Weaning Mess, Please Help

[SantasComingToTown]

Can anyone share some tips on keeping your kitchen cleaner with weaning? Any tried and tested methods?

My son is 1 now so I’m starting to introduce snacks and to be honest the mess my kitchen is in every day is really starting to get me down. I feel like I’m either cooking in the kitchen or cleaning the kitchen and after 6 months of it, I’m at breaking point .

I just feel that every meal and now two snack times too, my whole kitchen gets turned upside down, the whole worktop is covered in utensils, plates, bowls, knives, chopping boards etc. I don’t have a dishwasher so putting them in there isn’t a option unfortunately, and I don’t want to or have the time to keep washing up after every meal. I also don’t want to get in the habit of giving my son pre packed foods for every meal, so I just need some ideas on how I can cook nice fresh meals without making my kitchen such a mess!

I’m not necessarily talking about the mess my son makes because for the most part he is actually really quite clean (although that does add to it), it’s the overall kitchen mess I’m struggling with.

Would batch cooking or meal prepping help perhaps?

What are your top tips?

Thanks

I will also just add, that for dinner time, he eats the same as my husband and I do so I’m not cooking separate meals each time, but of course it still all adds to the mess

Batch cook and then heat up.
By that age they can eat a lot of meals you do too.
no dishwasher here either but would clean up as I went along, people will hate me for saying it but kitchen wipes are your friend.
Have the washing up bowl full with water and wash up as you go along. Or stack and save the cleaning up until after they are asleep.

You'll get into the swing of it.

For lunches, batch cook some soups, recipes from weaning books and freeze them in giant ice cube trays. Then you don't have to cook as often.

Also simple things like toast fingers and mashed avocado for lunch if he's eating a proper meal in the evening with you.

For snacks, I only ever did fruit or raw veg sticks at that age and used bought snacks like oatybars out and about.

Oh and if you haven't got a dishwasher, get one! I had a cupboard removed from my small kitchen to make room for a dishwasher when DD was 18m and it was one of my best ever decisions!

What's the mess from exactly?

Presumably you are eating breakfast, lunch and dinner too so no "extra" mess.

Keep snacks simple, he only needs a rice cake/breadstick and half a banana or some blueberries.

If you are cooking a meal in the evening, keep lunch simple. Either keep a portion of dinner to reheat for the next day, or make him a sandwich for lunch. Egg on toast and some veggies, cheese and crackers, hummus and bread/veg sticks. Fruit and yoghurt.

Snacks should be really simple at that age -
Banana slices / pepper strips / cheese cubes / rice cake with nut butter / ham slice

Breakfast should be very similar to what you eat? Egg / toast fingers with any toppings inc mash fruit / avo / hummus / porridge / cereal

Lunch should be pretty light and very similar to what you're having? Leftovers from last night? Eggs / soup / sandwich / crackers and spread

Dinner - no added mess - same as what you're eating

Well, when I was at that stage with two tinies and no dishwasher I made a rule to only wash up after meals and not as I went along otherwise I would have been chained to the kitchen.
As far as food is concerned I would have the baby eat more or less what you eat so there isn't really much extra prep apart from the odd knife and little bowl for cut up fruit or whatever.
Porridge for breakfast; soup or sandwich or boiled egg or sardines or baked beans or cheese on toast .Yoghurt or chopped up veg/ fruit to go with for lunch.
Evening meal as per you.
Homemade soup can be made very thick for the baby to serve themselves and is easy and nutritious.
Snacks ,if needed can be more along the chopped up fruit/ veg/ cheese line
I'm quite lazy so that is what I used to do.

What are you making him? I think it's a PFB (precious first born) cliche to go overboard crafting the finest mini asparagus baby quiches or quinoa and banana muffins or whatever! It's too much effort, keep it simple.

There are a million and one mummy blogs telling you what to make for your kids as weaning snacks, they do that because people search for that and follow the recipes so they get ad revenue, not because it's necessary or a good idea!

Things like:
Toast
Fruit
Oats and milk microwaved until solid then sliced into fingers
Oatcakes, rice cakes, corn cakes with a bit of peanut butter, marmite etc on them ( I buy adult ones, works out cheaper than kid ones)
Bread sticks
Cucumber
Carrot
Peppers

Re-use plates - eg if it's only had toast on for breakfast you can use it again for a snack a few hours later. Same with cups that have only had water in.

Or do away with plates and use a high chair with a tray you can rinse off. Get a splash mat to go underneath, easier to clean and good for taking away to places with carpet round the table.

When it's summer, eat outside as much as you can so the crumbs stay in the park or garden!

Btw I agree with getting a dishwasher. We swapped a microwave for a dishwasher and it was a revelation.They make great cupboards for dirty plates and no longer do you see the crockery glaring at you from the kitchen surfaces

I'd do fruit for snacks with rice cakes or oat/soreen loaf bars to mix it up or when out and about.

