does anyone know any really super speedy healthy meals that a 5 yr old would eat?

[Toowittoowoo]

I'm really struggling to think for things to feed DD1 now that she is in school. She has school dinners but will only chooses jacket potato with beans so not really the balanced meal that I was anticipating! She goes to after school club 3 evenings a week and by the time I have picked her up from school and DD2 up from nursery we are rarely home until 5.30pm. Both DDs go up for bath at 6pm. I therefore have 30mins from coming in through door to going up to bath. So far I have been doing scrambled eggs, cherry tomatoes, peas and toast or baked beans on toast and tomatoes. I am considering freezing portions of our meals family meals that can be microwaved but is there anything else?

What do other people do?

Homemade soup? Easy to pack in loads of nutrients. Another variation on scrambled egg is egg fried rice or noodles. You stir fry onion, peas, sweetcorn, grated carrot with a dash of soy sauce and maybe some 5 spice powder, then scramble egg into the mixture. While you stir fry boil your rice/noodles and then when it's all ready mix it all together.

Meat patties: beat an egg and season with salt, pepper, chopped parsley and crushed garlic or powder. Soak a slice of bread in a little milk, drain and add to seasoned egg. Add mince and mix thoroughly. If you like you can add a bit of mashed potato. Cover and chill in fridge.
When ready to use have a dish with dry breadcrumbs or flour. Take portions of the meat mixture and flatten into patties coating very lightly in the breadcrumbs or flour. Fry in small amount of oil until golden both sides.

Tuna patties: To cold very firm mashed potato add lightly fried onion, drained tinned tuna or salmon, salt, pepper and parsley or chives.
Chill covered in fridge. When ready to serve take portions, coat lightly with flour and shape into patties. Fry in small amount of oil until golden both sides.
These can be made with poached white fish instead of tinned.

Both the meat and fish patties can be coated in beaten egg and bread crumbs before cooking

Boiled eggs with tuna stuffing: Cut boiled eggs in half lenghtwise. Carefully remove yolks and save some for decoration.
Mash remaining egg yolks with a fork and add drained tuna, salt, pepper and small amount of tomato puree. Mix thoroughly to a paste. With teaspoon fill egg whites with tuna mixture. Put small dollop of mayonaise on each egg half and crumble the reserved yolk over the tops. Can be served on shredded lettuce with halved cherry tomatoes, olives etc.

Surprise omelette: Make a french omelette but before folding over place a slice of ham, add grated cheese and fold over as usual.
Instead of ham and cheese can be cooked mushrooms, or a bit of tomato sauce and cooked peas or cooked sausage cut lenghtwise or chopped chorizo.
Also tinned tuna or sardines. Even leftover bolognaise sauce or cottage pie filling.

A slow cooker might be useful so you can come home and just dish up?

Grandson likes tomato soup served with a mound of raviollini or similar small filled pasta and cheese to sprinkle on top.

Do they really have to stick to 6pm bath every night?
Wouldn't it be far less stressful if they bathed every other night and a bit later, so you can all eat together at 6-6.30pm without being so rushed?

I also have a 5 year old ( and 4 year old), they eat at 7-7.30pm. Quick meals they like

Baked salmon and rice and broccoli ( 15 mins)
Fajitas (beef/ chicken, spinach, peppers, onions ,avocado, sour cream (10-15 mins)

I second a slow cooker.

other wise pre prepare things like fish cakes, burgers, breaded chicken strips, marinated salmon/chicken, the night before they then just take a few mins to fry/griddle and serve.

make a batch of potato salad or coleslaw and pasta salad and a green salad and keep in the fridge over night.

omelette is quick. as would self assembly chicken wraps (with leftover roast chicken etc )

Gnocchi cooks in two mins (boil water first in kettle) and you can have with some tomato pasta sauce and misc protein.

Bagels
Quorn hot dogs
Tuna pasta
Hummus/falafels and pitta bread

I would also change baths so they're less frequent. Every two or three days is surely ok. When do they go to bed? My 1 yr old goes up at 7 and 5 year old at half past. We're up pretty early.