Urgent Help!

[ptdurk]

Right my diet consists of ham and lettuce sandwich (sorry in advance for any bad spelling im aware its awful ) beanz, spaghetti bacon and sweetcorn (my favourite dish) chicken yorkshire puddings etc, and then lots of fast food. I eat fast food on a daily basis i know its bad but i dont have an alternative becuase im a really fussy eater. So i was looking for suggestions of dishes similar to my spaghetti bacon and sweetcorn dish that are pretty healty. I do not like:
Cheese! any form
Casseroles
Pasta i know i like spaghetti but i dont like the taste of this
Cucumber
Tomatoes
etc. i am really fussy eater kinda like a child.

Please please help for i am going uni in september so will need to create my own little dishes but am so fussy.

Thanks again

[Jock]

So, you are off to uni in the fall eh? Congratulations.

Before you go there to educate your mind, spend some time in the summer educating your palette (sp?) Seriously, you are missing out on so much by limiting yourself to only a few things to eat (and most of them bad for you by the sound of it!) Your question is nearly impossible to answer since we don't know what skill levels you have and what cooking facilities are available to you. I would suggest a trip to the book store to browse some books and get ideas. I suspect you don't like some of the things you "don't like" because you have convinced yourself you don't. Try a more Zen approach and open your mind.

Good luck at school.

Jock

[diane]

Now I don't know if you a lad or a lassie. If you are serious about your education, however, I know that wo/man does not live by bean alone.

One cannot survive in a serious academic enviroment unless the body remains a support to the head. The head is supposed to stay upright, you know, it's that roundish thing superior to the neck. An interesting appendage to the body, one will die if it is removed, and this can be involuntary, as in the case of various tragic and blameless queens, or voluntary, as in your case. You are not fussy. This denotes a person of strangely perdantic ideas. Or even compulsion. Don't go there. It is self serving at best, and a realiably good way to ruin other people lives.

So! this old lady is telling you, you are lazy. Now what will happen if you are lazy at your study. You will fail. That is what will happen. You will fail. You will be a failure, and a voluntary one at that. Truly shocking. And if you do not feed your body, it will fail too. Then your head will droop, and fall off.

It is neither clever or original to bully people with food. What, and the range of foods you eat will allow you to reflect your vitality and genuine enthusasim for your studies. It is your choice. Make it.

[ptdurk]

In response to Dianne i am fussy. Not Lazy, how can one conclude that without even meeting the person. Even when the food is cooked for me i cannot eat it because i dont like it!
I came on here to ask for help because i recognised there was a problem and wanted to sort it out and all i got was a patronising response.
I am commited to my studies which is why im working hard at it now to achieve the best grades. Perhaps some constructive criticism in the future rather than a narrow minded view would be better. How can you expect to help anyone if you just 'tell them off'.
If you are an old lady (as you said you were) im sure you've come into contact with fussy eaters. Some of which may just be lazy but not all they just may simply not like the food! Not everyone likes all kinds of food i think you would agree. Thats is the case with me.
There was litterally no point in responding to my post with that because it did not answer my question i was asking for suggestions of recipies.
Oh and im a 'lad' as you put it, are you going to call all men/boys lazy now!

With response to the other comment. I have limited abilities as a chef but am willing to learn so any fairly basic recipies would be a great help.

[kuan]

I think you're looking more for ideas, not recipes. Try the food and cooking questions forum.

[Pete]

What kinds of fast food do you like? There is a huge variety of fast food. From hamburgers to fish-n-chips, to salads, etc. Saying that you eat "fast food" doesn't really tell us much. First thing I would do is go to your local library and pick up a few cookbooks and start experimenting. Start with the fast foods you like and find healthier versions of them. From there move on to other things. With the limited amount of information you gave us it really is very hard to figure out where to even start helping you. You say you are a very "fussy" eater, but then only list a few things you don't like. If those are your only real dislikes then a world of food is before you. Here is just a small list (barely scratches the surface):
Stir-fries
Salads
Rice Dishes
Stews
Chicken (grilled, sauteed, fried, turned into chicken salad)
Seafood, from shrimp to tuna and everything in between
Asian foods
Mexican foods

I can't even begin to think where to even start to help you without more information about your likes and dislikes. But I will tell you this, you need to overcome this "fussiness" or you are going to always find yourself with limited options. We all have our likes and dislikes, but when it starts to impose upon our lives then it is time to re-evaluate.

[ptdurk]

I do appologise if i have the wrong forum i wasnt too sure what bit.
Pete - Fast food i like are chips, burgurs etc. I dont like fish,seafood etc, or rice. The list i provided was just something off the top of my head for instance i forgot my dislike for peas. There are several more believe me. Ive also tried chicken kauma and was not too keen on that. I do attempt to try the foods but i just dont like them. You cant eat something you dont like because it is not a pleasent experience, and one that will put you off the joys of food.

