When I first met Alfie, I can honestly say and he would openly admit that he probably didn’t know what a vegetable was because throughout his life he had very little experience of them. Shocking as it may sound, it actually made sense considering his heritage, Ghanaian food is traditionally very heavy consisting of mainly carbohydrates and meat.
Now, I would never force my strong headed hubby to do anything that he didn’t want to do, it’s just not my style. However, over the past 11 years that we have been together (married for 3 years) gradually he has begun to adopt better eating habits. As you can imagine, progress in my own health and lifestyle choices were always going to impact Alfie and overall the transition has been pretty easy for him. Don’t get me wrong, you will never see him chugging down a green smoothie or feasting on courgetti because that doesn’t float his boat. To be honest, I wouldn’t want him to – healthy changes shouldn’t feel forced, but something that you want to do for yourself because it feels right for you.
With our differing views on eating well, I thought that he would never eat anything green or that I would have to surrender to a life of rice, fufu and Haribo. Like with all things when you’re in a relationship, you have to learn the art of comprising and among lots of other factors this has really helped Alfie adopt some healthier eating habits and lose some weight.
Here are my tips based on my own personal experiences on how to encourage healthier eating habits in your partner:
Pack out meals with a variety of vegetables
This is probably my number one tip and made a massive difference to our meal times. Whatever you’re cooking try and squeeze in as many vegetables as you can, even if they’re not traditionally supposed to be in the recipe. Stews, casseroles, curries, ragu, soups are all great vehicles for vegetables and because they are covered in a flavoursome sauce they tend to be more palatable to someone who is not used to eating them.
Understand that he doesn’t have to eat like you to be healthy
As previously mentioned, you will never see Alfie blending up a green smoothie for breakfast like me and this is totally fine. I firmly believe that you have to let people make their own choices when it comes to healthy eating, allowing them to make the right choices for their body that may necessarily not be right for your own.
Still cook their favourite foods
Eliminating certain foods from their diet is never going to work and I hate any diet or eating plan that promotes restriction and deprivation. Still cook you partner their favourite foods, but just change them up a little to make them healthier. For example, you can add more vegetables or use a healthier cooking oil and cooking method. One of Alfie’s all time favourite breakfasts is waffles and I often change them up by adding fruits or even a mashed vegetable like sweet potato.
It’s all about baby steps
Like with any big change, it’s all about taking baby steps. Don’t wade in expecting a massive change overnight, it’s going to be a gradual process, but your encouragement will help make the journey easier.
Stock healthier foods in your cupboards
The phrase “out of sight out of mind” works so well here. If you stock your cupboards with healthier foods you’re less likely to want to eat the junk. Trying to get Alfie to curb his Haribo addiction has been a struggle, but what worked for him is rather than taking the whole pack out of the cupboard, which he would inhale like a bag of crisps, he started to portion them out in a bowl. Haribo hasn’t made it onto our shopping list for months (out of Alfie’s own choice!) and these days he rarely eats any, only as a treat now and then…success!
Our meal times have totally been transformed for the better! Alfie will now happily eat salads and vegetables as a side rather than having them mixed into meals. Currently, he’s training to run his first ever race, a half-marathon with me next month..eek! Although he is never going to be the next Juice Master, I’m so happy and proud that he’s made these transitions in his eating habits. He’s already told me that he feels so much better for it and wants to set a good example to our one-year-old.
GIE is probably more healthier than me and he kneels forcing me doesn’t work so we eat healthy together when we can
It’s lovely to hear that you make the effort together.
My partner is such a healthy eater, it’s usually him encouraging me to eat better rather than the other way around! Always making me porridge and fruit salad for my breakfast 🙂
That’s so great that he gives you so much encouragement.
My husband goes through stages where he will be super healthy and then other times where he just eats junk. We both tend to go through stages with our diets
I think most people are like this so you’re definitely not in your own.
These are great tips! and I will sure be using them !
Thank you! Glad you liked it. Which one was your favourite tip?
My other half is the fussiest eater ever and just kind of let him eat as he wishes, he’s mot unhealthy as such but I wish he’d eat more variety.x
We had the same problem, but slowly slowly things have improved.
Adam is exactly like Alfie was – he isn’t a veggie guy and I have to pretty much force feed them to him haha! H x
Hahaha! I hope he likes them a little.
100% agree with not forcing healthy eating and changes upon them. My boyfriend is similar to your husband in that he does just enjoy carb heavy, meat rich meals. Sweet potato has been a total godsend for us both, and any pasta type dish as I can always have mine with courgetti/brown rice pasta/spelt etc and I also load up on veggies in the sauce. If he fancies pizza, I make a big salad to go with it and make sure he loads up on it! It can be really tough to get your other half to make healthier changes, but like you said, small changes will always make a bigger difference.
She’s So Lucy
Funnily enough, Alfie loves sweet potato too so it’s a massive staple in our house too. The spiraliser is a god send for pasta dishes isn’t it. I always get mine out on these occasions because it’s such an easy swap to make.
Mu husband probably eats more healthy than I do, and is full of ideas for healthy teas. I do think supporting each other is a really positive step towards a healthier lifestyle.
Love to hear that your hubby is so healthy and encourages you to eat well too. 🙂
My hubby was really bad with healthy eating but us together are making little changes and it seems to be working.
That’s lovely to hear! It’s all about taking baby steps.
Ian is terrible at eating healthily as he would live off cheese if he could. With me going vegan at least his evening meals are healthy!x
Ha! I don’t blame him. I love cheese too.
My hubby eats everything. He isn’t a big fan on tomatoes and certain vegetables in general though. I’m not going to make him like tomatoes. He doesn’t like cucumber either but sometimes he eats them just for me. Mostly when I make Greek salad.
It makes it far more easier when they like to eat nearly everything doesn’t it.
I try not to eat much meat and my boyfriend is a meat eater, so I cook it separately and add it to his plate only 🙂 Lead by example is the key I think but it get can a little frustrating when I am trying to eat healthy and he fills our cupboards full of biscuits, sweets and chocolate 🙂
Ha! I know that problem all too well Eliska. 🙂