Kitchen

[kate2357]

@ScrapHappy 

I think your first sentence about how hard it is to do meal planning is actually your answer....sit your husband and your daughter down together and say let's plan out all of our meals together for the week.

Ask them what are WE having for dinner Monday, Tuesday...etc?Allow them the "privilege" of helping come up with agreed upon meals in order for you to be able to shop and cook.

I do this each week with my husband and it makes shopping and cooking so much easier and we have reduced food waste, etc. We also work in an open day from time to time because sometimes we might just want to have soup or a quick sandwich or toast.

[Goldengate8361]

Meal planning....what a funny and foreign concept to me. If I were you, I'd just tell them they're now in charge of preparing their own individual meals. 

[candys mine]

If your daughter want's other than you make fine. she makes her own.  Every day.  And cleans up afterwards.  Every day.  Maybe rotate recipes like taco Tuesday or the like only a couple days are vegan or veg. Everybody stretch a bit.

[wagirl]

Meal planning is the bane of my existence anymore---- DD can't eat dairy,  and me, it's the carbs and red meat. We both like the vegetarian  options but still eat some meats/seafood. Tried the weekly meal boxes, which were pretty good, but I object to the packs of gel stuff that is used to keep the items cold. How do you recycle them?? But the recipes included are really good. Just have to buckle down and do some planning, I guess.

[mimomof4]

Trying to come up with a meal plan that makes everyone happy is very difficult.  I gave up on that years ago.  I have  family of 6.  While yes DH would prefer Red Meat and potatoes at every meal I don't cook that way.  I try to put a vegetarian meal into our regular rotation.  Regardless I make one meal and know that sometimes 1 kid won't like it.  My kids can make their own food if they don't want my choice.

I cook meals mostly to my dietary needs (diabetic) and a lower carb/fat/calorie meals.  I reduce the pasta or rice on my plate and eat more veggies and protein instead.  I use whole wheat or Chick Pea pasta to reduce carbs.  This is where the Vegan/Vegetarian lifestyle is actually not healthy for everyone - Too many carbs.  

My niece became a Vegan around age 14 or 15 (after a couple years she realized vegetarian was easier for social settings than Vegan).  She learned to cook on her own so she could make some of her own meals.  While my sister in law would make some Vegan meals for the entire family that was not how the entire family ate.  My other Sister in law and Brother in law also because vegetarians 2 years ago - they still cook meat for my teenage nephew who refused that lifestyle.  

[RollTide2008]

I would eat toast and let them fend for themselves.

[house_cat]

@ScrapHappy 

I understand completely. I have a son who can't have gluten, a DIL who won't eat seafood, a husband who has so little appetite that I wonder if he's on some kind of hunger strike, and myself who needs to lose weight... and we all eat together most Sundays.

I can make that work, because it's one day a week, but trying to cook protein rich, calorie-laden foods for DH during the week, while watching my own intake is another dance completely.  I find myself really envying my single friends who have only themselves to worry about.

[RetRN]

I plan meals for the upcoming week on Sundays. Then I go to the grocery store Monday if I need any items for my meal prep. It is sometimes difficult not to get in a rut but I try to get some variety in what I eat. 

[AuntG]

Being single, I'd think you'd eat the same thing for several meals @RetRN . I know of a few stores that sell meat and vegetables in small portions specifically for people who prepare one and two person meals. Even though there are just two of us, I still make big meals and we eat leftovers nearly every week.