To be sick of cooking the same old shit every week for my family of veg haters!

[cricketmum84]

I'm sick and tired of cooking the same stuff week after week. I do a meal plan every Sunday morning before the big shop and it's always the same suggestions from this lot!
We are me, DH, DS(14) and DD(9). DH will only eat meat, carbs and potatoes, he likes spicy foods, Indian, Chinese etc as well as traditional British stuff. Only veg he will eat is tomatoes and onions. DS is quite adventurous, willing to try things, will eat cooked tomatoes and onions but no other cooked veg but will eat salad. DD will not eat anything spicier than a korma and no veg AT ALL. She can spot a slice of cooked onion from a mile away so I tend to do her something different like plain chicken breast.
I will eat pretty much everything except shellfish but love my veggies!

My meal plan is a constant rotation of chilli, baked chicken, pork chops, pasta, shepherds pie and I am SO BORED! But every idea I come up with ends up with someone whinging about the veg in it or that it's different or that they don't fancy it!

I really really need some good recipes that I can adapt for me to include veg but that will also suit the tastes of my faddy bunch! Either that or I do cauliflower curry every night and let the fussy gits starve 😂

Any ideas?? Please?

We have a number of food dislikes and allergies. Favourite meal at the moment is grilled chicken breast with lots of salad stuff in separate bowls so they can each make their own salad, with rice or quinoa.
Last week there was lettuce, mushroom, capsicum, snow peas, avocado, sweet corn,tomato, cucumber . No complaints.

I'm currently making this - seems like it fits?

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2637/chicken-and-red-wine-casserole-with-herby-dumpling

Or this?

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/slow-cooker-sausage-casserole

Point them towards pinch of nom and two chubby cubs and get the three of them to agree on 10 recipes out of the hundreds on there that they will all eat.

Until they come up with the list, just sort yourself out and DH can cook for himself and the DCs.

If they can't find anything they want to eat on there they are beyond help and can fucking starve.

I agree with suggestions above including finely chop or.puree the veg and add to stir-fry or sauce in Bolognese.
Tbh. I do raw carrot, brocolli, cauli, sweet peppers or cucumber sticks sometimes and my fussy ones will eat that, with.sweet chilli sour cream (stir in dollop.or.sweet chilli sauce) and humous etc dips.

I also used to cook quorn pieces and pretend it was chicken in curries and stir fries, add frozen squared butternut squash and finely chop mushrooms so they couldn't tell.
And I add chick peas and lentils to most stews I cook with peas or sweetcorn and meat cubes (frozen) so they couldn't really tell what was what althiut thy could spot peas and corn. With a "well that's your dinner, eat it or go hungry". I think your DH has passed on his behavioural dislikes to DC

Do curriies chillis but try stealth veg. I add courgettes, mushrooms, celery, carrots, spinach,peppers blitzed and they get wolfed up even though DD hates at least 3 of these.

Salad is always good option to add on, cucumber sticks and plum tomatoes. Even if they won't eat lettuce.

Stop catering to them? If they genuinely have one or two dislikes, fine, but no way in hells chance would I be allowing my children to not have any veg because my DH was passing on his bad habits. Cook dinner, if the don’t want it they go hungry.

If they don't like onions leave them out - they are a strong taste! We make all the usual meat and tomato sauces without onions in and they're fine.

Started because I have to be careful or it makes me ill and one of the 4 DC hates them but I too can smell onion in a meal...

Yeah I guess they are. It doesn't help that he makes comments at the dinner table about not wanting veg with his meal.
I have a few health issues whereas he hasn't seen a doctor in 15 years and he has said in front of the kids that he is so healthy Cos he doesn't eat fruit and veg. I've given him a very swift sharp kick under the table when he says this!!
DS was very anti veg at 9 but much less so now so I'm hoping as DD gets older she will try more things. I learnt with DS that pushing food they say they don't like and stressing about it is completely pointless! Choose your battles and all that...

I would be very concerned about the lack of nutrients in your children's diets, and also lack of fibre.

You really need to get them to realise that vegetables are vital to their diet, whether they like them or not. You're not doing them any favours by pandering to their wants.

Your DH is ridiculous, quite frankly. He's a grown man and should know better.

You have allowed your husband to pass on his problems to his children yes OP it's definitely your fault, not your husbands

Your husband needs to grow up. I don't like most vegetables. I still eat them because they're good for me and I'm trying to set a good example to my son!

Purée stuff.
My DS hates onion bits, fresh tomatoes and mushrooms despite being in lots of food I give him.
Also let your husband do his own food and fed the kids meals that have different vegtables cooked different ways. They tend to get a better grip on foods as they grow and experience more.

I was a real vegetable hater, even as an adult. The one thing that has got me eating loads of vegetables now is middle eastern cooking, especially books by yotam ottolenghi. He has fantastic vegetable-led dishes, and it has made a huge difference to my diet. Might still be too out-there for your 9 year old, but could perhaps get your 14 year old eating and enjoying vegetables. Some recipes look daunting at first, but are often not as difficult as they initially seem.

It’s too late to tackle the vegetable issue now. The time was when they were young. I couldn’t marry a man who didn’t eat vegetables I find it ignorant and disgusting. He could at least have shut up at the meal table so you could have educated your children differently.

Just make sure you don’t end up pandering to all the whims of your family.

he has said in front of the kids that he is so healthy Cos he doesn't eat fruit and veg

He might be healthy now but he has a higher risk of colorectal cancer in particular and cancer generally.

He’s also at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. There is evidence that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, weight-related illness (eg diabetes) eye disease such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

You could make that an educational point for your children and discuss the importance of your 5 a day for health.

Sausage and mash, low fat or quorn sausages for you?

Do they eat baked beans? They are one of your 5 a day. I know mumsnet likes to be snobby about them, but I think they’re a good way to get kids to eat beans. I find it increases acceptance if I add them to chilli, also if I serve chilli with grated cheese / sour cream (or low fat creamer fraiche), mild salsa to help yourself to.

I agree try sweet and sour chicken, maybe with plain stir fried or grilled chicken for your daughter and let her try the sauce the first time (or keep the sauce separate). Prawn crackers will improve the general mood 🙄

Any other chicken recipes?

Jacket potatoes with left over chilli / cheese / beans?

Make DH cook on a Saturday night for the both of you and do something kid friendly separately?

Save a meal from the previous day for DD (and DH?) whilst you and DS have something more interesting?

I’d be looking for meals that 2 or more people like and letting the odd ones out have the same as yesterday.

Your husband sounds like a PITA. If he isn’t able to grow up then I wouldn’t let him eat with the rest of you. What a child.

I find it next to impossible to make meals that everyone likes so I make sure everyone has one meal each week that they will like. Otherwise I make what I want and people are welcome to pick the bits out that they don’t like. I will keep DD’s meal Chili free (e.g. when making curries etc) and dish hers out before adding Chili to the pot for the rest of us, but otherwise everyone is expected to eat the family meal and not moan!