[nowIamone]

Diane,
From on old lady, to another, I think you are right on! I was logged on when the young man made his post and started to respond, but wasn't sure I could contain my response. I have successfully raised my flock (successful defined as well rounded, competant to care for self and compete in and conquer the world, hard working, open minded) and a couple of others, plus a delightful young grandson 12 years of age who has traveled with me at all opportunity; opens a menu in any type of restaurant he is in and says, "What haven't I tried?" After all, nothing like a new experence in life.

But mine (and I bet yours, also) were raised to understand that by constantly justifing their own short comings instead of working at them, and by not expanding their horizons, they would limit their own opportunities in life. Such as expecting the university to except bad grammer and not having a plan to improve it. An employer will have expectations and will not have a tolerance for the self justifiying. An appetite for fast food maybe applicable, as this young man may not be able to afford much else, without deciding to apply himself to some accepting of critics and new horizons.

[diane]

Thank you, NowIamalone. It was not my intention to be patronising, I consider that a waste of time. And, frankly, I do not have the ego for it. I guess it is a wake up call to someone who presented themselves as frightfully precious. That, too, is a choice. I once had a patient who insisted on 11 cornflakes for her breakfast (among other things). She would count them. I will leave it to your imagination how I handled this. But it was fun, for both of us. Eventually.

I cannot imagine what our "urgent" poster required from us. The 'statements' of acceptabily have already been made. What are we supposed to say? Buttered/garlic snails on toast? Toasted lettuce.

Nor enter into some sort of dialougue that supports whining stupidity. I hate to sound so hard, because I am not. But I will not support foolishness. But really you know, as I do, that college life might sort out a lot of kinks. There is nothing like being hungry to refine acceptance of food. 'Not liking' something most of the mortals out in the real world do not have the luxury of deciding. Which is why they eat wide and well, Urgent poster. I sincerely hope you will too, because such preciousness will leak into other parts of your your life to, and honestly, most people just cannot be bothered. It is all about choice. OOze into the campus if you want to. But far better to show a fresh and eager face to the living conditions, so different from home. Go for it man.

[diane]

...and as a separate post, I wish to answer your statement. "are you going to call all men/boys lazy now". well, well, well. I can only give you the benefit of the doubt on such an amazing offering. I have a husband of 33 years. Not so long I admit, we married later in life. I have two sons and a daughter, she is the oldest, 30 years. All are excellent cooks. They have their preferences of course. We all do. But with none of them is it fast food.

I found this remark offensive. To call any male I know 'lazy' is offensive. I don't know 'males' or families that are lazy. I don't care for whiners, or those that use the medium for an excuse. Those 'significant others' who are male have all achieved very significantly, as both my daughter and I have. You are young, make it work for you, without all this nonsence. You are worth it, we both know that. Now, get going.

[Jock]

Originally Posted by diane

Now I don't know if you a lad or a lassie. If you are serious about your education, however, I know that wo/man does not live by bean alone.

One cannot survive in a serious academic enviroment unless the body remains a support to the head. The head is supposed to stay upright, you know, it's that roundish thing superior to the neck. An interesting appendage to the body, one will die if it is removed, and this can be involuntary, as in the case of various tragic and blameless queens, or voluntary, as in your case. You are not fussy. This denotes a person of strangely perdantic ideas. Or even compulsion. Don't go there. It is self serving at best, and a realiably good way to ruin other people lives.

So! this old lady is telling you, you are lazy. Now what will happen if you are lazy at your study. You will fail. That is what will happen. You will fail. You will be a failure, and a voluntary one at that. Truly shocking. And if you do not feed your body, it will fail too. Then your head will droop, and fall off.

It is neither clever or original to bully people with food. What, and the range of foods you eat will allow you to reflect your vitality and genuine enthusasim for your studies. It is your choice. Make it.

Diane, I have to say that while we all have our opinions and are entitled to them, your remarks in this post are condecending and judgemental not to mention just downright rude!
I have little tollerance for picky eaters (who in my opinion are created, not born) but to characterize ptdurk as lazy simply by virtue of his eating habits is really not justified.
I am a very opinionated old man but I don't think that gives me license to berate younger people I do not know and who were not raised as I was.

Jock

[Pete]

Diane, if you want to blame anyone for being lazy, blame this guy's mother or father or whoever raised him. He learned his eating habits from them and they were well established years ago. Now the guy sees his problem and seems to want to attempt to do something about it, and you show up with this self-righteous attitude.

