Healthy, balanced meals are usually not tasty. So why would this be a surprise to you? My mother is a health-nut and does everything she can to eat organic/healthy things. I eat out at least once a week and love carbs (though I'm not overweight, and neither is she). She's in a degenerative state of health, I am not- and she is only 18 years older than me. "Healthy living" helps some people, doesn't affect others. Everyone's bodies are different.

The simplest thing you can do is to learn to use spices. Not only do they have (in general) negligible health effects, but they actually decrease caloric intake and increase water intake. Making spicy foods, especially with the capsaicin found in jalapeños, Tabasco sauce and other hot peppers, will actually increase metabolism, in addition to lowering caloric intake. Invest in kosher salt and black pepper, and use them as a base for rubs for meats (rubs are spice mixtures which are, well, rubbed into the meat before cooking). Kosher salt will help tenderize meats, as well as flavor them, and black pepper just tastes good. Use fresh and ripe vegetables whenever you're serving them raw. Variety. Pretty self-explanatory. Allow some boxed or canned meals, and feel free to play with the recipe. For example, when I cook macaroni and cheese, I generally boil some corn or peas with the pasta, then add a can of tuna in with the cheese and milk. Add some oregano and garlic to Beefaroni. And for F***'s sake, listen to your kids and ask what they like.