Does anyone still buy toddler meals for 2/3 yrs +?

[StrongTeaHotShower]

When dd was was weaning I did a mix of homemade and baby/toddler ready meals. They slowly fazed into the usual pasta, rice cottage pie type meals. I'm thinking about buying some toddler ready meals (Ella's kitchen type stuff) for the evenings where I quite frankly can't be arsed to even boil water .
Are they still nutritionally suitable for an almost 3 year old?

The chilled ones? Yeah, they're fine ocassionally for an older child. My 4 year old likes the Annabel Karmel lasagne and still has it sometimes when I'm having a really-can't-be-arsed moment. And frankly, even if they weren't nutritionally balanced, that would be fine once in a while too!

I assume you're cooking for yourself though?

Can't she just have what you're having?

Scrambled egg on toast with beans probably has more protein and fats in for your lo. That takes less than five mins to cook

The chilled ones and the sort you buy off the shelf in boots.

I tend to eat much later and enjoy cooking as a relaxing activity once she's in bed. But yes to baked beans and eggs.

We have some of the M&S or Asda kids meals stuffed in the freezer for 'horribly late home from work' days. DS is nearly four and I throw a piece of fruit in his general direction to make me feel a bit better.

We sometimes buy the Little Dish ones. My DS loves the risotto and as he is the world's fussiest eater I'm just happy he's eating something.

The m&s and annabel karmel ready meals are tasty and my 3yo likes them

If you mean this sort of thing absolutely not. They are cut into little pieces and in my opinion suitable for a much younger child.
m.tesco.com/h5/groceries/r/www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=278257380&gclid=Cj0KEQjw3s6-BRC3kKL_86XDvq4BEiQAAUqtZ1q6phUJO9gWTA0_EesdlyzNsqgsUQBUW6fu9MZaIHIaAtF-8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

If you mean the chilled ready meals others have mentioned, yes once in a while.

They're fine. I found it easier to make double when I'm cooking it anyway and freeze in child portions for the same amount of minimal faff and cheaper in the long run. I have bags of leftover mash, savoury mince, stew, fish pie etc and just bung 'em in the oven same as the ready meals.

finova yes I meant the ones in the link . They're cheaper.
I'll try the little dish type stuff instead.

You should just heg the kids ready meals, not the "baby" ones.

Don't feel guilty.

Not everyone is as anal abit feeind their children organic hand picked weaved lentils at every meal.

Food is food. It has nutrients in it, some more than others.

And it isn't every meal.

So do what works for you.

I only know about them as grandparents gave us a load- says for age 1-3. I think that's clever marketing and they are more suited for 12-18 months.
Prob wouldn't hurt every now and then but they are not much different to the jars in texture.

The one on the link might be cheaper because it is a smaller portion?

What kind of things do you enjoy cooking in the evening? Could you sometimes save a bit for her for the next day? Or cook, say a plain piece of chicken while you are doing yours?

Proper ones from the fridge yes. But not the ones in the link.

Well the link includes an "advisory" upper age limit of 3. I've never tried them but they are clearly supposed to be OK for 2/3 year olds.

I've never tried the ready meals (not widely available where I live), but I'm still buying Organix toddler snacks for DS, who's 5. Every child who comes to our house wants the apple rice cakes!

I like cooking pasta sauces and soups. Slow methodical chopping and mixing. I do freeze portions for her but sometimes I get caught out.
Where do people stand on tiny frozen pizzas? Any healthy ones out there?

I serve the pizzas, use the Co op and M & S. My 3 year old will eat half of one (with some cucumber). Other half goes in his packed lunch. :)

You don't always have to freeze stuff, just ladle a little out before you eat and serve it the next day with some pasta. Not everything I cook is suitable for the kids but I do try to remember when it's bolognese or such. :)

I think pizzas absolutely fine, maybe some sweetcorn and cucumber on the side.
You could try quesadillas- just fill a wrap with cheese and bits eg ham/chicken etc and dry fry.

Both DS's like the tesco goodness pizzas. They are a nice size for 3-4yr olds with a bit of salad or veg on the side if they're really hungry.

Yes occasionally although DD is now 2.8 and seems to have gone off them a bit, some do seem a bit sloppy which I think puts her off. I always mix some frozen veg through.

She usually eats same as us but if I need to give her a quick tea now I usually give beans / egg on toast, omelette/fish fingers and frozen veg, half of one of those small pizzas with veg. All things which take less than 15 mins.

Thanks for all the advice. Off to tesco to stock up.

Would you eat it yourself? If not I wouldn't feed it to an almost 3 year old. I wouldn't touch that mushy stuff if you paid me tbh.

I do fish fingers in the George Forman (5 mins) with some frozen veg or microwave rice or a tin of either beans and sausage with scrambled egg or a tin of something like soup or ravioli if I'm short or time or tired. We also have picnic dinners usually toast cheese cubes slices meat and some yogurt they go down well.