meal planning for kids - what regular meals do yours have?

[NemosKnickers]

I've been thinking about the mental load stuff, and one of the things that wears me down is thinking about and shopping for what the kids are going to eat constantly.

I'm finding that by the time I've thought about, planned, bought and cooked what they all like and want, I have no inclination to do the same for myself and I end up eating toast.

DH has suggested that we have the same menu every week for them and we can eat the same or choose something else. We always sit and chat with them while they eat btw, (before folk pile in with WHY AREN'T YOU EATING FAMILY MEALS WITH YOUR CHILDREN??).

So, what are family faves for your lot?

Ours are currently -
pizza
tuna and sweetcorn pasta
spag bol
chicken curry (usually spice tailor korma)
occasionally they will accept a home made cauliflower soup, but not always
erm...

not very inspiring is it? And lacking in greenery.

What would go on your weekly menu?

[trickyex]

A good veggie option is halloumi burgers in brioche buns or pita, you can add sliced fried tomato and salad for extra veg and serve with sweet potato wedges/mayo.
A hit in our house.

[picturesofdeliciousfood]

[minipie]

Marking for ideas. Mine are 4 and 3 and I need to move them on from toddler food.

They eat a lot of plain meat or fish plus plain veg - healthy but dull!

Things I batch cook and freeze:

Lamb or chicken casserole (eat with cous cous and roast sweet potato)

Meatballs

Pasta sauces - bolognaise, spinach and cheese, tuna (I freeze in ice cube trays)

Fishcakes

Chicken curry (meridian jar sauce)

Risotto - pea and prawn goes down well

Burgers

Pitta bread in the freezer - good for mini pizzas

[Misty9]

I'm useless without a recipe and would highly recommend the cookbook "nosh for busy mums and dads" we recently bought it and all meals have been a hit so far.

For pizza I use the dough mix which takes minutes to make and knead - the kids like helping too - and then they top with tomato puree (and squirt of ketchup) herbs and toppings of choice.

I did chicken nuggets recently which went down very well - bite sized chunks of chicken breast dipped in beaten egg and rolled in a mixture of polenta and parmesan (I'm gluten free) then baked for 20mins or so. Delicious

For the post school feeding frenzy I often take a sandwich or fruit to pick up and ds is hungry for dinner at 5ish but not melting down from hunger iyswim.

What do you find tricky with pancakes though? I'm pretty rubbish at cooking but can make a pancake...

[WritingHome]

The meals dd likes are:

meatballs in a white wine and cherry tomato sauce with spaghetti and garlic bread and marinaded olives

Italian chicken parcels with rosemary and garlic crispy potatoes and carrots

chicken curry with rice and poppadoms

slow cooked beef chilli served with cheese on a wrap

crispy chicken faijitas

oven cooked southern fried chicken breast served as a burger with skinny oven fried and salad

Pizza - especially if it's dh's homemade

pizza pasta (cooked pasta tossed in a delicious herbed tomato sauce from local deli, with fresh mozzarella and fresh parmesan, baked in the oven served with garlic bread and salad

beef bourguignon served with creamy mash, steamed cabbage and carrots

nigel slaters sausage and mash supper (sausages cooked in red wine and onion gravy)

High Tea (sausages, bacon, pudding, egg, hash brown, beans and toast)

roast chicken dinner with marrowfat peas

homemade cheese burgers in a brioche bun with wedges and salad

'hot-dogs' butchers sausages in a brioche hotdog bun with fries / wedged and salad

spaghetti bolognaise

cripsy duck pancakes with noodles and prawn crackers

fish and chips (from takeaway)

[MusicToMyEars800]

For homemade pizza's I just buy the pizza bases
here's my falafel recipe for those who want it.
allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/41640/fabulous-falafel-burgers.aspx

[snapple21]

Some great ideas on here - just posting to save them!

[BroomstickOfLove]

I got the Mamabake Cookbook which was life-changing, so now I make big batches of food and have a big selection of home made meals in the freezer.

Favourites are :
Jambalaya
Spaghetti Bolognese
Turkey escalopes
Fishcakes
Chicken tagine
Chicken burgers
Pulled pork
Roast chicken
Lentil soup
Cauliflower cheese
Jacket potatoes
Mild chilli
Pizza

We also sometimes includes things that only the adults like, and just make sure that there are enough side dishes to fill up the children.

[NemosKnickers]

I'm still thinking about this... I could do with some more ideas for stuff to go with noodles, that isn't too sweet. I never cook Chinese type stuff. I know stir fry is an option, but maybe something saucy would be good too?

Any of you got any good ones?

