Different Diets, One House. Is This You?
Trying to find the nutritional sweet spot in your home.
Trying to compromise and find agreement on food and meals can be challenging. Especially when one person is actively engaged in a healthy lifestyle and the other is not really; when one person is a foodie, and the other just wants traditional meat and potatoes.
For most, the struggle is real.
Food is meant to be enjoyed. It’s fun to plan, prep, make a meal together, and discuss the ups and downs of the day. Food brings people together.
But what happens when the members of your household have different eating habits? How do you plan meals? How do you come together and make one meal everyone can enjoy without turning dinner into an all-day cook-off?
Does this sound familiar?
Even if it’s just two people in the home, planning and enjoying meals can be tough. The good news is that it doesn’t have to turn into a mission impossible moment.
Here are some simple things you can do to stay on track with your fitness lifestyle and goals, even if there are dietary differences:
1. Knowing the Differences and Finding Compromise
I love fruits and vegetables. He doesn’t like fruit and eats maybe 3 vegetables. He loves venison; I gag at the thought. I love fish and most seafood; he only likes scallops, shrimp, and Mahi. I rarely eat desserts and sweets; he binges on ice cream nightly. I was willing to cut back on meat intake, and he couldn’t do it.
We both agree on the Mahi and shrimp. We both love Mexican food, especially tacos (Yay, Taco Tuesdays)! I try to stick only to the green veggies he enjoys as the side dish, which are usually green beans, asparagus, or the occasional brussel sprout.
When I tracked my food a few months back, he thought I was crazy. After a while, I thought I was crazy. But I successfully completed the macro tracking challenge anyway. And we still happily agreed on our nightly dinner plans. We both got what we wanted. We enjoyed good food.
Food habits can be deeply ingrained from childhood. Foods we like and dislike are usually the results of lifelong programming into our psyche. We’re taught what’s acceptable to eat and not eat. We’re led to believe that the Standard American Diet is the norm and that anything outside of that (vegan/vegetarian/pescetarian/low-carb, etc.) is just plain weird and practically unacceptable.
These patterns can be difficult to break, especially if one person in the household wants to make nutritional changes. But it can be done.
This is where compromise comes in. Compromise is powerful. Compromise is a win-win. Learning and respecting others’ food choices is healthy, like the organic bean salad that was just whipped up for a delightful snack.
For our household, we’ve learned to appreciate our individual nutrition choices and lifestyle. We respect each other’s lifestyle choices. And on some occasions, we simply have to agree to disagree.
Try to plan out weekly meals ahead of time. This way, you can sort out any differences in food opinions that may crop up, and everyone in the household gets what they want.
One thing we definitely don’t do anymore is highly processed foods, even though there is the occasional craving for boxed cheddar cheese potatoes. Then I remind him of how his belly usually feels the next day. He’s usually cured of the craving pretty quickly.
Above all, we agree on high-quality and locally grown items to not only support our local farming community but to support our hankering for damn good homemade food!
2. Have That Conversation
It’s wonderful and harmonious to agree on the same foods. But it’s also okay to say no. It’s okay to have different food selections within the same household.
But you have to talk about it and find common ground. Otherwise, you’re making different meals all the time. This can be exhausting and unnecessary.
Discuss things you are and aren’t willing to eat. I’m not willing to consume sugar and processed foods. We compromise and work to find healthier alternatives that satisfy the budget and our dietary lifestyle. The only thing that gets regular sugar in our home is the homemade hummingbird nectar.
In having that conversation about food, there also needs to be some flexibility. Determine the hard stops and the non-negotiables of the diet. Openly discuss the reasons why you’re reluctant to eat or try something new. In being open and honest, some of those initial fears might fade away.
Gaining an understanding of someone’s eating preferences is powerful insight. You learn more about their background and habits by openly talking about food selections for your household.
3. Maintain Boundaries.
This goes for both food and with other people.
It’s not okay to be forced to eat something you don’t want or like. It’s not okay to be coerced or made to feel guilty for your food choices.
My husband eats ice cream every night before bed. I know it’s not healthy. He knows it’s not healthy. But I don’t stop him or make him feel bad about his choice either. I don’t cross his boundary. He doesn’t make me eat venison when he gets a deer during hunting season. He doesn’t cross my boundary.
We both respect each other's food choices and boundaries, even if neither of us understands the reasoning behind them.
Compromise. Conversation. Boundaries. Win-Win-Win.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a conscious daily practice. Be positive, and don’t forgo your goals because someone in your household eats differently.
Keep your eye on the prize of what you set out to achieve.
When you know the likes and dislikes of meal planning, it makes life a little less stressful. You can stay within the boundaries and still achieve your goals.
Key Takeaways
- Finding the nutritional sweet spot can be challenging when there are different dietary needs in one household.
- Food is meant to be enjoyed, shared, and to bring people together.
- Identify your food differences and find a compromise. What are you willing or not willing to eat? Are there any substitutes or alternatives?
- Have the difficult conversation about any dietary changes, especially if one person chooses to eat healthily and the other doesn’t.
- Establish boundaries and hold them, even in the face of temptation.
- Respect each other’s nutritional choices, even if you don't understand the reasoning behind the choice.
Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this article!
You just read another post from In Fitness And In Health: a health and fitness community dedicated to sharing knowledge, lessons, and suggestions to living happier, healthier lives.
If you’d like to join our newsletter and receive more stories like this one, tap here.
