when your so doesn't like diet changes

[pinkytoe]

I have been making substantial changes to my diet in the past year - almost to the point of going vegetarian but not quite. I will eat beef, poultry or fish maybe twice a week at most and then in very small amounts as in a stir fry. I am losing my taste for it at all. I am also losing my taste for dairy products. Due to our work schedules, I am the one who prepares dinner and here lately they reflect my preference for eating less meat and dairy. DH is not real thrilled with that but for now is eating what I fix. He is not losing any weight so I guess he eats outside the house as he pleases. I am wondering if any of you out there have dealt with this sort of situation before when your spouse or partner doesn't want to eat the same foods. I have been through this with raising kids but a husband is a whole other thing. How to proceed?

[Reyes]

Is he interested in doing weekend food prep to add to what you prepare during the week? He could make single-serving meat dishes on the weekend, and then add that to what you are cooking during the week.

[Rosemary]

I eat a lot less meat than my DH, and I do all the cooking. There are some vegetarian meals he really likes, so I try to prepare those. Also, when I do cook meat, I will cook a lot of it and freeze it in portions for 1-2 meals with flexible seasoning. We eat a lot of meals that can be customized, such as tacos. He can put meat on his, I can put lots of beans and veggies on mine.

[babr]

dh and i have dealt or butted heads over this; he used to be at one time 50 pounds overweight; then over 3 years he dropped it; now he is very disciplined on what he eats; he is vegetarian

i was vegetarian too; but then i got MS which my doctors say will get into your system causing you to have allergic reactions; well i got them big time; my body doesn't like oats, wheat, preservatives, dyes etc. etc. etc.

well with all the limitations my body has put on me i got angry; sure i know how to eat right and do for the most part but i am not going to go crazy like he has; i have never been overweight; i think he is concerned that i might turn into my mother who is obese

but i want to eat what i want; its tough as it is; he is trying though to not make any comments; but will leave the room when i am gorging on something; but so be it

basically we have agreed to disagree; so that works for us

but it is hard! good luck

[Bastelmutti]

We have three categories in our house: DH and I are omnivores, DD1 is mostly vegetarian, but will eat seafood, and DD2 is an omnivore, but prefers starches and proteins plain, vegetables raw and everything separate. I tend to make meals "modular" so that someone can add on the meat or just have part of the meal if they don't like the meat. For DD2 I just keep part of the meal unsauced/uncooked/unmixed. It works pretty well.

I think you could stick with the way you're going - veg at home, DH can eat meat out - or go the modular route. If cooking meat bugs you, maybe you could compromise & get something like a roasted chicken from the store that your DH could incorporate into various meals? The suggestion of your DH cooking up some meat on the weekend is also a good one. My DH sometimes does this if he wants extra meat in his lunches (I usually have leftovers or a veg lunch).

[pinkytoe]

It's funny but he is gradually wanting less meat so this thing may work itself out. That being said, he still likes to burn a piece of meat outdoors over some pecan wood smoke, ie BBQ every other weekend or so. I don't think I'll ever cure him of that.

[kib]

We're somewhat opposite, I'm a low carb devotee and all his favorites foods are processed carbs. It's pretty easy for me because refined carb processed food is so simple. So I make a meat or stew type dish for both of us, veggies or salad, and then a refined carb for him. (i.e. maybe we're having chili and his will be over rice with oyster crackers while mine will be over shredded cabbage. Boiling up a cup of rice doesn't kill me ... it might kill Him, but that's another story.). Could you maybe flip that on it's head and add a steak, porkchop, chicken breast or some other simple meat to his plate?

[mira]

I'm in the same situation as you, so I'm soaking up all the suggestions!

[redfox]

Unless one is a short order cook, if someone is unhappy with the cooking, they have every opportunity to jump in and do their own. That's my take on it.

[bae]

I do most of the cooking, my wife does most of the marketing, my daughter does most of the prep work.

We look at what we have available, then engage in a bidding process involving increasing the complexity/fun/desire for the meal until a general agreement is reached, then go for it. Disputes are resolved with rock-paper-scissors-Spock-lizard. So everyone gets what they want, now-and-then.

Works like this:

"What's the plan for dinner?" (If someone has already been on the ball enought to have a plan at this stage, and something already in progress, they generally win by default.)

"Umm, I don't know." "No clue here" "I bought pickled okra...."

(pause) (grimace)

I bid pasta with frozen tomato sauce. (Pause) (Ugly look from daughter)

Raise you fresh home-made alfredo sauce.

I'll see the pasta/alfredo, and up you some grilled salmon.

I'm not that hungry, how about Mac-n-Cheese.

Ick. Ick. OK, maybe later.

How about a salad with the grilled salmon?

That'd work, drop the pasta, and I'll make some fresh flatbreads.

Call. Call. OK, let's cook.

[mira]

Unless one is a short order cook, if someone is unhappy with the cooking, they have every opportunity to jump in and do their own. That's my take on it.
Yes, normally I say "well, you can just go to the next restaurant" if there's a hint of disapproval.

My partner lives off meat, cheese and milk, pretty much. We have four types of cheese in various forms in our fridge. It'll be him who eats most of it. This worries me; I just don't want him to compromise his health in any way.