CASE STUDY❛We overcameourfood
incompatibility❜Evena professionaldietitiancanhavefoodissues!Here’s
howmyhusbandNeilandI overcameourdifferences...
Whenwefirstmet,Neilseemedliketheperfectpartner:
sociable,funny,good-lookingandverysporty.Thenwewent
outfordinner!Heorderedsteakandchipsandtoldme
hewasa reallyfussyeater.Headmittedheonlyatemeat,
potatoesandpasta,andhatedallvegetables.Hesaidhe
surviveda lotofthetimeonplainburgers,kebabs,crispsand
chocolate,andhadnoideahowtocook!Forsomeonewho
workswithfood,lovescookingandgetsgreatenjoyment
fromwanderingarounda farmers’market,thiswasa major
problemforme.I toldhimthenandtherethatI couldn’tbe
with someone long term who had such a limited diet.EXPANDINGOURREPERTOIRE
Butwereallylikedeachother,sowhenI suggestedI helped
himfindmorefoodsheenjoyed,hejumpedatthechance.
ThefirstmealI cookedforhimwasexceptionallyplain–
grilledchicken,whitepastaandhomemadetomatosauce.
I puta spoonfulofthesauceonthesideofhisplateand
saidit wasfineif hedidn’tlikeit,butit wasn’tfineif he
didn’ttryit.Hetriedit,lovedit andsmotheredhismeal
withloadsmore.ThenexttimeI cooked,I usedthesame
ingredientsexceptI addedveryfinelychoppedredpepper
andcookedthechickeninthesauce.Helovedthat,too,
andthiswashowwecontinuedformanymonths.
Gradually,thetakeawaysreducedandhestartedto
getintocooking.Thefirstmealhemadewasspaghetti
bolognese.Hehadnoideawheretostart,soI linedupall
theingredients.It wasprettydecentfora firstattempt.
Withina year,Neilwentfromhatingallvegtohappily
eatingmostofthem,includingkale,asparagus,broccoli,
babycorn,aubergineandevensalad.Ofcourse,I hadto
makesomechangesalongtheway,too,likegivingupon
convertinghimtobrownriceandbuyingbasmati.Oneof
ourfunniermomentswaswhenwewerediscussingwhat
annoyedusabouteachotherandheadmittedhehatedpasta
withtuna,sweetcornandpesto– the‘ina rush’dinnerI’d
beencookinga fewtimeseverymonthforaboutfiveyears!
Therearestilla fewthingsherefusestoeat– hummus,
avocado,beansandlentils– andsteakandchipsremains
oneofhisfavouritemeals.Butafter 20 years,it’s safe to
say we’ve overcome our food incompatibility.FOODFEUD#6
Oneofyouworksnightshifts.
The other works office hours
Differencesinworkinghours
meanyourarelygeta chance
tocookorenjoymealstogether,
soyouoftenrelyonreadymeals.
FOODFIX Planningis crucialif you
workdifferenthours.Whenever
youcan,preparelargeamounts
andfreezeportionsfortimes
whenoneofyouneedsa meal
quicklyoris tootiredtocook.
Bakeupa bagofpotatoes,then
freezethemforjacketsina flash.
Keepyourkitchenstockedwith
eggs,cannedfish,chickpeas,
beansandtomatoes,pesto,
ready-to-heatriceandcouscous
pouchesandfrozenvegsoyou
cancreatemealsinminutes.You
canalsocutthehasslewithourHF
Mealplannertool,whichchooses
recipesandaddsingredientsto
youronlineshopata click– visit
mealplanner.healthyfood.co.uk.
2002 2019PsychologyMAY 2019HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE 41