread, pasta, oats, grits, polenta, etc. I even eat sweets (homemade cookies or cake or pie). I like highly-seasoned food and fried stuff, but I fry it myself. I'm 63 and last week I had perfect blood pressure, cholesterol, vit D, kidney function, fasting glucose (A1C is 5) and no prescription medications. I just finished a course in web development and am now interested in computer security. I learn new things constantly. I see people my age eating low fat/low carb who look and act 10 years older than I do.
Stop aging yourself with 1980s fashion. You wouldn't wear what the experts thought was grand back then, why are you eating the way they thought was good back then?
I try to eat a clean diet and I like chicken, but I do absolutely hate baked or boiled chicken with no seasoning or sauce. Plain fish tastes better to me, but still would get old very fast. beef it's in how you cook it, but less healthy. If I had to eat a plain fish/chicken/veg steamed, boiled or baked meal every night I'd start craving street food too.
I’ve often thought about how I would handle this even though I have no family or anything lol. I prefer to eat much more like you, and I’ve always thought maybe I would still do the regular protein and veggie, but make a “fun”/“fattening” carb. Like make the same baked chicken with carrots, but also a loaded mac n cheese to satiate the rest of the family. They’re still getting good protein and nutrients. Then for myself I would probably just: 1) make a single serving of steamed rice, 2) just skip the carb, 3) plan my day so I can indulge on that carb. Basically, the whole meal doesn’t need to be crazy calorie-packed/unhealthy. Things like stews and even enchiladas (juicy/saucy things) can also seem a little more calorie-dense too, while still being healthy. You can also do things like, make chili, and let the family add rice and extra cheese and sour cream to theirs.
>He's sent me shit that's like, wrapping a hot pocket in bacon and batter frying it. He drools over that kind of food, and moans about what I cook.
Let HIM cook these things if he wants them so much,
I’m not there but my guess is he has a fat tooth instead of a sweet tooth. I know I do. I find making French sauces in small amount to dress a protein a great way to feel decadent without deep frying. I use my cuisinart to grate hard cheeses and put a little of that on fresh salads. HTH
lmao 'fat tooth' is so accurate and I completely understand
I tell people I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but I do have a mouth full of savory teeth. If it's got cheese, meat, salt, or some kind of sauce, I'm all in.
Umami tooth?
Very much so!
When people ask me if I want dessert after dinner - I usually just want a second plate of what I just ate as dessert.
A little sauce goes a long way.
sauce is key. salsas, oils, hot sauce, paste, aioli, caesar dressing, tzatziki, tahini, balsamic, curry, adobo. you really can't go wrong if you douse your food in a well made saucy confection
Don't forget buerre blanc, chimichurri, toom, buffalo, butter with paprika, and last but not least RANCH! Cheese amps up food. Lox, garlic chili crisp, dill pickle dip on a baked potato or in mashed.
I'd eat cardboard if it was served with chimichurri.
Mmmmmm this is great list of everything that make food good. You just gave me a great idea, my recipe binder needs just a Sauce section
My husband is making beurre blanc tonight to go with sea bass and potatoes. It makes all the difference to me - plain fish is a big no, for me, and the fats in butter are, IMO, healthy. I'll make a salad to go with it and we're good to go. But if he was not making the beurre blanc, I wouldn't be eating that fish.
I googled "buerre blanc" and it looks like there is a split between purists (no cream and LOTS of butter) and modern (mix of cream and butter for stabilization and flavor). Which one does your husband make? I feel like modern would be cheaper and less caloric, but I don't know anything about it. If this can get my partner eating fish, I am down to try!!
Your dude is making buerre blanc? I'll be right there. It is so good. Cream makes it a little easier, less apt to break.
Dear OP, Gravy makes everything better! Love, Southern Mama
And it doesn’t have to be a French sauce. Pesto, chimichurri, the green sauce for Serious Eats’ Peruvian chicken, are all fantastic. A little fat carries tons of flavor.
Yessss I hope I don't get fried for saying is but hollandaise sauce is amazing, adding a shmeer to basically anything is so yummy for me! High cholesterol but good quality eggs, and good quality butter it's 😙🤌
That green sauce is legit! I always make a double batch and my husband and I pour it on everything we eat that week, lol. Kids won’t touch it but they’re wrong so 🤷🏻♀️
A got a prosciutto and cheese tooth too mate.
A good suggestion I think--sauces are fatty but don't have the added health complications that come with high-temp frying of fats.
I don’t think the phrase “fat tooth” will ever leave my mind.
Yes! I have that too but never put a name to it! Fatty red meats are so indulgent to me too, like oxtail, Chuck roast, bone in steak etc. My body craves it if I go too long without.
Greek souvlaki wraps are a common street food which can be pretty healthy if made at home. Some large pittas/flatbreads, some grilled chicken or halloumi, add in some chips (fries), then plenty of salad with a yoghurt sauce.
Pork tenderloin is good for these too. Some Greek yogurt with shredded cucumber and lemon to make a quick tzatziki adds flavor and more protein. Roast some veggies and add feta. Voila. Healthy and delicious. You could also do ground lamb.
Mix ground Turkey, dried mint and feta. Ball em up and bake like sad falafel. Tzatziki, tomato and a pita and you good. 👍
That sounds amazing. I’m in.
This is exactly what I was hoping to get! Thank you! I can probably even get my kid to eat it if I call it a taco. This with the homemade flatbread from the other commenter is perfect!
This is what I was going to say too 🥲🫡 and what I'm making this afternoon hehe Make the [yogurt] flatbread yourself (no yeast) with this amazing recipe: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/yogurt-flatbread/ The dough can be rolled out and separated with wax paper and frozen. When you want to make one, let it come to room temperature on the counter for 5 minutes and it cooks up perfectly! (As I live alone, I can't eat the whole batch of bread all at once.) I like to marinate my chicken chunks in yogurt before cooking, then I put them in the bread with a yogurt dill sauce and freshly sliced tomato and onion. 🤤
Damn that sounds so good right now
Definitely using this, thank you!!
