help ideas to overhaul kids diet

[3asAbird]

I want to. Cut down on crap we has whole family are eating and drinking fizzy pops crisps chocolate ect but also overhaul meals as we stuck k in a. Rut.
We have 1 takeout a week at present and least one night something frozen chucked in oven or ready meal.

Can people say some good fresh healthy recipes that may appeal to kids.

They eat spa blog, lasagne, cottage pie ,veg stir fry ,mild curry with rice and roast dinners.

What's the best squash and ketchup.

Drastically want to reduce sugar

Worried about sweetener

They eat most fruit and veg
Calcium milk and cheese they gone off yogurts unless it's flipping muller corner chocolate type.

[FairyPenguin]

The meals you've listed there sound good, with veg on the side. My two also like macaroni cheese, fajitas, stir fries with rice/noodles/in a wrap! Put plenty of veg in a curry.

How about a risotto?

We also eat quite a lot of salmon and tuna. Salmon with soy sauce, rice and green veg. Same but in a noodle soup. I sometimes add tuna to a macaroni cheese, and often with jacket potatoes.

We don't drink squash so can't help with that one, and we buy Heinz ketchup but I don't keep an eye on sugar in that as we don't eat that much of it.

[FairyPenguin]

I've also started cutting down on crisps and chocolate - they used to have something sweet after school every day. Now they have chocolate/biscuits maybe twice, and I tend to offer these instead:

• fruit
• cheese (sometime with a cracker)
• pitta (wholemeal if poss) with hummus
• half a bagel with Marmite/hummus

If they say no to what I offer then I say they can't be hungry and they get nothing till dinner!

[AlternativeTentacles]

Add mild chilli to that list, and you have 7 dinners a week so can cut out the take aways. Stop buying all the crap, fill your basket with fresh fruit and veg and make sure the meals listed have lots of fresh veg in them.

Buy non sugar free squash and less sweets. I Use the Rocks ones. Heinz ketchup is fine as it is a condiment not a main part of the meal.

[3asAbird]

Thanks for speedy input. We fallen into bad ways.

They rarly maybe have maccy d maybe every 2months.

Takeout normally means fish and chips after brownies.
One month Indian takeaway or chinese chow mein noodles is kids favourite.

They like nearly all fruits .my sisters a trainee dentist and moans about natural sugars no snacking . She has no kids and has no idea the battles keeps going on about sugar free squash I can't find on sale anywhere and not sure all no added sugar is all sweeteners instead of sugar.

I try ration crisps one pack a day ans with sandwich or packed lunch.

They seem to hate houmous eldest liked it as child.
They hate rice cakes maybe could try snack a jacks again.
They love walkers sun bites which always feel healthier.
They love ketchup too much which is why Need cut sugar but can't find sugar free ketchup .
Drinks they have too much fizzy drinks and no added sugar squash.
They will drink water if I Make them or milk.
They like bread sticks.

cereals huge crap point since husband gave into chocolate variety ie coco pops cookie crisp .They will eat rice Krispies and weetabix and whole grain with sugar on top.

I tried some really healthy natural chocolate letters in coop other day brand escapes me they not keen. They also don't seem overly keen on porridge they do like special k red berries which costs fortune and unsure how healthy that is.

They like most fruit and veg.
They like risotto and savoury rice.
They like pizza home made or shop brought.
They not huge lovers of salads or peers have tried lots times.
They all like tuna.
They like faiita wraps and pitta.
They will eat granary or brown bread.

I started off so well with eldest now 9 she still won't eat sweets to this day as when she was little I convinced her she does not like them.

Are fruit shoots really bad as if we go out that's what most place seem to serve.

Youngest 2 are 4 and 5.

I find they all getting pickier one week they liked it next week not so much.

middle one loved sore en malt loaf at freinds house brought pack of them no interest despite the minion on the wrapper.

should I start stalking the baby food aisle again on hunt for healthy snacks.

seems some things are niche only available some super markets or health stores. We have a Holland and barret fairly close.

I might do order at ocado as rocks on offer.

