Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Dinner Time Blues
Let me just start by saying that I really enjoy cooking, but some how the joy has been sucked out by trying to prepare meals for a very picky family. The rules are constantly changing. The latest dilemma? Nathan has decided he doesn't like meat. We are a meat and potatoes family. My husband doesn't consider a meal - a meal - unless it has meat served with it. Our family rule has always been that you have to try a bite of everything on your plate. If you go to bed hungry then that's your choice. No special meals. In addition you don't get goodies either if any are served. So Nate will sit down at dinner, spy the meat, eat his veggies and state "I don't need desert tonight". I am thrilled he loves all most all veggies and fruits. My only concern about meat is that he get enough protein. My family doesn't eat beans unless their the re fried kind on Mexican food. He is allergic to nuts which carries some of the same nutrients. That leaves eggs and cheese- both of which he loves. I feel like I need to make a decision to support him in his efforts not to eat meat and make he gets the nutrients he needs- mainly because this has been going on for about a month. But there is the whole rule about special meals.... has anyone faced this problem and what did you do to handle it?
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6 comments:
Hi Charlotte!
Your Alaska adventure sounds wonderful! Is Nate ethically opposed to meat or does he just not like it? Knowing several veggie eatin folk, that may help you know how to approach it. If it's just an "I don't like it" thing then it will probably pass an no lasting nutritional damage will be done. If it looks like a long haul thing, you can sneak other things into the food you have - lentils are great and often easy to hide - flax meal provides some protein and other neat things. I'm learning it mixes in well with lots of stuff. Make a deal with him - if he's old enough to make a dietary choice like that he needs to understand that he needs to broaden his meal horizons :-) Good luck!
He is a funny kid and kudos to him for sticking to his no meat policy, Nic, decided when he was about that age he would not meat because it came from cute animals, but the moment he smelled bacon cooking he decided that it was not such a big deal. does he not like the texture of meat? I agree with Gwen, I think you need to know why he is not eating meat an dthen tackle the problem
Hi Lottie! Remember I had that problem pretty much the whole time I was growing up.. until I was a teen- I really think it was texture for me. Something about the feel of meat made me want to gag! I really wasn't trying to be a difficult child :) You could always try some protien shakes between meals to make sure he's getting the protein he needs- also that way you don't have to change your meal rule. (but ofcourse I don't have kids, so I really dont know yet what it's like)
Hi Charlotte,
Tori went through that stage for about a year, when she was 13. I just told her she had to eat the vegetables and anything with out meat on the table that I had prepared. She wanted to be a vegetarian, because she thought it was cruel to eat animals. She noticed a diffenrece in how she did in swimming without protien. she did not have a lot of energy. She finally decided that she should have meat. She started eating chicken and then beef again. I supported her decision and made sure she had some type of protien during the day, either egg, dairy or soy. I agree with the others find out why he does not want to eat meat. I dont think your bending any rules if he eats everything else at the dinner table and maybe has a glass of milk for dinner to make sure he has protien.
Hey, from Raleigh.
It was great to hear from the numero uno Padres fan over the weekend.
Since I am the only carnivore in a vegetarian family I have become creative w/ meat alternatives and protien. Check out "Bobs Red Mill" TVP (textured vegetable protein)easy to find on the internet
It takes on the taste of whatever you cook it with and is somewhat like crumbled ground beef when cooked. I don't think it will fit the steak and potato bill for Eric but this stuff is loaded w/ protien and minerals. I'll get some more info or get Bonnie to email you. We are dealing w/ Alli needing to eat gluten free as well so this stuff was a great find
Madysen did the no meat thing for about 6 months. I would make meat meals and grind up the meat either in a sauce or find some way to mix it in all chopped up like that. But, the light at the end of the tunnel is, she now eats hamburgers or chicken. So no matter what kind of meat I fix it is hamburger or chicken and the whole family knows this and goes along with it. But, she would always eat jerky. And it is a good source of protein.
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