My husband is a fussy eater, I need help (burgers, grilled, junk food)

[Clemencia53]

Just let him eat what he wants. Don't worry about it. Anderson Cooper eats the same thing every single day.

For some people food is just something you need to survive.

I'm kind of the same way. But then I do shop for and cook my own food.

[Spuggy]

Originally Posted by Cmoidd

Thanks for the suggestions
What could I add on the side? I can’t give him fries everyday, he won’t eat veggies...
He hates mashed potatoes, he doesn’t like the texture, but I used my mother recipe it’s so lovely if only he was willing to try...

If only it was this simple, let him cook his own dinner... unfortunately He will get upset... it’s what I did yesterday, I cooked a lovely chicken stew for today, then prepared a raclette cheese with potatoes and ham and mortadella for my supper, I knew he wouldn’t eat it. So I didn’t prepare anything for him. And asked him to make his own dinner, while I was done cooking, tired, it’s a bit of work... seating at the table about to start my supper, he came in the kitchen and said what’s for me? I said I don’t know, pick what you want. And he got upset....
then later on after story time for our son, he came to me saying, he felt sick and it was because of me, I didn’t cook anything for him so he had to eat an entire big bag cheese puffs...

Wow! What a selfish,manipulative abusive turd. This is not just about food, he is running you ragged emotionally over something he can easily fix . He should be helping and supporting you. Perhaps you need to change how you react when he pouts and then tries to blame you.
He needs to sit down with you and write down what food he likes, he needs to write out his weekly menu plan, shop for it and help you in the kitchen and cook his flippin dinner. If he is not prepared to do that then don’t cook for him,let him pout, and stop trying to placate him. Shove some takeaway menus at home and say , here you’re a grown man ,order yourself something.

[Brian_M]

Originally Posted by Cmoidd

...he ate what she was making because he had no choice, so unfortunately that won’t help me...

I think that's the EXACT help you need. Hopefully you do the grocery shopping too, if so 100% remove any 'ready to eat' items from the house. Have only base ingredients you use to cook. Make the meals you want to make/eat.... if he doesn't want to eat what you prepare, he can go prepare something for himself or go hungry. Your son can simply go hungry. You'll need to put your foot down about leaving the house to buy fast food though, or his further enabling your child (and soon to be children) on the same toxic path.

I don't have kids, have never been around them, but I think you're doing a major disservice to yours by enabling them to dictate things to you. Growing up I had to try everything, new stuff was "what's This" and "eat it and we will tell you" (I can remember calamari for the first time as an example, I never would have touched it if I'd known ahead of time but it turned out I love it). Some things I hated... anything tomato-based (still hate anything with strong tomato taste), and that was easy to identify as it was across the board. Spaghetti night, I simply had noodles with butter and parm because that was the alternative. Now, I make 2 meals (my wife loves spaghetti, I'll have a salad with tuna or something else quick/easy) for "spaghetti night" because I really don't like tomatoes.

Stop enabling your children (yes, I'm including your spouse, he's acting like a spoiled kid). Stand up for yourself. Stop asking permission for dinner ideas and simply provide what you want to prepare. I know, you want to prepare what he will eat ~ I'm in the same boat (I'm retired and the cook, wife works ~ she gets frustrated that I'm forever asking her what she'd like for dinner) ~ but I suspect you know what his favorites are and can put them in the rotation from tie to time.


Can't believe a guy has a wife who likes and wants to cook, but won't eat what's made. Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth....

[MLSFan]

tell him to cook his own food if he wants it how he likes it... otherwise, its up to the chef how the food is cooked

if he eats like a kid, give him pureed food

[ClaraC]

Originally Posted by Cmoidd

Unfortunately she passed away a couple of years ago. And she was cooking for the entire family
But my husband always says she was a terrible cook, he ate what she was making because he had no choice, so unfortunately that won’t help me...

Yes. That. Reread this post until the picture becomes clear.

This is his pattern in life. He decides he doesn't like what the person who is cooking makes. That's his role. To be a big red blister on the foot of the food provider.

Since you ALREADY have a 4 year old with him, you must know this is what he does. He just makes his presence very, very felt by whining about food and pretending to be starving.

I know people with severe food preferences, and they figure it out for themselves. They know what they can manage to eat, and they are clear what those things are, and they're usually willing to take care of that need quietly themselves.

I think you need couples therapy, not a recipe book. He's making you miserable on purpose, likely because you're pregnant again and he wants all your attention.

Best wishes. It's a little unbelievable you've put up with this baby behavior as long as you have.

[Meemur]

OP, you might also be fussing too much. Back when I was cooking for a larger household, dinner needed to be on the table by 5:30 because everyone was busy. I worked, too, and didn't have time for "gourmet" dinners.

Generally, during the week, I fixed hamburgers (let people top their own), Kraft mac and cheese (came from a box), and heated up a canned veggie or cooked pork chops on the grill, with instant rice, and a canned veggie, or baked chicken . . .

I didn't use sauces or any spices more exotic than salt and pepper. I didn't use breading. This was basically plain, hot food at the table "on time."

I used to get raves about these meals! I knew my audience. They didn't appreciate "fine dining" or anything that they couldn't eat quickly: they had long evenings ahead.

I imagine foodies are reading this and cringing right now, but I wasn't cooking for them!

[phonelady61]

Your husband is spoiled . He said his mother was a bad cook well too bad some of us were not born with a cooking gene fortunately I was and my husband is what I would call a picky eater too he never eats vegetable if he does it is only lima beans and why ? because of his mother allowing him to only eat lima beans . You are creating a picky eater in your child if you let him leave the table without eating a vegetable and just allowing him to eat what he wants . No maam put your foot down with your child and tell your husband if he does not like what you cook hand him the take out menus and say there you go and you sit down with your child and eat . This is BS what you are going through and you had better learn to put your foot down and or you can see the next twenty years of your life going through this .

[reneeh63]

I vote with most everyone else. My dad was the cook in my family and he said "I'm not a short order cook!". Meaning we did not all give him orders of what we wanted - he cooked the meat, potatoes, and veggies - and we ate it! We had to eat at least a spoonful of everything on our plate but didn't have to clean our plate (bad habit that can lead to overating). But there was also very little snacking allowed that made it more likely we'd at least taste new foods and eat our dinner.

Obviously your husband will need slightly different treatment - but he can either cook for himself or get his own takeout or buy his own snacks - don't keep them in the house. Make it as difficult as possible for him. And you can cook a variety of reasonable and healthy foods he can try and hopefully grow to like. But cook for yourself and baby first and foremost.

[wellshii]

Same thing I tell my Kids.










Starve. Good thing about being a woman is that you can get a new husband whenever you want! As for my kids,
well child support etc.

[burdell]

Originally Posted by gouligann

Hamburgers?
Chicken? wings? breasts? thighs, whole chicken?
Steak and mashed potatoes?
Homemade soup?
pork chops?

If he can't tell you what he wants, then just cook what YOU want and he can either take it or leave it, forage in the cupboard, fridge, freezer, or order take out. I hope your son will grow up to eat healthier than his father.

Being pregnant, you have to take care of YOU and your baby number one. Your husband is spoiled.

Or, he can learn to cook what he wants to eat.