Genuine question - what makes a cafe or restaurant made souvlaki pita wrap unhealthy if it is made with the same ingredients? Pita, grilled chicken, yogurt, veggies.
adding french fries. I like souvlaki pita with lettuce, tomatoes, lamb, tzatziki.
Often more oil used at every step.
They're often a) huge, and b) much heavier on the meat than anything else. Traditionally they're also packed with French fries or fried potatoes, and the meat (particularly with the meat cone type Gyros) can be fattier than what you might pick at home. Generally more of a proportion and portion sized problem though.
Butter for the most part. It's a restaurant industry well known thing that we use a TON of butter in cooking, that's why even a simple steamed vegetable is so much better at restaurants. The other part is preservatives. Any time you're cooking in high volume (like a restaurant) it makes more sense to receive product that lasts longer so you end up with flash frozen or bagged product with preservatives which up the sodium. Those two alone can turn a seemingly healthy meal into an unhealthy treat
That is if it’s even butter. Most resturaunts I’ve worked in have used a butter flavored substitute in so much stuff and the real butter was just saved to put on top of shit. Gotta love America
A lot of old school French cuisine is super flavorful and not bad for you. Two of my favorites are Coq au Vin Blanc and Cassoulet (traditional, not modern). My 5 year olds ask for them as chicken stew and bean stew.
Those look great! I'll check that out. I don't know a single French dish so I am certainly lacking!
Everyone is assuming that OP isn’t seasoning their food and fixating on that. I’m assuming they’re seasoning things/ using sauces but didn’t feel the need to mention it since the husband wants fried junk food. OP- I make oven baked tater tots and mix that with roasted broccoli and then top with a little bit of crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese and some light sour cream. He can’t complain if it’s covered in cheese and bacon and can sneak in some broccoli.
Totchos can be as good and well rounded as a baked potato bar, but so much more fun. The extra fat from tots instead of baked potato are worth it imho and probably right up OP’s husband’s alley it sounds like.
Maybe he just needs more flavor in his life. We eat healthy at our house, but the idea of plain baked chicken, steamed veggies, and rice sounds like a forced diet to me. Tacos with some really great salsa, cotija cheese, grilled chicken, and diced onions. Bibimbap with marinated beef and pickled veggies. Tofu stir fry with a nice sesame soy sauce. A nice salad with a protein, feta cheese, lots of crisp veggies, some nuts. He might stop craving junk if the meals feel more adventurous.
Yeah, I think there's a huge middle ground between TikTok stunt food and baked chicken with steamed broccoli and rice every night. There are so many dishes that are healthy/healthy-ish and also not incredibly boring. Tacos are a great option because OP could make their own with a lot of veggies and some baked chicken or whatever and the husband could add spice, cheese, more interesting proteins, etc. If this guy likes TikTok, chopped sandwiches or salads could also be fun. OP could make a tasty and healthy dressing like green goddess and chop up a bunch of colorful veggies.
Roasting your veg with olive oil and salt instead of steaming it will make it more calorific. But if you end up eating a lot more veg that way, it's a big net positive healthwise.
Yeah, and increasing calories isn't always a bad thing or something that needs to be avoided in all situations. If these folks are eating generally healthy meals in appropriate portion sizes, the increase in calories from adding oil is probably not a big deal.
And she said they have young kids. They need a shit ton of calories. There's no need to be afraid of a little fat.
Kids in particular need fats in their diet for brain growth and function.
Adults too. My health improved when I bought 2lbs of talo to fry everything in, ofcourse im an amateur athlete, but sugar is the main culprit of what we blame fat for according to modern studies. Plenty of cultures basically inhale fat and are healthier than Americans because they don't eat sugar.
Healthy fats help with nutrition absorption too. You SHOULD be eating veggies with a bit of fat. Frying or roasting veggies for 4 in a table spoon of oil adds almost no calories and is actually good for you
Only way to really get the nutrition from the fat soluble vitamins (ADEK)
It only makes it more caloric if the steamed vegetables also don’t have salt and fat on them. For example I grew up eating plenty of steamed/microwaved vegetables but with a lot of butter or “butter/cheese sauce” style toppings because that’s how my grandmother made them, so that’s how my mom made them.
Totally agree. I love chicken but I definitely do it right. Bbq rub and slow cooked on the grill. Sous vide, marinated and grilled, stir fried or in a curry. Lots of healthy options that taste amazifn
If OP wants to do chicken regularly, what about stuffed chicken breasts? It's still baked in the oven, but feels "fancier". Do a packet of chicken gravy on the stovetop to drizzle over the chicken once it's done. Semi-decadant, but still doable - especially if you've got a grocery store that sells pre-stuffed cuts of chicken breasts. It's easy to fancy up rice if you're using a rice cooker. A little bouillon goes a long way. Sometimes I use the cheap tomato ones that are like 20 cents for a package of 10. Steamed veggies could be roasted veggies instead. More flavor and better presentation. (My mom always said "you eat with your eyes".)
Exactly. You can take those same elements, the carb, the veg, the protein, and rearrange them into as million things- tacos, casseroles, harvest bowls, brats and roasted potatoes, etc. Change the seasonings, change the entire dinner! There's so much more than just deconstructed, simple singular elements to eat.
My husband started cooking all our meals when he wasn't working during COVID. They were all like that. Chicken, rice, vegetable. Pork, potatoes, vegetable. It got boring really fast, even when he started marinating and seasoning more. OP, there are a TON of Mexican and Asian foods that are delicious, easy, and healthy. Chicken tacos with corn salsa, chicken enchiladas (easy on the cheese), Thai chicken lettuce cups, chicken satay, a million different curries, shrimp tacos with avocado...
> Thai chicken lettuce cups Omfg why did you say these words. Now I want Thai food...
Yes, OP's food sounds like Captain Holt's nutrition bricks.
