Meal plans

[Snow Moon's Child]

Hi :) I'm planning to change back to being vegan over the next few months but I need to come up with some kind of food plan - basically, the problem is that my husband and four children all eat meat, dairy, etc. and I'll be the only one who isn't.

I think that over time their diet may change slightly with a little meat, etc. but I'm not pressuring anyone into changing their diet because what they eat is their choice as much as my diet is my choice :)

That gives me a big problem - I'm going to end up cooking 3 different meals every night! (And no doubt, 3 different lunches, etc. too) Last time I tried having a vegan diet since I met my hubby I gave up partly because it's my meal I cook last and some nights I was just too knackered to bother and it was easier to fit in with everyone else.

Basically, the idea I've come up with is to do a bit of batch cooking - ie. cook meaty shepherd's pies, lasagne, pies, etc. and freeze them in portions and to cook up a load of vegan versions and freeze them in portions. If I can set aside a day a week for batch cooking, in theory that should provide most of the food for the week for everyone. Does that sound feasible? Where this day a week will miraculously come from I have no idea! I don't have any time as it is but I'll try to find it from somewhere.

What I'm looking for is ideas for freezable meals - here's what I have so far:

Lentil Shepherd's pie
Lentil bolognese sauce
Spicy bean stew (& vegan dumplings?)
Some kind of bean-based lasagne (need a vegan alternative for the cheese sauce though)
Vegetable hotpot (excellent recipe - I'll post it soon)

All other ideas appreciated :p

Louise :)

[PinkFluffyCloud]

Lots of soup, too! Cook a huge pot full, and either freeze it or chill it and warm up in portions each day.
Or tell your family to eat what you eat - how about the choice of the animals???????????

[Kiva Dancer]

You don't need to cook 3 seperate meals. Just cook one vegan meal and have meat/cheese to the side as something that's added as a condiment. I've done it this way for ages and it really works out well. I eat what I want. My family eats what they want and no one feels pressured either way.

Just something to think about also in your plan forumlations. :)

I think the batch cooking is a brilliant idea, though, make no mistake. I think people need to use their deepfreeze more often because it is quite handy and very adaptable. I'm just now learning this, myself (about using my deepfreeze more) and I love it. If I'm remembering right, spaghetti sauce will freeze well and so will bean chili. Veggie soup will also but don't put potatoes in it because potatoes don't freeze well for some odd reason.

[celtic rose]

I batch cook my work lunches so I can have a hot meal mid day.
My favourites are:
lentil & vegetable curry
lentil & vegetable stew
bean chilli

As for cooking family meals don't make it hard on yourself.
For a roast dinner just substitute a nut roast inplace of the meat. For other meals try making soya mince or vegan bolognese. They won't even notice most of time.
Maybe try being a bit sneaky and get them used to these vegan meals before you come out. :)

[harpy]

I don't have any children so it's easy for me to talk :D but I would probably make a vegan meal as a default and say that if they want anything else the other members of the family can get it themselves. (As a compromise you could have the other stuff in the fridge so they just have to fetch it.) People will often take the line of least resistance, especially if the vegan food is tasty.

My other half isn't vegan but he's quite happy to eat (and cook) exclusively vegan food at home - he has come to the conclusion that it's better for him, as well as for the animals.

As regards what you could freeze, most casserole type dishes seem to keep OK in the freezer, even if you include things like barley. It's obviously better if you limit the amount of liquid - you can add more when you heat it.

Good luck

[Snow Moon's Child]

Thanks for the excellent replies :) I can't believe how fussy everyone is in our house! I think over time it'll gradually change to a more vegan household in general, especially as the kids begin to eat more in the way of lentils, etc. and risotto is fairly safe for everyone.

