Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

I really want to move my family to eating WFPB, but my kids really struggle with not liking beans. Especially my oldest child. Also, my husband often wants to eat tons of sweets things.

Do you all have suggestions?

There are so many different options. Maybe if you can describe what you are serving, we can make some specific suggestions.

I serve black beans or brown lentils in many different dishes. Both are staples in my house. Beans are served with tacos, tostadas, chips, salads, soups, etc. Often whole, recently blended with some onion powder to make retried beans. Lentils are ingredients in burgers, loaves, rice bowls and soups.

For sweets I keep a large bowl full of fresh, ripe fruit, and keep cut fruit in the refrigerator: apples, oranges, grapefruit, mangoes, bananas, pineapple and papaya. I also occasionally bake treats like brownies (black bean brownies), pumpkin pie squares or blueberry muffins. (Made with whole grain wheat or oat flours, apples, dates, etc.)

It takes some practice to build up a collection of recipes your family likes. Have patience.

Here is my current menu (Kids are age 4, 6 and 7):

Breakfast: oatmeal, banana oat pancakes toasted amaranth cereal, sweet rice or whole wheat toast
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner
M tacos
T spaghetti
W sushi
Th shepherd's pie
F tacos (We live in Mexico and kids really enjoy tacos!)
S pizza
S baked pasta

Time and patience...

Like Michael pointed out, there are lots of different dishes you can make without beans (they are not required). A few additional favorites came to mind:

Homefries for dinner! We like them with a smoothie.
Gnocchi with marinara
Ratatouille with polenta
Miso ramen with tofu and bok choy (make sure the ramen is oil free)
Yaki udon
Bibimbop (Korean mixed rice)
“Fried” rice
Potato tacos
Mashed potatoes, green beans and corn
Beefless stew from Straight Up Food (a family favorite)
Fun pasta shapes in marinara or pesto
Sweet potatoes and broccoli

What are their thoughts on hummus? There are also some foods with “hidden” beans, like chickpea salad, and stuffed shell pasta. If it’s a taste or texture thing, those might be palatable.

Cliv,

Hows it going?
I would focus on what they will eat. Don't focus on the stuff that needs to go.
You could look at the free plan and see if there are any meals your family would eat. Try those out.
Let us know how it goes.
Vicki