Help me help my wife

(Ethan) #1

Please help me help my wife go keto!

My wife needs some help in meal planning, and I am having trouble finding enough acceptable ideas. I am T2DM and not a newbie. It was easy for me because I love all foods. Thus, cutting out foods I loved (e.g., cereal and pasta) was easy because it basin favor of putting in other foods I loved (e.g., eggs and fish).

My wife just now has decided to go keto, but she needs help finding foods she is willing to eat. The problem is that my wife is very picky. She has Hashimoto’s and needs a gluten-free diet. She doesn’t like fish, and we don’t eat pork. She also doesn’t like eggs–except scrambled and with cheese. She eats beef, but not goat or lamb. She doesn’t like avocados, except as guacamole. I am struggling to find enough variety of options for her new keto diet–especially for breakfast. I want her to stick to the diet, and that means not getting bored, particularly in the beginning. She is very attached to certain concepts, such as breakfast being “breakfast items,” so she won’t have a hamburger with cheese for breakfast. For other meals, vegetables will also be a challenge. She likes salads, but pretty much only Caesar and lettuce. That means she doesn’t like the “super green” mixes with all the good stuff.

I’d appreciate any good suggestions here to get her a decent meal plan. I am likely to grill a lot of beef for her dinners, but I am not sure what vegetables she will eat. She won’t eat the vegetables I do: broccoli, artichoke, kale, boy choy, etc. It’s very hard to work with these limited specifications.

Thanks to all for help!

(Darlene Horsley) #2

Have you tried Googling keto recipe ideas or YouTube recipes? There are keto recipes for granola that could be used as cereal for a breakfast item and at @brenda has a wonderful keto waffle recipe in the recipe section of this forum! It is to die for.

Lettuce with Caesar dressing? Not bad… Caesar salad dressing has only one carb.

I have a house full of picky eaters so I understand your dilemma. They aren’t even keto so even a sad meal is challenging

(Ethan) #3

I can make waffles and pancakes that are keto–thats a good idea. We can make them Sunday for the reheating in the week…

I have seen the granola recipes, but I suspect she won’t eat them. She isn’t a fan of seeds and nuts.

Most of what I look up for a keto breakfast seems to be focused on bacon and eggs.

(Ethan) #4

I just looked up brenda’s recipe, and it seems to have pork, so thats a no go. I can make them with almond flour and flax meal, but they don’t quite have the same fluff.

(jilliangordona) #5

For breakfast, I make an avocado pudding(yes I know you said she does not like them, but you can’t taste the avocado in the smoothie).

I put an avocado, 1-2 tbsp almond butter, 1tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 cup vanilla unsweetened cashew milk in the blender and blend until smooth.

You could add stevia, or something else to sweeten it up or throw raspberries or strawberries in as well. Maybe make one for yourself and let her taste?

I also personally do have full fat greek yogurt, although some may consider it not keto because of the carb content, but it could be a start for her!

(Darlene Horsley) #6

Ooops, I forgot about the pork issue.

(Ethan) #7

I’ll make one for myself and see. It sounds great to me. I suspect she won’t eat it because…she doesn’t like almond or peanut butter (of course lol). It does sound great for me though. Harris Teeter has a double-fat greek yogurt that is higher on fat and a bit lower on carbs. I think the brand is Cabot. She may like that.

(Richard Hanson) #8

Hi Ethan,

Keto is gluten free so that is not an issue.

Can’t find anything to eat for breakfast? Just skip breakfast, it is the least important meal of the day.

I don’t ever make keto substitutes for foods such as pancakes. I do not focus on what I can no longer eat, but instead focus on what I love that I can now eat without concern. It takes a bit of time, but I no longer miss pasta or bread or potatoes or corn or … no more then I miss cigarettes after quieting smoking decades ago.

Keto for Life!

Best Regards,
Richard

(Ethan) #9

@FatMan, That’s what I do myself. My wife never will. She isn’t ready to do that and certainly not while learning keto. I agree on the substitutes. I think they are a quick way to fail. However, I can only work with what I am given, right?

Keto is also not gluten free by definition. There are plenty of gluten-containing items out there that are keto.

(Darlene Horsley) #10

Maybe this one?

(Ethan) #11

That one looks pretty tasty… I’m tempted to make it Sunday!

(Richard Hanson) #12

Woot … I am going to learn something new.

What items contain gluten and also do not contain carbs?

Keto for Life!

Best Regards,
Richard

(Ethan) #13

Keto isn’t zero carb. It is about limiting carbs. So it is possible to have all kinds of items that have wheat or wheat gluten or wheat fiber, but still be keto friendly. Often, these are substitute foods, such as carbquick or low-carb breads.

(jilliangordona) #14

What about a big old bulletproof coffee to start her day?

I make mine with butter, coconut cream, and collagen powder.

(Richard Hanson) #15

So if you don’t eat carbs you also don’t eat gluten?

Just don’t eat carbquick or low car-carb breads. When I think of a ketogenic diet, I mean the only carbs I am eating are a few carbs that are incidental to other foods, such as cauliflower. That is, admittedly, a rather restrictive definition of a ketogenic diet and I am not going to argue about definitions, such as what is the difference between keto and low-carb.

I would however pausit, that it is not at all difficult to exclude gluten from a ketogenic diet as you are already excluding the bulk of the foods that do contain gluten.

I am a bit disapointed as I did not learn anything new other then that your definition of a keto diet differs from mine own, that we are simply using the same word differently.

Keto for Life!

Have a great day,
Richard

(Cristian Lopez) #16

So she seems too like texture and cheese so I would reccomend some kind of cauliflower/veggies and cheese,introduce fatty cuts of meat from beef and you have not mentioned…does she eat poultry? if so chicken,turkey,duck are the way too go. Keep her away from quest bars and I would recommend she take supps if she is not eating her vegs. Best regards

(Laurie) #17

This is going to sound harsh, but it seems as if your wife isn’t really on board so all of the roadblocks she is putting up may be a passive-aggressive way of saying she is not all that into keto. I’d suggest backing off a bit in trying so hard and maybe buy a cookbook and have her scroll through and mark the recipes she is willing to try. Perhaps find a keto coach who could maybe point out some things that a spouse just can’t :slight_smile: I think most all of us find it easier to embrace change if the motivation comes from within. Good luck to you and your wife!

(Nick Eagle) #18

Go over to ketoconnect.net and check out their recipes! Matt and Megha have SOOO many recipes! This forum also has limitless possibilities in the recipes.

(Cristian Lopez) #19

Im not gonna lie, In the nicest manner possible I agree with Laurie^^^^

(Karen) #20

Jo suggested the great article for gals

https://www.dietdoctor.com/top-tips-lose-weight-low-carb-women-40

And if she’s a cook, this site features lovely foods

Good luck, work in gentle love.

K