Anonymous wrote:Let me start off my saying I’m somewhat of a health nut. I try to eat clean and mainly use whole, organic ingredients. I’m not a good cook but I’d rather eat something that is healthy for sustenance than something that is delicious but unhealthy. Stuff I make at home are usual stir fries with veggies and lean meat, baked chicken, marinated pork chops with veggies, and soups and stews with tons of veggies and lean meat.
My husband on the other hand loves junk food. He is in his 40s but still enjoys McDonalds. He goes to places like Burger King, 5 guys, Buffalo Wild Wings, and papa John’s multiple times a week. At the risk of sound like a snob, I never ate at places like that before meeting him. To me it’s junk food filled with empty calories, bad oils, and low quality ingredients. He also enjoys higher quality restaurants like the Great American chains where he can get ribs, burgers and steaks there but it’s not feasible for our budget and schedule to get takeout from restaurants like that everyday.
As far as fast food goes, I’m okay with getting Chipotle, kabobs from Moby Dicks and Panda Express maybe 2-3x a week. That’s something my husband and I can eat together. I like going out to eat too but I prefer sushi and lighter fares like Thai. I just can’t stand eating greasy fried carb rich foods and fatty meats all the time, but that’s what my husband wants most of the time. Basically, my husband thinks restaurants like True Food Kitchen is disgusting but I really appreciate a restaurant that serves up ultra healthy foods even though it may not taste as good as a regular restaurant.
To make matters worse my 2 year old son is also an extremely picky eater. Some days he’ll only eat crackers. I try to cook healthy foods for him like meatballs in homemade marinara sauce filled with veggies, chilis, fresh banana pancakes, etc but it gets rejected most of the time which is extremely frustrating but at least I will eat the stuff I make so it doesn’t go to waste. My husband will not eat the stuff I cook for my son because it’s too bland and “healthy” so often times he’ll order pizza and wings instead.
Sorry for the long rant but I guess I just feel grossed out by how unhealthy my husband eats and I also feel rejected that he won’t eat the food I cook 90% of the time. Should I try to cater my cooking to suit him better? However I want my toddler to eat healthy too so my recipes will be on the clean side and it’s exhausting enough trying to cook something my toddler will eat let alone my husband. I don’t want to have to cook something separate for my husband and have him reject it too so he’s been getting takeout almost every meal everyday and I feel kinda guilty about how much junk he’s eating.
To top it off, he’s also goes off and on this keto diet where he only eats meat so he’s getting ribs, wings, burger patties and chik fila salads and fried chicken all the time. When he’s off the diet he just wants to splurge and tells me to pick up cakes, donuts, pizzas, and all kinds of junk for him when I go shopping and I feel like an enabler. I just feel disgusted (am I being judgmental because I’m sort of a health nut?), exasperated and i don't know what to do.
The two of you need to sit down and have a full-on heart-to-heart discussion about food and health and the role(s) you each want them to play in your and your family's life, why you think the way you do about food/eating, and why eating healthy - or not - is important to each of you. Both need to be open-minded and not come to the conversation on guard to defend your own position. There is room for a LOT of compromise here; but the LONG-TERM HEALTH of you and your husband and your CHILD are the priority.
Hopefully you can all reasonably agree (1) that the current situation is not feasible for you, having to manage the different preferences of three individuals - and what if you add another child to the mix? (2) that health is important - and you can have more discussions and involve credible medical sources as needed (3) that the health and developing habits of a healthy lifestyle for your child(ren) should be a priority as parents.
Then, agree to:
a limit of "x" # of times eating/ordering out per week;
you choosing the dinners and cooking them "x" nights and your husband "x" nights or together or whatever;
A core list of meals (current or new or old ones from his childhood he loves, whatever) that you and he can agree to at least tolerate and meal plan around weekly;
Most importantly, one meal being served for everyone and everyone chooses to eat it or not -- This is the most important for right now. Your husband is not setting a good example for your child, not just regarding food choices, but by showing your child they don't have to consider your values and efforts. He is also setting your child up for choosing between parents, following dad and making mom feel even less appreciated and respected and fearful of her family members' health etc.
I am the mom of 2 who are now late teens. One was/is an extremely picky eater with a very narrow range of foods they'll eat. We've even done counseling for them about it. I am telling you:
You do not want FOOD to be the focus or become a point of tension in your family.
You SHOULD NOT become a short-order cook or cater to everyone's individual preferences every night. I have tried very hard to include at least some accommodation to ensure everyone will have something to eat. Don't do this! Work together on finding foods you can agree on to start. Over time, as you learn to cook better and your husband gets more accustomed to eating healthier food, it will become easier for everyone.