Family of 5 - our meals have just got too complicated!

lynsayjane

pigpen wrote: »

And what if they choose something YOU don't like?? .. your meat loving child wants beef stew with suet dumplings.. then what?? You cook something different for yourself or you have cereal or bread and jam?? How is that any different? What does that teach anyone? We will pander to your wants so long as it holds with what we want?? You may as well do as you want in the first place and tell them to like it or lump it!
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It wouldn't be a big stretch to do a stew but have it with quorn 'beef' and a smaller with real beef for the one that eats meat. All the veg etc would be preped the same, you'd just need a second smaller pot for the meat version. The same would work for a lot of meals, even the spag bol can be made with quorn mince. As most of the prep work would be exactly the same it is a reasonable way of satisfying some of the differences but reducing the hassle.

jackyann

elizabethhull wrote: »

Incidentally, we had many holidays in France as a child (50's & 60's), and with my children (80's and 90's), and veggies were STILL viewed with disdain. Something about the French culture - never a veggie choice in restaurants, except for omelettes. I wonder if that is still the case ?

A bit better than it was - more restaurants serve veggie options.
But the best value meals (and to me, the glory of French food) are in the little restaurants & cafes that serve the local workers. They keep the food good, cheap & fresh by serving very limited choices. That means if you can't eat the meal of the day, they'll rustle up an omelette.
So - in large towns, in service stations etc. more veggie choices. Small towns in La France profonde - not so much. But hard to beat a menu fixe that offers 4 beautifully cooked course, using fresh local ingredients + a glass of wine & coffee for 10 euros.

tori.k

we are in a similar situation Both DH&I are veggies with one meat eater left at home

I now bulk cook a handful of ready meals for our son so if we have a veggie lasagna I just have to take out a meat one I froze for him I keep meals very simple but all meals are based on the same ingredients really with meat added as a side.
If you fancy trying something new make it on kids junk food night, I like to cook when the kids were smaller and I wanted to experiment I choose a pizza night for them and cook a little extra of my meal for them to try, occasionally I would be asked to make it again for everybody.

LameWolf

elizabethhull wrote: »

Incidentally, we had many holidays in France as a child (50's & 60's), and with my children (80's and 90's), and veggies were STILL viewed with disdain. Something about the French culture - never a veggie choice in restaurants, except for omelettes. I wonder if that is still the case ?

I don't know about France, but certainly in Belgium, the best way is to eat at Italian restaurants; they always seem to have something a veggie can cope with.

I do remember going to a restaurant in Brugge and asking the waiter if the goats cheese salad was ok for veggies - his reply was "It will be if I ask Chef to leave out the bacon bits". :rotfl:

Just as an aside - I was brought up with the "eat it or get it back for your next meal" regime, and I was literally sick almost every day. It was only when I hit 16 and started work - and was therefore responsible for buying my own food - and stopped even attempting to eat meat that the daily sickness stopped. Transpires my body totally rejects meat.