We are a family of nine, and not surprisingly everyone likes to eat. Whereas I used to be a drive thru queen, these days we rarely eat out. That leaves two options – either everyone is one their own, which isn’t practical, or someone has to cook. Fortunately, over the years I have moved from being ambivalent about cooking to finding joy in preparing meals for my family. I collect and adapt recipes like other people collect shoes, and often try new recipes, even if we are having company. (Sometimes with less than stellar results.)
This begs the obvious question. How do you prepare healthy, appealing meals while either losing weight, or maintaining a healthy weight? There are several strategies you can use to prepare food for other people or for your own family while watching what you eat. Here are some simple ideas that I used while I was in process of losing 150 pounds and still use today.
Plan your meals- By simply planning what you and/or your family will eat for all meals during the week you will have taken your best first step at controlling your food and calorie intake. I got in the most trouble when I didn’t know what we were having for dinner. That is when we would order pizza, run through a drive thru or pick up something quick to prepare from the grocery store, like fried chicken nuggets, etc. (Here’s a meal planning worksheet you can use)
Adapt your recipes – Are there family favorites you don’t want to kick off the menu? In most cases you don’t have to. By looking at each ingredient you use and changing them or adapting them when necessary you can still enjoy your family’s favorites without blowing your weight loss plan. I’ve put together a tip sheet you can print for adapting recipes. As long as your portion size is appropriate you can eat without guilt.
Involve your family- Family support is one of the greatest gifts. My class participants who have support from family and friends undoubtedly have an easier time than those who don’t. Before changing everything you eat, sit down with the people who you are cooking for and discuss the changes you’d like to make. This could involve the cessation of purchasing high calorie/high sugar snacks, etc. By gathering input from everyone, it will make transitioning from fatty foods to healthier foods easier. This is what I did when I started losing weight. I explained my plan and asked for input. We decided together on a plan of action. We gradually changed some of our snacking habits, choosing to attack one thing at a time rather than changing everything at once. This worked well for us.
Believe me, I cook for a lot of people and I don’t always make everyone happy. (Especially the little guys!) By planning meals, adapting recipes and involving the family I think you will find that you are able to successfully cook meals that everyone appreciates – and usually likes!!
Question: What techniques do you use when cooking for other people? Diane
I came across this great article, Healthy Eating Begins at the Supermarket that you might find interesting.
Some good tips if I ever cook for someone.Haven’t done that for about 20 years.Last time they couldn’t even eat one bowl of my chili as it was a bit too hot for them
.-= John´s last blog ..I’m Back =-.
This is a constant struggle for me. First, I don’t like to cook and I don’t like the planning it takes either. Second, my kids are horribly picky, and I know that our family eating led to that. Third, my son who is still at home comes in the door at unpredictable times starving for dinner after a sports workout… so now meals need to be super fast to cook. This is one thing I would go back years ago and redo if I could… changing the way I feed my kids. Sigh.
.-= Karen@WaistingTime´s last blog ..Oops… my mind is still on vacation. =-.
Diane , your method is the same as mine ! I have less to cook for than you, but like you , not everyone is pleased with every meal. You have posted great suggestions, and the only one I could think of to add would be to get imput from the rest of the family when planning. I plan my menus and shopping list on Wednesday ( always plan both together) , and on that morning I ask the guys if they have any requests for meals or events for the coming week that would make meals wiggy ( never plan to make roast anything on an afternoon where there is a late appointment or so forth).Then I go through my recipe collection or hit Google to find healthy ways to fulfill their requests. Everyone is on board, happy and some major snags are avoided.
.-= Diane´s last blog ..Spinach Sunday =-.
Hello Diane
Back in the days when I had a family to cook for I was so unaware of what was good and what was bad – I cooked the way I saw my mom – and am very embarrassed to admit this but put sugar in my babies porridge as I ate mine sweet so why would they not prefer it that way…BLUSH..sorry, have admitted this for the first time as know I know that was SO wrong, but what was I to know…I was such a young first time mom as well.
When I changed the way of eating in my home with hubby, he went along with me…so it was okay…he does question things from time to time…sometimes he will make his own food and me mine…I dont do take aways – he will, then I make myself a Tuna salad instead.
Planning my meals really helps. When I don’t have a dinner planned, I’m prone to eating something simple but not necessarily 100 percent healthy. Plus, by planning my meals ahead of time, I can save on groceries because I just get what I need. I’m still new at this, but I’ve been finding it works really well. That, and reading food blogs. I get such great ideas for healthy meals that way.
.-= Tracey @ I’m Not Superhuman´s last blog ..Not A Loser =-.
I changed what I served for dinner slowly as I evolved better eating habits. Today, dinner always includes fresh fruit of some kind, rarely do I add sauces and never gravy except for Thanksgiving. I’ll add one additional starch besides fruit, whole wheat bread, potatoes or corn. If I serve tater tots or french fries, I actually count how many I bake so everyone gets just one serving. No butter on the veggies and typically not on the table. Meats are always lean cuts. Just little things like that. I keep things simple and that works for us.