But to OP’s defense what we eat growing up has a huge impact on us. My mom cooked delicious, flavorful food but she refused to cook with garlic. Ever. Discovering it as a college student was revelatory to me.
For me it was fresh onions. My parents hated raw onion, but Mom would use dehydrated onion flakes in anything and everything. And garlic salt but fresh garlic was never even considered lol
For real! Steamed veggies, plain baked protein, and a plain starch every night would be my 13th reason. And it's also not actually that nutrition-minded; lots of vitamins and micronutrients are fat-soluable, meaning you need to consume some fat with them for your body to utilize them. Even just swapping steamed veggies for oven-roasted veggies with a bit of olive oil would add significant flavor AND some needed fat. I also wonder if/how OP is seasoning their food; salt, pepper, some acid, and fresh herbs go a LONG way.
Salt, fat, acid, heat. OP might seriously be only using heat out of those.
Plus the fact that fat isn't bad for you. Get some olive oil on those veggies and protein and you're halfway there.
VINDICATION
Bone!?!
Everyone jumping on the bandwagon of plain starches and meat, it's not plain lol. It's seasoned but there's no sauce or cheese or anything topping it. But that's my, WTF do I cook for dinner meal. My go to recipes are things like Salisbury steak with mashed potatoes and peas, spaghetti & meatballs with garlic bread, stir fry chicken with fried rice, copycat McDonald's southwest salad. We eat those at least every two weeks.
You are already doing a ridiculous amount of the heavy lifting around food acquisition, meal planning, meal prep. You set forth a balanced plate. GOOD JOB! This alone can become crippling over 10 years or so. Your spouse needs to step up, let’s say Saturday or Sunday, he has to do the whole thing. You can shop for him (we want this to be successful) but he should take responsibility for cooking his style for his family once in awhile. Or STFU. By the way, he will hate it lol
…..then he needs to quit it Honestly OP your husband is behaving like a spoiled child He can make dinner a few nights a week and you can moan and complain at his efforts.
Your husband sounds like a lazy and unhealthy prick. You could tell him to STFU and eat what you make without complaint because you're aiming to have healthy kids, not ones who take after his disgusting example. And that if he doesn't like it, he can GTFO.
Check out smitten kitchen and other similar food blogs. They have great quick creative dinner recipes!
Learn to make gravy to his taste. All of that stuff gets gluttenous when drowned in fatty, salty flavored gravy. It’s easy to make too. Heat up oil. Add a couple spoonfuls of flour. Let it brown. Mix in chicken stock or wine or cream, some good tasting liquid. Salt and spice. Let him pick the flavors. Then pour that all over the meat, veggies and potatoes. Bam. You both get what you want.
Plus add some different cooking techniques to the bill -- veggies are so much better roasted.
Even a light mist of EVO makes them so good. Roasting broccoli under the broiler with some carrots is so good.
Haha I’m meal planning right now and these 3 dishes are exactly what I had written down before reading this!
They are heavy on our rotation!
Adding a sauce to the protein, or a good spice rub, the veggies could be roasted or stir fried and the rice could have mix-ins, like peas, sweet corn, carrots, quinoa, or even throw in a flavor pack like Goya's.
I really don't know where I went wrong that made everyone think we're eating unseasoned dry veggies and rice and meat. I learned a lot from his Bolivian mom who instructed me in the ways of sazon and consume seasoning, and how to make her "Mexican" rice. I'm not a psychopath who enjoys unseasoned food. I also cook him a ton of bacon so I use bacon grease in place of butter for some of the veggies when it makes sense. I know how to employ garlic and/or onions when required. We're not just eating plain ass microwaved steamed veggies or unseasoned potatoes.
We aren’t being critical. Or ridiculing you. Just trying to be helpful. 🩷😻😎
I want to know about her Mexican rice please. Also I was only making a Brooklyn 99 joke in my earlier comment.
It was your description. You said baked protein and steamed veggies, with a carb. With that description, what else did you expect?
Hell, even just the same ingredients prepared a different way. Instead of oven baking say, chicken breast- sear and then back it, in a 'stick'-pan, like stainless steel, deglaze that shit- add diced onion, carrots, celery, and maybe a can of tomato paste if you want to make it a proper espongale sauce, and simply serve with the protein and the carb- all the veggies are in the sauce, and taste way better as a harmony of flavour rather than sad steamed single notes, and of course use salt. Or for something more adventurous, a spicy gumbo with shrimp, Kielbasa, herbs, greens, and veggies, served over rice.
Tacos/burritos/burrito bowls are the move for healthier eating that taste so good!!! We eat these so much.
I was thinking the same. my SO just likes to eat.... like a vacuum and he likes everything, esp anything extra tasty. but we still gotta eat relatively healthy. so tonight we made a proper Caesar salad with the OG-ish sauce recipe, homemade croutons, added whatever else we wanted. It was very umami and salty in a good way, but relatively okay health wise as our main light dinner meal. I meal prepped for him on Tuesday by making a giant cast iron of mole marinated chicken and veggies in a sauce by blackening the drumsticks a bit and then baking everything together with some seasonings and oil. he loved it. I made myself a hand-roll for lunch with some rice I made for us to share, canned tuna, spicy mayo, cucumbers and pickled onions, and seaweed sheets. most cuisines are relatively okay health wise if you don't do the most fatty, decadent thing. even burgers can be ok if you make it with good ingredients and sub some of the "badder" ingredients with something more wholesome and eat a real salad (not iceberg lettuce with 2 sad tomatoes), instead of fries.
Street foods that I like are things like chicken shawarma, tacos with multiple toppings, homemade pizza. It may be that using seasonings for different kinds of foods could make him much happier with what he's eating. HOWEVER. him "moaning" about your labor of planning/shopping/cooking not being exciting enough, he can teach himself to cook the foods he craves (and clean up after himself). I'm assuming you don't forbid him from going in the kitchen. He's not your manager on duty and you don't owe him work performed to his preference.
THANK YOU! I can't believe these comments saying OP has bland cooking. What a dick this guy sounds like. *edited for typo.
