I am Chief Cook and Bottle Washer at our house. Well, I don’t have to do too many bottles anymore, but you get the picture. You’d think, after twenty-seven years in that position, I would be able to get my husband to eat more of the things that are good for him.
Nope.
It didn’t start out that way. We were young and healthy. We ate what we wanted. Life was good. Then, when the middle years hit, we began to run into health snags. Gradually, what we could eat was a shorter list than what we weren’t supposed to. That can be very frustrating, and not just for the diner.
When I could smother them in butter, cheese or bacon grease, vegetables were an acceptable item on the menu. Maybe not a favorite, but acceptable. Now that those items are on the “left behind” list, someone in the household has gotten fussier about them.
I will grant you that diet changes aren’t easy. Mine has been changed, too. I refuse to eat stuff in front of him that he can’t eat himself, so we eat the same things…or at least I try to do that.
Aside from the lack of favorite flavoring agents, we are also limited as to protein. Gone are the days of the beef roast and fried pork chops. Now it is either poultry or fish. As I am the only one who actually likes fish, it is mostly poultry. For the last seven years, that has largely been what we’ve eaten. I think I have figured out every way possible to disguise the fact that we are having chicken again tonight.
One thing I have learned is to do my homework. Most doctors are not cooks, nor are they up on the latest trends in animal husbandry. I have learned that there are cuts of beef lower in fat and cholesterol than an untrimmed piece of boneless/skinless chicken. I have also learned that if said beef is grass fed, it has the same amount of Omega-3 fatty acids as a piece of salmon. Yay! Beef is back on the menu.
Another thing back on the menu, though in a limited way is the egg. Changes in feed and care of the birds have done wonders. The eggs have less cholesterol, and many of them have Omega-3 fatty acids. It’s nice to have an egg now and then to go along with my turkey sausage.
So, how do I get my fussy eater to eat his veggies? I can at least get him to eat asparagus…topped with an egg. Other than that, it’s either go back to the unhealthy toppings or skip them entirely. Somehow I think the former is slightly healthier than the latter, but not by much.