"Ask the nutritionist: “My partner and I eat different diets. How can I incorporate both of our preferences into our meal plans?” - CampusWell (2024)

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“My partner and I have different dietary preferences. I am a pescatarian (no meat but seafood), and he is not. How can I incorporate both of our dietary preferences into our meal plans?”
—Melissa C., third-year graduate student, Emporia State University

Though your dietary preferences may primarily differ in terms of protein choices, there are a few strategies you and your partner can implement to streamline meal planning.

Identify your proteins

First, you may want to identify which protein foods you both enjoy eating. While a pescatarian eating style may not include any meat, like chicken, beef, or pork, there may be other proteins, such as fish, shellfish, eggs, beans, peas, lentils, tofu, seitan, tempeh, and dairy, that the meat-eater may have in common with you.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a publication from the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA), recommends consuming eight ounces of seafood—i.e., about two meals—per week. That could be a start to planning for the week if both partners eat seafood. From there, you can plan meals based on the other protein foods that you have in common.

Get creative—and collaborative

Work with your partner to come up with flavors that will complement different types of proteins. This is helpful for meals where each partner selects their own protein, because it saves time and makes meal planning a lot more manageable. Common seasonings and marinades that could go well on both seafood and meat include lemon pepper, garlic butter, teriyaki, soy sauce and ginger, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper, and barbecue sauce.

Don’t forget the sides

Prepare side dishes that both parties enjoy to help cut down on the prep work. Think about the staples you each like to add to your meals and see where there’s some overlap (e.g., perhaps you always include a grain and/or vegetable to accompany your proteins).

Some example meals:

• Seafood/meat with rice and broccoli
• Ramen and carrots
• Pasta and salad
• Tortillas and grilled veggies

Consider vegetarian meals

Full-on vegetarian meals can be an option if both partners are open to it. Consider exploring alternate protein options, such as tofu, seitan, tempeh, beans, peas, lentils, hummus, edamame, kale, eggs, yogurt, cheese, quinoa, nuts, and/or seeds. Choose one to go with your sides or come up with a protein-packed combo to concoct a satiating meal.