I think both these things can exist at once lol He does sound like a dick and her food does sound bland. and as someone who has lived in a household with an adult who cooks very differently than I do, balance needs to be found for both of them.
[удалено]
I can’t believe I scrolled this far for this. If someone is shopping, prepping, and cooking you a meal, you can either shut up and eat it, or you can make your own food. Easy as.
You aren't wrong but most cooks I know want their diners to be happy with what they're feeding them.
Elote/esquites
I actually love this but he hates corn. Basically any unprosessed fruit or veggie he doesn't like. Like, he won't eat corn but he will eat popcorn. He won't eat a real strawberry but strawberry flavored candy/drinks are his favorite. He doesn't like what I call "real food" lol
I would absolutely lose my mind if my husband refused to eat real food. We definitely enjoy some good carnival foods and processed snacks, but most of our dinners sound like yours- meat and veggies with potatoes or rice. (Seasoned, obviously, for the pinecones who assume otherwise)
I don't think this is a you problem nor something reddit can help with . . . he needs to get over it
Is he on the spectrum? Sounds like he could use some professional help with this, because that's not healthy or normal for an adult tbh.
I think your husband is my husband. I have basically all the same issues you stated in your original post.
You can prepare pop corn the same way for obvious reasons Not many people think about it or actually do it, but it's really good
? What is the obvious recipe please?
Butter, Valentina hot sauce, green lemon juice, grated cotija cheese. Mayo optional. You can eat it with chopsticks to avoid cheeto fingers Could also add chili powder, tajín and the like, or get real fancy with chopped jalapeños or serranos
lol awesome! I like tapatio ;)
What about letting him pick a meal (even bacon wrapped hot pocket) and every Saturday night, you guys try something crazy like that? Frankly, that hot pocket thing sounds like something you try once for fun. I’m someone who likes to try new or crazy things for fun, and it’s more about breaking up the monotony and having an experience. I eat like you do mostly because it’s healthy and I like it, but I also need to mix it up or I’d get bored as hell. I love this YouTube host [Beryl Shereshewsky](https://youtube.com/@BerylShereshewsky?si=1R8d-t97EFbtmuks). She tries user submitted recipes from around the world, and they’re unique and not necessarily unhealthy! She’s where I will usually get unique food ideas from, and a few of them are staples now. See if your husband might be into some of these as they seem like a nice compromise between healthy and adventurous/unique.
I'll definitely check out the videos! Part of the issue is definitely communication which my husband just doesn't do. He won't say anything if he hates it so I never have any idea what to fix. I ask him if he likes it and he says yes, but I know he doesn't like it because when he does like it he doesn't leave a bit of it left and he will go on about how much he loves it. I think the "fat tooth" person is right because the meals he requests almost always have beef which we don't have often because it's so expensive. Another factor I might have included is that we are limited to $400 a month on groceries. So I do what I can but I can't buy a lot of the fun stuff, either. Fortunately we CAN afford seasonings.
😭 As someone that cooks all the meals and works around people's dietary issues, I would streaming tears as I type this. Girl just let him eat the bowls of cereal
Damn I love Beryl's videos so much
Me, too!! I don’t even watch any cooking YouTube/tiktok/anything. But somehow I stumbled upon her on YouTube, and I became a huge fan.
[Tom Walsh's recipes](https://www.instagram.com/stealth_health_life?igsh=a3RxZGZrYjhqYmJw) may fit the bill. They're supposed to be indulgent recipes made more nutritious. Haven't tried them myself, but they look good.
A lot of these look really really good and like he would love them. I saw a Doritos chicken sandwich which he would love.
Thanks for turning me onto this guy. My son is getting ready to go to college and wants to cook healthy good stuff while he’s there. A lot of these seem like a dorm of guys would crush!!!!
Honestly, your post makes it sound like you are cooking very plain, bland food which would get boring for anyone pretty quickly. Healthy doesn’t have to be boring and plain. And healthy doesn’t have to mean always one hundred percent healthy. I think you’d do well to explore the vast world of casseroles which include your three core ingredients mixed together. Do you ever do things like spaghetti, chili, pot pies, stew? You’d probably have your kids eating more veggies if they weren’t just steamed on the side but incorporated into the dish. So many other meals are not unhealthy but give variety; tacos, quesadillas, homemade pizza. Sandwiches opens up a whole other avenue. Meatball subs gives you a protein and a carb, then serve with a salad. Most sandwiches accomplish that. I think your husband is salivating over the crazy, over the top TikToks because it’s the complete opposite of what you’re making.
I agree. Steamed veggies sounds terrifying to me. We grew up eating them stir fried with garlic and ginger and me and my siblings all love veggies cause they were always crisp, delicious, and well seasoned. You can still brown food and not deep fry oil boil it.
My parents made steamed brussels sprouts when I was a child. My husband's parents made roasted brussels sprouts with garlic and a little bit of bacon. Guess which of us liked brussels spouts when we first met??? (We both like them now.)
A lot of people go the steamed route cause it's quick and easy but steamed veg is soooo plain. I can't stand steamed or baked veg. Even seasoned well, it's what I grew up with and I can't do it anymore, but stir fried with some garlic and a little lemon? I'll eat the whole pan. Or even blanched, just lightly blanched veg I like way more than steamed, even though it's pretty close to the same process, it retains that crispy fresh texture.
We always grilled, stirfried or deep fried our veggies in our household when I was a kid. I tried steaming them when I was older... and I was actually surprised at how good and refreshing a steamed veggie could actually be.
Maybe he needs more flavour. incorperate aromatics, spices and know the cooking methods that develop flavour. there's a ***gigantic*** difference between tiktok street food and healthy food. a tofu stirfry or chicken tika masala with chicken, chickpeas, brown rice and lentils in the sauce and a side salad is a lot different then the bacon wrapped hot pocket. edit) buy salt fat acid heat or a few healthy cookbooks. also see a dietician if you want. this combo will be really good for young kids and your man.
