It really depends. When DH wants to lose weight, he can eat the same basic thing every day. Eggs or protein shake for breakfast, salad with greens, carrots, grilled chicken and balsamic vinegar for lunch, and a basic chicken and veggies dish for dinner. Some healthy snacks in between with little variance. And it works great for him.

If I don't have variety in what I eat, I fall off the wagon much quicker. So for me, it's whole foods with little carbs, but I rotate between about 30 different dinners and about 50 lunches. I allow myself "bad snacks" a couple of times a week and make sure I eat proper serving sides. I've lost about 20 pounds in 3 months,.so it works for me. With DHS style, I lost weight much slower and yo-yoed more

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know from my own experiences in dieting that boredom in my meal planning leads to eating binges. I think your kids will rebel (by stopping at the "candy store"; by getting into stashed eating; by eating at friends' houses.

this assumes that there is a different kind of food that you can binge on. but if the only food available is of the very same kind you won’t binge.

Agree. Kids don’t have access to stores.

Do you not plan to go grocery shopping, ever? Do you not plan to ever visit other people? Turn on your tv or device? Your kids will be exposed to other foods. Unless you live in a cabin in the woods. Feeding your child a diet of fish and rice is not a good way of getting your children to self limit. It teaches them nothing about how to handle treats and high fat foods.

I know because this was my parents' approach. No carbs or cookies or treats in our house! Yet somehow I was very overweight...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know from my own experiences in dieting that boredom in my meal planning leads to eating binges. I think your kids will rebel (by stopping at the "candy store"; by getting into stashed eating; by eating at friends' houses.

this assumes that there is a different kind of food that you can binge on. but if the only food available is of the very same kind you won’t binge.

Agree. Kids don’t have access to stores.

Anonymous wrote:I know from my own experiences in dieting that boredom in my meal planning leads to eating binges. I think your kids will rebel (by stopping at the "candy store"; by getting into stashed eating; by eating at friends' houses.

this assumes that there is a different kind of food that you can binge on. but if the only food available is of the very same kind you won’t binge.

Anonymous wrote:The more limited your diet is, the less you will eat. Variety in food leads to higher intake. Try it.

Not my experience. Different people are different.

No, you will look for something yummy after the yucky meal.

I know from my own experiences in dieting that boredom in my meal planning leads to eating binges. I think your kids will rebel (by stopping at the "candy store"; by getting into stashed eating; by eating at friends' houses.

The more limited your diet is, the less you will eat. Variety in food leads to higher intake. Try it.

The problem is you can't fake your self out. As a kid, you eat what adults make available to you. As an adult, what you have on hadn is only a part of the story; you know you can always jump in the car and gorge at Cheesecake Factory.

Do you want to lose weight? Or do you want your kids to lose weight?

Thinking back to when I was a kid, so very long ago. Food was nutritious, but boring. Meat and potatoes and peas on my plate. Meat was not the best cut, but definitely not grilled or slow roasted. Tasteless. Boring lunches of PB and J. Treats were basic. Drinks were milk or chocolate milk or warm milk or orange juice or koolaid or tang, maybe soda.
If I gave my kids that food, they would sulk and go to bed hungry, then eventually nibble at it.