Ptdurk, I would really re-evaluate your likes and dislikes. How many of those dislikes are based on assumptions or on trying a food once or twice? When I first met my wife she was a pretty unadventurous eater. There were a lot of things "she didn't like". But I re-introduced her to many of those foods and she found that she either had outgrown her dislike for something or had disliked it because it was made poorly or made in a way she didn't like. She used to hate lamb and now really likes it, fish (though she still doesn't like salmon) she wouldn't touch but now really likes most seafood. The list goes one.

Sorry, I can't really give you recipes, but start playing, experiementing in the kitchen. But the most important thing is to go into this experimenting with an open mind. If you say you "hate rice" you always will. Try making rice in a different way and allow yourself the chance to like. If you don't then fine, but don't shut the door on it until you have tried a few possibilities.

[diane]

Thank you for your response Jock. It is well read (by me) and appreciated as another opinion. I would take issue with a comment or two you made however. It is neither rude nor condescending for me to make my remarks. I have nowhere to descend from. I merely consider myself a Mark 1 mother, and a very good one at that. Forget the Doctorates and all that, common sense will always be common sense. It cannot be otherwise.

And to shore up inappropriate diet or opinion is just simply wrong. And I will not do it. We are all subject to unkind labels these days. If one has to defend an indefensible position, one will always resort to name calling. This method is older than the Greeks, even those before them. Long before them. A fairly reliable method with the gullible. But cheap to any with interlect of any stature. So where does that leave us?

I believe it leaves us with our individual opinions. I will remain interested in your recipes for our 'urgent' young man. And jolly good on you, I am in awe.

I will start off.

Take cut up bacon, chopped onion, and anything else you feel is appropiate.
Fry them together, in a pot.
Introduce skinned or canned tomatoes.
Add the cooked twisted spag. don't know what is is called.
S&P and a bit of soy or worsty sauce. Mix and enjoy.

See now, Jock, how I am prepared to take the blame. Isn't it funny. ;Þ

[diane]

Ah - Ha, Pete has ventured into the potential morasse. How brave, noble even. But still no recipes which our urgent gentleman requested initially. Where to turn? Where to hide? How to cope? Well, I don't know. But I am quite certain that our precious little darling will not starve. Unless he wants to of course.

[AprilB]

Honestly though,

Why doesn't Durk just ask his mom for ideas? Picky eaters are made, not born and I'm guessing she's a rotten cook.

My first gut reaction was that he's coming at the world like ordering at Mom's Cafeteria. My reaction is ... 'wha?'...(need an icon with one eyebrow raised into scalp)

JEEZ! We use EVERYTHING and put stuff in recipes in combinations that don't even sound edible! (I draw the line at snails- don't care what you call them)

I've raised 3 kids, all LOVED salad, all kinds of veggies and different types of cuisines (my oldest at 10 yo loved HOT szechuan tofu and pork) because that's what I fed them. They watched me cook (like I did with my Grandma) and saw how much fun it was preparing all kinds of wonderful food. It's pretty simple. None of this 'I DONNNNN LIEEEEEKKKK ITTTT' stuff.

I had a BF that had a son like that. Annoying as **** little poop bucket. And his big biker dad would be peeling toppings off of pizza or actually wiping the sauce off (once he rinsed it in the sink out of frustration!) of a McDonald's hamburger while this little rug rat would be bitching and screaming about not wanting to eat it "because he didn't like it". Yeah, it was special...

He was a totally spoiled, totally unappreciative ingrate and its learned.

That said, I agree that it was unclear as to what what being requested here. Yes, it does sound lazy on your part. It sounded like you wanted to be force fed ideas. You don't just hop on a forum and place an order. (I don't like cheese or pasta <?> <even though pasta is just spaghetti with different shapes>) Why can't you hit the library (they do still make books and a lot of cookbooks have pictures if that will help) or sites for recipes and go from there. I mean, you like garlic? No garlic? Lots of pepper? What kind of pepper? What spices? (there are hundreds) How in blue blazes are we supposed to know that?

I agree with Diane. You sound like you are completely unprepared to make your own decisions about what you eat. And if I had to guess it sounds like you are trying to replace mom telling you what to eat.

If you can't get your head around a recipe how are you going to make it through school? (God please don't say he's studying to be a doctor!)

Nobody here can help you decide what you do and don't want to eat, nor am I personally inclined to want to cater to your food idiosyncracies unless you want to pay me for what I do. (We are, after all, in the food business?)

I'll send you an entire cookbook with all kinds of recipes geared completely to your palate, but you'll have to pay me $30 per hour for my expertise.

April