How to cook for a picky husband

beckye34

My husband of six months encourages me to cook dinner, but he is very picky. I've never seen him eat a vegetable or anything healthy. How can I make meals that I want to eat and encourage him to try new things? He is starving after a correct portion of chicken or fish and won't eat sides or salads. Anyone else having this issue? I know kids that eat more then he does... 

cutiepie75

I have a similar issue, and his Mother did it in my opinion. On Christmas Eve, we were at his brother and sister-in-law's house.  They had mashed potatoes as a side, and his mother said to him "I was going to bring you a baked potato b/c I know you would prefer them."  I just bit my tongue.  Luckily, in this case he said "Mom, I eat both."  He hates most veggies, noodles, and is a meat and potatoes guy.  I can get by, but I find it annoying on many levels!

alithebride

ha. let him know if you cook it he can eat it or he can cook his own food. to me refusing to eat anything heatlthy isn't 'picky', its bull-headed and silly.

lasposa425

alithebride:

ha. let him know if you cook it he can eat it or he can cook his own food. to me refusing to eat anything heatlthy isn't 'picky', its bull-headed and silly.

This!

Jim&Jaime

lasposa425:

alithebride:

ha. let him know if you cook it he can eat it or he can cook his own food. to me refusing to eat anything heatlthy isn't 'picky', its bull-headed and silly.

This!

I'll double agree. He needs to grow up! I don't even let my 4 year old get away with this type of behavior.

Amt2109

My husband is probably similar but not as extreme, I'd say. Although he's definitely still hungry after a normal person sized meal.

I basically started slowly with the vegetables. I'd cook brussel sprouts with bacon or hide vegetables in bolognese. Covering them with (especially meaty) flavours seemed to help. I bake baby carrots with olive oil and italian seasoning or even sometimes a little paprika or chilli just to disguise the taste for him. It helps he's not too averse to seeing a little broccoli floret on his plate.

Another good way I found with my H is to cook fajitas or tacos. Less meat,but have onion strips and pepper strips. All coated in the seasoning it all tastes the same anyway. And he'll eat any vegetable I cook with meatballs and marinara.

JamieSherie

This is what I do too!!  My husband is super picky..i have to find ways to hide things.  I dont think he needs to go up...some people are picky and some arent

PurrBox

Yeah, my husband used to be this way. But he has become much better about eating more things.

When we first got married, anytime we ate out I would get him to try whatever I ordered--even if he argued that he already knew he didn't like it. After a while, he started branching out and trying new things on his own.

Also, food network helped a lot.

Basically, encourage him to try whatever you're eating. If he fights you tooth and nail, just beg him to at least eat one bight, and tell him doing so would make you super happy.

cnderella83

same! my husband grew up in a house where if you didn't like the main meal, mommy made you a grilled cheese. I just try to make a variety of thinsg and you know what, sometumes he won't eat the veggies. he's a big boy and i've learned to live with the fact that he won't always enjoy my homemade brushetta and or roasted beets and that's ok. but i refuse ot not make them. I cook healthy and try to swap where i can- whole wheat pasta, veggies in the turkey meat loaf- shredded and hidden.

good luck!!!

gymbugmj2k

i grew up with the "3 bites before you say you don't like it" rule.  I eat EVERYTHING. lol

hubby was a picky eater when we were dating...but mom and i cook so many healthy things, that it really came down to 'eat it or starve'.  He's almost more adventurous than me now!!  Most of the things he just was never exposed to....or else never had it cooked properly.  I got him to eat broccoli by sauteeing it with olive oil and lemon juice (my fav way to eat it!)

 

take baby steps. hide things in tomato sauce, bbq sauce or other things. dice up onions and green peppers in rice really tiny so he can't pick them out. then put shredded cheese in it. hold him to the '3 bites' rule.

Jim&Jaime

I'm sorry, but the idea of hiding vegetables from children, let alone grown adults, is simply ludicrous to me. You hid things if they're bad, shameful, feared. The simple act of hiding vegetables, is just perpetuating the thought that, yeah, veg is bad, bad, bad, and it will never taste good.

mckenzie915

My husband will eat just about anything, but his pickiness comes from what "mood" he has. So I would say that I was making Pasta for dinner and he would say that he wasn't in the mood for pasta. I finally had enough! I now make a weekly meal plan and don't tell him what we're having until he asks or he sits down to eat. I'm also of the opinion that you eat what you're given or make something for yourself.

 I also have 2 kids and love hiding vegetables in foods. My kids eat tons of cooked veggies, steamed broccoli, carrots, cauliflower... without added butter or spices. They love veggies. I hide veggies because I would rather make cauliflower mashed potatoes and increase their serving size of veggies and lessen their serving of starchy potatoes. I add pureed carrots or sweet potato to the beans for bean burritos and lots of other things. I think it's important to give them fresh veggies but I love knowing they are getting a little extra serving in their muffins and other foods.

MYRNALOY

My hubby is PICKY.  He too likes meat and potatoes, not many veggies.  In fact I have gotten angry at him for ordering fries and mashed potatoes as his sides when we go out.  He does need to grow up about it because we have a 3mo. daughter and I will not allow her to grow up to take after her Dad's picky eating habits.  I try to add veggies, he will attempt to please me if I cook it but usually turns his nose up to healthy eating.  He definitely needs a new diet and I am getting so frustrated over his stubbornness because I want him to be around for me and my daughter.