Is there such a thing as "too many potatoes"?

[JGlee]

Hi all.

I'm starting Whole30 on Monday and I'm feeling pretty confident about what I need to do, what my plate should look like, etc.

However, my picky husband wants to go along on the ride. The problem is, he won't touch a green food item unless it's jello or spinach artichoke dip. He'll eat potatoes, carrots, and sometimes guacamole. 

So as I plan my meals for the next 30 days (and hopefully longer) my question is this: can too many potatoes be counter productive? I'm sure there's a benefit to eating any real food instead of processed stuff or fast food - but is having potatoes with 2 or 3 meals a day overkill? 

I know he's a grown man and has to make his own choices, but it's the complaining I really don't want to deal with. That being said, if anyone has any picky person approved side dish recommendations, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks for your time and support.

 

[laura_juggles]

Is this one of those "I hate all vegetables" things because all the veg he had growing up were boiled to death? I hated brussels sprouts until I roasted them; they'd always been served to be boiled until mush in the past. Green beans were always "meh" for the same reason, but roasted with a ridiculous amount of garlic...I think they might be better than fries. 

[Karen Twin-Cities]

JGlee, I am in the same boat as you. This is second round of W30 I have done with my husband and he was raised on meat and potatoes, occasionally a frozen pizza. We all have our specific things we actually don't like, I have tried mushrooms again and again and I just can do them, and he doesn't like green peppers (who doesn't like green peppers!).

I will sit with him as I go through pinterest to find recipes (be careful on there though because people post stuff stating its W30 and its not or it is if you change all of these ingredients and then it doesn't come out the same) and I will show him the pictures to see if he thinks it looks good and we will pick them out together. Then when it comes time to cook I will just cook what I'm going to cook and if he doesn't like it too bad. 

The other night I made this soup https://www.farmsteadchic.com/whole30-zuppa-toscana/ and he was smelling it saying "it tastes like coconut, I can smell the coconut." making a face. Mature. But he ate it and at the end said it was one of the best soups we've made. Only change he suggested was for it to be thicker and creamier so I would take out some of the potatoes and mash them up and then mix them back in to thicken it. 

To your question, I think you need to balance the potatoes with other stuff. We make an egg bake every Sunday that we use shredded potatoes, sausage and then all kinds of veggies, green peppers on my half mushrooms on his half, then load it up with spinach, broccoli or whatever you have in the fridge. Then whisk a dozen eggs and pour over the top of the potato, sausage, veggie mix in a 13x9 pan and bake at 350 for 45 mins or until the eggs are fully cooked. 

[JGlee]

Laura - he's half Korean, and pretty much the only veggie he was given growing up was kimchi. Ramen, Spaghettios, meat and potatoes or white rice were all staples. If I give him green beans he'll eat like 3, and make a face the entire time like I'm trying to kill him. My 6 year old does better than he does, granted she only likes things steamed or raw, but she'll still eat and try things. It's all mental. 

Karen - I was going to make Fritatta muffins once to twice a week to have on hand for breakfast on the go for him or in case he's hungry. He's thinking that if he's hungry he'll eat fruit - but I told him that the idea here is to limit sugars to reboot his system. But, apples > potato chips, so it still has to be better.

Granted, I told him, "No gum," and he had a hissy.  But in the end, he's a grown man and needs to make his own choices. This first week I'm planning on making two things from the book he pointed out, chicken meatballs and chili (no beans, he's thrilled because he hates those too, but he also hates tomato chunks...), so we'll see how it goes. 

Thanks, all.

[laura_juggles]

Does he like kimchi? If he does, then maybe cabbage? 

Can you sub cauliflower rice for white rice? 

Re: the tomato chunks, maybe try crushed tomatoes instead of diced. Might go over better. 

Edited to add: If all else fails, I'd try a little "tough love" and remind him that little eyes are watching and you both want her to grow up to like healthy foods so both Mom *and* Dad need to be a good example.

[JGlee]

...Not even all the kimchi parts, he doesn't like the leafy looking parts. 

All mental. And the good (and bad) stuff is my kid knows she eats better and is better at trying stuff than her daddy.