[NemosKnickers]

Good call mrsF, that I will try that cheese sauce and maybe even pizzas! The bought pizzas we have regularly are very ordinary.

[1stMrsF]

Oh also, easy pancakes:
1 cup self raising flour
1 cup milk
1 egg
Whisk together until smooth thick batter. Mix in 1 mashed banana (or 1 grated pear or spoonful apple compote) I cook smallish ones (a tablespoon or so of batter) so I can do 4 at once in a big pan. When there are little holes in the top surface it's time to flip them over.

You could also add cheese or spinach or both and make savoury ones.

[1stMrsF]

Thank you for this thread have got some new ideas and it also reminded me of things that they have eaten in the past that I should wheel out again.

Super quick cheese sauce - stir a small tub of creme friache into hot cooked pasta with grated cheese and a tiny bit of mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Stir gently over a low heat until it makes a sauce.

If you do make homemade pizza dough (I use Hugh F-W's recipe from River Cottage Everyday) you can freeze it in portion sized pieces. If you freeze tomato sauce as well you can make midweek pizza in minutes (buy those bags a grated cheddar and mozzarella mixed) I do recommend a pizza stone it does make a difference.

[MotherofPearl]

Actually Nemos, that sounds pretty damn handy! I think I'm going to nick your spreadsheet idea.

[NemosKnickers]

So I'm now the proud owner of a Feed the Fam spreadsheet (yes, I'm a dick).

I have three columns - The Main Event, Carbs and Sides. Now when I'm doing my online shop I will just choose one from each column for each meal. Ta daaa! Less thinking, and that was the point.

This has been great, thanks again!

[KTD27]

This is the best thread! For whatever reason I struggle to think of things to cook for the family at the moment and this is just what I needed to get me out of the rut. Thanks 😀

[Kikibanana86]

Anyway, meals I make regularly are

Beef chilli with rice and/or wraps, salad, baked potatoes

Spag Bol again with salad and garlic bread

Lamb kebabs as mentioned above

Thai prawn curry rice/noodles veg

Chicken satay rice and seaweed

Pizza and salad and wedges

I make everything from scratch I prefer the taste.
I think the key to keeping everyone happy is making sure there's plenty of different bits and bobs on the table

[Kikibanana86]

Sorry posted too soon.

I cook what I want to eat and we all eat it. There's usually something they like on the plate so even if one of them doesn't like part of it they won't go hungry.

For example last night I made lamb kebabs with a spicy tomato sauce, with pitta breads, cous cous, houmous and salad.

I have 5 so they all had bits of that meal they didn't like but they ate the rest.

[Kikibanana86]

I don't get all this "they don't like this or won't eat that"

[MotherofPearl]

Ooooh, Sky, yes slow cooker gammon is so easy and everyone loves it. Nice with baked potatoes and coleslaw.

[OlennasWimple]

OP - don't be afraid to take short cuts.

Buy a tub of fresh cheese sauce - it's not the end of the world if it hasn't been made by you

Use large pitta breads, baguettes or other ready made bases to do your own pizzas

Frozen peas can be added to loads of things for extra, almost hidden veg

[skyzumarubble]

Chicken satay and noodles
Anything at all with chorizo: pasta and brocolli / in a stew with butter beans / chicken and chorizo in tomato sauce with rice
Meatballs - ship bought for speed or home made turkey ones
Pork ragu
Slow coooked beef and paparadelle (not being poncy they love that pasta)
Lasagne
Chilli - either pork or beef
Nachos
Fajitas
Tortilla pizza
One night a week is freezer night
Noodles with random veg and soy sauce
Slow cooker gammon
Sausage and mash
Sausage and chips
Tuna pasta bake


Mostly have cucumber tomatoes and brocolli on the side with everything

[hoopdeloop]

Aldi do a lovely fresh pizza dough that I think is 89p, we use that and add what we fancy on top

[Nearlyadoctor]

Thanks Tinkly

[MotherofPearl]

Oh and various stir fries with noodles or rice. They seem to go down well.

[MotherofPearl]

Recipes we'll all eat (2 adults and 3 DC):

Risotto with whatever veg is to hand (pea; broad bean; asparagus etc)

Cauliflower and macaroni cheese (combined I mean)

Chilli with loads of added veg

Baked sweet potatoes with various toppings

Puff pastry tarts (made with shop-bought pastry, obviously, and topped with any number of store cupboard bits like olives, ham, sundried tomatoes etc)

Cottage or Shepherds Pie

Chicken and leek casserole with green beans

Lentil and tomato soup

Sausage and butter bean casserole

A wide variety of stews combining either beef or lamb with a load of whatever veg I have in

Pasta puttanesca