Need recipe book on children's food that you recommend

[abroadandmisunderstood]

Help me! I have a 5yo adventurous eater and a 2yo picky eater. I have an Annabel Karmel book and a very generic one I bought years ago.

I've left the uk and am so out of touch with current, recommended books that were published since 2007. I need to try new foods on my bored boys. What's popular with your children? I'm tired of trawling Amazon without fellow parents' advice!

Just feed 'em normal food.The more oyu pander, the pickier they get.

AK is unspeakable.

Maybe you didn't read my request for help properly. Your advice is no use whatsoever in my situation.

Thanks for taking the time to type, though.

I like the Tana Ramsey family food book and also the Dinner Lady books. Also various Italian cook books - mine are big on risotto in various forms.

Or try a subscription to BBC Good Food magazine - as it will give you new ideas even if the children wont eat them all!

Thank you, Jicky. I am going to look at Tana's book. Risotto is also a good idea as I'm able to get to Italian supermarkets.

Alas I can't afford a BBC subscription. I miss that magazine. The cost is extortionate to get it delivered to me.

The Good food web site has most of the recipes - and you can subscribe to their emails so every week or so they send stuff with ideas (5 ways with roast chicken etc) which can at least get you out of a rut.

the jamie oliver school dinners one is good too

I really like Fay's Family Food - we use it all the time - it is designed so that you only cook one meal for the family, but she has chosen mainly things that are going to appeal to a child's palate.

I particularly like one of her ideas, which is just a giant plate covered with things out of the fridge that you can pick at - simple, but you could add more adventurous things for your older child, and allow your younger child to help himself. I found that it took the pressure off my picky eater and she actually ate more!

Think rudeness to moondog was a bit unnecessary Having brought round a picky eater myself, it is a valid point that there is more to picky eating than just new recipes.

Yes I was a bit at your response to moondog

Never thought I'd say this, but the Tana Ramsay family food book is very good. My DC (6 and 3 ) haven't turned their noses up at anything I've cooked from it, and have done at least 10 things recently. The perfect family pics are a bit sickmaking but the recipes are simple and work.

Hi,

I would definitely recommend Fay's Family Food by Fay Ripley. Really great recipes that are simple to make and freeze well. In particular, we like the spaghetti bolognese recipe and the Tuscan Sausage Casserole, both of which my DD loves, and my DH and I enjoy as well. I've also recently made the apple cake and the lemon drizzle cake which were lovely.

Not sure about any books but my top feed em all and clear out the fridge remnants/leftovers win/win all round food is a fritata (so long as omlette texture is ok). There are proper recipes for genuine fritatas but in this house they are anything chucked in a frying pan (hopefully that goes together that is!) and covered in whisked egg and water.

Two favourites here - leftover spaghetti bolognese... heated in pan, egg chucked over and then popped under grill. Second a handful of freshly cooked pasta with some greenery (broccoli/courgette) cooked in the water with onions/mushrooms or whatever in the frying pan - combine and add whisked egg mix and pop under grill with cheese/tomato on top... or whatever you know will be eaten.

The good thing about it is that it all looks neat and can be eaten as one mass as you can let it cool and cut it into squares. Doesn't give them the opportunity to see bits they think they don't like as it's an all or nothing!

HTH!

Thank you to everyone who has given such great advice on books. I'm going to explore those tomorrow morning.

Re. 'rudeness to Moondog', I do believe I thanked him/her for writing. As a mother of TWO, I do understand children, and pandering to them is certainly something I don't do. If the meal offered is refused then there's nothing else offered. However, I like mealtimes to be fun and to offer something that might not be refused is perfect for me. Hence asking for popular.

< leaves thread - a bit scared >

I'm a rather non confrontational person in RL so...

I didn't find you offensive Abroad. You just said what you felt. Some people do seem to find that offensive, but I would be surprised if Moondog did.