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bluegreysky

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Since I'm new at this,
I plan to do what I was already doing while dating him and he was coming over to see me after work-
I will cook 3 large portion meals on Sunday, like a pot of a stew, a slow cooker of meat and a big bowl of pasta… and then make sure there's lots of easy sides and different sauces for the pasta. enough meals to last till the next weekend.
That way, if I won't be home right after work because I'm busy volunteering or going to a bible study, he will be ok.

Oh and nachos CAN be a meal. Ever been to Moe's? Just get chips and put them in a large ceramic bowl, drain a can of black beans and add them to the chips, put some diced chicken or steak, possibly some jalapeños… then cover in shredded cheese and microwave for 1.5 minutes on partial power (like 70). Then take it out and top it with fresh pico or if you don't have that on hand, salsa. Sour cream optional. You can even place them on top of salad greens and he might not notice.
 
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ex-pat

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I usually plan our meals a week in advance, all of 'em, including breakfasts and lunches. This is done by figuring out whether we're eating out some evenings, having friends over, making anything to bring to church, and then running things by what's on sale, if there are any special requests from last week, etc. I then give my husband the menu, and he questions or edits some things, and sometimes adds an "I really liked _______ you made" or "Can we have ___________ soon?". Then they get filed in my mind for next week.

I love to cook, and have somewhere @ 200 cookbooks, so often I poke through them searching for inspiration, and when it strikes, it goes in the notebook for whichever meal that week suits it best (more time, less time, do-ahead, lenten, etc.). From that point I write down the ingredients needed, so i have my shopping list.

At least one meal in each category (breakfast, lunch, supper) is something that is in the freezer, so we have the ability to be flexible about eating out, accepting last minute invitations, grabbing something on sale, etc. without wasting food. By this I mean I often make several pots of varieties of soup or chili, freeze enough for two, and have them to pull out of the freezer and have with salad and crusty bread, or I make a double batch of pancakes or muffins, and freeze half, or make homemade sausages, cook them, and freeze them for a good lean protein.

We rarely eat the same meal twice a month, and I always have variations on a theme: salads can be spinach, or spring mix, or Caesar, or garden or have fruit or cheese or meat.

When we buy meat in bulk, I make marinades for it, and freeze it in the marinade, so last minute changes can be accommodated....take it out and thaw it in the marinade.

I ask my husband for his thoughts, and make certain that if I know he has an unusually busy or difficult day that the menu reflects that...a stressful traveling day often means I have one of his favourite meals (with candlelight...he loves that!!) for him, or if he wants to do yard work or some house project, I try to have things that can be ready in five minutes or less, because what often happens there is "I'm at a good stopping point, can we have lunch soon?". In the summer, this usually means having chilled grilled meat to toss on a salad, and having the greens and herbs and dressing chopped and waiting for the stopping point to be reached, in the winter, it can mean having the Crockpot simmering and waiting.

We tried different ways of grocery shopping when we were first married, and having him run to the store for one thing often meant that $20 later we had a couple of bags of "they were on sale" items, that now need another trip to the grocery store to purchase anything they can be added to to produce a meal, or tons of crackers, or ice cream...or or or. Now either I do the shopping, or we go together. It's just easier for me to shop once or twice a week (once, if I just need normal grocery items, or twice if I need Costco items, or someone is out of an essential ingredient.)

If your husband is tired of what you make, then perhaps doing menus together for a while might help. It's not easy to make some things on a budget, but often you can generate a huge change of attitude about something by talking about it: My husband was not used to my brand of gourmet on a budget, and was nervous...very nervous...about the cost of things once we married. It took lots of explaining because what he saw as restaurant quality meals often were VERY inexpensive..I usually hand him my "Value Meal Cost Analysis"...and he has learned that we can have filet Mignon with a side of lobster and a salad and veg. for far less than a fast food value meal. Mind, this does not happen often, as we are on a budget, but he's also learned that some things that he loves that he THINKS are expensive are only $.50 per serving. He's gotten way more relaxed about the grocery budget...or party budgets, as a result. He's also noticed that I manage coupons and sale prices so well that despite rising grocery costs, our grocery budget remains relatively unchanged.

I have to admit that in the scenario you described, I'd have been more likely to tell him that nachos (his way, from a jar) were fine if that's what he wanted, but A) I wasn't going to eat that way, and the kids needed more veg. and protein, so B) would he please run to the store and choose a nice whole grain chip, buy his jar of whatever horror passes for nacho cheese in a jar, and whatever else (salsa, etc.) and you'll be here shredding lettuce veg. and cooking the meat of your choice to make it a more complete meal. If that wasn't going to work for him this time, I'd then have C) asked if tomorrow would be OK for this so you have time to prepare and shop. if not, then D) load the kids into the car and all go out to the closest restaurant that has loaded nachos... the kids would probably be thrilled.
 
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bluegreysky

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I make a lot of slow cooker meats. As a wedding present, I wound up with two matching slow cookers that have the same sort of victorian black and white design on em from Target's by 2 different people.
So I use one for beef at the same time I've got chicken going in the other one.
How many things can you do with a big tub of shredded meat?
Oh I dunno….
-Sandwiches
-Burrito bowls (rice, pico, salsa, guac, beans, meat)
-Tacos
-Nachos
-bbq sauce
-salad topping
-straight up, with steamed veggies on the side...
 
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Observer

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My husband complains about things I cook or buy to eat a fair bit. but he almost always eats it anyway. The only thing he won't eat that I can think of is a vegetarian lasagna. It's a bit difficult though because I'm vegetarian and it goes against my beliefs to buy or eat meat, but I have to buy him meat when I get takeaway or groceries because he dislikes most vegetarian meals...
 
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akmom

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There's lots of great vegetarian meals, and vegetarian versions of meals. Meat isn't particularly tasty by itself. It just takes the flavors of other things. I think people like the texture. There are ways to replicate that. I love cooking vegetarian.

What about black bean burgers? I find that coarsely ground coriander gives it quite a bit of texture. Pot pie with buttery crust and mixed vegetables? You can hardly tell it doesn't have meat if you use a good broth. Pad Thai with scrambled egg and marinated tofu really tastes no different than Pad Thai with meat. I think any meal with a lot of ingredients/textures tends to be fine without meat. But some of the "filler" ingredients like squash and spinach that restaurants add to embellish a meatless meal don't appeal to carnivores, so I'd skip those or use them in moderation until he likes them.
 
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bluegreysky

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Anyone can make spaghetti and marinara when they need a quick fix.
But how about this one:
Cook the spaghetti.
then go in your fridge and get fresh basil, shaker cheese, garlic powder, olive oil and chopped almonds.
Or you can use walnuts.
you can also use chives in the mix.
Put it in the blender and turn it into a tasty green pulp.
It's called basil pesto.
Pour it over the spaghetti and top with a little more cheese.
You can add diced chicken if you have some.
IT's sooooo good.
And making that sauce literally takes 60 seconds.
 
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NothingIsImpossible

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It depends on your situation. If your spouse is from another country then meals sometimes end up being two diffrent dinners because your spouse may not like the food you eat in your country just yet. Just as you may not like what they eat at first.

Most couples I have met just eat the same thing for dinner. Some prepare what dinners will be made a week in advance. Some just do it on the fly (last minute). I can tell you I am a picky eater. Partially because of my health, partially because I just don't like some things. Two picky eaters makes things a bit easier since you both make yourselves your own dinner sometimes.

Not that you can't cook a meal that you both enjoy of course. All depends on the couple.
 
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