Meal ideas for xmas half term

[loz12345]

Hi, I am currently on Maternity leave and it is the first time I have been off work over the Christmas holidays and as I am trying to budget I trying to meal plan my dh and 7 year old ds will be at home with me and my soon to be 6 month old ds for 2 weeks. I am struggling for ideals for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as snacks, ds is as skinny as a rake and it is a struggle to fill him nevermind trying to help him gain weight while I try and loose it and the baby will start weaning round about them too. Any recepies, pointers to websites would be welcomed.
Thanks in advance

Hi, I hate having to think what to cook every meal time for my Oh and 2 boys, but my mum did a lovely chicken lasagna once and it went down a treat, no need to even cook the lasagna sheets! I like to cook off some chicken in the slow cooker then once cooked add the shredded chicken to 2 packs of Philadelphia in a bowl with a stock cube and a whole pack of mozzarella cheese - mix. Layer the lasagna sheets in a dish then put on the chicken mix then some tomato sauce (jar of lasagna tomato sauce), more lasagna sheets, chicken mix, tomato sauce - keep repeating until ingredients used. Cook 180 degrees for about an hour to ensure the sheets are cooked through. Easy dish but they’ll love it.

do you have basic cooking skills.
a good mince bolognase base.use dolmio jar of sauce for flavour(or cheaper version just as lovely)onions,carrots.etc.tin of tomatos.
this can be made in bulk then either frozen or put intupperware.
you can then have it on toast for lunch.with doritos and grilled with cheese on top.with wraps. rice pasta.
you can add chillie or stir through spice mixes.
stir it with penne or fusilli and some cheese sauce for pasta bake
make into a lasagne.
pie.
ready to roll pastry is great.for tray bakes top with anything from veggies to pesto chicken.
also use it to top and bottom pies.
saute some onions garlic tomatos.chorizo or salami,peppers.jar of pasta sauce.add sweet potatos chicken for nice stew.serve on toast or on top of rice or jacket potatos.pour over some pork chops and bake with hot pot sliced potatos or on its own.
sausage and mash
use bread stick as pie topper or garlic breads cut into slices.
buy a cook in the bag chicken.often cheap or on a deal.cook for a roast or cook in the oven the night your cooking something else.then serve the next day cold with salad and jackets.veggies and roasties etc. use leftovers for chicken currys or chicken in white sauce. or sandwhiches.
look for roast joints on offer and then cook and use for dishes.
pearl barley with chicken thighs veggies and stock.
always keep leftover in Tupperware for lunc hthe next day
bakes fruit for snacks.
fruit salads in the fridge
any leftover bread cook in the oven for little snack crudettes.
make kids own pizzas on naane bread or bread.wraps.
cheese on toast.
baked bananas.apple make a lovely warming pudding.
yoghurts and fruit puree for snacking with a handfuk of their favourite cereal.
bowl of cereal for snacking.
frozen fruit yoghurts.
pancakes for snacking
pancakes for tea and fill with cheese and ham for savoury version.
jacket potato tuna and been
fajitas.
tacos
savoury crumbles.
think outside the labels you know for lots of products nowadays own brand have competed to make theirs just as good.

Lunches, keep it simple
Soup with bread
Sandwich of some description mix it up with breads and fillings, wraps, pita, bagels, rolls etc
Toasties
Beans, eggs, cheese, mushrooms etc on toast
Omelettes
Cheese and crackers
Leftovers
Tuna pasta

Hang on, the week after Christmas is all about leftovers! Open the fridge and say Ready? steady? Go! 😉

The humble jacket potato would suit your family. Giant one for older DS (with lots of butter and cheese) and smaller one for yourself. Or you could cook a larger one for yourself and scoop out some of it to mash up for little DS. Perfect for using up xmas left overs.
Porridge could make a great breakfast for you all. I find I don't snack as much after eating it so it helps when I'm watching my weight. Stir Nutella/peanut butter and banana in for older DS to add some calories.
Scrambled eggs can also be eaten by all of you when little DS reaches 6 months. Good option for diets but can be bulked out with bacon and cream.
Mild curries would be another way for all of you to eat the same thing and use up left overs. Can also be batch cooked for a quick lunch on toast.

You are all fab thank you, I do have basic cooking skills and ds is a turning into a fab baker much better than me I am just out of practice as normally work full time so only usually have to make breakfast which is a bowl of porridge for everyone. I love the idea of left overs but dh is also tall, skinny and can eat whatever he wants so usually there isn't any 😂