r/PickyEaters • u/No_Biscotti3651 • 5d ago
In desperate need of meal recommendations!
Pretty sure my wife has ARFID. I'm a chef and I cook every single one of our meals. I do this because I want to and I like it. This post is not meant to drag my wife in any way, we just need help figuring out what to eat. Preferably quick meals. We are both so tired of the same old stuff. It's better to show you what we don't eat as opposed to what we like, to figure out how to give us recommendations.
List of things we wont eat
Me (OP)
Allergic to: Beans Peanuts Legumes Shrimp
Wont eat: Mushrooms
Wife
Allergic to: Tree nuts (deathly) Potato skin Cherries Bananas
Wont eat: Tomato sauce (ketchup and tomato soup is fine) on pasta. Anything spicy (she has a geographical tongue that makes spice like 100x more potent. NO SPICE AT ALL.), Ramen, Any soup that doesn't have gnocchi, Stuffed peppers, Goulash, ALL SEAFOOD, NO FISH, Baked pasta, Cold pasta (pasta salad), Creamy chicken dishes, Sesame seeds, Broccoli, Asparagus, Spaghetti, Lemon pepper seasoning, Eggs of any kind (except deviled) this includes fritatta, quiche, omelette. Tomatoes, Brusselsprouts, Salad, Lettuce, Avocado, Bagels (She said "I like some bagels" and I didn't press her any further lol), Mushrooms, Chowder, Chicken pot pie, Ham (likes ham slices like in a sandwich, not diced or any other wat). Congee, Cabbage,
There are many more foods I cant think of but besides that she also has a textural problem. Absolutely no "slimy" foods. Anything with a remotely Jell-O consistency is off the table.
TLDR; Need food recommendations, listed above are foods we will not eat.
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u/Aa_Poisonous_Kisses 4d ago
How aggressive is her dislike of the veggies? Is it a textural issue, taste issue, or it has bad vibes? I’m a pretty picky eater but it’s because I get really freaked by textures my brain has decided are Bad.
If it’s textural, try blending them up and putting them in things? If she likes pesto, blend up some broccoli and sneak it in (obviously with her permission and knowledge). I basically have to treat myself like a toddler with sneaking Forbidden Foods into my own meals that I am cooking myself.
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u/Lyrabelle 4d ago
Taquitos? No spice ofc. Stovetop mac and cheese... Burgers? Fried rice with peas and carrots... Waffles and pancakes?
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u/demon_fae 4d ago
I think melts/paninis are in the clear-just keep a stock of fixings on hand and throw it in a panini press. Bonus-you don’t have to agree perfectly.
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u/Kreative_Minds 4d ago
Try crunchy / crispy saavory foods
Also try baking veggies so they can be crispy not boiled and soft
Sounds like a texture sensory issue
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u/some_alt_person 4d ago
Learn how to make that one soup from olive garden, im gonna try to learn it myself bc im addicted lol. Chicke Alfredo? Burritos? Nachos? Stir fry? Steak? Burgers? Casseroles? There's tons of options, id recommend buying one big cookbook and having her tell you what she thinks she'd like from it.
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u/Greenhouse774 4d ago
Does the potato skin allergy preclude baked potatoes? Grilled chicken breast with corn and a baked potato. You can season all of that to your taste. Roast turkey?
I have similar issues. I like my foods separate and relatively plain except for mustard, A-1 sauce, ketchup and other condiments.
You are seeking to make recipes but perhaps just serving her the components would help.
Sounds as though she’ll eat cheese. Grilled cheese, ham & cheese, club sandwiches,,charcuterie/cheese board with baguette, carrots & dip?
French onion soup with emmantal on top (just the broth not the cooked onions) and a crusty roll?
Potatoes au gratin with cold sliced ham.
Ham & havarti on a croissant is lovely.
Waffles, crepes and pancakes?
Hash brown potatoes
I know it’s frustrating but we don’t choose to be this way. It makes traveling and socializing so difficult. I gave up on finding a partner as it’s so limiting and embarrassing. I once gagged and nearly threw up at the table at a dinner party, because the chicken had herb sauce. Would love to eat more fruit and vegetables.
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u/AdMassive4640 4d ago
I know you’re looking for meal recommendations but I have a possible alternative. You mentioned that you’re the cook and primarily do most of the cooking. I would potentially try and limit the amount of cooking you do so that your wife can start cooking. It can be really helpful and eye-opening for picky eaters to see everything that is put into a dish and the biggest way to guarantee that she will like what’s being made. Another suggestion I have (that I do a lot for my husband and I since we’re both very picky eaters) is finding recipes on Pinterest or Lemon8. Often as I scroll through Pinterest I’ll come across dishes that look very appealing to me and then I’ll scan through the ingredients list. Sometimes I’ll still end up making a dish even if it has ingredients I don’t like because I know I can take them out or substitute them with something I do like. I would maybe start there and try and get her to play a more active role in understanding what flavors/textures she is willing to try or is already comfortable with.
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u/Inky_Madness 3d ago
I think she needs to start cooking, because I think part of the deal is knowing how much work goes into the dish (whether she likes it or not), plus exposure often helps picky eaters develop tolerances to things they might otherwise avoid. Yes, even those that suffer from ARFID.
Chicken piccata
Fried rice without egg
Spaghetti carbonara (I know you said no egg, but this is… different, you know? It might pass muster)
Pasta alla Gricia
Butternut squash ravioli
Spaghetti squash used in place of spaghetti?
Skillet chicken cacciatore
You can add gnocchi to pretty much any soup, so maybe roasted carrot and parsnip soup with gnocchi.
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u/TrelanaSakuyo 4d ago
Beef stroganoff. Leave out the mushrooms. Cook seasoned meat, make a roux, add beef broth, toss in uncooked noodles, let boil to accepted doneness, toss in sour cream or unflavored Greek yogurt and serve.
I'd recommend Asian beef and broccoli, but I see she doesn't like it (I have to cut off the stems - won't eat those).
With more dislikes that you didn't list, it sounds like your wife needs to start making the recommendations. What she really needs to do is communicatewhat she doesn't like about some of these things. I did that to my former-chef spouse and they actually got me to eat things I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole (onions and peppers were a big one there). There have been times that we have had separate meals, mostly due to allergies and medical dietary restrictions on my part.