Are my dinners rubbish?

[Sowhatbigdeal]

Been told they are

Here’s an example of an average week, more or less:

Monday (I work at 6, so do something simple)

Feta & red onion salad with new potatoes & rice

Tuesday

Pasta with jar pesto (working today)

Wednesday

Dh to do omlette/eggs on toast with salad (working today)

Thursday

Salmon, salad, new potatoes

Friday

Homemade chilli with rice, nachos & dips

Saturday

Takeaway

Sunday

Roast dinner/homemade lasagne

Are they?

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

There’s constructive criticism and then there’s being unpleasant.

Exactly this 💓

@OhHellolittleone

she really doesn’t need to do that. There is already plenty of veg in her salad. It’s just more expense and time consuming

I completely agree …
The amount of people on this that wrestle with being kind & nice ..

@WhineAndWine1

sometimes you want a meal that can be prepared in ten minutes. Not everyone wants to be a martyr to the kitchen

Someone mentioned earlier about increasing fruit/veg intake and OP said fruit is available throughout the day.

I’d assume if the children (or adults) are eating a hefty meal earlier in the day, there would be plenty of extra veg to add to the tally. Would be more than a bit weird to have the main meal earlier but no extra veg at all, especially given how much salad is served in the evening.

I’m not the only person to have made the assumption and OP hasn’t corrected anyone. Happy to be corrected if that’s not the case.

Also, FWIW, I sometimes give my DC a bit of a crap dinner. It happens. But I’m not under any illusions. I know when I’ve been a bit rubbish. The difference is I wouldn’t post about it to ask for opinions, then get arsey when people respond pointing out what’s wrong. Some people do fantastic dinners every night. I’m not one of them, although I’d love to be 😂🤷‍♀️

My only negatives would not be taste or rime related, but there is no protein in Monday or Tuesdays meals, and I would potentially be concerned about the amount of UPF and red meat, depending on what roast or takeaway. But I would suggest whoever moans picks up some cooking as it is really really hard to have the time and the money to cook healthy tasty meals 365 days a year! Me and my hubby share sorting meals, and we do 6 good meals a week and 1 is always something like fish and chips, frozen pizza, macdonalds etc due to how late we get in that night and how tierd and hungry we are by then!

Veg with the pesto? It needs some.

I’m not overweight and they seem very light to me!

I think you undersold your first menu because your updates add there’s lots more protein and fruit/veggies included.
For me, it does sound a bit bland and boring though.
If your family are saying it’s ‘rubbish’ find out what this actually means. It could be anything from portion size (asking for 2 carbs) to wanting more healthy stuff to wanting more unhealthy desserts. I allow my family to choose a main dish probably twice or three times a week. It may just be their faves never get served up!

I find the concept of a 'main meal' as if non of the other food eaten in any particular day counts utterly bizarre, especially if its in the evening.

Do people really go all day eating not very much in anticipation of getting most of their nutrition and calories in a single evening meal and cannot see that not everyone eats like that?

Agree
Our main meal if at home is at lunchtime.
When I was working in Germany we all had a big lunchtime meal as well often eating out in a cafe or local restaurant which was all very normal there.
Evening meals were generally smaller and sometimes just a soup or cheese board.

Well as the focus of my comment was about nutrition for children, no, I’ve never known a child not have a “main” meal each day.

Also, no one said other food doesn’t count. OP said fruit is available throughout the day for the child. No other info has been provided, which would suggest the evening meal is indeed a “main meal”.

Adults are entirely different with an extremely diverse range of eating patterns.

I honestly can’t be arsed with this thread any more, it’s ridiculous. Show any nutritionist what OP has written and they’ll agree Mon-Weds is a bit shit. Many of us do meals that are a bit shit sometimes. It’s fine. But let’s not pretend it’s great nutrition when it’s very clearly lacking. The knots that people are trying to contort themselves into to defend three nights of below-par food is mind-blowing. You think it’s an outstanding menu? Great. Keep telling yourself that. In the meantime, me and other mums will be a bit more honest with ourselves when we serve up dinners that aren’t amazing, but everyone eats.

I’m out. I have no energy for pigeon chess.

I don't think anyone would be showing a nutrtitionist because there wouldn't be any concern.