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Food/Recipes

meal planning for kids - what regular meals do yours have?

80 replies

NemosKnickers · 11/07/2017 10:08

I've been thinking about the mental load stuff, and one of the things that wears me down is thinking about and shopping for what the kids are going to eat constantly.

I'm finding that by the time I've thought about, planned, bought and cooked what they all like and want, I have no inclination to do the same for myself and I end up eating toast.

DH has suggested that we have the same menu every week for them and we can eat the same or choose something else. We always sit and chat with them while they eat btw, (before folk pile in with WHY AREN'T YOU EATING FAMILY MEALS WITH YOUR CHILDREN??).

So, what are family faves for your lot?

Ours are currently -
pizza
tuna and sweetcorn pasta
spag bol
chicken curry (usually spice tailor korma)
occasionally they will accept a home made cauliflower soup, but not always
erm...

not very inspiring is it? And lacking in greenery.

What would go on your weekly menu?

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wobblywonderwoman · 11/07/2017 10:11

The nights they dont eat what we are having they have

pasta bake or pasta pesto
Waffles and beans
Homemade pancakes

The eldest will eat everything - salmon etc so he is fine but youngest wont

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NemosKnickers · 11/07/2017 10:13

I'm so shit at pancakes Grin

takes me an hour to make some shitty brown ribbons with hungry children sat gnawing the table

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WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 11/07/2017 10:16

We have [[ but add the turkey mince. Easy to go

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dementedpixie · 11/07/2017 10:16

Ds likes chicken breast wrapped in bacon cooked in the oven. Dd likes the same but with added bbq sauce and grated cheese on the top (hunters chicken?). Ds also likes mini chicken fillets with bbq sauce (wrap in foil and cook in the oven). Dd likes them done in sweet chilli sauce cooked in the same way. Pork and honey chipolatas from Tesco also features as a meal with chips/ beans.

Dd eats most things but ds is more fussy and doesn't like pasta with sauces, etc. He eats a lot of chicken!

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WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 11/07/2017 10:21

Ah, accidentally pressed post. We have this ragu with pasta but add the turkey mince to it. Easy to make a big batch of it and put it in the freezer. Lots of veggies.

Macaroni cheese with broccoli.

Chicken fajita wraps (can add extra veg in).

Fish finger wraps (with lettuce & peppers) and sweet potato wedges.

Omelette & beans.

Will have a think about some other recipes. I wouldn't stick to the same menu week after week, but maybe you could do a 2 or 4 week rotation and do a bit of batch cooking to remove some of the drudgery?

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NemosKnickers · 11/07/2017 10:23

we have a sausage hater here and they don't like sweet sauces. or pesto. or fish. Hmm

I never do chicken apart from curry though so some kind of roasted chicken thing could work?

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NemosKnickers · 11/07/2017 10:24

I've done fajitas before but they all ignore all the nice bits and end up just with chicken in a wrap?? Literally! Bloody heathens.

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NemosKnickers · 11/07/2017 10:25

yes maybe a 2 week rotation would be better. Middle child doesn't give a shit about what is put in front of him, it's merely fuel. The other two, are slightly more interested.

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AllGoingPearShaped · 11/07/2017 10:26
  • Chicken soup (easy to make and you can use the carcass from a chicken dinner so really economical). I serve with warm baguette/ciabatta or they sometimes ask for noodles in it.

- Fish goujons - using whizzed up wholemeal bread - coat pieces of any fish in flour, egg & breadcrumbs & then bake in oven. Serve with green beans or any other green veg.
- Slow cooker is your friend! Grin - chilli con carne, casseroles
- Fajitas - chicken, prawn, beef
- Chicken fried rice with veggies
- Roast chicken thighs served with couscous with veggies mixed in
- Shepherd's pie - I put peas and carrots in mine to up the veg content
- Turkey burgers made with turkey breast steaks

Shout if you want any recipes. I hate this aspect of the summer hols as mine are constantly hungry and I feel like I spend all my time either cooking their meals or clearing up from meals!
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Shinesun09 · 11/07/2017 10:26

We always end up with loads of variations as ds is fussy but these are what we have

Jacket potatoes
Egg and soldiers
Freezer crap (nuggets, fish fingers) with peas/beans and mash
Toasties withave hidden veg

We always do a midweek 'roast' aswell just to up the veg intake (but we usually buy a cooked whole chicken from supermarket)

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NemosKnickers · 11/07/2017 10:29

That ragu looks lovely WWTDD. I'm going to try that and see if they turn their noses up...

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moomoogalicious · 11/07/2017 10:29

I find it really difficult to find a meal that everyone will eat (3 dc), so often do a variation for whoever won't eat a particular meal.

ragu and pasta (pasta and homemade pesto for veggie one)
fajitas/burritos/tacos
Homemade pizza
pie/sausage and veg
burger and chips
gammon, egg and chips
Lamb/chicken kebabs in pittas
Stir fry (although they pick out the veg Hmm )

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Shinesun09 · 11/07/2017 10:30

That sounds crap but those are just the failsafes or when we've had a busy day and I don't have time can't be bothered to cook from scratch

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TinklyLittleLaugh · 11/07/2017 10:31

Why do you sit down with them but not actually eat with them? I can't see the logic in that.

