Successful Dinners/Recipes for 2 and 4 year olds!!

[mumoftwoboysS]

I'm getting really fed up with my kids. They have a limited amount of meals they like (which I'm sure isn't unusual for kids their age) but I just get so fed up when I try and cook something new (often something I think will be child friendly) and it turns out they won't touch it or don't like it!

So can anyone suggest meals that are successful with their young kids and/or recipes??

I do the usual spag bol, fish pie, bangers and mash etc but when I try something like a slow cook casserole (so easy for me to do) they often turn their noses up.

I'm due with DC3 in a month (or less- who knows!) so need easy stress free meals. I tend to cook from scratch but am up for a bit of ready made if need be (and I have to be realistic about how things will be in a month or so!)

My formerly fussy DS was always very happy with some chicken fried rice. Pre-cook the rice (preferably brown as it tastes nicer) drain and reserve. Then stir fry some finely shredded chicken, spring onions & red pepper with a few frozen peas and sweetcorn until everything is cooked and tender. Finally, stir in the cooked rice and a dash of soy sauce for flavour. Combine well and serve. He called it 'Rainbow Rice'.

I think for us the trick was do fairly quick and simple things most evenings so it is not disheartening if they turn their little noses up.

e.g. jacket potatoes with toppings. Pasta with good quality tub of sauce (or home made of course)

Sausage roast, basically a roast dinner but with sausage to replace roast meat.

If I roast chicken breast I always do one or two extra as we love cold chicken as a sandwich filling or as part or a risotto or pasta dish.

I often do chopped up veg such as cucumber, pepper and carrot instead of cooked vegetables.

Just found out that mine love smoked haddock with spinach and orzo.

Mine also like risotto (pancetta and chopped courgettes or mushroom).

Tomato sauce (with blended/hidden veg!) pasta.

Mac and cheese with peas.

thanks for the suggestions -keep em coming!

sausage roast is a good idea for a mid-week- will try that!

yeah jacket pots are always quick and easy tho I'm not very adventurous with the toppings- tuna or baked beans!

I think the key for mine is not to have sauces with lots of veg in -they prefer it separate -like a jacket pot with baby corn or carrots on the side for eg.

mamij- yes hidden veg tomato sauce i find is a good standby- tho I haven't made it for ages- need to do a big batch then freeze/use with pasta!

Winners here have been quesadillas, enchiladas, meatballs and chicken tikka and homemade pizza.

My 2 and 4 year olds like best

• salmon in cheese sauce with pasta & broccoli
• quick chicken & pea risotto (made with leftover roast)
• cheese and spinach omelette
• bang bang chicken (the Annabel Karmel one)
• spinach & ricotta ravioli with pesto

And all the obvious like fish fingers, sausages, etc
Oh and there was a Good Food recipe for chicken casserole with pesto and Parmesan dumplings. Huge hit!

Mine are a bit older but quite like soup, with ingredients that they wouldn't eat if they could see them on a plate. Parsnip was a surprising hit, as was roasted pumpkin.
Serve with any bread, or for a change cheese and crackers.

Thanks for the other suggestions! yum enchiladas!

Untamed had varying success with risotto (as long as they can't see the onions or any mushrooms! Have the AK book so will look for that one and love Good Food so will look that up too- thanks!

onepiece yep I find soup is a great way of getting the veggies in -esp when I use a chicken carcass from a sunday roast then chuck lots of extra veg in -I find sweet potato in it makes it a real hit. Other soups have worked too tho they still prefer Heinz tomato soup over all the others!

fry a finely chopped red onion and pepper in some oil until beginning to soften, add in turkey mince
(approximately 100g per person) and cook until done (around 8-10minutes). Add some frozen peas or
sweetcorn and cook for 2 minutes more. Spoon in 2 heaped tbsp red pesto and 1tbsp tomato puree. You
can add 25g grated cheese if liked here (we don't as DH hates cheese). Spoon into tortillas and roll up.
Slice in half and put into baking tin. Top with HM tomato sauce and/or grated cheese. Bake until golden
on top at 180degrees (approx 10-15mins).
meatballs
finely chop 1 onion, grate a peeled apple, crush a clove of garlic, crumble a chicken stock cube and add
to a bowl with 500g lean beef mince (or mixture of beef and pork mince) and 2 tbsp tomato puree. Use
your fingers to combine ingredients and then roll into small balls. Coat with flour and fry in a large pan
until all sides are brown and they are cooked through (approx 15mins). Serve with HM tomato sauce
and pasta (in our house it's crusty bread as DH hates pasta).

Isn't it frustrating! My 2.5yo twins eat SO well at nursery and yet are so fussy at home. Nursery have just published some recipes online though which has been a huge help.
One favourite is a slow cook lamb shank with tin tomatoes, onion, garlic, carrots, cannelini beans and stock, throw in casserole dish in oven for about 4 hours on low, say 150. Twins like it with couscous. Or do similar with chicken thighs, boned & filleted, with apricots, tomatoes, jarred roast peppers, carrots, onion, garlic and serve with sweet potato wedges. Both quite popular in our house!

thanks for the recipes sharon I'm assuming that's 2 recipes and they're not eaten together?? Sound yummy and could be a winner for my kids!

twins thanks for the ideas. Yeah funny how my DS1 always ate better at nursery too - he'd say things like 'I like the mushrooms they have at nursery but not the ones at home'

Hi yes mumoftwoboys the first is for enchiladas the second meatballs. I usually serve the meatballs with pasta or more successfully crusty bread. Pesto pasta is a winner in my house too as are homemade sausage rolls which I sometimes cheat at and fill with pureed veg instead of sausages.

Omelette - get them to help, even if it's only cracking eggs and grating cheese. I usually put spinach into.

Sausage hotspot is a favourite too.