Two main meals per day?

[Fattyfattymummum]

In what will possibly be the least controversial thread of 2020...

ATM our family is basically eating two main meals per day. DC (aged 2 and 5) both have hot meals at lunchtime with childminder/at school, and almost always have meat or fish with a carb and veg, as well as a pudding, and another snack (fruit and biscuits) at 4pm. DH feeds himself well at home. Then in the evening I cook another 'proper' meal.

Is it a bad idea to reduce the weekday evening meal to something lighter to avoid eating two heavy meals? Thinking of meals such as veg soup, cheese on toast, scrambled eggs with spinach etc followed by yoghurt/ fruit. Probably mostly veggie to avoid two helpings of meat in one day.

I can't figure out if this is a healthy idea or a horrible one! So over to the wise folk of Mumsnet...

A cooked meal is not necessarily any heavier than the replacements you're suggesting. Nothing wrong with the replacements that you are suggesting either but you could end up with a heavier stodgier meal if your "light meal" doesn't include salad or veg. The only thing I wouldn't have is two puddings - one pudding and then either fresh fruit or nothing for the other.

I don't think a meal is more or less healthy by virtue of it being hot rather than cold. I always think it's easier to incorperate more veg in a proper full meal anyway. As far as the kids are concerned surely it's better to have two proper meals than one hot meal and something like sandwiches for dinner which are likely to be less nutritous?

@partyatthepalace

What you are doing is fine.

School meals are TINY, and they don't eat half of them. It always amazes me when people say oh my kids eat a hot meal at school so I don't give them a main meal at home.

Yes, they're really quite small compared to the meals most kids are served at home.

And they're not hot, they're tepid at best.

How about trying to do more veggie or fish based meals in the evening to avoid the double meat days?

To answer a few questions - no, we don't have weight concerns, though DC5 is at the top of the healthy weight scale.

DC5 is at private school so I don't know if it makes a difference meal-wise, but it's always 3 courses (salad starter, hot main course and pudding) and reportedly DC normally eats quite well.

I definitely take on board points about calories and nutrition for 'lighter' meals so thanks to those who have pointed that out. Maybe could take out cheese on toast to replace with a veggie dish and so forth

I think it would be fine for most adults but despite the efforts to improve school meals and often very "homecooked" sounding menus, a school lunch is still a long way off what you're thinking of when you consider a hot main meal.

Small portions made with poor quality ingredients IME.

It might be different in private schools- well, it should be really, shouldn’t it? You’re paying an arm and a leg after all.

@Xerochrysum - where is your home country? I’m thinking it sounds exhausting for whoever cooks the meals, to cook three times a day! It does sound much healthier though.