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MusicToMyEars800 · 11/07/2017 10:34

Ahh the joys of fussy kids Grin I have this battle everyday, a few things my 2 love are: pasta bake with salad and sometimes a slice of garlic bread on the side
Fish fingers, chips and beans (yes I know it's not the healthiest of meals)
Curry done with brown rice.
Chicken breasts topped with Parmesan bread crumbs baked in the oven, served with chunky wedges, roasted tomatoes and whatever veg I can get them to eat.
Bolognese
Macaroni cheese, topped with sliced tomoatoes.
Lasagne (lots of hidden veg in it)
Homemade pizza's with salad
falafel burgers
There's probably more, but that's all I can think of atm, and also a lot of the time me and my DP don't eat the same time as the kids because of work hours etc.

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NemosKnickers · 11/07/2017 10:45

I don't always eat with them because I don't often want the same foods, or I'm not hungry when they are, eg straight after school.

There are plenty of times when we do eat together too. This is more the school night stuff I'm thinking of, when we are often rushing between various activities too.

AllGoingPearShaped what chicken soup recipe do you use? I've been making scotch broth style all my adult life but the little bastards don't like it! I love it so much.

They don't eat eggs Hmm I bloody LOVE EGGS and could eat them all day every day...

They don't like pies...

As I'm reading all your lovely suggestions I'm realising that our meal choices have got so narrow because I'm trying to cater for three different people with different likes and dislikes (fussy? I don't know). Sometimes I end up making two or three different choices and this is why I'm fucking sick of the THINKING about it all. It leaves me eating shit I don't even like and that does my head in.

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HeyMicky · 11/07/2017 10:47

I've just today written a list of things i will cook and batch cook when DD starts reception in September:

Mushroom omelettes and salad
Vegetable soup and bread roll
Baked potatoes/sweet potatoes with various toppings and salad on the side
Spagetti bolognese with extra veg in sauce
Lasagne using the same bolognese sauce
Pasta with smoked salmon and broccoli
Pasta bake with courgette and mushroom plus salad
Cottage pie with sweet potato and cauliflower topping
Chicken wraps with peppers, mushrooms and corn plus guac and salsa
Lamb and veg stew
Fish pie and peas
Meatballs, mash and green beans
Baked salmon
Sausage or chicken and root veg tray bake
Bean burgers with salad
Prawn fried rice with peas, corn, peppers and mushrooms

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NemosKnickers · 11/07/2017 10:47

People who do homemade pizzas, isn't it a massive ballache? When we've done it, there was enormous mess and the pizzas were crapola.

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NemosKnickers · 11/07/2017 10:49

btw, all your lists are lovely. I think I need to keep putting veg in front of them til they take the hint don't I?

I think I'd stopped doing that after lots of refusals and food waste.

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TinklyLittleLaugh · 11/07/2017 10:53

Okay, OP, but you are kind of complaining about them being fussy, when you are a bit fussy yourself.

I have four kids, though they are a bit older now. I cook one thing, you are allowed to not have it if you don't like it and make yourself a sandwich. I find lots of mezze type things most useful: people can normally construct a meal out of the various elements.

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MyfatheristheKing · 11/07/2017 10:57

We all eat the one meal here but some of their favourites are:

Chill
Spag bol
Tacos
Enchiladas
Homemade KFC
Toast and beans
Pasta bake
Sausage casserole
Roast dinner
Sausage and mash
Baked potatoes
Cottage pie
Soup and toasties
Breakfast for dinner
Homemade pizza or pita pizza
Taco soup

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TinklyLittleLaugh · 11/07/2017 11:00

We do homemade pizza on a Saturday night. Dough in the breadmaker while I chop up toppings. DH rolls them out, we all bung the toppings on. Wipe surfaces down in the 10 minutes they are in the oven. They are delish.

I put out token veg for a lot of years before my kids would eat it, even now they aren't over enamoured with traditional go with a roast veg. But they all eat loads of salad type stuff, and I put lots of veg in everything I cook. I think you just have to keep putting it out, eat it enthusiastically yourself and gently encourage. They will get there.

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Joinourclub · 11/07/2017 11:00

Pasta with tomato veg sauce
Pasta with chicken sweetcorn and Philadelphia
Stir fried rice with veg
Chicken veg noodles
Chicken with veg and potatoes
Fish fingers chips and peas
Spag Bol
Chicken veg curry
Fish pie
Jacket potatoes
Veg soup

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NemosKnickers · 11/07/2017 11:03

am I fussy?

I think I eat a lot wider food range than my kids do. I want more veg and pulses in my life.

heymickey would you care to share any recipes? Do you serve a sauce with your meatballs, would it be just like a tomato pasta sauce or some kind of gravy? I never thought of doing meatballs with mash. I'd also be interested in your soup, lamb stew, pasta x 2, and beanburger recipes if you have any? thanks

musictomyears chicken with parmesan sounds good. Do you make your own falafel burgers too?

And can anyone recommend a tried and tested macaroni cheese recipe please?

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Groovee · 11/07/2017 11:04

Cajun chicken pasta
Paprika Pork
Nacho Style Feast (potato wedges with mince on top and cheese melted on.

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