Is this menu plan balanced?

[KatyMac]

It's a 9 day menu the format is Breakfast/lunch & afters/tea

Cereal is sometimes toast/bagels/teacakes & snack of dried/fresh fruit arrives midmorning

Cereal & fruit Beans on toast, cucumber/carrot/tomato Rice Pudding & peaches Fish Pie with leeks & broccoli
Cereal & fruit Pasta with cheese & tomato salsa Chocolate pudding Toad in the Hole, with carrots & broccoli
Cereal & fruit Chicken Nuggets, cucumber/carrot/tomato Fruit charlotte Mince, mash, with carrots & peas
Cereal & fruit Pizza Toast, cucumber/carrot/tomato Profiteroles Poached salmon with carrots & green beans
Cereal & fruit Fish Fingers, broccoli & cauliflower Fruit Flan Cold meat, chips & beans
Cereal & fruit Rice & peas, sweetcorn & raisins Fruit and ice cream Baked potato & cheese, cucumber/carrot/tomato
Cereal & fruit Scrambled Eggs & Toast Trifle Cowboy casserole
Cereal & fruit Cheese & Potato Pie with beans Ice cream, gingernuts & banana Rice, fish with peas & sweetcorn
Cereal & fruit Scampi, cucumber/carrot/tomato Fruit and Custard Pasta with cheese, ham, broccoli & sweetcorn

I worry there is not enough/too much of veggie/carbs/fish etc or that the meals aren't very balanced

What do you think?

Katy I am bumping for you.

I would be loath to advise you as I have no professional expertise IYSWIM.

I just about know carbs/veggies/meat but not enough about proportions.

Thank you

It is so hard to get it right isn't it?

My only comment is that there's no protein with the rice, peas, sweetcorn and raisins. For some reason I often find that rice isn't very filling. This looks like a side dish rather than a main.

Obviously, my only other comment is that the rest of it looks great. Sorry. Should have said that.

Add some egg maybe? or some chicken?

This is for under 5's btw

Two cooked meals and dessert every day! Sounds good to me.

Who's it for? For me, there is too much fruit and no sausages!

What about the toad (in the hole)

Veggies are good

PT - peas are protein!

looks good. come and cook for me!

No problem - book your child with me & you can join them for meal here or take a plate home (for a small charge )

Really? Peas are protein? Are you likely to eat enough for them to count?

Is there only one day without any meat or fish on the menu? Could you have a couple more interesting veggie dishes rather than just veg on the side?

cool, will be over with my 18mo DD and 31 week bump!

seriously though, it does look well balanced. Personally might be tempted to swap some of the ice cream for greek yog to cut down sugar a bit, but kiddies do love it so!

Yes - I used to do cous-cous & stir fries but this crop of children won't eat it

What veggie were you thinking of (btw I do a veggie alt to each meal with meat/fish if it's requested)

Hmm Ice cream twice in 2 weeks (I think) & no children come every day......

Any other thoughts suggestions?

Is this version any better

(Same food different order - I have already shopped for most of it in bulk so changes will have to wait a while)
Chicken Nuggets, cucumber/carrot/tomato
Fruit charlotte
Mince, mash, with carrots & peas

Pizza Toast, cucumber/carrot/tomato
Fruit and ice cream
Poached salmon with carrots & green beans

Fish Fingers, broccoli & cauliflower
Fruit Flan
Cowboy casserole

Rice & peas, sweetcorn & raisins
Profiteroles
Baked potato & cheese, cucumber/carrot/tomato

Scrambled Eggs & Toast cucumber/carrot/tomato
Trifle
Rice, fish with peas & sweetcorn

Cheese & Potato Pie with beans cucumber/carrot/tomato
Ice cream, gingernuts & banana
Toad in the Hole, with carrots & broccoli

Scampi, cucumber/carrot/tomato
Fruit and Custard
Pasta with cheese, ham, broccoli & sweetcorn

Beans on toast, cucumber/carrot/tomato
Rice Pudding & peaches
Fish Pie with leeks & broccoli

Pasta with cheese & tomato salsa
Chocolate pudding
Cold meat, chips & beans

to get the maximum protein from peas they should be combined with something (like rice) that improves the amino acid content. I don't eat meat and am very aware of combining proteins to get the best of them. Strangely enough, the best non-animalm protein meals come from combining things that go especially well together like rice and beans (veggie chilli!) and baked beans on wholemeal toast.

Are 7 veggie meals in 9 days enough?
I know what you meal about baked beans btw

I really struggle with menu planning

Looks a bit protein heavy to me.

An adult female 19-50 should have 45g of protein a day, looks like you would have more than that in there.

Carbs should be 50% of your total intake, (47% if you drink)

Total fat should be less than 33%

dunno much about kids. Hope thats of some assistance.

The problem is there aren't any guidelines (that I can find) for children under 5

All the Gov stuff is for children over 5 & adults

true. Have you tried

www.eatwell.gov.uk/

it's the one that lecturers at uni are always banging on about - I think there isn't much info about kids as there is are so many different age bands to slot kids into IYSWIM

doh

Thanks - that is a new site for me (& I think I quite like it)

Although the advise for toddlers is quite limited
" At this age, children grow very quickly and are usually very active, so they need plenty of calories and nutrients. A healthy and varied diet should provide all the nutrients your toddler needs.

Remember to include these sorts of foods every day:

• Milk and dairy foods ? these provide protein, vitamins and minerals and are a good source of calories for growing children.
• Meat, fish, eggs, beans, peas and lentils ? these are rich in nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals. You can give boys up to four portions of oily fish a week, such as mackerel, salmon and sardines, but it's best to give girls no more than two portions of oily fish a week.
• Bread, and other cereals such as rice, pasta and breakfast cereals, and potatoes, yams and sweet potatoes ? these starchy foods provide calories, vitamins, minerals and fibre.
• Fruit and vegetables ? these contain vitamin C, and other protective vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre."

Which I hope I do