Mealtime Help!

[MissThe90s]

Hi

I’m stuck in a rut with healthy mealtimes, and looking for inspiration!

I have a very fussy 4 year old and a slightly less fussy 3 year old.

The 4 year old won’t have anything with sauce on (needs to be in a pot), very reluctant to try new things and tomato sauce is a must with every meal; salads and everything!

‘Mixed food’ such as shepherds pie, lasagne etc is out of the question, and believe me I’ve done the ‘eat it or starve’ thing; genuinely believe she’d waste away before she gave in!

Conscious of being healthy and offering good food, but also trying to appease a family of 4 and a busy schedule to boot!

Every meal tends to be chicken and veg, chicken salad, plain chicken pasta; separated of course...

Ideas of your go to healthy staple meals would be most appreciated!

Have you tried skewers? Start with just chicken and a veg they will eat. Then next time add one unfamiliar veg.
You could then try swapping out the chicken for something like haloumi.
Have you tried fish cakes? Easy enough to make your own but there are plenty in the supermarkets if you are short of time. Similar with falafel.
Fritata?
Can you give any more examples of likes? Any particular veg? Any definite no’s?

Meatballs realfood.tesco.com/recipes/sunitas-secret-veg-meatballs.html
Tuna balls www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/tuna-balls-pea-sweetcorn-pasta
Plain frittata (my dc like this recipe www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/omelette-wedges)
Egg fried rice www.greengiant.eu/sweet-corn-fried-rice/
Risotto www.myfussyeater.com/easy-baked-cheese-tomato-risotto-recipe-kids/
Cheese and tomato bread pudding recipes.sainsburys.co.uk/recipes/leftovers/cheese-and-tomato-bread-and-butter-pudding
Cheese pancakes
Toad in the hole
Mac and cheese www.myfussyeater.com/one-pot-mac-cheese-with-hidden-veg/ Or this version www.bbc.com/food/recipes/macaroni_cauliflower_53315
Burgers
Pasta bake www.ocado.com/webshop/recipe/secret-veggie-pasta-bake/23305
Cauliflower garlic bread www.slimmingeats.com/blog/syn-free-cheesy-cauliflower-garlic-bread
Sweetcorn fritters www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sweetcorn_fritters_46558
Cornflake chicken nuggets realfood.tesco.com/recipes/cornflake-chicken-nuggets.html
Pitta pizzas

These salmon nuggets can be severed separately.

One thing we did when ours were being super fussy was to eat a different meal from them on Saturday nights so at least we got one night of spice or sauce

We like a shawarma or souvlaki

Marinade chicken in herbs lemon olive oil (and yoghurt for souvlaki) then grill

Make a garlicky yoghurt sauce (or cheat and buy some tzatziki)

Make some flatbreads (or cheat and use wraps )

Cut up some red onion tomatoes cucumber lettuce

Build a delicious wrap

Another good way is halved new potatoes and a few whole garlic cloves plus olive oil and seasoning in with the chicken thighs, I also often add thick sticks of carrots and parsnips. Roast for about an hour of boned or 40 mins if not, turning.

Then toss in whatever else you fancy. I've tossed in feta or cooked green beans and broccoli before. Then drizzle with lemon juice and tzatziki.

Oops sorry this was meant for another thread!!! 🤣

Would they eat fish? Salmon fillets are very versatile, there is a thread with lots of ideas running ATM. Any white fish steamed or baked in a parcel might tempt them. Or fish fingers? If they eat fish fingers I'd try "circles of fish" next...fish cakes!

The thread with all the salmon ideas is called "What to have with salmon" appropriately enough, and it's in Food/Recipes also.

Persevere with offering new foods, they need to be offered repeatedly before they are seen as acceptable. But don't get yourself het up about it, easier said than done I'm sure, but remember few adults will only eat sauce served separately or any of the four year old's other foibles. So it will sort its self out eventually.