I tend to plan my meals and make sure they are healthy. I love to try new recipes so I am always looking for new ones
.-= Staci´s last blog ..Winning and Massage =-.
My standard dinner for a group starts with a platter of assorted raw vegetables and ends with a platter of cut fruit with maybe some nuts, dried fruit and/or cheese. (I buy large bags of almonds and walnuts so I always have them on hand.) I think there’s nothing more beautiful than a platter of watermelon triangles arranged nicely and sprinkled with blueberries or grapes or strawberries – or even just thinly sliced mint. Easy and healthy and everyone can choose what they like. I’m big on marinating chicken or other meat and roasting on the grill, generally with some roasted vegetables. I’ll usually get a nice bread as well, a grainy loaf or a sour dough. I’m also big on one dish meals like soups and stews, jambalaya, stirfries and any thai dishes – but these are riskier if you don’t know your guests’ tastes – particularly if the group includes kids.
Great post Diane & planning is key espeicially with your family!
I don’t have to cook but for me & the hubby depending…. I make his healthy but a tad differnt seasonings for his tatse. It works for us!
.-= Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..Loneliness Harms Health: Why You Need Friends; Happy Bday Casey! =-.
I find that the single best trait to incorporate when cooking for others, especially for young children, is presentation. You CAN put lipstick on a pig. Dressing up meals by the way they are arranged, a geometric pattern of tomatoes and onions in a salad for example, can make it much more desirable for children to eat. Pre-cutting and arranging the vegetables and the entrées in this way adds an aesthetic to the plate that can be compelling to people, especially kids.
Think about it; kids love to tear apart pretty things — especially the boys
.-= Emergefit´s last blog ..Nine Inch Nails; Discipline… =-.
One good technique I use when cooking for my family is that I make large quantities of everything, so that I get two meals out of it. For example, when I make meatballs, I always make double so that I have extra to whip up a quick pasta sauce for the boys during the week when they come home late from hockey. I’ve been bad at planning meals lately, but I do make sure to always have healthy food in the house for last minute meals.
.-= Carla´s last blog ..Outdoor running vs. indoor running =-.
I’m lucky in that I only cook for my fiance, and he likes to eat healthy (actually he likes to eat even healthier than I do; he eats mostly veggies, which is good, because now I do, too!) When I take a health-i-fied baked good somewhere, I just don’t tell people until they start asking about the recipe. Most of the time, they don’t even realize you subbed in different ingredients, but if you’d told them, they might not have even tried it. Kinda like that “Deceptively Delicious” cookbook for kids!
.-= Ashley´s last blog ..Blogkeeping =-.
I do what you do about changing ingredients to be more healthful and I mostly watch my weight by watching my portion size when cooking for others. A lot can be accomplished by being aware of portions.
As always you have written a post that is chock full of great ideas and resources. Thank you for the tip sheet, I will definitely try some of those. You are right about planning. I find if I plan my lunch and snacks for a work day, than I am less tempted to blow my money and my diet on vending machine junk–or running to a fast food resturant. Also, when co-workers bring in goodies, I know that I have a health option that I brought with me, and I can say “no.”
Great tips! love the tip sheet! I’m all for some RF and FF ingredients – or when the recipe calls for cheese in a casserole AND on top – I save it all for on top so it LOOKS more sinful!
For me it’a all food scale too – gotta use it!
.-= fittingbackin´s last blog ..New Recipe, Book Club Sleepover, Birthday Celebration =-.
Great post and very timely for me as I’m struggling with cooking right now. I’m going to use the worksheet. I think if I have meal ideas written down (a visual cue), it would be helpful — don’t know why I didn’t think of this before.
.-= ‘Drea´s last blog ..All I Really Need To Know I Learned While Rock Climbing =-.
Great post! I am a big planner- I like to involve my BF to help pick out a new recipe for the week and get his opinion on what to make. If I plan and have food at home that is “ON PLAN” I have a better week which helps on the scale!
.-= tj´s last blog ..HI =-.
I don’t have anything fascinating to add, I just wanted to say, wow, you’re so pretty!
I find it tough to cook for lots of people without getting overwhelmed with worry that someone might not like what I’ve prepared. I prefer to just do a table of munchies like veggies and dip, fruit and a few other heartier snacks.
It must be a challenge for you sometimes but you are smiling in this picture, and that says 1,000 words!
.-= LAF´s last blog ..Holding my own =-.
I think my struggle with this is that I present healthy eating as only one way our family can eat, rather than THE way our family eats. Once you give kids the choice — just by giving in to their pressure or the pressure of time — they know healthy eating isn’t a priority of the family. At best, it’s just a preference. At worst, it’s way down at the bottom of the list of family priorities. It also turns you into the food police and you have to constantly bully your kids into healthy eating. If it was the way you always cooked and the way you always ate at your house, it wouldn’t be the daily struggle that it is. From your post, I can see where I’ve gone wrong.
.-= Nancy B. Kennedy´s last blog ..Writing and walking =-.
I think meal planning is so important! With a family, including everyone in the planning is important, too. I find that works with my husband and he looks forward to my meals much more so if he’s had a say in what I serve
.-= Nicole, RD´s last blog ..manic monday =-.