We do bulk of main shops at lidls or aldis.
get odd buts from Iceland.
Top ups coop or tesco metro.
We sometimes pop in sainsburys and morrisions too we have full range nearby but not waitrose.

I used meal plan and batch cook but fallen out of habit

Both my husband and I would like lose little weight.

are home made cakes a healthier treat that say chocolate.

Also may do vegetarian night

ideas make fish more appealing as unless it's breaded they not keen.

saw home made chicken nuggets on tv with cornflakes was thinking of trying.

They all like eggs and have no allergies.

[DahliaBloom]

I would stop buying all fizzy drinks and squash. Mine drink water only at meals; dh gives them apple juice sometimes but I dilute it heavily. They get used to it quickly.

We don't have any biscuits or chocolate/sweets in the house, or they'd be after it all the time. They like to snack on cheese and crackers and fruit.

My boys love all sorts of rubbish, but don't refuse healthy food at home, so I just persevere and don't buy any crap, and don't get worked up when they eat other stuff at weekends or at friends' houses.

They love homemade chicken nuggets, good idea, serve them with mashed potato and broccoli and/or peas.

Do they like natural yogurt? You can make a big bowl of muesli at breakfast - mix some oat flakes into natural yogurt and stir in chopped apple and banana, grate a pear into it. (You can do the oat and yogurt bit the night before and just stir the fruit in in the morning). Tiny drizzle of maple syrup or honey on the top. As I say, mine would eat coco pops etc every day if they could, but love muesli / natural yogurt. In fact, natural yogurt is their pudding most days of the week; sometimes with fruit, sometimes with a weetabix crumbled in.

[DahliaBloom]

Also, you might find they like porridge if you stir fruit into that too. I'm not a big fan usually but dh made it this morning and it was full of chopped banana and apple and was really good.

[FairyPenguin]

Sounds like you're moving towards a healthier way of eating. Great that they like fruit and veg, and granary/wholemeal bread.

We have had some similar issues so hope this might help.

No sugary/fizzy drinks in house. Only water or milk.

Cereal - I give them the healthiest I can that they will actually eat. Currently we have Weetabix, Shredded Wheat, Shreddies, Bran Flakes.

Fish - have you tried the salmon fish fingers? Or make your own? The tuna macaroni cheese is a big hit here. Kedgeree might go down well with smoked mackerel, korma paste, rice, parsley, boiled eggs.

You're lucky yours like eggs - frittata with lots of veg? Scrambled eggs and beans on toast?

I think stop buying crisps/biscuits/chocolate, try them on a handful of almonds or cashews as an alternative. Or I buy the large packs of own brand hula hoops so they only get equivalent of half a packet at a time. Or mini Cheddars. Cubes of cheese make a really good savoury snack.

[FairyPenguin]

I also don't bother going to specialist shops or anything. You will find enough about in the normal shops to be honest.

And we let all rules go out of the window when we eat out or have take away. Everything's ok in moderation and they know it's a treat. My two love having juice, Fruit Shoots, smoothies, milkshakes, chips, chocolate when out. They appreciate it more as they don't have it at home.

[chocolateyay]

Make your own ketchup. Its brilliant but such a faff, you treat it like gold dust!

I'd get the kids to help out cooking, making jam, bread etc. Let them (if they are old enough) to make a meal for you once in a while.

^They like most fruit and veg.
They like risotto and savoury rice.
They like pizza home made or shop brought.
They not huge lovers of salads or peers have tried lots times.
They all like tuna.
They like faiita wraps and pitta.
They will eat granary or brown bread.^

This is bloody brilliant!

[MERLYPUSSEDOFF]

Lidls/aldis do sugar free high juice squash. Home made cakes are a bit better I think. Banana muffins are nice and quick to make. our crap meal go to is hot dog night. We get the vac pack ones and microwave them or fry them. Eat with fried onions, home made oven strip chips, cheese squares and pickles. What about pop corn as a snack?

[pregnantpause]

I think homemade fruit and nut muffins are a healthier breakfast than cereal. But time constraints mean mine get porridge and berries 5/7 days a week.

Your list of what they will eat is far superior to what mine tolerate. Nut you haven't mentioned soup? It's an easy vehicle for veg and easy to make. Endless varieties. We have soup and rolls at least once a week.