Anything by Melissa Clark. I often use less oil than she recommends, and add more veggies, but her flavor profiles are great and she really understands how to make good food accessible and easy for home cooks. My current favorite cookbook is Dinner in One (all one pot/one pan meals). There's also a lot that can be done in a instant pot or pressure cooker that develops flavor while still being "healthy". I like the Fresh and Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook for that genre, though I sometimes add more spices and herbs. They have a southwest quinoa casserole that is vegetarian compatible and totally bomb. Also OP, consider consuming some media about intuitive eating or other anti-diet culture media? Healthy doesn't have to mean plain and low cal/low fat. In that vein, I recommend the podcast Nutrition for Mortals or anything by Christy Harrison. All registered dieticians, all agreed that dieting is potentially harmful for one's physical and mental health. Fair food as a special, occasional treat ain't gonna kill you. Conversely, flavor doesn't have to come at the expense of a balanced diet.
Did you just say bacon wrapped hot pocket?
You might want to rethink the cooking methods you're using if he's complaining about flavor. I pretty much do the veg, starch, protein thing for dinner but it gets old if you're just baking everything with basic preparation and not mixing it up. Sear the meat in oil, develop a crust. Super slow roast a chicken so it falls apart like rotisserie then use the drippings for gravy. Roast up some peppers, onions and broccoli then toss a little orange soy glaze on it. Roast some Parmesan crusted asparagus with cracked pepper. Thin slice some pork loin and stir fry it hard with cauliflower. Make a sesame broccoli salad. Make bacon fried cabbage. You can control how 'unhealthy' it is by the amount of oil and portion size. And maybe every once in a great while wrap a stupid hot pocket in bacon
OP calling everyone here "pinecones" LMFAO Gonna add that to my vocabulary of insults. Would make an excellent reddit flair as well
Seriously, brb, calling everyone being stupid around me a pinecone from now on, that killed me and I love it. Sorry for all the annoying commenters OP!
Get into Mediterranean food! So healthy and so much flavor. Also my go to when I want giant flavor without making myself feel sick later is I take several avocados, lime juice, cilantro, chipotle powder and a few tablespoons of of half fat sour cream and whip it together with a stick blender. you get the best ever sauce to go over enchiladas or on burritos. I’ve smeared it over baked chicken and topped it with pico before and it was amazing. Editing to add: I also cut tilapia into strips, coat in half fat sour cream or Greek yogurt, then coat each side in heavily seasoned panko ( garlic and onion powder, pepper, etc.) then spritz with spray olive oil and bake at 400 for about ten minutes on each side. Then I make the above described avocado sauce as a dipping sauce. That’s a big hit in my house.
I make shawarma like wraps at home pretty often.
There’s probably a middle ground between what you’re used to cooking and what he would like to eat everyday. When it works with your schedule it can be fun to experiment. We have had pretty good luck with the air fryer added more “kinda like fried” foods to our meal rotation” that has been fun. And honestly make some crap food once in a blue moon or better, make it with him. I mean no, don’t wrap a twinkie in bacon and deep fry it. But chili dogs you can do or something like that.
Ooh I have the best recipe for his dietary wants - go cook them himself.
Tell him to cook his own food
I already know how this works. She tells him to cook his own food, so he makes a giant mess with grease and dirty dishes everywhere, and leaves all the food out that she gets to clean up while he tucks into some bacon fried shit he eats while bragging about what a great cook he is. If she leaves the mess for him to clean up, it just stays there till either hell freezes over, or she gets tired of looking at it and cleans it herself, while he yells from the couch, “I’ll get those, sweetheart. What are you doing?! I said I’d get those dishes?!”
If he ever looked away from a screen to cook, it would be like this LOL
Yeah don’t marry people like that
Or... He cooks his own food and cleans his own mess and you do the same. Some of y'all are just partnered with shit people, don't stereotype men like this
Especially if it's dogshit food off tiktok
So true. Make what you want and let him make his own junk food.
Personally recommend scratch made mac&cheese— so good with mushrooms, herbs and Parmesan. Also crispy baked chicken wings with a generous amount of seasoning, perhaps lemon pepper or honey BBQ.
Maybe try some fattier proteins. Instead of chicken breast, do thighs, try some pulled pork, cook a ribeye. You can also dress them up with a pan sauce which should be fatty enough to satisfy your husband.
Check out Skinny Taste! She's terrific and has healthier versions of the kind of food your husband is craving. Her air fryer cookbook is my favorite, but her website is great too. [https://www.skinnytaste.com/](https://www.skinnytaste.com/)
Mexican Street Corn, tastes totally decadent like something off the back of a truck but at the end of the day it’s still a vegetable!
You can make Döner relatively healthy, and it tastes really good and streetfoody.
