Desparately need some new meal ideas please!

[mumto3boys]

We are all getting extremely bored of the same old meals which are, to get the jist of it, home made pizza, curry, chilli, stir fry, jacket spuds etc etc.

Meals such as spag bol and cottage pie are very hit and miss with the DTs (4)

DH thinks that any meal without meat is not a proper meal.

We are also on a budget

We have tonnes of home grown toms, peppers, courgettes, carrots and runner beans. We also have cucumbers and lettuce but DS3 won't eat those.

Also DTs have dairy allergy and peanut and nut. Recipes can contain some dairy as they seem to be outgrowing it but can't really eat lots every day.

DH is complaining the meals are always the same. He is a good cook and he enjoys cooking, but afetr a day with the kids I can't be faffing for hours.

HELP!

What about homemade meatballs or burgers? You can do these with beef, lamb, pork, chicken or turkey mince and customise with the sauce to make it spicy, creamy or tomatoey.

Will dh tolerate fish? If so, you can make fish cakes cheapishly with tinned salmon or tuna, plus mashed potato and some capers if you like.

What is it about spag bol/cottage pie that they don't like? Is it the mince or the pasta/potato?

If it's not the mince - one meal I make which is surprisingly popular here (as well as being really easy) is mince and onions with carrots - chop a large onion and 2 large carrots and fry in oil till the onion is soft, add beef mince and brown. Crumble in an oxo cube and season with salt and black pepper. Add around a pint of water and then turn the heat down and simmer for at least half an hour, with a lid on the pan. After half an hour, taste for seasoning. I also add a splash of Worcestershire sauce. Turn up the heat to reduce the liquid, as you don't want it to be too sloppy.

I sometimes add some frozen peas too.

Then I make yorkshire puddings and serve it with these. If truth be known, I think it's the yorkshire puddings that they like best!

(It tastes even better if you make it in the morning and then re-heat in the evening)

Forgot burgers on the list, we already do those. But thank you.

It is the mince thats the problem, which is why I can't understand why chilli is ok?? BUT yorkshire puds are a big hit in this house, so presented with those could make the meal a hit. Will give it a try

Yes DH loves fish, are fishcakes really that easy?

chicken drumsticks and sweet potato mash always goes down well in our house

couscous and roast veg with chicken shnitzel (chicken breast dipped in egg and then a mix of breadcrumbs and flour and shallow fried)

tuna fishcakes and ratatoe and rice

we do omlettes with frozen spinach and fried onions and a bit of cheese- very yummy and filling

recipe finder is really useful, just enter in whatever ingredients you have and it will generate recipes for you.

How about fish? This is a really easy quick recipe and you can add whatever veg you have to it.....

www.britishpotatoes.co.uk/quick-fish-pie/

I'd suggest buying a slow cooker if you dont want to faff about