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?

[NemosKnickers]

Noodles. We never have noodles. They like spaghetti, so they should like noodles too shouldn't they?

[NemosKnickers]

groovee do you have any recipes please?

[dementedpixie]

When we do make your own pizza we use the ready made napolina bases

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

I just cook macaroni, and a simple sauce from butter, flour cheese and milk. Sometimes fry off some lardons to bung in, or onion and mushrooms and peppers, sometimes cook some cauli and broccoli or peas and bung that in. Cherry tomatoes too. Mix together, chuck cheese on top, in the oven, jobs a good un (but uses lots of pots I find).

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

Sometimes kids like the most random things. I cooked huevos rancheros the other week. It's spicy, it looks a bit weird, it's got eggs. I thought there'd be lots of complaints. They bloody loved it, it's firmly on the menu now. Worth trying stuff out because kids are contrary creatures and like to keep you on your toes.

[thisgirlrides]

I'm a childminder so have to keep in advance & cater to quite a few tastes/fads etc so have a list of meals that are universally liked that I rotate on the 4 days I'm working then anything less kiddie friendly we have as a family on my days off. Happy to share any of the recipes.

Spag Bol or meatball pasta sometimes with garlic bread
macaroni cheese with broccoli & peas
Chilli con carne
Bean & Sausage casserole with jacket potatoes
Chicken fried rice
Paella
Sticky chicken wings/drumsticks with sweet potato wedges, corn on cob & peas
Chicken casserole with mash & veg
Sausage, mash, peas & onion gravy
Chinese Salmon parcels with rice & peas
Chicken wrapped in bacon with broccoli & jacket potatoes
Apple & sage sausage rolls with green veg & gravy
Chicken or prawn curry, rice & green beans or peas
Thai fish curry, rice & broccoli
Minestrone soup & garlic bread (make it using half baked loaves with chopped garlic & parsley and lots of butter - much nice than shop bought ones)
In the winter we often have a mini roast

On my days off we have pizza, sushi (my kids love making it), stir-fry, fish & chips, proper roast, hotter curries etc.

[NemosKnickers]

I'm shit at cheese sauce! It's either too floury or catches on the bottom. Even though I've made it a hundred times.

Waitrose do a gorgeous cauli cheese thing and the sauce is just WOW. I want to recreate that sauce.

[HeyMicky]

Meatball gravy - Ikea's finest . Otherwise just some tomato sauce

Bolognese - standard bolognese (beef and pork mince, tomatoes, acelery, onion, carrot etc) but I also finely grate in cougettes and mushrooms

Salmon pasta - poach the salmon in milk in the microwave, cook the broccoli in with the pasta, mix with some creme fraiche and lemon juice

Pasta bake - decent bottle sauce plus chicken or tuna plus any veg you fancy (I usually use frozen peas, tinned sweetcorn, peppers and mushrooms, maybe some frozen spinach)

Stew - brown the lamb, add lamb, stock, chopped onions and butternut squash, sliced celery, mushroms and peas to the pan/slow cooker plus a dollop of redcurrant jelly, cook for a few hours until soft

Burgers - roughly blitz kidney and butter beans, mix with an egg, some breadcrumbs, cumin, garlic and paprika. Shallow fry

Soup is whatever veg i have to use up (within reason). I try to group colours ie all green veg or all orange/red veg. I roast them with some garlic, add some chicken or veg stock and blitz. I usually also add some pureed white beans to up the protein content. You can add ham or shredded chicken as well, also some rice or small pasta to bulk it out.

[Winterc00kie]

A huge homemade lasagne
Roast dinners
Pulled pork
Hunters chicken
Gammon
Cottage pie
Mexican dishes
Homemade Pizza
Spag bol
Rice Krispy chicken strips ( they taste so so good)

and loads more really.

there is one meal I refuse to have and that is hotdogs with tinned sausages, my DSS asked for some a few weeks ago, the stuff that goes into them is hideous. his mum might happily make them but its just one food I cant abide xx

[NemosKnickers]

thank you Mickey

that's a great list thisgirl could you share recipes for chicken casserole, salmon parcels, chicken curry and minestrone?

[NemosKnickers]

Winterc00kie what mexican dishes would you recommend?