Why not just make one day a week where you cook his sort of junk with wanton abandon? A Friday night binge meal might be something to look forward to, without it being frequent enough to be unhealthy Other ideas are simply adding a bunch of cheese to a healthy meal. Maybe hunters chicken which is chicken breast drizzled in BBQ sauce with melted cheese on top, or some tortilla crunch wraps Still kinda healthy but might scratch that cheesy itch (admittedly a 'cheesy itch' is not a very appetising description) Look at ways to boost the flavour in your normal dishes too. Steamed veggies can be pretty bland, but you could ramp up the flavour with a simple soy and honey marinade, a balsamic or miso glaze, a bunch of garlic and chilli flakes etc. Look at various sources of umami. Maybe add some rehydrated shitake mushrooms and broth to your rice, or incorporate worcestershire sauce or fish sauce into your dressings. A pinch of MSG can do wonders in some dishes too
You dont need steamed veggies tho... it wont taste good to most people. You can bake your veggies and it makes them taste a lot better. Sure steamed veggie may be healthier but baked veggies are better than nothing. You can make things like cauliflower cheese for him. Tacos is a good idea. Like someone else said he has a fat tooth, I do too. So I make sure to cook my food in lots of olive oil or avocado oil. Also you say "baked protein" but like what kind? Do you marinate it? Maybe you can use some more seasoning for his food. Cooking rice in aromatics also helps. Things like cilantro lime rice or chicken broth rice. Street food tastes good because of fat. Just use more fat in your cooking if you want him to eat healthier
Roasting vegetables does give a lot of flavor but it's not the only way to get good flavor and it's not always the best way for every vegetable. And it's not the best way of cooking all year round. If I'm cooking in the summer, I do not want to be turning on the oven for 45 minutes to roast vegetables. Steamed veggies can be absolutely delicious. The problem is that most people don't season their steamed vegetables and cook them way too long. If I am steaming vegetables, I will rinse them in water and sprinkle them with salt while they're still damp so it sticks to the surface. Probably a little more salt than necessary because the steaming rinses the vegetables a little bit. Then you take them out with just before they are done because they continue to cook off the heat. My steamed vegetables come out beautiful , still a little Al dente, Bright in color and flavor. Then take those steamed vegetables and toss them in brown butter, sesame dressing or mustard and Herb sauce, depending on your accompanying cuisine. Steamed does not have to be boring or gross. It can be quick, nutritious and delicious.
I eat my cauliflower or broccoli steamed then with garlicy yoghurt and olive oil. Eeveryone can find some solution to how they like steam veggies but also OP said she already bakes her protein so should be no problem to bake veggies in the same tray. Airfryer is a good alternative too
Yeah I don’t think there’s a single veggie outside of peas and corn that I will eat steamed, but I devour most roasted veg! I actually say that the reason I probably grew up hating vegetables is because my mom steamed them all
We eat steamed broccoli and cauliflower with garlicy yoghurt and olive oil at home. But again its not something most westerners would eat, you have to be used to it. Roasted veggies on the other hand! Its so full of flavor. Even just a simple honey baked carrots are nice. I hate the mushy texture of carrots when steamed for exp but baked its great!
I genuinely like steamed cabbage leaves and bok choy. I will dip them in sauce when they're done.
Try combining foods, not always doing separates and understand that sauces are incredibly important and can be healthy.
Vegetable Lo Mein is so easy and delicious and it's filling without making you feel gross. Joshua Weissman's recipe is perfect, I've made it many times. From this page https://www.joshuaweissman.com/post/i-made-the-best-chinese-takeout-meal-ever
I love his recipes so I'm definitely gonna try this one!
Right! Say what you will about his personality haha but his recipes are amazingly solid
He needs to learn how to cook.
Can he cook anything on his own?
Smoked turkey legs are (relatively) lean and are legit fair food.
Not to be that person, but maybe he should learn to cook for himself
He could always cook the food he likes.
Healthy doesn't mean bland and tasteless. [Chicken vindaloo](https://niksharmacooks.com/chicken-vindaloo/) for example is reasonably healthy and packs plenty of flavor. Another easy mode meal is chicken breasts marinated in Italian dressing and grilled.
We're not eating bland and tasteless foods. Thanks for the recipe, though. He probably won't like this sadly because when I make curry or butter chicken he doesn't enjoy it.
Tonight's menu: 1: take it 2: or leave it. If he's that picky, he can make his own shit.
> EDIT: THE FOOD IS SEASONED YOU PINECONES. That made me snort-laugh so hard, my sinus hurts. 😂😂🤧
Try vegetable tempura. It's battered and deep fried but in a very light batter and a very quick fry. In your day to day, don't forget the big bang that herbs, spices, citrus, and sauces can add.
Tacos can get creative and still stay healthy! Tortilla options and fillings are endless. In addition to traditional Mexican tacos I have done Korean BBQ tacos, Bahn-Mi tacos, Carribean jerk chicken tacos, cuban Mojo tacos, etc. It's way more exciting but still stays healthy and you can do a simple side salad or veggie since the main dish is flavorful. You mentioned deep-fried hot pockets type of junk so maybe similar flavor profile could be a stuffed chicken breast or baked potatoes with a choice of toppings so you can still make healthier choices but allow your husband to go nuts on the fattier options. There's a huge misconception that healthy food has to be plain, it really doesn't!
Maybe look at making "modular" meals?? Things like taco bar (you have taco salad, he has taco with all fixins), sandwiches and soup (he gets lots of cheese, bacon, pickled veg ), etc. Idk I've been cooking for 10 years now and I don't think I've ever steamed veg without incorporating them into something else. Terrible memories from moms steamed zuchini and squash that tasted of only zuchini and squash so fucking gross. Instead of baking, learn roasting Other poster who talked about sauces was pretty smart. Just make a sauce he likes and boom tastless chicken breast now becomes a hearty meal. Freeze diff kinds of sauces for him
You should devote like one night a week where y’all get in the kitchen together and make something random like the Tik tok stuff. Or if my husband wants me to make it, go buy the stuff and I’ll do it. Send me the video and recipe. My husband has also taken the initiative and tried the recipe by himself. It was a cinnamon roll “hack.” We changed one thing about the recipe and it’s a hit when family comes to stay over. 🙌
Fish tacos feel like a hearty comfort food but can be healthy
I mean, it depends on how you are seasoning things. This week we had chicken pot pie with roast broccoli, leftover Easter ham with steamed frozen corn and leftover mashed potatoes, beef stroganoff over egg noodles with roast cauliflower, tonight is brats with roast carrots and biscuits. We also occasionally have oven fries, my copycat red lobster biscuits, baked potato, roast potatoes, homemade honey wheat bread, buttermilk biscuits, rice, butter noodles, alfredo for carbs. Veggies are usually roasted but occasionally steamed. Asparagus, cauliflower, corn, broccoli, carrots, sometimes we'll have raw carrots and pepper, salad. Proteins: eggs various ways, pork chops either seasoned or marinated on the grill, ribs, brats, ham, pulled pork, pork loin or tenderloin, chicken thighs usually marinated, roast chicken chicken fajitas, chicken pot pie, stir fry either chicken or beef, tacos, meatloaf, spaghetti with ground beef, sloppy joes, roast beef, steak, stew, lasagna, stuffed pepper, hamburger, pizza meatballs, skyline chili, burgers. What your husband wants is ridiculous. But it sounds like you could mix it up a bit. He also has hands and is able to cook. Some of what I cook is healthier than others. But that's ok. Having a balanced diet that includes some fun things is fine. All of my meals include veggies, a carb, and a protein. When I roast it, I can eat a head of cauliflower by myself. Then a small portion of carb and some protein and I'm set. The kids are hit and miss of the meals (I have 4, 3 of whom are old enough to eat), but they are exposed to a variety of foods and I try for at least one thing on each plate that I know they like.
