Simple meal inspiration please

[Pinklizard77]

I'm mum to a 14 week old and a 5 year old and my zombiefied brain is struggling to think of anything to feed my eldest after school. Please share your simple, healthy(ish) and above all very speedy ideas!

My 5 yr old loves making chicken wraps, we get a kit which has the wraps, salsa and the mixture which is added to the chicken during cooking (usually bbq as it's a mild one).
We put in sliced peppers and onion with the chicken but you can add any veg you want.
It doesn't take long to do and she really enjoys it.
(I also have a 10 week old)

Does your 5yo have a school dinner during the day? If they do I'd stick to simple quick things turn meal times around so lunch time becomes the main hot meal of the day and tea is something more of a snack like beans on toast or pasta. My ds who's 5 loves what he calls a "buffet tea " so couple slices of ham, cheese chunks, cocktail sausage, cucumber and carrot sticks, a yogurt and a few crisps basically any bits you've got in the fridge. Takes 2 min to prepare and very few dishes to do.

Big fan of the buffet tea here too, especially if they're tired and ratty.

Eggs are great (if they like them) - omelette with peas or sweetcorn thrown in and frozen veg or salad on the side. Fried or poached eggs with soldiers and a cup of frozen veg (for some reason dd will eat anything if served in a ramekin).

With pasta I go heavy on the (often frozen) veg and protein (tinned tuna or salmon or chopped ham etc) so its not too carb heavy.

Yes to the omelettes, with cheese folded in, plus baked beans on the side or a portion of peas.

Another big favourite is a (smallish) portion of spaghetti hoops, heated in the microwave, with tuna folded in and grated cheese on the top.

These can be got ready in the time it takes the child to go to the toilet and wash his/her hands!

I do everything I can in a slow cooker. Curry, spaghetti bol, tagines, sausage casserole etc. just chuck all the ingredients in when 5yo is at school and baby is asleep/in sling. Doesn't even matter if they are frozen ingredients, just chuck it all I together. Then just add pasta/microwave rice/microwave mash/COus COus in the evening.

I had forgotten all about omelettes! We will rediscover those. Yes she gets a hot meal every day so it doesn't need to be too substantial. Sausage casserole is a good easy sell too and I'd never thought of doing wraps with her. Thanks for starting me off!!

Homemade pizzas. DS 4 would live on them.

DS4 yikes!!

Good one.

Yes yes to buffet and omelettes. Get 5yo to help crack the eggs and whisk them up too. I used to put peas and spinach into my omelettes (till DCs went off them).

Alternative is to cook a bit extra when you cook for yourself and bung a portion or two in the freezer. Casserole, curry, pasta, risotto ...

Thank you BlueChampagne