What would you cook for a family with a newborn?

[MelvinThePenguin]

My friend has a one week old baby. I'm having her older DC for a few hours on Thursday to give the parents a bit of a breather and hope to send some home cooked meals back with them. The sort of thing that the parents and toddler kids would all eat and they can just bung in the oven.

What would you make them? They'll eat anything.

I'm vegetarian, but do cook meat dishes for my toddler and baby. Anything involving mince or chicken breast is fine. I'm not confident with other types of meat.

My kids have things like spaghetti and meatballs and coconut chicken curry, but they're not the most transportable options.

Inspiration gratefully received. Nothing too complicated please!

[Hoddykins]

Something easy to eat - one handed meals like taco soup, spag Bol (with shaped pasta, not spaghetti), Chinese (chicken in Chinesey sauce with rice) soup, anything they can head up easy and eat one handed while dealing with the baby!

[Hoddykins]

Go to a shop and get the foil trays that have lids, then you can transport and they can just pop in the oven in the tray, I bet they'd appreciate paper plates and disposeable cutlerey too, easy clean up then!

Have a look on YouTube and Pinterest on "batch cooking" or "freezer meals"

[Justmuddlingalong]

Soup, lasagne, chicken or steak pie? I'm presuming your in the UK, where it's still winter.

[SmittenApril]

Cottage pie is a big hit with my kids and easy to heat and eat.

Mac and cheese

[Oblomov18]

I made my friend a cottage pie and a lasagne. She was very appreciative.

[Lallypopstick]

Someone made me quiche and corned beef pie which was easy to eat one handed!

I also wanted to say that this is a really nice thing to do for your friend. I was so grateful when guests came with food and drink.

[Thiswayorthatway]

Fish pie. Chocolate cake.

[MelvinThePenguin]

I'd forgotten about the one-handed requirement! My youngest is only 8 months old. Funny how you forget so quickly.

I do have a DH approved cottage pie recipe (he has to try everything the first time I make it, even the kiddy mush, because I can't taste test). That's got a bit of slop protection for transportation.

[MelvinThePenguin]

Oh yes, of course. Dessert!

[1happyhippie]

What a nice thing to do op.
I would do cottage pie, maybe a casserole, lasagne or a pasta dish.

[PinkHeart5914]

Veggie lasagna ( I prefer veg lasagne to meat one)

Chicken and veg pie pie

Chocolate cake, my friend made me a cake after each of my dc and it was very much appreciated.

[GreatDuckCookery6211]

Shepherds pie
Lasagne
Cheese and onion pie
Chicken curry
Pasta bake
Sausage casserole

What a nice friend you are OP. 👍

[BadlyParkedRangeRover]

second fish pie! I craved it when l had a newborn!

[GreatDuckCookery6211]

Yy to fish pie if they all like fish though. There's only me in this house that would eat it!

[BertieBotts]

Chili con carne
Pasta bake (with chicken)
Curry

[hevonbu]

Nothing with milk in it in case the baby is allergic to cow's milk (2-3% are) and is breastfeeding. I've just finished reading about 50+ articles and web pages about cow's milk allergy/intolerance. For newborns it's something with the immune system not yet fully developed and they may then develop an allergy towards cow's milk protein (that's butter, cream, milk, cheese, yoghurt etc.) (Use Oatly instead).

[sashh]

If you get some smaller trays you can do part meals, so chicken and gravy in one, mash in another and veg in a third - can be eaten as a meal or put with other things.

Biscuits?

[MelvinThePenguin]

hevonbu, I am (unfortunately) very well versed in that! My youngest is allergic to cow's milk. We've had rather a rollercoaster with her.

Whatever I make will be made for my kids too, so will definitely be dairy free.