Quick & easy evening meals with two children under 2

[BusyBee2017]

Hi all

DH is going away for two weeks and I have two DS both under 2!

I needed some ideas and help with easy evening meal preps or stuff I can make and keep on the fridge and just re-heat.

I mainly want help with easy meal preparation and cooking during the evening.

What do you busy Mums make which is filling and quick.

Thanks in advance

Quick easy things in my house are things. Like pasta and pesto. Boil the pasta and some veg (mushrooms, frozen sliced peppers, broccoli etc) in the one pan for 10-15 mins, drain, stir in pesto (we use red) add grated cheese, yum.
Also I find spaghetti bolognese quick to make. Fry off mince, add frozen chopped peppers and mushrooms, passata or tin of chopped tomatoes and a bit of herbs and a stock cube, let simmer 10 mins while cooking spaghetti.
Im also a fan of fish fingers, mini waffles and beans, bung in the oven for 15 mins then heat beans.

Thanks Emma that is great

Yeah pasta is defo a good one

Think I will boil veg and do mash so it's ready to heat up from the fridge

Jacket potatoes, cheese and beans/tuna and salad
Scrambled egg on toast
Chicken, microwave rice, broccoli, carrots

Cheese and potato pie, shepherds/cottage pie, pasta bakes, bacon & potato cakes (pre-assembled and just needing to be shallow fried to heat and colour) are all things that can be made ahead and stored in the fridge.

Batch cook some mince and portion off into Tupperware in the freezer for quick bolognaise/chilli/cottage pie (just add the bits once reheating to make it the different meals).

Slow cooker - start the meal off in the morning, ready for the evening (pulled pork, casseroles, bolognaise/chilli again).

Every now and again something like frozen fish fingers/chicken bits, potatoes and veg or beans that can just be bunged in the oven.

Jacket potatoes, cold meats, beans?

I need to take my own advice actually there, forever scrabbling around trying to find something quick!

You might want to post in food/recipes for more replies.

I seem to always start a post like this before the summer holidays - I have 3yo twins and 2 older kids who have busy days, so I need quick dinners.

If you have a slow cooker, use it for bolognese, chilli, stews, curry etc. If not, cook them when you've got more time, maybe the weekend? Serve with quickest sides - toasted pitta or cous cous are pretty instant.

Pasta in lots of different ways. Mine like fried rice (leftover rice or use an instant packet for speed), but it's v messy when they're really young.

Picnic tea - cold meat, veg sticks, hummous, warm pitta.

Stir fry salmon with some veg, add noodles and sauce (packet or mix miso and soy sauce).

Whether they eat it or not is a different matter though...!