Breakfast was either toast, cereal or porridge (I used to do it in the microwave for minimal mess)

Lunch was whatever I was having - sometimes sandwiches with some cucumber and tomatoes on the side, occasionally something batch cooked like veggie muffins for example, or baked potatoes, beans on toast for ease.

Looking back I wish I'd gone for the same meals for both of us much earlier as I got very stressed out trying to do make everything from scratch and trying to think of new things all the time.

What are you cooking? I used to batch cook at weekends to some extent - some dahl portions, lentil bolognaise, puff pastry wheels. Snacks were generally cucumber/carrot sticks, grated cheese, fruit, crackers. Toast fingers featured heavily at that age!

Definitely batch cook! There's loads of healthy snacks and meals you can make in bulk then freeze and take out as needed. Then all you're having to do is heat up or serve as is depending what it is so no cleaning up the kitchen after

Another one wondering where all the mess is from.

Have stuff like toast and cereal at breakfast or for a snack.
We stuck to fruit for snacks because it was easier/less mess.
Take a picnic and eat out.
A packet of crisps isn't going to kill your PFB.

FWiW, I was in full time work when DC1 was a year old. I had a toddler and DS2 was one. There was a not a chance in hell I was spending all day in the kitchen.

For those wondering I’m not cooking elaborate meals 3 times a day for my son, but I don’t really eat breakfast and never have a lot for lunch personally. My husband tends to have the same thing every day that he takes to work so I do like to try and make meal times a bit more interesting for my son - I don’t want him to turn out fussy like i am!

I would love a dishwasher! I used to have one before we had my son, but it broke and I swapped it for a tumble dryer as I thought that would be more useful as the washing up used to take about 10 mins when it was the two of us. Regretting my decision now, but we are planning on moving house this year so I don’t want to buy one at the minute to leave if the house we buy has one there.

Thank you for the snack and lunch suggestions! I think I’ve been over complicating lunches especially as I tend to give him lots of little bits which all need cutting up, snacks I didn’t realise a banana would be sufficient, I just presumed it was basically another mini meal, so I’ve definitely been going overboard with those too!

@Lou98

Definitely batch cook! There's loads of healthy snacks and meals you can make in bulk then freeze and take out as needed. Then all you're having to do is heat up or serve as is depending what it is so no cleaning up the kitchen after

Thank you! I could easily spend a couple of hours on the weekend once a month and make loads of bits to freeze!

@INeedNewShoes

For lunches, batch cook some soups, recipes from weaning books and freeze them in giant ice cube trays. Then you don't have to cook as often.

Also simple things like toast fingers and mashed avocado for lunch if he's eating a proper meal in the evening with you.

For snacks, I only ever did fruit or raw veg sticks at that age and used bought snacks like oatybars out and about.

Oh and if you haven't got a dishwasher, get one! I had a cupboard removed from my small kitchen to make room for a dishwasher when DD was 18m and it was one of my best ever decisions!

Thank you for this, it’s been really useful! Love the idea of freezing soups in giant ice cube trays! My little boy loves soup so that makes a lot of sense to me!

I think it's really good to eat together if you can - whatever it is that you eat, sit and eat it with your son. They learn a lot about table manners and using cutlery etc that way. Sometimes it's a pain with chucking food etc but also I really enjoy the chats we have over meals.

Can you reduce the amount of washing up you're generating by re-using things as well? I don't mean by serving say cut up fruit in the messy bowl that soup was just eaten from, but if you've used a chopping board to cut up a carrot, are you then saying that's dirty and has to be washed or can you re-use it to make a sandwich on?

I have friends who seem to manage to use every single plate, bowl, cup, item of cutlery in their kitchen during the course of a day - we're talking more than a dozen plastic or side plates between two small children. They'll be given a new plate with every snack and then that's classed as dirty and needing to be washed up, even if it just had a biscuit or a couple of crackers on. That plate is fine to use with the next snack! And between them they get through dozens of cups and glasses over the course of a day, all just with water in. Don't see why it can't just be one cup each refilled with fresh water and washed at the end of the day.

@GrendelsGrandma

What are you making him? I think it's a PFB (precious first born) cliche to go overboard crafting the finest mini asparagus baby quiches or quinoa and banana muffins or whatever! It's too much effort, keep it simple.

There are a million and one mummy blogs telling you what to make for your kids as weaning snacks, they do that because people search for that and follow the recipes so they get ad revenue, not because it's necessary or a good idea!

Things like:
Toast
Fruit
Oats and milk microwaved until solid then sliced into fingers
Oatcakes, rice cakes, corn cakes with a bit of peanut butter, marmite etc on them ( I buy adult ones, works out cheaper than kid ones)
Bread sticks
Cucumber
Carrot
Peppers

Re-use plates - eg if it's only had toast on for breakfast you can use it again for a snack a few hours later. Same with cups that have only had water in.

