What do you all feed your kids during the week?

[PurpleReigns]

When everyone is in and out wanting feeding at different times etc. If you don’t have time for batch cooking.

Sometimes DC will cook themselves an omelette or something on toast and I’ll have a jacket spud or a bowl of cereal

Looking to expand on these choices for when things start getting busy again

Could you make a slow cooker meal which people can dip into when they want? It would keep warm that way. (I'm no expert, my kids are young so we haven't faced this challenge yet).

Stir frys are a firm favourite when my dcs cook. In winter, a couple of times a week, i leave them something in slow cooker.

Pasta with various sauces, arabiata, cream cheese, smoked salmon and peas.
Lots of tray bakes that can be left to do their thing.
Grilled haloumi that can be served in wraps with salads etc.
Cod wrapped in prosciutto with veg.
Speedy veg curries curries although these are better I feel left to cook a bit longer.

Do you have time for things to do their thing in the oven if the prep is quick?

Microwave mac n cheese recipes.sainsburys.co.uk/recipes/quick-and-easy/microwave-mac-and-cheese

Naan pizza realfood.tesco.com/recipes/naan-bread-pizzas.html

Fish finger tacos www.asdagoodliving.co.uk/food/recipes/fish-finger-tacos

This fried rice but with soy sauce www.asdagoodliving.co.uk/food/recipes/egg-fried-rice as it’s rather bland without

Chicken fajitas, tachos , meatballs, chilli in slow cooker, jacket potatoes, stir fry, tuna pasta, scrambled egg, bacon. I have two teenage sons, we all cook, as we tend to eat at different times, and if I'm at work they see to themselves.

Following this as I'm struggling to find food inspiration atm.

Tuna burgers www.john-west.co.uk/recipes/teriyaki-tuna-burger/
Cheese and ham pancakes
Spicy tomato gnocchi realfood.tesco.com/recipes/spicy-tomato-gnocchi.html
Pot noodle www.annabelkarmel.com/recipes/mummys-pot-noodle/

I have young kids so we don't have this yet, but I would:
Get whoever arrived home first stick jacket potatoes in the oven when they get home and have a big batch of Bolognese ready from the weekend which people can heat up bit by bit.
Ditto with rice and chilli con carne.
Make up fajita mix and then when everyone gets in they make up their own wrap.
Stir fry packs with pre cooked meat flung in.
Pasta bake which can be eaten tepid from a still warm oven!

Pasta salad, toasted sandwiches,baked spuds, grilled fish or chicken with new potatoes/rice and veg, burgers, sausages, potato salad, pasta in sauce, leftovers, soup, beige freezer food with some veg or salad.

Pizza and salad.

Pitta bread/wrap pizzas. Freezer meals (mix of hone made and pre prepared). We also have frozen desserts, plenty of yogurts, full fruit bowl, lots of veg crudités, pickled onions and other pickled things, and I always boil up eggs when I get the chance so hard boiled eggs too.

Usually I just cook the meal and then if not everyone’s around at that time, I put foil on and leave it on low heat in the oven!

I always have frozen sauces in freezer. Bolognese, tomato tuna etc. So once or twice a weekday its pasta, salad and maybe soup with it.

I have frozen fish pie cooked sauce mix. So I defrost that and just boil potatoes, mash them and add on top.

Jamie Olivers chicken pie freezes very well. I make a triple batch and freeze two batches of the chicken sauce. Then when I want to use it I take it our from freezer and pop in fridge the night before (or just defrost for 10 minutes in microwave before serving) and just throw on a defrosted puff pastry. Serve it with salad or veg.

Burger bun/tortilla wrap pizza is a quick and filling midweek dinner. Make the tomato sauce, throw on the bun or wrap, add toppings cheese.

Fajitas take 20 mins max and then its just wrap and salad.

If you have to a frozen dinner isnt bad at all :) I remember eating turkey dinosaurs chips and beans as a kid. Loved it.

Meatballs and spaghetti, mince and tatties, chilli con carne, beef rendang, chicken burritos, sausages and chips with peas.

Chicken kiev's with chips, and occasionally a fish supper too!

French bread pizzas have gone down well this week. Simple and tasty.

@AtleastitsnotMonday

Your ideas sound great I'm ordering smoked salmon and halloumi now for my next delivery 🚚 😊

Brownies and swimming nights used to get really busy and we found a fridge buffet worked best. A selection of pre cooked pizza sliced up, saussge rolls, bag of salad and some pre washed tomatoes and cucumber. Leave in the fridge for people to graze as they come in and out the house. If you prefer the pizza hot it's only a minute in the microwave on some kitchen towel to avoid a soggy bottom.

Great ideas, thank you. I think I’m also so over cooking. Often will do a big meal, only for one to say they’re not hungry one to say the just want a sandwich etc so I’m thinking of big meals at the weekend and everyone can just see to them self in the week

Honestly, I think we are a bit obsessed with eating "proper" meals and that there is nothing wrong with some noodles, pasta, a salad, some cereal or something like beans on toast. I think I've put on a lot of weight thinking every plate needed to have all the food groups, that it wasn't ok to have fruit for lunch or soup for dinner. It's not true. It's ok to have crisps and wine for dinner sometimes, or Cheese and crackers, or some ice cream. I do mostly still cook meals, but when I don't I just think it evens itself out

On busy days like this I tend to reverse it and make dinner lunch. I would encourage kids to have "main meal" hot food at school at lunch time and for dinner do a batch of sandwiches wrapped in the fridge and some soup ready to heat up. As it gets warmer things like quiche and salad, chicken salad, all just in a big bowl for people to help themselves too. In winter a slow cooker meal is great, and soup with crusty bread, and leftovers. Leftover lasagne/cottage pie/ casserole always tastes GREAT, so if I know I've got a busy day coming up and I'm cooking the day before I'll make extra if possible. Also, cereal for dinner is fab. A real delicacy haha.

And as for the soup, as much as I love my own homemade broth (gran's recipe), sometimes I just DON'T HAVE TIME. Therefore my friend Mr Heinz comes in so handy, Baxter's soups are good too. And the fresh tubs in the chilled isle, Covent Garden our best veg is super hearty and filling.

I also think the jacket potato route is great, so many options with it. Beans, cheese, leftover bolognese/chilli/curry, in warmer months with ham and coleslaw, egg mayo etc. You don't have to have masses of variety and a new meal every night, if you have more time on weekends use that for more elaborate meals. But during the week, just whatever works. So long as everyone is active, fed and healthy, you're winning. So try not to feel too guilty about not everything being home made from scratch, new every night etc.

I agree, no need for full on meals on weekdays. If I'm honest, one night a week we have a 'breakfast for tea' night which is Caffe latte and toast. Another night we have home made pizza. One night something super quick like scrambled eggs or salad, one night dh cooks some pasta with a sauce and one night I do potatoes of some kind with meat of some kind.