[Winterc00kie]

Mild Fajitas then adding spices according to taste.
Enchiladas
quesadillas
Tostada
Burittos
Taco's xxx

[Unihorn]

We do mini fake pizzas using tortilla wraps and a mix of ketchup and tomato puree on the bottom. Easier and quicker than dough and the kids can easily get involved. Stick them under the grill for no time at all really!

[NemosKnickers]

could anybody recommend any good recipes for mexican stuff please? I've only ever used the packs.

[NemosKnickers]

that's a good idea! We always have wraps in.

[AtleastitsnotMonday]

If they will eat tuna pasta you could try making tuna fish cakes.
I do a lot of the things already mentioned but a couple of others
Chicken and veg skewers (marinate chicken in whatever you fancy or just sprinkle with paprika) just intersperse chicken, cherry tomatoes, courgettes and peppers. I think the fact that it's on a stick adds appeal.
Sweet potato falafels. I make my own and oven bake. Don't know why they are so popular, I think they have a nugget like resemblance!
Puff pastry tart, I just call it pizza!
Gnocchi pasta bake.
Do they eat salad veg?

[WutheringTights]

There's a Waitrose essentials ready made cheese sauce that's ok and doesn't seem to have too much crap in it. Perfect for days when I need to make a quick meal and can't put the baby down.

[MusicToMyEars800]

Nemos Yes I do make my own falafel its quick and easy and takes about 6 mins to cook, I serve them with warm pitta's, salad, salsa and guacamole, but they are so versatile you could serve them with all sorts.
My 2 are fussy with veg but I have found they prefer eating raw veg to cooked, so sugar snap peas, carrots, slice peppers etc.
Mac n cheese is simple, I make my own cheese sauce by making a roux with butter and flour in a pan, whisk in milk slowly until it thickens and the lumps mix out and add any cheese/cheeses you like, I do cheddar, gruyere and a bit of parmesan in mine, pout it over part cooked macaroni, mix, top with lots of cheddar and some mozzarella and put it in the oven for 30 mins.

[MusicToMyEars800]

For Mexican we love to do Quesadillas, get a tortilla wrap and put in a non- stick frying pan that has been brushed with oil, I put in cooked chicken, chorizo, peppers, onion, cheese, and sometimes some jalapenos, top with another tortilla, turn after about 3-4 mins (when the tortilla on the bottom is brown) take it out when the cheese is melted and the tortilla is lightly toasted.

[moomoogalicious]

A bit of a ballache to do homemade pizza so I only do it at weekends. I have a breadmaker for the dough, so only have to roll it out. The sauce takes 10 mins to do - tin of tomatoes cooked with onion, garlic and oregano til it's a bit dry then blend. And then toppings.

Re mexican, for fajitas I use the seasoning and ready made guacamole, grated cheese, shredded lettuce etc. . When I do burritos I make everything from scratch.

Quesadillas are easy - I use salsa (homemade or shop bought), cheese, jalapenos, coriander, guacamole.

[thisgirlrides]

Minestrone is classic delia www.deliaonline.com/recipes/collections/hearty-soups/minestrone-with-macaroni

Salmon parcels are fillets with soy, lime, chilli, ginger, spring onions and pak choi or spinach baked in foil parcels for 20ish minutes served with rice and peas.

[thisgirlrides]

I would also suggest making double batches of things like Bolognese, white sauce and mashed potato - all things that use lots of pots and pans - lasagne is a breeze with pre-made sauces ditto macaroni and cauliflower cheese, mash for shepherd pie or just a quick side dish.

[MusicToMyEars800]

Frozen mashed potato is my friend as it's only me and my youngest dd that like it my eldest dd and my dp can't stand it I use the Morrisons frozen mash it's actually really nice.

[Nearlyadoctor]

Could some one please post their failsafe recipe for chicken fried rice, whenever I try something like it or paella I seem to end up with a soggy mess!

[cutthegraa]

I'm a big fan of making a big quantity of chilli or bolognase and freezing up portions. I can hide so much veg in them and it makes life much easier. I also chuck loads of beans in the chilli

With chilli I can do baked tots/wedges/rice/wrap/taco tower*/ pie with mash on top

*layer up chilli/wrap/cheese in a dish and bake in the oven

We have a bolognase or chilli based dish once a week.

Soup and panini is a regular one here too.

Ham in the slow cooker is popular and I serve with peas and frozen mash if a work night. Use leftover ham for ham fried rice (again they'll eat loads of veggies on that)

It is dull as fuck, feel your pain

Oh naan bread pizza a winner too