To only buy bread and ham?

[IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads]

DH and the dc eat meat. I don't. Family cooking has always been a bit fractious. I am bored to tears of cooking the same 3 or 4 meals that we either agree on, or are adaptable. I hate this situation, and I can't even remember how we got into it. The DC were weaned veggie. I work 4 long days and don't have time to be flapping about meals during the week. I like planning and shopping, but it is really beginning to stress me out.

A good 50% of new meals I try are met with suspicion.

The dc are 11 and 14. I ask them frequently for new ideas for meals they'd like to eat, and wave at the pile of recipe books for ideas.

I also ask them to throw away empty packets and put things we've run out of on the shopping list.

They do neither.

I'm fed up of this, and the associated food waste.

I've just done a Tesco order and bought mostly bread, salad veg and cereal. As far as I am concerned they can live off ham sandwiches until they engage a bit more with food.

Why don't you meal prep some meals for yourself OP when you do them, portion them up & freeze them?
That way, you can have more spicy pulse filled dishes that nobody else wants when you fancy a change.

I suggest you dull meal plan then.

monday - pasta, veg sauce and possible meatballs
tuesday - veggie chilli
Wednesday sausage and mash
thursday - fajitas
friday - something and chips (burgers, chicken Kievs, breaded fish etc change the “bung it in the oven” item every now and then)

that’s it. That’s what you cook every week. Every week you ask if anyone wants anything else, if not, that’s what you cook.

dh is in change of “thinking” at the weekends.

(Would they lose their shit if you served a veggie curry or noodles?)

I get your frustration Op. it's the same here....we rotate about 10 meals that everyone will eat. Also lots of the same types of meals so spag Bol/ ministrone soup/chilli. I've given up worrying about it & I also don't cook on a Fri, Sat or Sun. Fri is generally whatever is in the fridge, take away on sat & DH cooks a roast on sun. I use the fri to cook something I really want just for me!

We tend to do pot meals are kids are everywhere a different times. I also tend to use soya as gets less moodiness than no meat. So quorn pieces on chicken korma, soya mince in bolo and chilli. Lasagne or tacos with left over bolo or chilli.

Get a small white board, everyone has to write one meal they'd like on it and one one meal they'll cook that week
If they don't then they put up and shut up
The only thing I want to hear if I shop, cook and feed them is 'thank you'

Does your dh cook on weekends then?

If they’re all happy with what they currently have why don’t you carry on making what you’re making but make yourself something else? If you’re already batch cooking on your day off and you have a veggie option why not just make yourself whatever you want for the week?

Sandwiches are fine, we'd live on them, fortunately OH enjoys cooking so we do get a variety but Sandwiches are good (especially toasted).

Try some rolls and some burgers, they can make their own when they're hungry or even just bacon and egg rolls.

Our staple 'quick' meals are
Pasta, jar sauce and cheese
Pizza (ready made)
Noodles, frozen veg, packet Chinese sauce,
Beans on toast
Eggs on toast
Soup and sandwich
Ready made quiche, new potatoes, frozen veg

Very easy, simple food, but producing a 'proper' meal within 30 mis of getting home is difficult.

We eat 'real' food at the weekend or if someone feels inspired mid week.

Nothing wrong with familiarity.

Time to shake up the system a bit OP. How about meal prepping the same favourite family meals on a Sunday, leave the kids to microwave/ help themselves and make something YOU like when you’re back from work?

The kids are being kids so to expect them to appreciate it all now is unrealistic. So you kind of have to suck that bit up and remind them to be polite.

You could get your 14 year old to learn one meal. And maybe do some prep with them so they gain confidence? I like cooking with my 13 year old because he really really is so chuffed when he makes something that we all love (well except dd, who is as fussy as anything).

if you’re pushed for time in the evenings, then just accept that those days are east, repeated meals. Your day off and weekends are for something different.

And speak to your DH to explain how this is making you feel.

Yes.
He's not a great cook, but he does

Will you eat salmon? Frozen salmon and oven chips with some peas. Stick in oven. Stick in a veggie pie for yourself.

That's more or less what has lead to the current situation.

Your DC are old enough to cook dinner. Give them a night each and ask them in advance what they are cooking. You get the ingredients in the weekly shop and supervise the cooking if needed. Two less meals to worry about.

I agree. Certainly an omelette with veg/ham/cheese, or French toast, or a spring greens (with or without bacon) pasta, or a blended veg soup should be within their repertoire, also with an eye towards the future. I think one meal each per week (with you as sous-chef to save things if necessary) should be feasible. Perhaps you could put it in 'independence' terms, like them being on the way to adulthood?

Cook what you would like. Those that don’t fancy it can provide an alternative.

Try Gousto or Hello Fresh for a week. Everyone choose one meal that suits everyone. Everyone cooks their meal. Lots of deals on new accounts

I'm not sure what the problem is. That you don't like cooking? That you are bored with what you can cook for them? The meals you've listed seem fine. Our routine is that I cook and everyone else clears up, but that works for us. Your DH seems to pull hi weight in other ways

Just cook what you want to eat. If they don’t like it they get their own. When they don’t eat what you make, freeze the leftovers and use them for your lunch.

Then you’re good I think. Everyone contributes a meal idea, if they don’t then it’s cheese sandwiches all round on that night.

Start cooking something you want once a week.

Stop cooking a meat alternative at every meal.

Im in a similar position OP and something that has helped me is getting an instapot. I still struggle with getting the family to provide inspiration but when dinner takes 15 mins it doesn’t annoy me as much.

Well done OP, I would do exactly as you have done!

Interestingly, there’s another post a few above this one on actives where a mum is fed up of tidying up after her 11 yr old and the replies are all “leave him alone, he’s only 11 and it’s developmental” whereas on this thread the replies seem to be that he should be revising and cooking a whole meal for the family once a week. I agree with the posters on this thread but the completely different responses are a head fuck.

I think you being veggie is irrelevant really. It's the same situation in ny house, everyone else has a long list of 'won't eats' or a food intolerance. I do the meal planning and cooking and am met with the kids pushing food around their plates often. My dd would happily live on just breakfast ceral, toast and yogurt so I am trying to ensure some variety in her diet. It's annoying when you do all the cooking but can't make what you like. I often make a larger portion of something they will eat and then they can have left overs the next day while dh and I have something more daring like a stir fry full of little bits and exotic things like prawns.

The meals you've listed that you do in rotation sound lovely and I'm sure all the new recipes you make are equally as lovely. Sack them all off and come live with me. I'll gratefully eat all those and any new ones you try! I'll do the washing up and cleaning and washing if you just cook haha. Leave them to their sandwiches and we'll eat your yummy food