I live in a house of men. Though I have two young daughters, I also have four sons and one husband. Meal planning with my guys in mind is not difficult, but it’s different than if I were just planning for me and the girls.
While most of the FishFam likes a variety of foods, there are some techniques that help some weeks be more successful than others when it comes to meal planning.
1. Have plenty.
It goes without saying, that four sons, aged 7 to 13, have voracious appetites. Gone are the days when one cup of rice or one pound of pasta would satisfy our family. So, planning enough is key to a meal going over well. While I try to offer a protein, starch, and plenty of vegetables, sometimes they are still hungry. That’s where side dishes, like corn bread or biscuits come in handy. The boys and hubs can fill the empty spaces with these breads that I often make with whole grains to make more filling.
2. Have protein in the meal salad.
While the guys in my family certainly appreciate meat and potato type meals, they are open to other types of meals. In fact, my husband is very flexible about salads, egg dishes, and other lighter fare — especially if there’s protein. Last week, I prepped a pasta salad for dinner. Hubs asked if there was any chicken to add. As he explained, pasta salad is a side dish unless it has some kind of protein for staying power. I was thankful to have a few grilled chicken tenders in the freezer that I could quickly thaw and add to the pasta. Good call, honey!
3. Be considerate of preferences.
Men and women alike all have certain preferences when it comes to food. These don’t have to be gender-specific, either. One son doesn’t like a lot of cheese; another prefers his carrots raw; hubs prefers not to mix savory with sweet. By keeping their preferences in mind and seeking a common ground, I can ensure a pleasant meal for everyone.
4. Keep it simple.
I’ve noticed that at least the men in my family prefer to have simple foods. They are completely satisfied with hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta, pizza, grilled chicken, and the like. It doesn’t have to be complicated or high maintenance for them to like it. They eat everything in sight, plus dinner prep is easier for me.
Our week’s meal plan
Keeping those things in mind, this week’s meal plan looks like this:
- Lemon Chicken, Rice Pilaf, Green Salad (a favorite)
- Pasta, Red Sauce, Steamed Veggies, Buttermilk Cornbread (plentiful and simple)
- Roasted Chicken, Quinoa Pilaf, Veggies (plenty of protein)
- Beans and Rice, Chips, Salsa (plentiful and simple)
- Take-out (simple)
- A Birthday Dinner (a favorite)
- Burrito Pizza, Salad (a favorite)
How do YOU plan meals for the men in your midst?
Don’t forget for more meal planning inspiration, visit Menu Plan Monday.
Over the next five weeks, I’m collaborating with a great group of bloggers to share ideas on how to “honor the man they call daddy.” Whether it’s your own husband, your dad, your brother, or another special man in your life who is a father, these ideas will be thought-provoking and encouraging.
This week we’re sharing our different approaches to meal planning for men.
Be sure to hop around and be inspired:
This post is also linked to Tasty Tuesday.
Anne @ Modern Mrs Darcy
LOVE this topic, posted recently about this myself so it’s been on my mind! I appreciate your continual reminders to keep everyone’s preferences in mind while planning–because I have to fight the inclination to do otherwise.
Jessica
It’s hard to juggle, isn’t it?
Hey, head’s up: your comments keep falling into spam. I think if you just leave your homepage url instead of post urls, it might stop that. Not sure. But, I would hate to lose your comment because it’s lost in the myriad of junk comments. 🙂
auntjone
No soup! My husband wrinkles his nose if I mention a soup and sandwich meal unless the soup is substantial- chili or potato soup (thick thick THICK potato soup!) are the only two he’ll readily eat. I enjoy soups but rarely make them because I can’t eat it all myself!
I frequently ask for his input on meal plans (though I’ve been failing miserably at planning as of late, and I’m paying for it!) and try to steer him toward healthier options I can make without an extra trip to the store. This morning I said “Spaghetti or sloppy joes?” His choice was spaghetti- the meat is browned (did 2 pounds earlier in the week, had tacos that night), I have a jar of sauce and plenty of pasta available. I need to go to the store and replenish so I’ll pick up fresh vegetables and maybe some bread to make it complete…and I’ll get back in the meal planning habit again!
Liberty
I just read an article last week with tips for raising 13 year old sons – #1 tip was FEED HIM!
apparently they are hungry almost as mant times a day as they were when infants!
Blessings!
LIB
http://bit.ly/b4l9bL
Becca
Rice pilaf sounds delicious….I haven’t had it in so long!
Vicky
Good post! I have 4 sons, ages 2-11, and sometimes I wonder where my 8 yr old and 11 yr old puts all that food, LOL! I think having 4 girls that the grocery budget would be smaller 🙂
JessieLeigh
How did I miss that Burrito Pizza the first time around?? Yum! Your menu sounds great and, indeed, very man-pleasing. 🙂
Steph (The Cheapskate Cook)
@JessieLeigh, I agree, burrito pizza sounds fantastic! My men are thrilled with carbs, especially pasta, so this helps keep meals extremely budget friendly when I’m planning to please.
carrie @ gingerlemongirl.com
Love your philosophy of keeping it simple while offering filling, healthy meals!! And I love the “act your wage” statement at the top of your blog! Very timely and an important part of my own meal & financial planning! 🙂 I forget all too often how delicious & easy a recipe like beans & rice can be! 🙂