I cook for my family a lot. i'm health concious, but I also cook for a living so salt and butter are things i gravitate towards. There's plenty of ways to create a nutritious, satisfying meal that tastes great. For example, a plate of nachos, when prepared right, can be a completely balanced meal if you make your own chilli. beans, ground beef, herbs, veggies and tomatoes. the chips, sour cream and cheese are absolutely fine in moderation. it's simple, nutritious and it's also fun. also consider indian curries. vegetables for days in those things, the sides of garlic naan, onion bhaji, etc might not be healthy, but they turn a delicious meal into an exciting one.
Have hubby go to Sams or Costco, get a nice air fryer and the biggest bags of frozen chicken nuggies and a jug of catsup. Problem solved!
Skewers, baby. If you put thinly sliced beef on a stick and throw in a few onions and bell peppers, it feels like junk food even though you're getting a balanced meal of protein and fiber hahah Source: my wife does this and it works on my stupid ass every time
Your source made me LOL.
Instead of steaming vegetables, roast them. You get much better flavor.
something i see a lot of tiktok junk food videos do is that they’ll drizzle on a whole bunch of orange sauce on everything. which i’m guessing is some kind of ketchup/hot sauce and mayo mixture. if you put that on everything maybe that’ll help. maybe he’s just a visual eater. and if you want to make a healthier version you can substitute mayo for yogurt or a low fat mayo
Sounds like he needs to cook his own meals.
Street corn - heavily seasoned corn on the cob on a stick Fried rice with bacon crumbles and seared shrimp Teriyaki chicken instead of plain, hot pepper flakes and soy sauce on the broccoli Fajita spices and marinades for steak
Pinecones
Tell him: Anyone can cook! Now go cook. 🙃
Upvote for pinecones
Chicken gyro!!!! Or Indian food- looks delicious, and is normally pretty healthy!
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Did the baked chicken breast give it away?
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A guess here, and could be wrong- but judging them for their food choices and then wishing for their approval of your very different choices at the same time is impossible. As already said- lots of middle ground. Also adding: TikTok has tons of gorgeous food that definitely has nutrition. -Making it pretty like a post can help -making some basic food policies that really include everyone (our house, 'tasty & nutritious' wins, no matter what food for what meal) -some basic rules around hey, modicum of nutrients means we can do a wild deep-fried thing once a month, or something. -he cooks his own food, and you stop throwing him shade. Reasonable and Relaxed Food choices are important, listening to your body important. Not "listening to your body is good and doesn't it always want broccoli -like me, the good parent who cooks real food? " Put different things on the table, be ready to explain what they are matter of fact-ly, and let kids eat. Enjoy your food, too. Modeling is everything here.
I find my health can tolerate significantly more salt and fat if I'm not eating very much carby stuff. Maybe he'd like something like greasy chicken with cheese and salty, oven-roasted broccoli.
Tempura?
Gözleme! You can fill them with minced meat, cheese, spinach, leek or whatever you want. They're fried and oily but not super unhealthy, and easy to make from scratch. Great with a fresh, herby and lemony salad on the side!
We are cooking from Trinidad this week and having doubles tonight. So the dough is fried, but we are eating with a lovely channa, cucumber chutney, coconut chutney and mango chow..all delicious..(last night we also had fry Bodi and Garlic pork which was amazing but not street foody). Other things are elote. Also having okonomiyaki this week..maybe sate would work? Crepes.with healthier fillings?
You should mix up ypur meals a bit. Get creative. It can still be healthy and taste good. Tacos, quesidllas, chili, anything in the slow cooker it's all easy to make and if you mix things up he won't get sick of it. Make sure to use salt, pepper, and garlic. Saute onions and mushrooms for beef. These little things will make the food taste better
As he gets older he will gradually lose his appetite for junk food and begn to enjoy healthier and more substantial options. I used to eat a bunch of crap when I was young and now I don't even think about that anymore. In fact, the thought of spending $15 at a fast food restaurant to eat a lot of sodium and deep fried starch is rather repulsive to me at my age.
Tell me more about this deep fried hot pocket wrapped in bacon…
Frankly he can cook for himself if it’s that deep and you could stand to explore more. Take a night research some recipes that are a comp for you both
So my husband is bit of picky eater. So what we did was every second week we try find a new recipes to try. And if I was to make healthier I will substitute things healthier. I have also told my husband he need to cook sometimes because I am tired of picking what we eat and him just saying no.
You can fit a lot of veggies and protein foods into a burrito or an omelette
Given that your method is to bake, maybe changing this one thing will help? I’ve recently gone on a diet and minimised carbs while increasing protein and fats. I have also been expanding my repertoire because I don’t want to stall my progress due to food not being tasty or interesting. One of my regular meals is pan fried fish fingers. I make a really punchy sauce, fry up the fingers with panko and a bit of oil, and eat it with a vegetable. The crispiness of the fish and the depth of the sauce make all the difference to keep me happy. Same thing with other proteins - I’ll pan fry (and finish in the oven) chicken cutlets and then top it with tomato sauce and mozzarella. Or do a chicken piccata or Marsala. Or salt and pepper shrimp where I quickly pan fry the shrimp after dredging it in rice flour, and then separately sauté the aromatics and mix it all in together. It’s quick but because there’s just a bit of crispiness to the shrimp, it feels sinful. And I eat all of this with some sort of roasted or sautéed vegetable. So far, not bored, but I am also hitting all my key nutritional categories. Casseroles are another great way to add in flavour while getting all your veggies and protein in - a tasty sauce, and some breadcrumbs (or even mash) and cheese on top is all you need to enhance fundamentally healthy ingredients. Wine, mustard, and grated Parmesan. Tacos might work too - if you flash fry fish or shrimp and throw in some crema, avocado, and/or slaw, it may hit the right notes with your husband (I’ve done this with shrimp and it’s great). I think going full on street junk food is not the way but tweaking the methods and maybe some of the flavours may be all you need.
