need inspiration

[willow1995]

Hello everyone, I need some inspiration or recipes for 2 children, 1 is 10 years old, and the other is 3. They can be quite picky eaters, not much of a vegetable lover, and they don't particularly like homemade meals..... although I'm a lover of homemade meals and so is my partner.

So, hit me up with your recipes and ideas!

I make chicken and pesto lasagna, fishcakes with rocket and sweet potato fries, bolognaise, vegetable rice with chicken, and there's a few others, but for some Reason my children don't really like it.

Your food sounds great. I just give my kids what we eat, avoiding spicy stuff, and if they don't eat, they don't eat.

When you say they don't like homemade meals, do you mean in contrast to restaurant food? or beige freezer food?

@Xiaoxiong they prefer freezer food like chicken nuggets, burgers, sausages, pizza, basically food like that. I just want them to eat a little healthier x

I would say start with the shapes and types of food they like but make them at home - and get them involved. Homemade pizza, burgers of different kinds, etc. Chicken nuggets homemade in the oven (https://www.recipetineats.com/truly-golden-crunchy-baked-chicken-tenders-less-mess/)

My kids like to do pitta pizzas (adding their own toppings) and quesadillas (choose their own filling), we make turkey burgers with grated courgette and then eat on a bun with sweet potato wedges, etc. I find mine will eat a lot of veg if it's cut in chip shapes and they can dip into something. You can also buy pizza dough or use puff pastry.

Sausages you can do in a stew or garnish eg. this was a mainstay when my kids were younger: https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/sausage-and-lentil-stew/ or https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/sausages-in-tomato-sauce-with-cannellini-beans/ - this is basically sausage and baked beans, but homemade.

Raw cucumber/pepper/carrot dipped in hummus or olive oil & salt (put on the table on a sharing plate while you're making dinner for hungry snacking and then you know they've had a portion of veg at least)

Courgettes cut into chips, breaded and fried dipped in ketchup

Sweet potato wedges baked in the oven, again with ketchup

Slowly build up to trying new things. Also I find my kids are far more willing to try new things with grandparents or nanny/childminder and once they've tried it they'll be willing to have at home.