CM Club: Meal and menu planning

[SammyK]

I am due to start providing cooked lunches to a new mindee soon, so thought I would plan these as I plan my evening meals.

How have you worked this out in your setting?

I am thinking batch cooking would be less of a headache, so one batch of cooking could do one tea and one lunch, but don't know how to implement it.

Will have different children here each day, and DP works a rotating shift pattern so sometimes is here for lunch, sometimes tea.

If anyone can give me any tips I'd appreciate it.

I don't provide cooked lunch so no use to you in this case Sammy.

Bumpity bump

I use the scottish goverment's guidelines book and they have menu plans in there, also recommended portion sizes, and number of times a day/week certain things should be eaten - extremely useful!
maybe a word with your DO to see if there is an English equivalent?

Also have some kiddie cookbooks like Annabel Karmel etc that are very good for presentation ideas.

I don't tend to batch cook unless there is too much spagbol sauce for dinner one night, it gets put in freezer for the mindees when we are having a very busy day. I do things that don't take ages, regulars include mince veg and tatties, macaroni and tuna cheese, meatballs and rice/couscous

Thanks mrsF, I was thinking quick lunches as we are usually out and about in a morning and ds will be leaving nursery at 11:30.

Will look into those suggestions thanks.

i batch cook, things like shepherds pie, Fish Pie, stews, casseroles, pasta sauce, lasagna etc

I make enough for the next day, on things like Roast dinner and plate it and reheat for the next day. (actually I don't reheat the meat, usually for children, I just put hot gravy on it, it is then hot enough for children, without the worry of reheating meat properly.

We make thick fresh vegetable soup early each morning to be eaten with other steamed finger veg or salad, homemade bread and some protein eg cheese, ham, eggs, fish.

We have homemade yoghurt and fruit for pudding.

Any spare soup gets given to dh later, who also works shifts.

Thanks for further replies.

What different soups do you make gooseegg?

Love the thought of parents and children smelling lovely cooked soups when they arrive. I only ever make chicken soup!

Carrot, onion amd lentil with a bit of potato to thicken.

leek and potato.

tomato, onion and pepper with potato to thicken.

Butternut squash and carrot.

Any combination really!

It all tastes good. I just sweat the onion and maybe a bit of garlic and then add all the chopped veg and some vegetable bouillon.

The children often help to chop/sort and bung in the veg.

It simmers with a lid on for 1 to 2 hours and then I blitz it in the blender.

Then leave it on the side covered and it's normally just the right temperature by midday when we eat lunch.

The children love it, but it can be quite messy even though I make it thickish so bibs all around!

Thanks they sound yummy.

I now almost have a 4 week menu of morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and dessert!

Off to bed.

Just be careful with reheating - I'm now registered with Environmental Health and they say not to reheat ANYTHING

MrsFluffleHasAWuffle - What is the title of that publication.
I have located Catering For Health but I'm not sure that is the same publication to which you refer.

Nutritional Guodance for Early Years and Adventures in Foodland Nannynick - both only available to Scotland childcarers though afaik.

For anyone interested, found a 2006 version of Nutritional Guidance for Early Years on Scotland.gov.uk

Unable to locate PDF version of Adventures in Foodland. Shame really, as these publications can sometimes contain little gems (menu ideas, menu planners etc).

Thank you nannynick the Nutritional Guide is fab... it's a great help
Ooh I do love Mums net I can ALWAYS find what I am looking for

Thank you nannynick the Nutritional Guide is fab... it's a great help
Ooh I do love Mums net I can ALWAYS find what I am looking for

Thanks for that link! I am going to check tomorrow if I can order it even though I am not in Scotland.

You can print the PDF link (think it was 75 pages though), it is actually really helpful NannyNick is fab!!

Don't thank me... thank MrsFluffle, who said about the publication existing in the first place.