School holidays - best dinners!

[TwinsplusAnotherTwo]

I seem to do this thread each summer!

With school holidays approaching, we will likely be out and about all day and I'll need to get dinner on the table quickly when we get come. I also like to break out of our usual food rut in the holidays.

What are your best family/kids meals that are either quick, prep ahead, or use the slow cooker?

I have a few but they're all the usual suspects (pasta sauces, curry, chilli, burgers), so looking for inspiration.

Following..

Fajitas (place the protein and veg on the table so DC can help themselves)
Jacket potatoes (toppings on table also. tuna mayo, cheese, coleslaw, beans, etc)
Picnic (sandwiches, vegsticks, nibbly bits)
Slowcooked pulled pork (I've done it with ham shank, then pulled the meat with two forks, doused it in bbq sauce and served on baguettes with salad and cheese)

I make a mince veg mix with some kidney beans thrown in. Top with a layer of doritos ( preferably plain salted) and some cheese. Serve with crème fraiche and or guacamole on the side.

Buy pre-cooked beetroot (not in vinegar!!), slice it, add some chopped mint and some oilve oil and balsamic. Serve with some grilled haloumi.

Another great dish is meatballs and rice cooked in one pot. Add tomato puree and some stock.

Picky teas go down well - i tend to get a rotisserie chicken, a baguette, coleslaw or potato salad, make a big salad and then whatever else we have lurking - like hummus or guacamole

Pizza or quiche and salad

Frittata and salad

I tend to batch cook a lot during the last few weeks of term and freeze so there's always something nutritious in the freezer.

Other than that, I use the timer on the oven for jacket potatoes and then a variety of protein toppings I.e. Tuna, cheese.

Frozen fish in the freezer which cooks in 25 mins which gives you enough time to prep the veg and cook that.

I sometimes tell the kids we are having an 'eat the fridge tea' which consists of using up whatever we have and having lots of bits in odd combinations but they tend to think it's funny so eat it.

Roasting a chicken on a Monday night works well so you always have cooked chicken to add to pasta / sandwiches / veg / wraps, or whatever you have in.

Looking for lots more ideas too so thanks for suggesting the post!

Cous cous salad - can be made in advance apart from the herbs/salad and is very summery (assuming summer actually obliges).

Our staple version contains, black olives, peas, lots of herbs, and little squares of halloumi (dry fried, then chopped up with scissors), dressed with olive oil, pepper and lemon juice (plenty). But you can also add other leafy salady things or beans (flagolet or chick pea are good). If you eat meat, you can add little bits of bacon/chorizo etc.

Good idea re batch cooking for holiday.

I second the rotisserie chicken for multiple meals. Also, cook a double batch of pasta to use for salad, add leftover chicken/canned/tuna/cooked beans etc to whatever salad veg you prefer.

I cook jacket potatoes in the slow cooker, wrapped in foil. They won't have crispy skins but they are soft and fluffy when we get in.

I put a whole chicken in the slow cooker and add nothing else other than herbs and seasoning. 8 hours on low and a lovely roast chicken suitable for salads etc. The other day we had roasted chicken in wraps with hummus and salad which was yummy!

Quesadillas are super quick. Spread cheese, tomatoes, meat, onions or anything you fancy on a tortilla wrap. Fold in half, fry both sides, serve in quarters like pizza.