Help! what to cook for picky eater...

[Ada Ataloss]

A friend has moved into our house, and we enjoy eating at least one main meal together. Early on, I discovered that he DOES NOT eat the following:
no vegetables except potatoes and carrots; nothing cold; no salads; no sandwiches; no cold cuts; nothing with sour cream; nothing with mushrooms; no left-overs. As for meats - only chicken, beef, and salmon, and pinto beans. We have always enjoyed casseroles and well-balanced meals with veggies as the main stars. Not any more. I am at a loss as to what to fix. I have tried everything from gourmet dinners to down-home cooking and am having to throw out most of the wonderful recipes we used down through the years all of which lean toward a very healthy eating lifestyle. And no, it is not an option to "toss him out the door." He will be with us for 4 years. And I might add is a joy to have as a guest....(except for the meal dilemma.)

Any sources, suggestions, recipes, etc. would be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[caseydog]

Welcome fellow Dallasite.

Not sure what to tell you. I could not tailor my meals to always please somebody else. There would have to be some give and take.

Maybe think "modular." Meals that offer him stuff he will eat, that also incorporate stuff that you like.

Good luck.

CD

 

[Caslon]

Boiled beef hot dogs in buns served with Boston baked beans? Who knows, right?

..."he ate it!"

 

[Aunt Bea]

Show him where you keep the peanut butter and jelly.

 

[CraigC]

He is a guest in your house and should respect the fact that you cook and eat as you wish. If his eating habits are not due to a health condition, there is absolutely no reason to not eat what you offer.

 

[larry_stewart]

Just out of curiosity, what does he eat the other 2 meals a day that he is not eating with you ?

 

[Aunt Bea]

Show him where you keep the peanut butter and jelly.

I was still on my first cup of coffee when I posted this and I stand by it but I think that you should keep putting a variety of healthy nutritious foods on the table in the hope that over the next four years you can turn your guest into a more adventurous eater.

If you see that he is being a good sport about trying and experimenting with new foods then toss him a slice of pizza or a French fry every now and then!

Good luck!

 

[jennyema]

I agree with the other folks here.

Why are you catering to his weird food issues?

Cook healthy meals that you enjoy. If he wants to sit down and eat with you he can heat up a can of pinto beans and join you.

That would be the polite thing to do on his part, IMO

 

[CharlieD]

Wow, is all I can say. 4 years. Is he a college student? I say serve him mashed or baked potato and grilled chicken every time he eats with you. For you add salad, bam you are done. The meal is still balanced, but everybody happy.


P.S. You are some kind of nice people, I have to say. 4 years. I have hard time with my son who comes visit for more than 4 days.

 

[GotGarlic]

I agree with the basic sentiment here - I don't see any reason to cater to your guest's likes and dislikes to that extent. I think I would offer him a cupboard and refrigerator space for his own food and let him fix it himself - like I did when I rented a house with several other people in college. If he's at least a teenager, he can easily learn how to make a few simple meals. Maybe over time, seeing how you eat will have an influence on him, but I certainly wouldn't change my entire way of cooking for a long-term guest.

 

[GotGarlic]

Just to add another thought: think about what he's asking of you - a hot meal made fresh every day from only a very few proteins and vegetables of all the variety available. Do you think that's reasonable?

He can certainly learn to cook his own potatoes, carrots and a protein every day.

 

[roadfix]

Oh boy. This is a tough one. I think it all depends on the type of relationship you have with this person. Is he your lover?

 

[GotGarlic]

Oh boy. This is a tough one. I think it all depends on the type of relationship you have with this person. Is he your lover?

She said "a friend moved into our house," so it doesn't sound like that kind of relationship.

 

[roadfix]

She said "a friend moved into our house," so it doesn't sound like that kind of relationship.

In my book that can mean anything....

The OP can be a single parent with kids for all I know...

 

[GotGarlic]

In my book that can mean anything....[emoji38]

The OP can be a single parent with kids for all I know...

Could be...

 

[Andy M.]

We're in a similar situation. Our 23 YO granddaughter is living with us temporarily and does not like some of the foods we eat most. No beef (except ground beef), pork, ham, shrimp, mushrooms, pickles, etc.

It's a challenge to cook at times. Fortunately, she's on the road half the time so I can manage it.

She doesn't cook and has been willing to try new stuff. She's our granddaughter so she gets catered to a bit.

As far as the OP's situation, a lot depends on the relationship and the circumstances so it's difficult to give advice.

 

[GotGarlic]

Here you go. Let him make a half recipe of this every day, switching out the chicken for salmon or a ground beef patty if he wants, and the rest of you can eat something else.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/christinebyrne/sheet-pan-chicken-dinner-recipe

 

[RPCookin]

You are doing the person a huge favor by letting him live with you. I really don't see that you should have to cater to his peculiar eating preferences. If he doesn't like what you prepare, then he had better learn to fend for himself.

 

[medtran49]

It was only for a few months because his home was destroyed in a hurricane, but when Craig's brother stayed with us, I changed way of cooking a tad bit because he was diabetic and we weren't. I still cooked the same things mostly, though.with a healthier bent, and would add a side dish that wasn't bad for his diabetes. Also tried some diabetic recipes that we ended up liking.

Now when DD and family lived with us that was a whole nother thing. He doesn't like cheese or cream, though will eat pizza and ice cream. Only veges are carrots and broccoli if it's cooked perfectly to his liking. DD won't eat carrots. I ended up making modular meals, as I think.GG suggested. If the rest of us had baked pasta or lasagna, he got pasta and red sauce/meat sauce. If we had carrots and corn, Craig and I had mixed and they each had their own. I usually ended up with only 1 or 2 extra pots per meal and everybody was fairly happy, just took a little creative thinking sometimes.

 

[GotGarlic]

Caseydog suggested the modular meal idea, which could work; I suggested the sheet pan meal. I'm guessing (I could be wrong) that someone with that many dislikes probably is not big on a variety of seasonings, either, so that can be further limiting.

If it was a family member with a medical condition, I would certainly make allowances and adjustments. This situation seems extreme to me, though.