I genuinely think the key os meal planning and batch cooking. If there's a plan or meal ready in the freezer the ready meals are far easier to avoid. As are the takeaways ( though IMO a Friday night fish supper is fine in a balanced week)

[SavoyCabbage]

When we get in a good rut I get my dc go through a recipe book and put post it notes on a few things they fancy trying. Even if I'm not going to cook that exact thing it gives me some ideas of what they might like.

[SavoyCabbage]

*food rut

[FreeButtonBee]

I think if you cut out the snacky stuff and fizz, and maybe do a bit of home baking (if you have the energy!), then you're doing pretty well.

Some more meal ideas:

• Moroccan chicken - with mild spices, dried apricots, tomato etc. Lovely with rice or couscous

• nothing wrong with sausages and mash and veg once a week - buy decent sausages and do 3 types of veg. Put the veg in bowls and let them take a small bit of what they fancy.

• traybakes are good. Chicken (thighs are good and cheaper), big chunks of red onion, carrot, potatoes drizzled with honey, olive oil and a small bit of cumin is really tasty. You can also do this with sausages - chopped up small.

• different pasta options - pork mince with fennel seeds and passata makes a gorgeous, slightly lighter bol type sauce. Try meatballs in tomato sauce as well. Also carbonara is quick and tasty.

[bigkidsdidit]

Your meals sound great. If you cut out the snacks I reckon you'd be doing ok!

Mine have cheese and oatcakes as a snack, would yours eat that?

[500Decibels]

Op that all sounds really good!
Stick to what you've said they'll eat and you'll be fine

Stick to weetabix for breakfast. Chuck blueberries or chopped banana onto it or with it.
Stop buying juices and drinks and let them get used to water. My dh was borderline for diabetes until I stopped buying juices.

Bake treats like cakes and biscuits at home. Make it an activity for the kids.

[FastForward2]

Drink water or tea or coffee, no squash or fruit juice. (If you get any fruit juice make sure it is well diluted As the sugar content is massive and as bad as coke according to the film Fed Up I recently watched on netflix!) Orange juice has least sugar, apple juice is one of the worst.

If the tap water is not good try a britta or boots water filter, or buy bottled. Let them choose a bottle of still water each at the supermarket, there are some aimed at kids now.

For snacks can you just give fruit and or dried fruit or unsalted nuts or combination, or chunks of cheese? My daughter loves cheddar cheese and apple. Has to be granny smiths. I understand that the sugar is ok as long as it is eaten as fruit, not juice and not refined in processed stuff.

Its good they have gone off yoghurt as that is high sugar unless you get plain. I would rather give them custard or real dairy ice cream, or angel delight with some fruit, e.g. tinned peaches as desseert. Nowadays I get individual ice creams due to dh inability at portion control, i.e. if there is ice cream in the freezer in a tub he eats the whole tub, blames it on daughter. Vanilla ice cream and heated up frozen raspberries is delicious.

Microwave combination oven will roast a chicken from frozen in an hour, just do some veg or salad and potatoes, or make sandwiches and save some for risotto next day.
If you do baked potatoes do small ones or share big one between children, I often share with my teenage daughter.
Baked potatoes with reduced sugar baked beans plus cheese?
Baked potatoes with cheesy leeks.
Baked potatoes or garlic bread with sausage and bean casserole. (Fry the good quality sausages 20mins in chuncks, then add carrots and celery and onion, fry till soft, add canellini beans and chicken stock or tin tomatoes and simmer, if they like grainy mustard you can add that to the chicken stock version.)
Tacos/potatoes or rice with chilli, chilli = fried lean mince plus tin of chilli beanS plus tin tomatoes, serve with salad, cherry tomatoes etc.
Chicken thighs with tarragon and olive oil cook in oven plus veg or salad And potatoes. Share one chicken thigh between smaller children.
Turkey escalopes: coat turkey fillets with thin coat of flour, then beaten egg, then bread crumbs then bake turning once. Its a bit fiddly but you can get children to help.
Tuna pizza squares or similar eg tuna bagettes Get the children to make their own.