[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #71CCD5;”] I[/dropcap]n recent years there’s been an explosion of people trying different diets.
From vegans to carnivores.
Gluten-free to Paleo.
Which means many of us are catering for different diets every day.
It’s certainly a part of my life given I prefer to eat Low Carb to manage my diabetes.
And my children are firmly in the its-carbs-or-nothing camp.
So today we’re going to look at how I manage my Low Carb / High Carb family. Without cooking multiple meals.
But note that these lessons can apply to any different diet situation.
And if you have a specific dietary requirement, be sure to check out the separate training on Adapting for Different Diets.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN TODAY:
- How to Cater for Carb Lovers
- Bonus tips on minimising temptations and cooking in bulk.
HOW TO CATER FOR CARB LOVERS
1. Just Serve them Low Carb.
For many people if you serve a delicious, low carb meal and include enough fat to make it satisfying, they’re not going to even notice.
Especially if you don’t mention it’s Low Carb.
But of course, there are some people who this won’t work for (hello my boys!). So then you need strategy number 2…
2. Serve different sides
Seriously, that’s all it takes.
Mostly there’s an easy carby side that will work brilliantly with whatever you’re cooking.
Sure it does mean extra cooking, but not a whole meals worth.
I include a ‘carb lovers’ option in the variations of all my recipes. So look our for those.
Here are some examples to get you thinking:
- Steamed rice
- Fried rice
- Cooked pasta
- Tortillas
- Pita
- Flat bread
- Canned chickpeas
- Canned beans
- Refried beans
- Potatoes (always a fave in our house!)
- Sweet Potatoes (always a fave in our house!)
- Mashed spuds or other root veg
- Roast root veg
And if none of those options work, just give them a side of crusty bread or hot buttered toast. Toast goes with everything.
Bonus Tip 1. Minimize the Temptation
If you really really love potatoes (like my Irishman), then choose another carb you don’t love as much to serve. This way you’re less likely to eat something you’ll regret later.
AND don’t serve extra carbs in the middle of the table. As we discussed yesterday in Mindless Eating, if it’s easy to grab something, you’re way more likely to eat it.
So when we have potatoes, I serve up on plates for my boys (and my Irishman) and leave any leftovers in the kitchen.
This way my Irishman enjoys his spuds without having too many.
Bonus Tip 2. Cook Carbs in Bulk
This is the key to making the ‘side of carbs’ trick work almost effortlessly.
Whenever I am cooking carbs for my boys, I always make extra and either freeze or just keep in the fridge.
Then when it’s time to serve, I warm the pasta/rice/veg/whatever in a pan with a little oil.
Too easy.
This also has the added benefit of lowering the GI (Glycaemic Index) of the carbs.
Basically during the cooking and cooling process some of the starch is converted to ‘resistant starch’ which we can’t absorb. So it acts as fiber (feeding our gut bacteria) instead of contributing to blood sugar spikes.
SUMMARY
Here’s what we’ve covered:
- To cater for carb lovers either don’t tell them it’s Low Carb (and they probably won’t notice) OR serve carbs as a side.
- To minimize temptations avoid your favourite carbs and serve something less tempting for you. Don’t serve carbs in the middle of the table.
- Cooking carbs in bulk make life easier AND makes them healthier.
ACTIVITY
Think about your own household dietary situations. How could you apply these principles to make your life easier?
eg. If you’re vegetarian and your partner likes meat, could you serve different protein sources with the same basic meal.
LEARN MORE
Bonus Training: Adapting for Different Diets
See you tomorrow!
Cheers,
Jules x
ps. If you have a specific situation you’d like help with, leave a comment below. I love figuring out how to work around different diets and taste preferences. It’s why I include all the ‘Variations’ at the end of my recipes.
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