New to all of this and have lots of questions. I was wondering when you cook do you cook different for your family or just yourself? I have teenagers and they still want to eat things that I can't(or shouldn't) have. It's hard being on such a schedule to cook different meals. Do any of you have quick pick up things you can eat? My daughter is a cheerleader and so many Friday nights we are rushing to get to ballgames an hour or more away. It is hard to always eat at home. Any suggestions? I am just learning and I am trying really hard but am finding it frustrating because it seems like everything has loads of salt (anything quick anyway!). I also struggle to want to eat right now. I am so fearful of something setting things off and going backwards. Anything would be appreciated. Thanks again you guys and this site have given me some new hope that I will get through this even though it's not fun. Jillzie
Jillzie - Don't make it too hard on yourself. Start by reading labels to check the sodium content. Don't add salt to anything. Your family can add their own salt if they choose. There are also a lot of no-salt spices you can use to help spice up your cooking. Once you get used to doing this, then you can try cooking with more fresh veggies, etc. In this kitchen section you will find all kinds of tips. By the way, as a general rule we eat foods with too much salt, including non-Menierians. It's a good idea to adjust diets of all family members to be more healthy. Good luck!
Jillzie, For those times when you just have to eat out because of schedule. I got these tips from my doctor. Always order condiments, sauces and dressings on the side. That way you can taste it and decide how much you want/need. I have even ordered the alfreado sauce on the side because most restaurants put way too much sauce on and it can be high in salt. Eat Salad! It fills you up and it's low sodium as long as you stay away from bacon, yellow cheese, lunch meat and use salad dressing sparingly. Stay away from baked goods including bread. You can always eat your hamburger with a knife and fork! Ask them to not add salt to the meat when they cook it. Some meat already has salt in it (US retaurants are notorious for storing chicken in a salt brine to keep it from spoiling) but you can avoid the salt they add at the time they cook. Avoid lunch meat, bacon and yellow cheese. For cooking at home, I highly recomend cooking large batches then freezing. Does you family like vegetable soup or chilli? That's something you could make up in advance then just heat up on Friday's before you dash off to the game. Other things to look into, a crock pot and a bread machine, both can be loaded in the morning and set to start cooking when needed. Also spaghetti sauce freezes well, but you need to add a little water to it when you reheat. Linda's right your family is already consuming way too much salt. They can add it at the table if the they want. I have found that there are other flavors I much prefer to salt anyway. For me garlic and onion are always good, I use fresh when I can or powdered (no garlic salt or onion salt, just the powders!) Also, many use Mrs. Dash but it's too spicy for me. There are also a lot of herbs out there! It takes some experimenting and teenagers aren't always the most willing participants but they will get over it, or go hungry! Good luck, Tracy
