Share your never-fail playdate food tips with Lidl - chance to win vouchers NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

We've all been there - trying to find something to cook for your child’s fussy friend during a playdate. Lidl are after your tips and recipes for the kind of food that always goes down a treat when you're having kids over for playdates. Do you play it safe with fish fingers and chips? Or do you have some other less conservative recipes and meal suggestions that are guaranteed to please? Maybe you have a pasta and sauce combo that no child has yet turned their noses up at.

Share your ideas, tips and recipes below and you will be entered into a prize draw where you could win one of five £50 Lidl vouchers.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

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Macaroni cheese with sneaky sweet potato, peas and ham.

Fish fingers, potato waffles, sweetcorn and cucumber. Never fails, quick and easy. I've generally got fruit juice ice lollies in the freezer for afters.

Homemade fishcakes with sauce and salad
1x salmon pack (steamed)
1x cod pack (steamed)
1 x smoked haddock pack (steamed)
I say steamed, but they can all be cooked in own packets in microwave!
Potatoes (mashed and cooled)
Finely chopped spring onions
Finely chopped gherkins

Mix in all ingredients, roll into patties, dip in cornflour, dip in brsyen egg and rolled in packet breadcrumbs. Shallow fry and serve or fry, cool down and freeze individually to heat in oven for lunches etc. Chuck together with home made "slaw" I.e any veg in fridg!

Simple sandwiches often go down well with the fussiest kids - I sometimes decorate them into faces which helps. Otherwise pizza is good because you can adapt the toppings, or sometimes I just serve a selection of fruit and cheese.

I usually buy those mini plain pizzas and provide a range of toppings from whatever we've got in the fridge (for example ham, salami, peppers, mushroom, courgettes...) and let them top their own.
Or pasta with a tomato sauce.
Or fish fingers/sausages/chicken goujons with mash and peas.
Or cold things (sandwiches, veg, Babybel...).
Pudding would usually be either yoghurts, strawberry sand ice cream, or an ice lolly. Or a cake they have made, if we have done cake making.

Apple slices to dip in peanut butter

Lots of finger food always goes down well here: twirls of pasta, chunks of cheese, strips of cold meats or salmon, carrot and cucumber sticks, grapes. And thd always a little treat, preferably home made by the kids earlier in the day!

My sons reception friends all have the same favourite meal, pasta with grated cheese.

I also put out a bowl of sweetcorn or corn on the cob, tomatoes and cucumber and they usually help themselves.

Pudding is usually fruit and sometimes a chocolate rice crispy cake.

Pizza, salad and ice-cream (and fruit on the side). Never fails, although wouldn't be my choice.

I usually buy ready made pizza bases and let them top them themselves

A tub of vanilla ice cream with various toppings always goes down well too

Fish fingers and chips, and guest chooses the veg. Everyone happy 99% of the time. IME vegetarians are often easier to cater for than meat-eaters if they're given free choice.

Normally have a range of things in the middle of the table and they can serve themselves, means a shy child won't be sitting there upset about having something they like or having too much put out in front of them

Making pizzas is a good way to pass the time and ensure they eat something, serve with salad veggies

I find that most kids like spaghetti bolognese, but they like the version they are used to and so it can end in disaster even though it seems like a safe choice

We often have:

Corn on the cob
Chicken goujons
Wedges

Berries, Greek yoghurt and honey.

Pasta and pesto is generally a good bet here! I'm loving the dough idea though.

My kid is the fussy kid on playdates I play it safe with pizza, and a selection of salad veg in the middle for everyone to choose from.

Pizza or lasagne! Pizza's great because they can help make it too.

Always pasta and pesto with watermelon and strawberries for pud. Anything to make life easier

Sorry to show my ignorance. What is a Play date"? I've never heard the term before.

A picnic type tea works well as does adding your own pizza toppings on muffin bases.

A "play date" means children of a similar age to your own coming round to your house to play, with or without their parent. It may be a somewhat twee term but it does save time.

not having kiss over a meal time 😊 i'm semi serious i thinkit's easier to get to know the kids and them you before trying to sit down and feed them if i have to it's pizza and pasta (sauce optional)

Popcorn, easy and exciting

I always bring out the "Mickey mouse" shaped sandwiches!! None of my little ones toddler friends have declined them yet. I have a special cutter that I use, but you could use any cookie cutter to make fun sandwich shapes!

Light meals I tend to forget wrap with a selection of fillings, ham, cheese, and finger food vegetables, often plus Pizza.

For dinner on usually do Spaghetti bolognaise, or sausages and chips, depending on the children.

Like the idea of the dough that can be made into shapes then baked. Also like the fruit and natural Yoghurt idea.

I once tried getting the visiting child to make bread with us for lunch. He and DC1 were disinterested and wanted to play.

im like others and play it safe with pizza also have a little side salad with cucumber and carrot sticks and hummus. for pudding strawberries and blueberries. snack time I use kiwi's.