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Menu Planning Help needed please

5 replies

KatyMac · 26/04/2009 08:47

OK Breakfast is always cereal/toast/fruit then I have a 9 day plan which is lunch/pudding/tea (always yoghurt after tea)

But I'm getting bored - I can't change it all but I'd like some new ideas - it needs to be liquidisable for babies (or a near substitute) & suitable for under 3's

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

Thanks if you have any ideas?

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misshardbroom · 26/04/2009 11:02

The immediate thing that strikes me is that you're cooking two 'main' meals every day. There's also what in our house is termed 'an established pudding' every lunchtime. Why?

Do your DCs eat both these main meals? It all sounds delicious, in fact my children would love to come and live at your house!

However, you could probably make your life a lot easier, and reduce your shopping bill (making a big assumption here that this is important to you, perhaps you're lucky enough for it not to be?!?) if you simplified lunches quite a bit.

We have the same as you for breakfast. DH & the older DCs have packed lunches. Then for me and whichever DCs are at home, lunch is likely to be:

sandwiches / wraps / pittas / bagels with filling, and usually things like carrot and cucumber sticks.

big plate of hummus, pitta breads, salad things, slices of cheese or slices of ham.

pate on toast.

like you, scrambled eggs or beans on toast occasionally.

once in a while they might get pasta with tomato sauce but usually just if there's some to be used up.

Lunch puddings are always fruit & yoghurt.

We all have a proper, home-cooked main meal in the evening, along similar lines to yourselves (sausages in cider gravy, fish pie, roast chicken, curry and rice, tortellini with bacon, pesto & peas, baked potatoes, fish & veg). Pudding is then fruit again, or occasionally ice cream or a slice of cake if I'm feeling remarkably generous.

'Established puddings' tend to be reserved for Sunday lunch or if we have visitors!

I don't think you're wrong to do it your way, I think it sounds amazing... but maybe your boredom could be due to catering fatigue?

KatyMac · 26/04/2009 12:06

Sorry misshardbroom - it isn't for my family

I childmind & feed upto 9 under 5's each day for lunch & often different children at tea time

DH & I (& Often DD - 11yo) often eat later a different meal

This is more by way of a service - I forget MN is now so big not everyone knows what I do - sorry I didn't mean to mislead you

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Littlepurpleprincess · 26/04/2009 15:08

I childmind too and they bring packed lunches.

And I don't do a pudding in the evening. I think it's nice sometimes, but not essential.

I'm amazed you have the time to do 2 meals a day!

Very impressed though, but I would worry if my son came to you that he would be wasting your food and effort. I don't know many under 5's who can eat 2 meals a day.

misshardbroom · 26/04/2009 15:20

aha, that makes more sense!

(although now even more jealous because my childminder asks for packed lunches too! )

KatyMac · 26/04/2009 15:42

Pudding in the evening is yoghurt

All the children I have a very good eaters - the problem ones are the school age who start coming when they are older - but I can normally swing them round quite easily (well that's not true - I failed with an 11 yo last year.....first one ever)

Lunches are lighter (& smaller) than teas

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