I know I do make my life more difficult by trying to please everyone when I should probably just tell them it's tough really :rolleyes: but I'mk usually one to keep the peace so it's kind of easier :confused:

Thanks for the tips about the potatoes not freezing well and the liquid, etc. - I was thinking of doing shepherd's pies, etc. complete with mashed potato and then freezing them ready to just pop in the oven - does anyone know if mashed potato freezes well??? I can just see me doing a lovely first batch of stuff and ending up with gloop :eek: Still, trial and error I guess :)

[harpy]

I have frozen leftover shepherd's pie with mashed potato and it was edible. I don't use the freezer that much though so let's hope you get advice from someone who does.

I suppose you could make the pie minus the potato and arrange slices of bread over the top before you put it in the oven - what's that called, hot-pot? Anyway, it's nice as a change from the potato topping.

[Artichoke47]

Why doesn't your family want to eat vegan food? They can eat their dead animal food elsewhere and keep it out of your home.

[julieruble]

Kiva Dancer, your idea makes me think of fajitas. My family usually has tacos/tortillas with all the fixings in separate bowls.

[cedarblue]

sometimes people need to compromise and shouldnt need, or be made, to feel bad about it.

[Snow Moon's Child]

It's a tricky one isn't it. I think, if I'd been a vegan for some time when I met my husband it would be a bit different but as we were both meat eaters when we met, started living together, etc. it seems rather bad of me to suddenly begin imposing rules which never existed before.

I can see both sides of the argument really :rolleyes:

[Artichoke47]

Why can't he cook himself?

I'm just asking questions, not trying to make anyone "feel bad," by the way.

[John]

It's understandable how a family could have an arrangement for who does the cooking. Sometimes it's just a matter of time. I'd say, make sure that you make really great vegan meals for yourself while you make the family healthy meals with a moderate (or minimal) amount of meat.

[Snow Moon's Child]

Yeah, he can cook for himself (and he does) but I'm the main "chef" because I adore cooking and just because it's how it works best for us. I think I'll have to plan it all out a bit more than I do now but I guess over time it'll get easier. I'm thinking of doing a couple of vegan meals a week for everyone to eat (that way I can gradually get them eating more and more different vegan meals) and then most other nights to either have something ready-made out of the freezer or something which can be adapted easily (eg. jacket spuds with various fillings). It just all seems a bit daunting and complicated at the moment but still, worth it :)

[John]

I would say, don't let your vegan diet be a change which generates animosity. Make them their food but put extra effort into making great vegan foods that they will want to eat. Say, vegan cookies or cake for dessert for starters. And maybe for their meals you can explore international dishes which are not meat-centered or do no use as much meat. That way, often you can make the meal vegetarian and then add flesh.

[Mystic]

Snow Moons Child - when my omnivore boyfriend moved in with me, he had a hard time dealing with the transition to a more plant based diet - now he loves it :) His diet used to comprise of chicken curry with white rice, buttery salami and cheese toasted sandwiches (on white bread) and spaghetti (white) bolognaise. Now his diet consists of dhal (http://veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=883) and brown rice with salad, vegetable stir-fries, butterbean and herb cream soup (http://veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2318), kenyan dengu (http://veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1592&highlight=kenyan+dengu) (to name a few dishes) and a lot of fresh and dried fruit and nuts - he loves peanuts and raisin mix. He still has full cream cows milk, cheese and the occassional meat on the side (which he cooks himself). He never eats white bread or white pasta or white rice. He doesn't like it anymore.

My advice is to introduce things slowly, and don't label things as 'vegan' or 'non-vegan' - when something is labelled specifically as 'vegan', people automatically develop an aversion to it (so I have found). I agree with not forcing your family to adopt your diet/lifestyle - it should be their choice. But if you are the cook, then find things that they like and eventually they will adjuct to having less meat and more beans/wholegrains/vegetables. If they want a little bit of meat or cheese with it, let them have it - but like Kiva Dancer said, there is no need to cook separately.

And the idea of vegan fun foods is also great. My boyfriend loves vegan cake and cookies and ice cream :D

[Snow Moon's Child]

Well, I treated myself to a vegan cookbook yesterday which has a gorgeous looking piece of chocolate cake on the cover so I've left that laying around in full view of the kids :) Also, my son (10) flicked through it and remembered when he used to have soya milk (due to eczema/asthma) and said how much he loved it and can't wait to have it again - blimey!

