Share your tips for feeding a family with different dietary requirements with Flora

[AbbiCMumsnet]

Cooking a meal for the family can be hard at the best of times, so having family members with different dietary requirements can throw an extra spanner in the works. Whether it’s because of allergies and intolerances, or due to environmental, ethical or health concerns, we know that a lot of households have to think and prepare carefully to make sure their mealtimes cater to everyone around the table.

Because we think mealtimes can be tricky when you have to cater to different dietary requirements for family members, Flora would like to hear about your experiences and how you navigate through this.

Here’s what Flora has to say: “Health and wellbeing has never been so important to consumers, people care more about what goes into the products they are feeding themselves and their families, but they are not prepared to compromise on taste – and they shouldn’t have to. With a great new recipe making FLORA more delicious than ever, our new 100% Plant Goodness range can be enjoyed by the whole family.”

How does your family cater for those who have different dietary requirements when it comes to mealtimes? How can your family make sure everyone’s requirements are met without spending too much extra time, money, or effort on preparation? Has your family adapted well to managing emerging dietary requirements, or have there been any hiccups on the way?

Whatever your tips and tricks are on making these mealtimes a success, post them on the thread below and everyone who does will be entered into a prize draw where 1 MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight Terms and Conditions apply

I have to prepare dairy/soya/egg free meals for one of the brood.

I try to feed everyone the same as much as possible and then separate the servings. So a shepherds pie for everyone with one portion separated and topped with a dairy free mash.

Lots of tomato based pasta sauces with hidden kale (to help increase iodine levels).

You get used to thinking about food differently very quickly.

I usually spend Sunday mornings bulk cooking and I love it....I’ll put a slow cooker on sat night late usually a big beef casserole. Then...
I make on the stove top :
A large pot of spaghetti Bolognese
A chilli con carne
A Steamer filled with green beans and broccoli/cauliflower

In the Oven :
roast a chicken and some sausages

Everything gets cut or portioned into plastic containers and put either in the fridge or freezer ready to eat.

Then during the week ass I have to do is quickly boil some potatoes or rice. I can make instant mash if anyone wants it! The veg will last 2/3 days and then I use the freezer portions. Gravy takes a minute. If anyone wants a curry at zero notice hrs I can grab some cooked chicken and throw some sauce on it ! This seems to be the ideal set of meals for my family :)

My husband hates chicken - my daughter hates beef and my father who visits a lot hates fish and veg. No matter who is at the table I can throw them food faster than they can moan about the choice ! lol

So, two nut allergies, a diabetic and a very fussy eater alongside an eat-as-much-as-you-can chef and a prize baker ... Walk into a bar ... No they don't, they sit at my dining table every night with expectant faces. The most effort goes into what keeps everyone well but the focus is on what can be shared and enjoyed. May add tofu, a fried egg or fish to a vegetable rice noodle, it may take half an hour and an 'ology to make the packed lunches and it may make shopping a complete mental work out but we always eat together. Different breads, milks, noodles and proteins but only the Flora no dairy margarine. I know how this sounds but it's true! It is low-fat for the diabetic, no allergens for my itchy/sickly crew and actually does work in the (gluten free) home baked cakes, unlike the alternatives. That is all.

My youngest has a milk and egg intolerance. We try and genearly eat something that everyone can eat. If we have Mash potato I generally used his milk to make the Mash (no one seems to notice)

My husband has no carbohydrates so I tend to make large batches of Bolognese, Currys, Casseroles and my husband has it without the added carbohydrates

main dishes are planned to eliminate any specific allergies then we have sides for those who enjoy say prawns etc.

Use the freezer as much as possible and plan each week in advance. Make sure there are at least two meals a week that are the same that everyone can enjoy together.

