What to feed kids for tea when you're pushed for time?

[NemosKnickers]

I could do with some ideas for what to serve when we've got a tight turn around between school and swimming. We have about 30 minutes from coming in to getting back in the car. That equals about 10 minutes prep, 10 minutes eating and 5 minutes either side for fannying around with lost shoes etc.

Currently serving wraps/sarnies, or pizzas. Any other ideas?

Fresh pasta or gnocchi
Scrambled eggs
Stir fry with fresh noodles
Something from the slow cooker

I serve Gnocchi, pesto and salad. 5 minutes tops.

Eggs!

Scrambled eggs are a winner in this house

Scrambled eggs with toast served with sliced cucumber and tomatoes. You could even break the eggs into a jug earlier in the day, mix them and leave in the fridge.

Toasties with plenty of salad is my go to when we're pushed for time.

Eggs are great for this. DS always eats an omelette before training. It's light enough to keep him going and then he has his main meal when he gets home.

Oh and baked beans on toast is actually a very nutritious meal especially,,you with a poached eggs. (Depends on the type of beans obviously, so even are quite high in sugar.)

Tortellini is good as well, again with a salad.

Beans on toast
Cheese on toast
Cheese and tomato toastie
Eggy bread
Hummous and breadsticks

All served with cucumber and carrot sticks which you can chop in advance.

oh I could live of scrambled eggs but my awful children are egg refusers.

Fresh pasta (3 mins boil) with jar pasta sauce and IKEA meatballs done in the micro with grated cheese on top

Make macaroni cheese the day before and microwave to heat it up

Soup and sandwiches (pre made)

Spanish Omelette with ham and cheese and peppers

Build-your-own wraps - tortillas and a board / plate with salad, cheese, cooked chicken, and sauces and they can make up their own

FRESH PASTA!! Why didn't I think of that?!

Chopped cucumber, slices of cold meat and an apple sliced up served with some coleslaw and some cubes of cheese.

You mustn't have read the 'quick meals for children' in the back of Nigella's How to Eat! Essential after school activities meal reading.

Fresh pasta is a godsend. We used to habe the same quick turnaround. I used to fry lardons the night before, maybe with some onions and mushrooms. Put in fridge.

When home, water in kettle to boil, lardon/mushroom mixture in pan to reheat, then once reheated tip in jar of
homemade tomato sauce. cook pasta, drain, mix with lardon and sauce mixture, serve.

Beans on toast

Cheese and ham on toast

Packet gnocchi with tomato sauce

Micro rice fried with peas, ham and sweet corn- soy and 5 spice if they like it

Microwaved baked potato with cheese or beans or leftover bolognaise/chilli etc

Leftovers reheated

Fried fish fillet (sea bass/bream/trout) on cannelloni or butter bean mash with garlic parsley butter . Use tinned beans, warm through and mash with milk while fillet fries off quickly.

Couscous with jarred roast red peppers, coriander, lemon and pine nuts. Add fried squid or fish and a spoon of Harrisa- though I understand that not all children would eat this

Mussels/clams/ scallops/ cockles all
Cook within 5 minutes- can be used with fresh pasta for vongole. Or just cooked With bread and cream, or to make a quick mussel and bacon gratin under the grill.

You won't want too heavy before swimming.

What about smoothies? Frozen berries and banana in a blender with yogurt or milk. Add oats and seeds for a fuller meal.

Speedy soup- peas, stock (or cube) blended in the pan. Blob of mint sauce or cream. Tinned tomatoes, blended in the pan with herbs, garlic/chilli according to what they like. Nice chunks of bread or toast with it. Takes no time at all, and it's all in the cupboard or freezer.

Noodle soup. Egg noodles or udon noodles are practically instant. We have them in chicken stock with sweet corn. You can add ginger, spring onions, carrot peels or whatever you have time for. You can get ready cooked chicken breast chunks to keep in the freezer, too.

I keep grated cheese in the freezer- makes life so much faster and cleaner!

Fresh pasta, with sliced cherry tomatoes and some olive oil and basil scattered over if the kids like it.

Or fresh pasta and pesto.

Fish finger sandwiches cook the fish fingers in toaster bags

My dd loves pizza wraps which are quick just spread tomato puree or ketchup on a wrap top with cheese then add ham or cooked chicken pop in the oven for 5minutes take out and fold over.i serve it with salad which you could prepare earlier.
Macaroni cheese
Spaghetti hoops on toast
Crackers with meats and cheese and chopped up tomatoes,cucumber,pepper and carrots
Boiled eggs and soldiers

Quick pizzas: naan bread with a thin layer of ketchup/BBQ sauce, then scatter over chopped ham, mushrooms, spring onions, peppers, sausage, pepperoni, olives, pineapple or whatever other toppings they like. Top with grated cheese and stick in the oven for about ten minutes. Salad leaves and tomatoes for a bit more veg if you like.

Slow cooker?