I don’t have to cook for others too often, but when I do there are usually a lot of restrictions. Some family members have kidney failure so their diet is very specific, my mother is diabetic (although she is no longer obese AT ALL), my father has high cholesterol…and I am following a specific diet for weight loss. So since I’ve started and had visitors it takes me a LONG time to think ahead on what to cook.
.-= PhluffyPrincess´s last blog ..Birthday Countdown =-.
Like you I love to cook as you know, and its been a pleasure finding new ways to make comforting foods. I took it as a challenge instead of a chore and had all kinds of fund with it! Daniel is eating more veggies now and we’re all the better for it. Great advice and tips!
.-= Pam´s last blog ..One More Week =-.
I stay on plan by planning ahead and enjoying new ingredients. I also always have a stocked pantry so that I can pull something out if I’m in a hurry. I didn’t follow my own advice for most of April and it did not end in a good result.
Cooking for 2 is easy, as I can cook something so it’s done that my son will eat it (stir fry, for example). I dish out his portion, then add my own twist to the dish (usually something spicy, like jalapenos or hot sauce). Then I cut the dish in half – one portion immediately goes into a storage container for work the next day. I then dish out my portion and join my son at the table. It takes about 2 extra minutes total, so his food isn’t cold by the time we sit down to eat. We pray, we eat, we talk about the day, we pray, we’re happy.
Diane, I was also going to tell you, on the news last night, they featured a family of 14! The mother reminded me so much of you in the love and dedication she shows her family! It was really neat-o!
.-= Erin´s last blog ..What’s the Point??? =-.
These are some really great tips. I had never thought about cooking veggies in water instead of oil.
.-= Alissa´s last blog ..Weekend in Review =-.
This post hits home for me this week–just last night my husband and I were talking about how we’ve been eating out WAY too much recently. It’s not good for our wallets OR our waistlines! I definitely need to get back to meal planning. One thing I hope to do is try some new recipes this week. I think part of the problem is that I am bored with my own cooking!
.-= Lara (Thinspired)´s last blog ..Down by the Bay… =-.
What a great topic! I collect healthy recipes and cookbooks. I brought my kids up on healthy meals and I cook that way for everyone even company. People love my food even the desserts that are light. We only eat out once a week.
I am only cooking for a family of four so I double many recipes so we have leftovers. Once you get use to lower fat, lower sugar foods made with quality ingredients that are wholesome the older way of eating no longer has appeal.
.-= Tami@nutmegnotebook.com´s last blog ..New Life =-.
Since I just cook for myself, I haven’t really learned this “plan your meals” thing. I have ideas in my head, but my cravings change from day to day, so it’s easy for me to swing by the grocery store and pick up what I want. I am very good at adapting recipes. If I have a craving for something that’s not necessarily “good” for me, I’ll find a way to make it that satisfies the hunger without the gluttony.
.-= Rebecca @ How the Cookies Crumble´s last blog ..TGIF =-.
Thank you so much for this article! It’s one of my biggest struggles. I hate cooking. I don’t understand it since my mom and grandmother are fantastic cooks. I don’t like cooking, or planning. My husband is the least supportive of my trying to adapt a healthy lifestyle for the family and quite frankly, behaves like a baby at the dinner table when I try to serve something healthy, which in turn gets the kids on his side. Sigh….One step at a time.
I think I’ll make a plan in the morning and try to stick with it even just for one week!
First of all, you look FABULOUS in that photo!
Second, I LOVE menu planning! It is a LIFE-SAVER! We eat ok, but I need to get more veggies into our diet and less carbs.
.-= Amy´s last blog ..…April 24-26… =-.
The meal planning worksheet is a great idea. I think I may try that. I usually just go with what I feel like at the moment but this may be a better alternative.
I really can see how challenging it would be were COOKING or BAKING your passion to not sample all along the way and end up stuffed before the meal began.
that said, I dont have this challenge
Im a cook because I have to person and the baking? I do love that and keep it to fullfat rarity.
Loved your tip sheet and your meal planning sheet. Really good, simple ideas for keeping focus. And while there were several things I think they should have added to the shopping article (NO salt canned products – one of my pet peeves!) – it had other really good suggestions. Very practical post.
.-= vickie´s last blog ..Bit of talk (traps of) bread/cookies/Willy Nilly Food – be forewarned. BUT might be as accurate Maintenance Realities Post as I have ever written =-.
I would have to say planning is key and to be sure that you keep only healthy ingreds on hand. My fav method of all times would be grilling…everything tastes better on the grill!
.-= sian-girlgetstrong´s last blog ..Guest Post:I Re-Wrote my Life’s Story =-.
i try to vary our foods, but my 10-yr old daughter is just like her mom was as a child and is very picky. it’s really tough to cook and please her. i refuse to short order cook just for her. recently, i have tried just what you said – including her in the meal planning, that way she is part of it and accountable. she can’t pul an “i don’t like that” when she is the one who chose it.
thanks for the great post!
I’m a day behind,but I find meal planning to work the best. I also find making sure I’ve purchased fruits and veggies to add to any meal to helpful.