What's for dinner?

[Pepsi4Eva]

Tonight the DCs are having chicken breasts with a mustard and honey cream sauce, with broccoli, rice and steamed carrots. Followed by tinned peaches and vanilla ice cream if I can persuade them to eat it.

I am having a halloumi and salad wrap as I am newly vegetarian.

I watched on netflix the almost-iconic series Jamies School Dinners which i had heard about but never seen. It simultaneously made me feel ALOT better about what my kids eat, but also made me feel that I need to branch out a bit and step outside my -and their- comfort zones. I know they like the chicken dish as it is one I make now and then. DS1 has food issues due to autism and this chicken dish is one of foods he will generally eat and enjoy (as long as there is just a hint of mustard). but I am stretching his tolerance a bit with the peaches and ice cream. So fingers crossed!!

I love these threads. Been a busy day here so DCs and DH had pizza, pasta and garlic bread. I’m just getting the littlest to sleep now and then I’m having prawn spaghetti with chilli and tomato sauce. Can’t wait.

Chinese fake away, homemade salt and (chilli) pepper chips, Chinese chicken curry, boiled rice and vegetables spring rolls.

Homemade leek and potato soup (requested by DD) with parbaked rolls. Tomorrow, who knows🤔

We had beef stew and dumplings because I can put it in the oven early and serve up before after school clubs!

Moussaka (low carb - aubergine & courgette; no potato) with dressed leaves (spinach & pea shoots).

Tomorrow: sausages with creamy cabbage & mushrooms.

Thursday: Beef Rendang (simply cook) with aubergine, red pepper & green beans in; pak Choi & courgette on the side.

Friday: Nasi Goreng (simply cook) but with egg instead of rice so sort of foo yung - using up leftover turkey scraps from the freezer plus pancetta, king prawns, onion, carrots & peas; pickled cucumbers & stir fried beansprouts on the side.

So far this year (appreciate we're early in 2026 and this may wear off 😂) we've been meal planning the whole week, and when the Ocado arrives everything goes in individual boxes for the meal it's needed for. It might sound like a lot of work but we're actually finding life super blissful as a result - no more "any thoughts on dinner?" conversations, no coming to cook a meal and finding a teen has eaten an ingredient, super easy every evening and the fridge isn't its usual crisis with things we've forgotten about rotting at the back. And we're eating better and spending less.

While Angela Hartnett says 250g of butter for four people, I went for 150g and was lush.

It was absolutely delicious

We had the left overs of Christmas day roast beef with a cheese and pickle salad. Kids had chicken burgers.

We had butter chicken mushroom and spinach curry. Rice. Poppadoms. Paratha. Kachumber. Poppadoms. All home made. I even made an onion & tomato chutney to go with it but think I put too much lime juice in it.

Vegetable soup topped with creme fraiche and grated cheddar. Garlic rubbed toast.

Sausages, sweet potato wedges, broccoli and braised red cabbage as I need some freezer space back.
Ragu sauce made at same time for tomorrow night and spicy parsnip soup for lunches.

I am new to the air fryer game, despite owning one for several months. I have been CRAVING a baked potato so much (largely due to vicarious lusting over jacket potato posts on MN) that I am attempting one now.
I have left over over aubergine and black bean chilli to (hopefully) go with it, creme fraiche and fresh coriander,
This could be the start of a (not very helpful) high carb & fat addition to my menu - because butter - or it could be a complete disaster. I do have brown rice 'just in case' for the chilli (which is delish btw and now 2 days old).
All these dinners sound amazing !
PS I am hungry so......watch this space 😅
@GKG1 that sounds delish and I actually do have those ingredients ! Love a dahl, me. Send thoughts and prayers 🙏
ETA as it's not really curry but chilli...

Chicken stir fry with purple veg noodles and soy ginger garlic sauce

So many delicious meals.

The chicken last night went down a storm with the DCs.

Tonight I want to do something with cod. So I am thinking I will smear it with a cream cheese and pawn mix then bake in the oven and serve with potato wedges and a green salad for the DCs. I have another halloumi wrap on the agenda I think.

I hear you @NotDonna about food issues and ND. DS1 has only JUST started trying things with sauces. It's hit or miss. The only cooked veg he will eat is broccoli- everything else is raw, so I rely on a little salad daily. It looks so boring to me.

@IndigoBluey I've been vegetarian for a couple of months. I have a whole load of auto immune diseases and had heard vaguely that meat and fish can exacerbate them. IME that has been true, and my flares have indeed lessened. So i am feeling better. I ate way too much cheese over Christmas though- and dairy is a trigger also so as long as i keep that fairly low I seem to do better.

In terms of veg eating- well, I am a good cook and like recipes but I have become a little bored I guess. Particularly with the slog of cooking two sets of meals a night. DS2 would be okay with trying more veg, but DS1 is so hard to get food into that I have to be mroe careful. Frankly I have been getting bored with eating. So I sometimes find I'll grab a sandwich on the go and then not bother in the evening. I guess I am getting into the routine! I do have a red lentil dhal recipe I love - just onions, garlic, carrots, red lentils, stock, curry powder and simmer then add spinach. I am falling back on that alot.

Chicken stuffed with garlic my low fat cheese wrapped in Parma ham , with air fried potatoes tossed in garlic and rosemary. With cauliflower and carrots. And instant gravy granules gravy

Tonight I've no idea. Either chickpea burgers, rice and veg, or jacket potato and veg curry.

We're having salmon with garlic butter, roast potatoes with capers, and homemade pickles tonight

DH is making aubergine parmigiana. DS will have it with pasta.

What time should I arrive at? 😋

Poke bowls here as they can be thrown together quickly when we all get home. Sushi rice, some smashed cucumber(prepped this morning will making breakfast), edamame, carrot, mango and prawns done in soy sauce/ginger/garlic/honey.

I'm craving veg and freshness after a long weekend skiing(and associated stodge). They are also incredibly easy to throw together but feel like more effort!

I've had a sudden craving for chips, cheese and gravy, after seeing someone talk about it online a couple of days ago...! Might well do that.

Alternatively, it's frozen bolognaise from the freezer, which I made during twixmas.

Tonight we are having gammon with egg/pineapple, new potatoes and salad/veg. I am really looking forward to it!

I feel very similarly to you 😂

Slow cooker lamb curry, mini naan, rice

Tonight I'm making this but with orecchiette instead of spaghetti (because it's yummier!)

https://www.veryeatalian.com/spaghetti-with-tuna-lemon-and-creamy-stracciatella-cheese/

Jacket potatoes with baked beans and cheese.

I am far too exhausted with a baby and toddler to cook anything that requires any brain cells or physical effort.