Nutritious food

[Autumnlily14]

Hi all,

I have fibromyalgia, 2 toddlers and an eating disorder so I find it pretty hard to have the energy to prep nutritious food and find it hard to make good choices.

I've recently discovered a love for pineapple and prepping pineapple, carrot, pepper and oranges has gotten me through the first half of the week. The second it was gone it gravitated towards chocolate, even though I didn't want it, because I could grab it.

I don't have the energy or time to prep halfway through the week as well so any suggestions on other nutritious things I could prep Sunday to last all week or things that go in the cupboard? Thank you.

Ps. Sometimes my fibromyalgia makes it so that even cutting up fruit in that moment is too much effort so it really needs to be things I can prep Sunday and last all week or will last without prep.

Is this food for just yourself or for all of you?

@TinyMouseTheatre it would be for all of us
My toddlers do have reflux so I can't soak anything in lemon juice etc and still young so no salt. They're also dairy intolerant.

Im sorry I am a bit confused. Are you feeding your toddlers this...

pineapple, carrot, pepper and oranges has gotten me through the first half of the week

Are they having anything else?

Apples have a good shelf life and are easy to grab
Mixed nuts
Sugar snap peas and / or Green beans last well, don't need prep and good with hummus for extra nutrition
Cherry toms
Mini cucumbers
Protein yoghurts (check labels for sugar content) Aldi do a great low sugar Protein Pot
Olives and antipasti in general lasts ages eg those stuffed peppers / sun lush tomatoes / mini mozzarella
Cook, slice and then freeze trays of chicken breast. Decant into freezer bag and get out a portion at a time to defrost
Same technique but with frozen berries to add to yoghurts
Prep and freeze soups in portions

• Dates
• home made popcorn
• Bananas
• whole nuts and dark chocolate
• homemade seed, fruit and nut mix
• yoghurt with seed mix in
• tinned sweetcorn!

Sorry what I mean is are you talking about snacks or meals too?

@Comedycook these are just for snacks or to make up part of a meal. Eg. For lunch we have a sandwich, fruit, veg and then an 'extra'. If I don't have something easy to grab it ends up being sandwich, crisps, wafer. Which is obviously a lot less nutritious.

I think Dairy Intolerant is a bit of an old fashioned term now. Have they been diagnosed as non-Ige CMPA?

How about giving them some ready brek for breakfast with sone frozen berries. You can use any alternative milk you have in. I used to stir the frozen berries and milk in before putting it into the microwave.

If you want to batch cook for breakfast you could make blueberry pancakes?

Are they ok with a sandwich for lunch?

How about this Cottage Pie for dinner? Although you might have to swap the pre packed mashed potato freshly made or frozen as the pre packed is likely to contain milk

@FusionChefGeoff some great suggestions thank you. Unfortunately a lot of that my toddlers are too young to eat (nuts) , can't eat as a snack due to reflux or just straight up won't eat. We all love apples but I have to cut them up for my toddlers and when every ounce of my energy has already gone on my toddlers and housework it feels impossible. I'm not trying to be awkward just honest. I told the person I was seeing for my eating disorder that sometimes I'm so tired that just taking the lid off a yoghurt and having to grab a spoon is more energy than I have and indeed I always buy myself the drinkable yoghurts unfortunately no dairy free ones for dcs but I force myself to get them nutritious food when I can I just can't force myself to do it for me too

Can they eat nut butters or are they allergic to those too?

Roast a pile of veg - I like onions/courgettes/peppers/aubergine. It happily sits in the fridge for a few days. Add to wraps/sandwiches/rice whatever. It's nice hot or cold.

Bag of spinach - leaves in sandwiches or salads, or Chuck them in soup/stew at the end and they just melt in.

Make a big frittata and have slices of that.

Peanut/almond butter on wholemeal toast, or beans on toast.

@TinyMouseTheatre they're not allergic to nuts just not allowed them whole under 5 and I have IBS. We are a bit of an awkward family to feed.

I do keep thinking about pancakes because I love them it's just standing over the stove. I did try a sheetpan one once and it was 🤢. I think I'm definitely looking for some either foods or recipes that will take under 30 minutes in total and can just be left somewhere for the whole week. I definitely need food I can just grab and go otherwise I'll turn back to the chocolate which, like I mentioned, I don't even want, it's just a good of convenience

If it helps this week we went food shopping and then came home and I cut up pineapple and carrots, peeled oranges and then put some shop bought croissants in the oven and made dinner. By the time I did all that I was exhausted and in pain so it needs to be equivalent or less to that amount of effort.

The roast veg suggestion is a good one - you can buy frozen mixed veg like this and it's so easy to cook in the oven. All the supermarkets sell it. Put some foil and baking parchment on a baking tray. Nothing sticks and there's no washing up afterwards.

Soup? You could make a big pan full and then freeze in portions.
Baked potatoes don't take much effort. If you put a cross in them before cooking you can just sort of squeeze them to open up.

If you get small things can your children just grab them? I'm thinking radishes, cherry tomatoes or grapes? I know they can be a choking hazard but if your children are old enough that could save some effort.

You can freeze sandwiches.

I have a relative who is lactose intolerant, she makes a batch of kedgeree and freezes in pots, she has one every day for breakfast.

You have my sympathies, I have arthritis so although I know how to cook but I can't always do it. I can't always get out of bed.

Could you save energy by having food delivered?
Dairy free yogurt in pouches (toddler friendly although I know WHO frowns on too great a use of pouches) are made by the Collective dairy. Waitrose and Sainsburys sell them.
We freeze pancakes and then reheat in air fryer.
Bags of frozen fruit that is then microwaved to defrost if liked and mixed with dairy free yogurt and nut butter- no choking risk.
Frozen bananas
Mini peppers and mini cucumbers don't need cutting- Sainsburys, Waitrose, Lidl and Aldi sell I think.
Crumpets and nut butter?
Spanish tortilla? Make at weekend and reheat in air fryer?

I was going to suggest getting your shopping delivered too if that's an option. Shopping either 2 little ones, unpacking and then prepping is a lot if you have a health condition.

Are you able to access any support through Homestart too?

Another thought OP, my local council allows anyone to order meals on wheels. They don't do children's meals but if your council do it could be the basis of a meal to be padded out with fruit / veg.

Came on here to say Collective make dairy free suckies yoghurts also.
Do you have a partner OP? the thing that’s screaming to me from your post is you’re keeping everyone else healthy, at the expense of your health. Can your partner spend half an hour or even just 15 mins Tuesday and Thursday evenings prepping a. Few things to ease your day?

@GoingOverToTheDarkSide we do love the dairy free collective pouches we just can't justify £1 per yoghurt when we can get 4 pots for £1.60. I do have a partner he works 6-6 and he is more than hands on with the children and will come home and cook dinner if I can't. Just the other night he worked 6-6 came home, made pancakes and then got the kids to sleep because I was unwell.

Loads of preboiled eggs in fridge.
Pittas stuffed with ready grated vegan cheese and pre roasted veg, lots and lots of evoo.
Fresh pesto that can just be stirred through pasta with fresh cherry tomato's and pine nuts.
Honestly at 5 I think they can eat whole nuts? Mine did from 3. I think they're invaluable as a super nutritious prep free snack.
I'd buy pre cooked chicken and beef slices.
Huge lentil and veg soup to last for 3 / 4 days.

I think you're going to have to commit to batch cooking when you have energy and portioning off in freezer. From what you've said it doesn't sound like your kids are getting much protein at all.