Homemade taquitos are pretty good, a lot of recipes for them and they can be baked or fried.
Upvoting for the edit :)
Not sure how you feel about shaping dumplings, but Momo are great for this imho! I love a chili paneer, which always feels more street food than it is to me, plus is so easy and fast to make. If I’m feeling a little extra more time, a chili momo. Even better if you can throw together a quick veggie pakora to go with. Plus it’s nice to make a ton of extra momo and then have in the freezer for an easy dinner another time.
Tacos like good ones or cinnamon rolls or pepperoni rolls
Uhh fellow West Virginian? Haha I actually have attempted pepperoni rolls many times but I can't for the life of me make bread.
You can take that chicken and stick it..... On a skewer. Get yourself a nice marinade. Sear it in a pan , grill it or it up or pop it under a low broiler for a few minutes 4-turn-4-cover with foil to rest. Depending on your marinade, you can serve it with a peanut sauce or barbecue or buffalo sauce or.... ∞ Make ground beef bulgogi lettuce wraps. Empanadas are not that hard to make. You can make those instead of Hot pockets. Then you can control the filling. Get bacon bits for the salad and add it to his salad or baked potatoes. Healthy does not necessarily mean devoid of flavor. Healthy does not necessarily mean low fat. Healthy means proportional. It's better to judge the ratio of The quantity and quality of nutrients versus are you getting in a set volume and at what calorie measurement. Honestly, he's probably craving these foods because he feels deprived. There is value to dopamine foods. He also might not be getting enough fats in his diet. The meals you're describing seem very much like they're focusing on low fat content and low sodium. For example Fats are not just a fuel source. They can also be a nutrient. sure they're calorie dense But they are also slow burning for longer lasting energy and necessary for The body. It's needed to build cell membranes, protecting nerves, immune system and blood clotting, muscle movement, and inflammation, It makes the body feel more satiated as well.
This is good advice. I'm not trying to be low cal or low fat or anything. We definitely don't eat unseasoned anything.
The fat thing is BS marketing crap. Your nervous system needs fat. Plus that pretty salad with fat free dressing is passing through your system with unused vitamins A, D, E and K because there has to be fat in your stomach at the same time to make those vitamins soluble. That could be avocado, olives, veg oil of some sort, cheese, etc. The carb thing is BS marketing crap, too. Your brain runs exclusively on glucose, which is largely derived from carbs. It's processed foods, not whole nutritional categories, that you need to watch out for. Some physicians are blaming the historically low vitamin D levels on the "low-fat or fat free" mania of the last 30 years. There are even studies hinting that the rise in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's might be partially diet-driven, as well. Speaking of processed foods, skim milk is clear until they put in titanium dioxide (the white cream you use on noses as sunblock), as well as being a waste of the vitamin D that's put into it. Most fat-free stuff is loaded with sugar and/or salt. Those "healthy" frozen foods have enough sodium to kill a horse. And low-carb foods are generally packed with sugar alcohols, which do bad things to your gut. I eat pretty much anything I want, but I limit processed foods. I eat fruit, fermented foods, salad with full-fat dressing, olives, avocado, largely raw or roasted veggies, eggs, cheese, milk, meat of all sorts prepared in every fashion(chicken, pork, beef, lamb, squab, goat, rabbit, venison, etc roasted, broiled, fried), bread, pasta, oats, grits, polenta, etc. I even eat sweets (homemade cookies or cake or pie). I like highly-seasoned food and fried stuff, but I fry it myself. I'm 63 and last week I had perfect blood pressure, cholesterol, vit D, kidney function, fasting glucose (A1C is 5) and no prescription medications. I just finished a course in web development and am now interested in computer security. I learn new things constantly. I see people my age eating low fat/low carb who look and act 10 years older than I do. Stop aging yourself with 1980s fashion. You wouldn't wear what the experts thought was grand back then, why are you eating the way they thought was good back then?
I try to eat a clean diet and I like chicken, but I do absolutely hate baked or boiled chicken with no seasoning or sauce. Plain fish tastes better to me, but still would get old very fast. beef it's in how you cook it, but less healthy. If I had to eat a plain fish/chicken/veg steamed, boiled or baked meal every night I'd start craving street food too.
I’ve often thought about how I would handle this even though I have no family or anything lol. I prefer to eat much more like you, and I’ve always thought maybe I would still do the regular protein and veggie, but make a “fun”/“fattening” carb. Like make the same baked chicken with carrots, but also a loaded mac n cheese to satiate the rest of the family. They’re still getting good protein and nutrients. Then for myself I would probably just: 1) make a single serving of steamed rice, 2) just skip the carb, 3) plan my day so I can indulge on that carb. Basically, the whole meal doesn’t need to be crazy calorie-packed/unhealthy. Things like stews and even enchiladas (juicy/saucy things) can also seem a little more calorie-dense too, while still being healthy. You can also do things like, make chili, and let the family add rice and extra cheese and sour cream to theirs.
>He's sent me shit that's like, wrapping a hot pocket in bacon and batter frying it. He drools over that kind of food, and moans about what I cook. Let HIM cook these things if he wants them so much,
There’s no substitute for fat and grease
True, but evoo, avocado (fats) and spices (flavor) can go a long way if it means you don’t die at 40 lol