When starting a new way of eating, your family is not always quick to jump on board. Here you will find 9 THM meals for off plan family that is easily adapted for those on plan and following Trim Healthy Mama!
Making two meals for supper is something I’ve never been a fan of (even for my little kids). So I thought I would share how we cook THM meals for off plan family and still only cook one meal.
Before my husband embraced THM, lost 40 lbs and reversed his Type 2 Diabetes, he ate off plan. I also have and elementary aged child and a toddler as well. And let’s be honest, they might love broccoli today and hate it tomorrow.
Even though I was the only one consistently eating on plan, I didn’t cook multiple meals. I found a way to adapt a main meal to please on plan and off plan family members and now I’m sharing that with you!
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9 THM Meals For Off Plan Family – Cook Once
Being able to cook once at dinner time is very important to me. After working all day, cooking two different meals is not in my vocabulary.
Here are examples of THM meals for off plan family that can be adapted for on plan members and off plan kids or family. It may also work if you want your kids or husband on plan but they have different needs than you.
For example, growing kids that need XO’s or maybe you feel like an E and hubby wants an S.
We will talk about many possibilities using the same base meals that are all Trim Healthy Mama family favorites. Allowing you to cook once and have your entire family eat!
Spaghetti
For spaghetti, I do normally have to cook a different base to serve our pasta on but we all eat the same sauce. The exception is if we are all eating Dreamfields because the whole family likes that.
S Option: Ground beef/Italian sausage meat sauce over Dreamfields pasta, zucchini zoodles, french style green beans or spaghetti squash.
E Option: Roasted chicken breast with marinara over a lentil pasta.
XO Option: Ground beef/Italian Sausage meat sauce over lentil pasta.
Off Plan/Kid Option: Regular pasta with the meat/sauce of your choice.
Tacos
For taco Tuesday, let’s first talk about the meat.
This is the best ever taco meat, made in the Instant Pot. You can easily adapt to use lean ground beef or turkey for an E.
I use this homemade taco seasoning with Nutritional Yeast. It is easy and cheap to make. Mix up a batch and you will have it ready for several weeks of Tacos.
S Option: Taco Salad – meat, cheese, olives, sour cream, fajita veggies (peppers & onions) or taco meat on low carb tortilla.
E Option: Tacos in a Bag (My daughter loves this)
XO Option: Taco meat plus beans in a low carb tortilla.
Off Plan/Kid Option: Using the same meat, you could offer regular taco shells/tortillas
Chili
Chili is one that is a bit tougher to do just one meal but you can make it happen. Make Pearl’s Chili from the cookbook.
S Option: Per the book, watch the number of beans you eat.
E Option: Make Pearl’s chili using extra lean ground meat and add an extra can or 2 of beans (adjusting liquid and adding more if needed)
XO Option: Take the E chili option and serve over hot dogs.
Off Plan Option: Serve whatever chili you make over hot dogs on regular buns.
Salad Bar
This might not sound incredibly kid friendly but here is how we do it to make it good for kids and adults.
S Option: Leafy greens with bacon, boiled eggs, cheese, nuts.
E Option: Chickpeas or black beans, cranberries, peaches, apples or pineapple (maybe not all on one salad)
XO Option: Black beans, cheese, southwest ranch, chicken
Off Plan/Kid Option: I make Lunchable style plates for my kids that are not salad eaters. Meats, cheese, raw veggies and regular croutons or crackers (NOP).
BBQ
Our favorite is this recipe made in the crockpot & is a THM FP!
S Option: Pulled pork on a salad with cheese, avocado and nuts or on a low carb tortilla quesadilla style.
E Option: Pulled pork on sprouted bun.
XO Option: Pulled Pork on Sprouted Bun with a mayo based slaw.
Off Plan/Kid Option: Pulled pork on white or wheat bun.
Sloppy Joes
Slim Sloppy Joes in the THM cookbook are a good option for sloppy joes. Just watch out for canned “sloppy joe” sauces. Most if not all will have sugar and unwanted ingredients.
S Option: Serve on a low carb, plan approved bun.
E Option: Use an extra lean ground meat and serve on sprouted bread or on plan sourdough!
XO Option: Ground beef (not extra lean) on sprouted bread or sourdough.
Off Plan/Kid Option: Regular bun.
Baked Potato Bar
S Option: N/A
E Option: Baked Sweet Potato or other on plan potato and top with shredded chicken, sugar free bbq sauce or wing sauce and plain Greek Yogurt. The wing sauce is my fave, something about that little bit of sweet and spice.
XO Option: On plan Potato with an S chili or bacon and cheese.
Off Plan/Kid Option: All of these are kid friendly options, right?!
Pizza
Friday night pizza is always fun after a long week. A lot of pizza restaurants will make you a pizza in a bowl with no crust but you can make this family fave at home too.
Once you have all your toppings out, it is easy to throw toppings on a variety of crust options.
S Option: Tortilla Pizzas – Use low carb tortillas. Another option is to put pizza toppings on a salad.
E Option: N/A (because I can’t figure out pizza without cheese)
XO Option: Pizza toppings and cheese on a sprouted crust or homemade sourdough crust.
Off Plan/Kids Option: Traditional crust
Grilled Meat with Sides
S Option: Any S meat (pork chops, steak, chicken quarters or drumsticks) with Cheesy Zucchini, mayo based slaw, broccoli and cheese.
E Option: Grilled Chicken or Pork Tenderloin (the only pork lean enough for an E). Serve with an on plan potato, brown rice or quinoa.
XO Option: Steak and baked potato.
Off Plan/Kids Option: Most off plan people that I know would eat the XO option and be perfectly happy. The only off plan thing I can really think of would be an off plan roll/bread.
Want More THM Family Favorites?
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Follow my THM food diary on Instagram for daily food ideas that you can implement in real life. Nothing fancy (ok, not usually)! Just real food made by a real busy mama.
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