Are my dinners rubbish?

More varied than I usually have and I wouldn't even dream of complaining.....

I live on takeaways. Between breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week I can have between 5-10 per week. I’m mortified by it. So not going to tell people. Although I’d admit to one a week. Think that once a week is completely normal

Well don't ask for opinions then if you don't want to hear the answers 🙄 Let me guess, next you'll be saying that people who try to cook nutritious meals for their children are smug 😑 MN is just ridiculous sometimes. It's shitty behaviour when you can't take on any constructive criticism and then get all defensive and judgy yourself imo.

Not every single meal has to be healthy. No child ever died or got sick from eating pasta and a jar of pesto once a week 🙄

I personally get a bit sick of women beating up other women for not cooking perfect nutritious dinners every single night. It’s just shitty behaviour imo. Yes, OP asked for opinions but she’s hardly feeding nuggets every night.

Actually, that particular PP said upthread that cooking for less than 40 minutes must mean you’re not eating “anything of substance”.

Of course it doesn't, I hate cooking and I'm lazy so mine are as quick as possible. People are commenting on the content, not the time taken

It just doesn't seem that healthy when looking at the other meals? And it's not a one off, it's once a week. OP asked and people are giving their opinions. Sure it's not going to kill them, but it could be better. You can make healthier meals that are quick, eg swap out a potato for some greens

Looks better than what a good portion of the country eats, but the one observation I’d make is to better balance the protein, carbs and complex carbs. You should be aiming for 1/4 plate protein, 1/4 plate carbs, 1/2 plate veg (complex carbs). Some days it looks like your shirt of proteins (eg pasta day, perhaps try adding some chicken) and I’m guessing your probably overdoing the carbs.

Why? What do you think will happen if they have pasta and sauce for dinner once a week?

Great - but that doesn’t mean that meals cooked in less time aren’t good enough 🙄

Why are you assuming this is their main meal of the day?

Mine does 🫣 Chia seeds are great in yogurt, if you soak them in water they become like jelly and are a good source of calcium. You can also sprinkle dry on cereal or in smoothies. If you put them in soil and they'll shoot sprouts which you can eat too in salads or sandwiches or make into a dinosaur jungle. Very cheap too.

Maybe they eat a hot lunch at school and that is their main meal of the day?

I imagine on working days, especially if not getting home until 6, the priority is a quick dinner.

Just read the first 3 pages. Whose the fuck children eats raw cauliflower and chia seeds?

Genuine question: do you think that the Mon - Weds dinners are ideal for a 7 yr old’s main meal of the day?

Salad with rice and potatoes one day, pasta with a jar of sauce the next, and eggs on toast for the third day doesn’t sound like well-balanced, nutritious meals for a young child.

No one is going to die from eating that, and certainly loads of kids will have worse. But while that might be reasonable for an adult, I don’t think that’s great for a young, growing child, especially as one of the other 4 meals is also a takeaway.

If someone came on here and asked whether those 3 meals were negligent, the answer would of course be no! They’re ok - but that’s it. Not ideal but they’ll do.

As an adult I regularly have poached eggs on toast and salad for dinner, but usually when I’ve eaten a heavier lunch. I definitely wouldn’t give that to a young child as their main meal of the day every week 😕

Please ignore all this nonsense. I bet all these posters are as big as houses 😀

@TheTwinklyLilacSquidso funny 🙄

How does one get dinner made in 40 minutes? It takes me at least 8 hours. Catching my own salmon. Hunting my own grilled lean chickens. Foraging for seeds and nuts. Fighting of my local competitor birds for said seeds and nuts. You must be cutting corners or relying on upf.

This is bonkers. Your food is broadly similar to my own diet & there's nothing amiss with me or mine. I wouldn't have a takeaway quite so often but I used to when I worked full time.
Stick to what you're doing & ignore the clever dicks on here - most of them seem to come here to Wag Their Fingers 😀

@soupyspoonno I’m not. A casserole or lasagna take a lot longer than 40 mins to make. Most meals I make unless most is pre made take around 40 mins including prep.

@faerietalesI don’t quite frankly. I enjoy cooking and like I mentioned at the top of my comment take more than 40 mins.

My train of thought exactly and also some of the meals sound a bit lightweight if they're for adults main meal, a little too much salad maybe and not nearly enough protein?! 🙄

I hope the sausage roll is free range and organic 🙏🏼

You’re right. They get a Greggs sausage roll and a can of coke.

😂

But maybe you might want to put in a bit effort for young, growing kids.