I agree about a fairly relaxed approach and not labelling foods. I think people instantly see vegan food as "going without" rather than an alternative. I've been dishing up a few vegan dishes for years but I don't suppose people ever think of them as being vegan as such. Strange isn't it.

Thanks for all the replies :)

Louise < 6 days till the baby's due ... hurry up, hurry up! :D

[Mystic]

Well, I treated myself to a vegan cookbook yesterday which has a gorgeous looking piece of chocolate cake on the cover so I've left that laying around in full view of the kids :)


By any chance is that book Easy Vegan Cooking, by Leah Leneman? I have that book :)

[Snow Moon's Child]

Yeah, it is :) There's a few wierd recipes in there that I won't be trying (banana risotto?! banana and spaghetti?! Have you tried those?) but for the most part the recipes look really good. I'm planning on making that chocolate cake later on today - it's taunted me enough from the cover :D

[coney]

Do you have to cook meat and dairy every meal for your family? could you have veggie nights? Like make a cheese-less, meatless lasagne, or vegetable stew, or pasta with no meat? Seems like there are limitless possiblities that you could come up with that would satisfy your families' needs and yours.

Lots of fake meats out there and dried burger mixes. You could make vegan meatballs that would fool even the most picky meat eater. Just depends on how you spice up TVP, or TSP. I sucessully made sausage patties the other morning that were really close the the fake ones I buy in the store. TVP is cheap and has a very mild flavor, so you can put just about anything in it. I made a good shepherd's pie last night with vegan burgers, mushroom/onion gravy and veggies. :)

My suggestion is to just start making veggie based meals, and cut down to serving meat 3-4 days a week, see if they notice.

VegWeb.com is a great place to look if you haven't already. the VeggieBoards.com has a "Family" thread area, lots of moms there discuss what to do about this very thing you're talking about.

[foxytina_69]

banana that is hilarious. steev's favorite food is chicken curry lol. if i lived there i do believe our boyfriends would get along great! LOL.

[Mystic]

Yeah, it is :) There's a few wierd recipes in there that I won't be trying (banana risotto?! banana and spaghetti?! Have you tried those?) but for the most part the recipes look really good. I'm planning on making that chocolate cake later on today - it's taunted me enough from the cover :D

No I haven't (and wouldn't) try them :D
As for baking cake - I will never do it. I am an unco when it comes to baking. Good luck :)

[Mystic]

banana that is hilarious. steev's favorite food is chicken curry lol. if i lived there i do believe our boyfriends would get along great! LOL.

It seems that every aspect of our lives is so similar that it scares me sometimes :D

[Smoothie]

you could make two "vegandays" a week, where you'd cook the same for the whole family - healthy, delicious vegan food. then you could have one day a week, where one or two of the kids cooked - then they'd learn about cooking, and you could just eat one of your frozen vegan dishes, and relax. that would make four days a week, where you had to cook two or three different meals - and you could make something like spicey pancakes (vegan of course) with two kinds of filling - one vegan, one not-vegan and maybe a salad. then you could make a soupday, where you'd just bake some bread (maybe make 3 every time, and them freeze them) and make something nice like potatosoup, and maybe a salad - everyone loves that!. and then you slowly would make your family feel comfy about eating vegan food most of the time, so at last they could eat meat when they wanted it badly enough to cook it. vegan food is just as tasty and healthy as a "normal" diet - and you'd wanna share the love and compassion for animals and life with your kids, right? teach them how to make a nice vegan stew, a veggie curry, potatopancakes, how to bake a bread. and if you include your kids in the cooking, they will probably be so proud about cooking it that they'll eat it no matter what.

and the sparetime you'd get from not cooking all the time, you could use to tell your kids stories, take them on a nice picnic in the woods, help them with their homework.

[Smoothie]

or maybe you could just ask your husband to cook twice a week, and then he could cook whatever he likes, but just serve them nice vegan food the rest of the weeks?