Best zero-effort (but healthy) meals for kids?

[whateverfloatsyourboat]

That's it really. Trying to devise a system whereby I alternate the level of effort, so that I might cook a full meal from scratch one night (ie roast chicken), use planned leftovers the next (ie chicken pie) and something super-super-easy the next (ie beans on toast). But I need more ideas.

The grind of cooking is getting me down - I want to give my children a healthy supper every night, but not necessarily spend hours preparing it, esp. as dh is never home before midnight during the week and my just-turned-2-yo has the attention span of a gnat and whinges around my ankles when I'm in the kitchen.

Any suggestions?!

Will be watching this with interest!
I sometimes do a "spinach cake" with frozen spinach that I defrost and cook for a bit in a pan, mix 3 eggs, some creme fraiche and seasoning. Sprinkle cheese on top.
Then about 20/30 minutes in the oven. And the kids like it!

cheese and tomato omelette

Jacket potatoes

Pasta. Add some broccoli or peas for the last 3 minutes. Drain, stir in grated cheese or philadelphia and small splodge of pesto.

See if dcs will eat chopped up salad type stuff instead of cooked veg. (I am lucky, mine love pepper slices and cucumber etc)

decent fishfingers with salad and bread and butter.

risotto - use easy cook rice, stock and whatever finely chopped veg you have to hand. Add a bit of cooked chicken or similar if you have it. Stir occasionally but not necessary to stir constantly.

sandwiches and/or soup.

Toasties

Pasta and sauce. Carbs, veg and if you add cheese, a bit of protein. Quick, tasty and cheap as.

egg on toast plus baked beans - breakfast for dinner, always a hit with my 2

anything with pesto...tonight did a chicken breast with lots of pesto on top and breadcrumbs on top, in a hot oven for 25 mins with oven chips and then baked beans

i cook a lot of big batch things, like bean stew and bolognese and freeze in small portions. some days i just get 2 pots out of the freezer and leave to defrost for lunch and dinner...home cooked food and no cooking, yay!

always have leftovers...roast chicken big favourite with 2 yr old at the moment

omelettes/boiled eggs/eggy bread (we get through lots of eggs!!)

jacket potatoes

roast then stir fry next night (use fresh noodles, v quick)

mine both love fritters (make up a batter with 2 beaten eggs, add p/flour and mix, then add milk & veg of choice/leftover meat. Our fav, peas and sweetcorn. Shallow/dry fry. V quick & cheap!)

oven-baked bacon & sweet potato risotto (also cheap)

boil potato, add veg, mash all together at the end then stir in humous/philly cheese

pasta, pesto, peas and cheese

Just remembered, Lidl do quite good free range chickens these days. Stick an onion inside, then bung it in a cast iron pot (medium oven) and neglect it for at least an hour. Will fall apart and can be used in almost anything (pasta/sandwiches, etc) and if your kids will eat salad veg, keeps the washing up to almost nil. Mine don't like salad much, but will have finely grated carrot and baby leaf spinach.

Tonight DC's had minute steak (cooked for a few minutes plus some mushrooms thrown in the pan, microwaved jacket spud (5 mins) and broad beans (chuck in 5 min boil) with gravy (granules yes i know i should do better!). Less than 10 minutes to prepare, cook & serve

Thai noodles (better if prepared the day before) with a piece of steamed salmon/trout (5 mins)

Cous cous (5 mins to cook). In a pan mix chopped onion, chopped tomato, red pepper, chorizo/bacon, dash of paprika and finish with some fresh coriander. Mix through the cous cous & serve

Pitta bread/wraps with roasted veg/cheese

I could go on if you want me to!

Eggy bread aka french toast if yer posh
Spanish omelette
"Saturday mess" this is basically mash with cheese added,served with chooped tinned tomatoes
pancakes
home made soup
pasta,broccoli florets and pesto with cheese sprinkled on or mixed with cream cheese

Sorry I had to walk away from this after I posted - but thanks for all the replies and suggestions, much appreciated!

And crispythecrisp - yes, please do go on!

ok!

steam some salmon & asparagus/peas (5 minutes), boil some egg noodles (4 mins). Flake salmon and mix with peas/asparagus and fork through noodles with a spoonful of philadelphia

Fry some strips of turkey with some onion (5 mins), mix in chopped tomatoes and some mild curry powder and cook for 5 mins. Boil some basmati rice (8 mins).

Scrambled egg, bacon & beans - DD's love this as they think they are having breakfast at the wrong time. Cue much hilarity!

Wraps/pitta with Hoummus, salsa, fajita style stuff

Ribs & salad - can marinade the ribs in advance and leave in the fridge

I also intersperse with frozen chilli/spag bol/fish pie/shepherds pie/pork & pepper casserole/Chorizo & chickpea casserole

love food hates waste has a few cook once eat twice ideas

My kids are always impressed by a 'mixed platter' which consists of a wrap or pitta, grated cheese, grated carrot, rolled up slices of cooked ham, cherry tomatoes, chunks of cucumber, slices of apple and some grapes.

They are left to mix and match how they combine/eat their selection, and its one on the most popular (and easiest) dishes I give them.

Leftovers fish cakes:

Mash up some leftover mash and leftover cooked fish or tinned tuna. Can add some leftover green veg if you want).Mix in a bit of beaten egg to bind it. Shape into fishcakes and roll in a few breadcrumbs then fry. I serve it with peas.

Not super-healthy - but a friend recently introduced me to potato waffles cooked in the toaster (feels a bit dirty somehow, not sure why!).

Last night DS had one of these with a cheese omelette and broad beans from the freezer. On the table within 5 minutes of getting through the door. Not unhealthy with fruit for pud.

Eggs eggs eggs. Fritata is a big favourite here, using leftover spuds, veg and served with baked beans and or ketchup.

Tinned mackerel in tomato sauce on toast goes down remarkably well and it's uber healthy.

Pasta with a tin of tuna, a tin of sweetcorn, a big blob of mayo and some cherry tomato quarters stirred through it.

Soup - any kind of soup - with toast soldiers to dip. I make a pot weekly and freeze portions for lunches and DP's work meals.

Homemade pizza is actually incredibly quick and easy.

cheese omelette is a good meal, I oten cook omeltte and add ham and cheese and tomato on the side (hot tomato burnt lips to often)

Those toasta bags are really good - you can make 'exciting' sandwiches and toast them dead easy. For example cheese and tomato, left overs, those tins of mackeral in spicy sauce is darn nice...

We subcribe to the cook once eat twice/three times.... formula!

Watching this thread with interest!

The only really quick thing I do regularly is pasta with veg/sauce/pesto. My DD is super fussy, so this thread has given me loads of ideas already!

Good thread!

the lild tinned mackeral is the best- yummy better than tesco and sainsbury and cheaper!

sardines on toast is also another favourite in this house or mixed into baked beans and on jkt potato

The easiest healthy meal I do for the DC's is scrambled egg (2 mins in the microwave ) with wholemeal toast and low sugar/salt baked beans!

Omelette and baked beans.

You can give them as much as they will eat and the beans will stop the omelette clogging their bowels (TMI)

If I really can't be bothered don't have the time to cook, tomato soup never goes wrong. Or pasta

Ah yes, tomato soup. We've got a variation here - soup islands (fab in winter). Bowl of tomato soup with huge dollop of mash in the middle. Hours of endless fun.