Inspiration for a meal plan please (with awkward requirements!)

[fuzzpig]

In 3 weeks I start FT at my job. Until now I've been doing PT and frittering money in Sainsburys/Boots for lunch at least weekly. But no more! 4 days a week I will need to take my own lunch and snacks for the day.

I would like it to be healthy ish, and crucially, cheap! We've agreed to make a 2 week meal plan (I wanted 4 as I get bored easily but DH reckons it might be a bit ambitious).

We do things a bit backwards here - we all (including DD who has school dinners) prefer a hot lunch and something light for dinner. But we reeeeally need inspiration.

I guess for me I need stuff I can heat up at work. DH (SAHD but injured so not up to much) is coeliac and cooks something gluten free for him and DS (2) at lunch.

In the evenings the DCs have 'tea' which is basically a buffet plate, as DD was not eating a main meal due to being full from lunch. We do always make sure it's balanced with protein, veg, carbs etc but it is so BORING!

Anyway, DH and I sometimes have something later, but nothing big. I may have a microwave meal on my late night as I do like that kind of thing and planning for it would stop me craving it IYSWIM?

Anyway... If anyone could give me some ideas for our slightly topsy turvy life (I am also really disorganised...), I'd be really grateful.

Can I also be REALLY awkward and say I'd rather not have links and stuff, just simple ideas on the thread please, I find following it all too difficult otherwise (part of possible disability)

Thanks :)

For lunch at work I tend to take a handful of nuts and a banana for snacks. For lunch either soup + roll (homemade or not) or bread topped with rocket and tinned fish in tomato sauce.

Also things like couscous mixed with roasted veg and feta cheese (add a bit of salad dressing or similar to stop it being dry - harrissa mixed with a bit of water works well if you like things spicy) or tuna pasta salad (I add spring onions, pepper and cucumber).

Sandwiches and wraps are a classic - vary the fillings and they needn't be boring.

For tea in the evening - jacket potatoes with various toppings (hot toppings like chilli con carne or curry can be cooking in the slow cooker during the day, omelettes with beans or salad.
quesadillas are easy to make - get tortilla and spread one half with salsa or tomato puree or I sometimes use harrissa, add meat and/or veg and then sprinkle on cheese. Fold the tortilla over and heat in a hot frying pan for a minute each side until the cheese melts. Goes well with salad.
Stir fries can be quick (as long as you've already prepped the veg) and can be as light as you want.

Ooh thanks. Especially love the couscous idea as I've been meaning to try it for ages.

Um... Confession time... We've had a slow cooker for over year.

Never used it.

I need a REEEEEALLY easy introductory recipe...

lol - I owned my slow cooker for a couple of year s before really using it.

Firstly - fry off your onions and spices before putting into the slow cooker as you would if you were cooking it any other way.

Chilli con carne is simple.

Fry off 1 large or 2 smaller onions (finely diced) in a pan.
While still on the heat add 1-4 cloves of sliced/crushed/grated garlic (depends how garlicky you like it) and one diced chilli (remove seeds/pith), 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon ground coriander.
Add a pinch of sugar and a splash of vinegar (balsamic/sherry or wine vinegar).
(These ingrediants can all be mixed and matched - if you haven't got one of them (bar the onion) either sub it with something else or leave it out).

Put this in the slow cooker with 250g mince, tin of kidney beans, a tablespoon of tomato puree and a tin of tomatoes (or a carton of passata). I also like to add diced peppers and grated carrot also works quite well. Leave on low all day or on high for about 3 hours (roughly).

I fry off the onions and spices the even before as I can't face it first thing in the morning, leave it in the fridge overnight then stick it straight in the slow cooker in the morning.

That sounds fab. I'd love to use the SC a couple of times a week. For one thing if I could prepare it I'd feel I was contributing a bit more! DH more than happy to cook but I hate the fact that I don't do it enough.

My dh is also a sahd but not a very good cook at all. He can manage the basics but I cook the evening meal or any one I have to eat Also I really enjoy cooking - its a hobby for me.

I get in from work about 20 mins before we need to eat so I tend to preprepare stuff and stick it in the slow cooker or to be reheated when I come home. Dh sometimes does the veg if I've done the main.

E.g. I have just finished preparing a chicken and chorizo stew for the slow cooker (is now in fridge and will go in slow cooker in the morning) and dh will prepare the bubble and squeak tomorrow to be ready for just after I get home. There's usually an extra portion left over which I freeze as a homemade ready meal.

Sometimes we have stuff like pork chop and salad so I cook it all when I get home but it doesn't take much effort.

I often bulk cook stuff on my days off and freeze - even doing side dishes like mashed potato or potato gratin can save time (you can microwave them from frozen) and in an emergency that with sausages and some frozen veg is easy and quick to cook. I also do big batches of stuff like pulled pork or chilli con carne that you can serve with rice or mine like tortillas and salad with it (I don't know if corn tortillas would be gluten free).

I know you don't like links but there is a very good recipe website - www.bbcgoodfood.com/ They also produce a recipe magazine every month. They have sections on the website such as 'cheap eats' or 'quick' and they also have an option on the search for gluten free. MOst of them aren't particularly complicated. They don't do recipes adapted for slow cookers but the rules for that are

1. halve the amount of liquid
2. veg like carrots in chunky pieces will not cook properly - stick in a bowl of water and microwave for 4 or 5 minutes on high before chucking in slow cooker. Any recipe designed for slow cooking can be done in the slow cooker as long as you do those 2 things.