Meal ideas please!

[ellideb]

I would like some inspiration in the kitchen. I am a newly registered childminder and feel a bit stuck as to what meals I should be providing my children (4 and 5 yrs) I want affordable and quick to prepare meals that would appeal to fussy eaters. does anyone have any ideas or can recommend good recipe books? What do you feed your children?

basic meal i do are

spag bol
lasgane
shepherds pie
chilli and rice
meatballs

we love mince in our house

fish pie
sausage casserole
chicken nuggets - homemade
chicken casserole
jacket pots and tuna/cheese/beans
soup - homemade again

pasta carbonara
stir fry

Tania Ramsays family Kitchen book is great

I second Tana Ramsay - both her books are absolutely fab

What do you do if the child doesn't like mince, pasta or fish!

I'm limited to time due to doing housework, running tots group and doing personal jobs (going to the bank etc) before picking lad from nursery and all he seems to want is beans on toast, strangled (scrambled!) egg and beans!

I tried the 3 boys on veg in the hols and they looked at me as if I had a second head! Their Mum says she has the same trouble with them and has tried sneaking it into their food by other means. Any tips on getting kids to eat veg?

My 6 yr old loves broccoli, sweetcorn and carrots and I was hoping this would encourage them to try but had opposite effect. HELP!!!!!!

Mum2Luke - do they like chicken or rice? My two eat a lot of chicken casserole / chicken in a creamy mushroom and onion sauce & chicken dahl. I serve all of these with rice. Neither of my two eat veg, so all meals have hidden veg.

Spag bol - tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, courgettes, onions, peppers.

Chicken dahl - carrots, onions, peas, courgettes

Chicken & mushroom - chicken, mushroom, onion & leek

Chicken casserole - carrot, swede, parsnip, cauliflour, onion, mushroom

I've got a Pampered Chef chopper. It chops so finely that they don't really register the veg.

Pizza sauce with pureed veg is another easy one. You could add cheese to the scrambled egg, and try the 'hidden veg' beans that Heinz have just started selling (they do taste a bit different, but DS1 eats them).

I make pizza toast which is blended tomatoes added to an egg & grated cheese on toast then grilled

My lot do eat veggies well

But I have had a few & DD is going through I don't like peas/sweetcorn atm

Cous cous or pasta is quick to do. Rice can be left to fend for itself in a steamer along with fish or chicken & veg (not tried steaming chicken yet myself though).

I get empty plates with these:

Gammon & Pineapple
Lemon Chicken & Rice
Turkey or Pork Stir Fry
Chicken Risotto
Baked Cod
Pasta bolognaise
shepherds pie

When new children start, get a list of what they like & won't eat off the parents to start off with. Don't stick to it exactly unless parents have expressed a wish to not eat a food because of allergy or personal choice - often they'll eat things they won't eat at home when they see everyone enjoying the same thing.

Lots of ideas to try out, i've tried making a fish pie today from annabel karmels baby and toddler meal planner so i'll see how that goes down at tea time.

Getting a list of likes and dislike is a good idea ayla99

It sounds like a couple of you like Tanya ramsay's book so I might look into getting that one. What do you think of annabel karmel books?

mum to luke - tell them not to be so bloody fussy

mince, pasta and fish (as well as tons of veg/chicken) seem to be our staple diet