Please help me with my family's diet, its terrible

[xxxJess123xxx]

Hi all, I have a 2 year old and a 5 year old. Both typically fussy. No allergies.
Our diets are absolutely terrible as I seriously can't cook. I'm the type of person who can't make an omelette or burn pasta for christ sake.
We eat shit basically. Ready meals, nuggets and chips, pizza. Lunches are sarnies crisps and some grapes etc.
I'm feeling like an absolute rubbish mum and I want to change but I seriously can't cook.
Does anyone have any stupidly easy, cheap to make, fool proof recipes for dinners for my family.
I am slightly overweight. Kids are good weights and take a multi vitamin each day. Eat far too much chocolate etc
I feel so ashamed 😞
Thanks x

I think it is a confidence thing

I'm sure it is, lots of the 'basic' recipes for things like cottage pie or spag bol are not easy if you are not used to cooking.

Sounds stupid but what sort of tray do I need for a tray bake!

This set from Asda would serve you well, if you are only drizzling a little oil then the almost flat one is fine, if you are using a sauce making something like a pasta bake the small one should be fine, the latge deep one - that's for a large Yorkshire pudding, a roast / chicken or roast potatoes.

direct.asda.com/george/home/baking/non-stick-baking-tray-set-3-piece/050465232,default,pd.html

Good old bean chilli is fool proof and so easy

Put frozen onions, and peppers in a pan. Either add frozen garlic, chop your own or use garlic granules.

Add a teaspoon of cumin, paprika and chilli powder. Fry off until brown. Add an oxo cube. No need to add oil as the frozen stuff will defrost. Keep stirring for around 3 minutes on a low heat.

Then add a tin of tomatoes, tin of baked beans, tin of kidney beans and a tin of mixed beans ( or any beans)) add tomato puree and a little salt and pepper.

Fill the tomato tin with water. Add that and bring to the boil. Then put onto the smallest ring on your oven. Leave to simmer for around an hour then bask in what an amazing cook you are. Serve with microwave rice or on wedges. There will be loads left which you can blitz into soup or use as lunches. Can also be done in a slow cooker, just don't add the water.

Grand thank u xx

The eat Well fo Less books (from the TV series) are good. They are designed to encourage reluctant cooks and have ideas for quick meals, packed lunches, batch cooking and converting a basic recipe into several different meals e.g. chilli, Bolognese and shepherd's pie.

Even if you are serving meals like chicken nuggets and chips, can't you just cut a big salad to go with it? Lettuce, cucumber, sweetcorn, tomatoes. No cooking required, and at least the kids are getting some goodness alongside the beige.

This is a really easy beef stew. I use bay leaves (take them out before serving) but you don't have to
I also add mushrooms and some chopped bacon just because I like them!
You can't really mess it up as it cooks (I do it in the oven) for ages, stir it occasionally and the meat is meant to fall apart
https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/beef-and-ale-stew/

I think it should be in classics too. So many useful ideas.
You can get over your lack of confidence with practice @xxxJess123xxx

Also I might suggest cooking when you have time to do it - when kids are occupied elsewhere. You can cook a lot of things ahead of time, cool, refrigerate and reheat later. I can't cook when I feel rushed. It always goes wrong.
I like doing a family sized stew/bolognaise/pasta dish (only 2 of us here now) and keeping it in the fridge (3/4 days only - unless I freeze it) and then I only have to do a little something on the side later.
Best not to reheat rice though. Many people do and are fine, but it's not advised.

Good luck with your tray bakes

Op BBC Good Food Tray bakes. They indicate the skill level on each recipe and the vast majority are easy.

Awesome!

I was thinking omelette is another quite easy one, you can fry up a few finely chopped veggies (onions, peppers, chopped spinach) and put them in with the cheese).

I would recommend a teen cookbook. They start with basic recipes and nothing too challenging as it's aimed at teenagers but could be good to build your confidence

I have been to morrisons this morning and got a roast chicken from the Delhi counter, some frozen roast pots and Yorkshires for dinner tonight. Seems super overwhelming but I'll give it a go.
How do I carve a chicken

How do I carve a chicken?

There are probably YouTube videos.
I get my DH to do it.
Mostly slice thinnish bits off the breast meat and then pick the rest off with clean hands (is my method)

@xxxJess123xxxSharp knife to slice off bits of the breast & you can cut / pull the legs off. Don’t worry about carving too much as you will need to chop up the pieces small for the kids to chew anyway as chicken can be a bit dry if it’s not in small manageable bites. Sounds like some instant gravy would go well with this as well. Enjoy.

first of all remove the wings.

Salt then eat surreptitiously in the kitchen. Nigella calls it the 'cook's treat'. I am with her.

Try this one. Don't get freaked because she's using her hands, they will wash! The video really shows you what you can expect though.

The pre-cooked chickens are kind of softer than a home roasted one and the meat falls off the bone really easily. Nobody can carve one beautifully neatly and perfectly. That's why I've given you a video specifically for rotisserie chicken.

To slice the breast, just cut across it, like if you were slicing a loaf of bread. And the legs can be split into drumsticks and thighs by breaking them apart at the joint. Much like pulling them off the chicken in the first place.

Two more things:

1. Her knife is really sharp. If your knife is a bit blunter, it will kind of squash through the chicken rather than slicing it cleanly. (Many, many people have blunt knives.)

2. You could also literally just tear the meat off the bones any which way. It would look like a bit of a mess, but it would still be tasty. Don't stress about carving it "properly" if it's too much.

How did I do!

@UpdateQueen

Nothings wrong with your diet! Nuggets and chips are fine, just add some sweetcorn etc. Sandwiches, crisps and grapes are normal foods! You don't have to be delia to cook nutritious food. Not all prepackaged food are crap. Give yourself a break lovely

Thats not helpful. OP knows her diet is shite, as do most people. She's trying to do better, dont push her back down. If you think its normal and fine should probably take the advice given to OP as well.

OP get a few good easy cookbooks, like Jamie Oliver and such. Pick a few new simple things every week, it will get easier the more you do it. Good luck.

Cous cous it’s great ! Healthy and quick and you can mix loads with it if you really can’t cook chop up salad and add tuna or a precooked chicken breast

Add some berries to the grapes

Small changes and go from there

@xxxJess123xxx - that’s looks lovely, how did you find making it, and what did the children thing this time?

@xxxJess123xxx looks good, well done! Now you can say you made a roast dinner!
Next time I’d gradually increase the amount of veg on the plate - fruit and veg are supposed to be a bit over a third of what we eat so I try to do that at each meal, or a bit more at dinner to make up for breakfast

@xxxJess123xxx

How did I do!

Looks amazing. Nice pine cone too!

I love this thread, it's so positive. It's inspiring me to try new recipes too.

You've done amazingly. So good seeing your successes! Go @xxxJess123xxx !!

Looks delish!! Congrats

Thanks everyone. It managed OK, was getting slightly flustered but I did it! Surprisingly, even the fussy 5 year old ate nearly everything on their plates. I'm so proud and looking forward to making something tomorrow.
I feel so much better that they are having proper food x

That looks fantastic!