I’m in this situation. My DH and his daughter are Coeliac and must not eat gluten. His son is lactose intolerant and needs dairy free for the most part. Both children are vegetarian. One only ever drinks water, nothing else ever.
So all meals are gluten free and all store cupboard basics are gluten free, that means anyone can eat anything and there is very little chance of cross contamination.
The non vegetarians don’t mind eating vegetarian dishes but meat or fish can be added when required.
If dairy is used then DS takes some tablets purchased from Holland and Barrett that counteract his lactose intolerance, he sometimes likes to do this if we all go out for pizza for example as it will have a lot of cheese on the top.

Batch cooking is the answer. By preparing meals in advance, you can easily cater for those with differing dietary requirements.

We are all vegetarian but last year, my daughter decided to go vegan and that did flummox us for a while! Luckily there are lots more foods vegans can eat so we made up a salad and rice/couscous/potatoes the same and made her something different to go with it.

Ooh, might have to give that ago, I haven't bought Flora for years.

We have a variety of dietary requirements so I try and cook things that can be customized, like jacket potatoes. You can have your choice of fillings.

Or a quiche with salad and you can load up your plate with as much grayed carrot as you can eat and leave all the horrible tomatoes for me.

That kind of thing.

Batch cook most things for my daughter as we work up the milk ladder for her and for family meal times we will go dairy and gluten free to cater for my daughter and husband. However I might add cheese or something they can't have once it's on my plate.

One of the children has an intolerance to cows milk. Not a major problem for all the family as there are alternative milks available for her.
However we have joined in with trying other milks to support her as she does miss cows milk on cereal.

I write a meal plan for the week ahead and shop accordingly. Some in my family don’t eat meat so I try and modify what I am making, rather than chicken tikka she has butternut squash tikka. Or if we are having roast chicken dinner she has all the trimmings, just minus the chicken. So it’s not separate meals I’m cooking, just slight adaptations at the beginning. The hardest thing is trying to get everyone around at the same time to eat.

I try to pick at last one thing we can all eat on the plate such as the rice or the vegetables etc. The rest is preparation - meal prepping at weekends and planning is a saviour.

Myself & my daughter are celiacs, so i have to prepare our foods first so nothing gets contaminated, especially as i cook from scratch (love home baking) Then i have to prepare ordinary food for my hubby & son, but luckly they love a lot of the glutenfree meals i make, which makes it easier.

I also bulk bake and freeze them for myself and daughter, that way it's great when i'm in a rush.

A tough one but with a bit of effort it very manageable so these are some of my tips which have worked for many years....

1. Make a menu plan accompanied by a specific grocery list.
2. Have "go to" recipes.
3. Get ahead at weekends.
4. Invest in a food processor.
5. Togetherness not timing ( lots of meals are eaten outside the home and in the car these days )

It's a lot easier in summer with salads and cold buffet style food which works well for everyone having what they like the best but with no waste!

I have a 4 year old Celiac and like to cook family meals that cater to her, lots of vegetables and fresh unprocessed meats. For things like butter and spreads I bought a label maker and labelled her own tubs to avoid cross contamination as even the smallest crumb can be damaging to her. Funnily enough her current bread spread is the flora plant goodness and she loves it. We have also bought separate appliances (toaster) and baking trays for occasions where the rest of us may have gluten.

Good planning is the key. My older daughter doesn’t likeeating meat and fish, my husband is on a special diet; no wheat, no dairy, no sugar, but lots of fat and protein. Vegetables are common ground for the whole family, so plan dishes with variety of veg.

Our little one is lactose intolerant which makes life a bit more difficult. I just cook separately for him so we aren't limited to that diet as well.

Having lots of different cook books!

Fortunately my family aren't allergic or intolerant to any foods, just a bit fussy! The dd will often eat earlier anyway so will make her tea first. I eat with my partner later

We have 3 people who all have different food intolerances. Label reading is a major thing we do thoroughly, both while shopping and when adding ingredients when cooking, to check who things are suitable. We have an extra freezer and batch cook a fair bit, always labelling who things are suitable for.