Or do away with plates and use a high chair with a tray you can rinse off. Get a splash mat to go underneath, easier to clean and good for taking away to places with carpet round the table.

When it's summer, eat outside as much as you can so the crumbs stay in the park or garden!

You’re right! Thank you! I follow a few pages on Instagram and they all make the most amazing meals you’ve ever seen, and you do feel pressure to make sure your baby is having something similar. Although I don’t go to the extent of making baby quiches lol, I do have a tendency to give a lot of options for his meals (my best friend does it for her little boy who is the same age, and as it’s her second I thought she must be doing something right ). Obviously preparing all of that at least twice a day and now with snacks on top, it’s just all got a bit much for me.

@givemushypeasachance

Can you reduce the amount of washing up you're generating by re-using things as well? I don't mean by serving say cut up fruit in the messy bowl that soup was just eaten from, but if you've used a chopping board to cut up a carrot, are you then saying that's dirty and has to be washed or can you re-use it to make a sandwich on?

I have friends who seem to manage to use every single plate, bowl, cup, item of cutlery in their kitchen during the course of a day - we're talking more than a dozen plastic or side plates between two small children. They'll be given a new plate with every snack and then that's classed as dirty and needing to be washed up, even if it just had a biscuit or a couple of crackers on. That plate is fine to use with the next snack! And between them they get through dozens of cups and glasses over the course of a day, all just with water in. Don't see why it can't just be one cup each refilled with fresh water and washed at the end of the day.

This is definitely me and exactly what I do! I will reuse the chopping board if I’m making the current meal, but if I use a chopping board for breakfast, I wouldn’t reuse it for lunch. Same with cups, we are baby led weaning so can get quite messy and if he’s covered a cup in porridge or spag bol, Rather than rinsing it, I will just get a new one. I think I’m my own worst enemy! I probably have too many chopping boards etc to be honest and should probably declutter them, you can’t cover the worktop if you only have 1 or 2 of each thing!

I used jars and pouches and spoon fed them. No mess in the kitchen or the high chair.

@Jxtina86

I'd do fruit for snacks with rice cakes or oat/soreen loaf bars to mix it up or when out and about.

Breakfast was either toast, cereal or porridge (I used to do it in the microwave for minimal mess)

Lunch was whatever I was having - sometimes sandwiches with some cucumber and tomatoes on the side, occasionally something batch cooked like veggie muffins for example, or baked potatoes, beans on toast for ease.

Looking back I wish I'd gone for the same meals for both of us much earlier as I got very stressed out trying to do make everything from scratch and trying to think of new things all the time.

This is how I feel, very stressed out! Dinners are fine as we all eat the same thing! I think it’s because I’m so fussy I want to make sure my son doesn’t have marmite on toast every day for breakfast so I try to make him nice things that are interesting and that I wouldn’t personally eat, but all it’s doing is stressing me out. I think I need to go back and plan out some alternatives to what I eat, that are along similar lines for my son, so I can just give him something different without all the extra prep work.

@GrendelsGrandma

I think it's really good to eat together if you can - whatever it is that you eat, sit and eat it with your son. They learn a lot about table manners and using cutlery etc that way. Sometimes it's a pain with chucking food etc but also I really enjoy the chats we have over meals.

We do always eat together for B, L and D. Breakfast he sits with my husband as I don’t eat it, dinner as a family and lunch with myself. He is amazing with cutlery already at 1 and doesn’t really throw food. It’s my prep work that needs working on! I’m the one making all mess in my kitchen lol

@Parker231

I used jars and pouches and spoon fed them. No mess in the kitchen or the high chair.

Even at 1? No solid food at all?

Easiest meals make the most mess - think wheatabix, yogurt etc. Where as those that take more prep are cleaner - pancakes, porridge fingers, roasted veg. So take the cleaner ones and batch cook and freeze. Or mix the day up so you don't have 3 incredibly messy meals. Definitely keep snacks simply, chop fruit and crudités and keep in the fridge for a couple of days.

I wouldn't do lots of options for lunch. Would it help if you meal planned a bit?
For example - Monday is always something on toast for lunch and just either do cheese, scrambled egg, hummus or mashed avocado. Serve with cucumber OR pepper OR grated carrot and a piece of fruit.
Tuesday is always a soup
Wednesday is always leftovers from the night before
Thursday is always a jacket potato (you could have half each) with tuna OR beans
Friday is always a sandwich

Breakfasts I keep really simple - either weetabix, porridge or banana oat pancakes (these are really simple - just 1 banana, 2 eggs and 3 tablespoons of oats mixed together and fried in little tablespoon sized pancakes for a couple of minutes each side) with some fruit and milk.