Have only ever given DS2 (9mo) jars - where do I start with real food?

[BettyButterknife]

I feel like a total slattern over this, especially as I used to be a food journalist, but I have found life with 2 kids a bit of a struggle and as a result have weaned DS2 almost exclusively on jars.

I'm going back to work now and feel like I should be properly meal-planning to make sure we don't spend too much time or money on cooking multiple meals.

Not really sure what I'm asking - I suspect I know the answer really - but is it easy getting a jar-head to eat proper food? Where do you start? How do you find the time to make food for them? Why do I find it so impossible to be organised??

What Madam said.

Also freeze leftovers of meals like this then you have ready-meals in the freezer for ds when you want to have something that might not be suitable.

Just try and get him eating what you are as much as possible.

Don't add salt in the cooking process or take his out of the pan and then add the salt.

As above. Also make larger quantities so there is always some to freeze. I try to meal plan and when you do that you can see where you might need a bit of forward prepping, which you can do when you have a spare moment. I try to get ahead on a Mnday by preparing mash or something that I need for another meal. Making a batch of soup at the weekend is always helpful and your DScan have it - I take my DS2's portions out using less liquid, so more of a puree than a soup. Are you going back full time?

I am sure he'll switch to non-jars soon as real food is so much more tasty! Esp if he's eating with the family some of the time.

you need lots of freezable containers, some kitchen scissors and a stick blender (costs a few quid).

Then when you are having something vaguely suitable for dinner, you make an extra portion, puree or snip it up as appropriate, and divide it into 3 or 4 pots. 1 for dinner the next day, the others go in the freezer.
and (this sounds anal but is actually easy & v useful) you have a list stuck to your freezer with a fridge magnet, of what meals are in there.

I do the same as Sybil - though at 9 months ds can feed himself a lot of the time. Most meals are suitable for him, but when they aren't or we are eating out after he's in bed etc he has something from the freezer or occasionally a jar.

These are great tips, thanks. I'm back at work three days a week and spend the other two looking after both DSs - 3.5yo doesn't nap so I don't have much time in the day to cook. Sounds like I need to get used to making meals suitable for us all in the evenings and save portions for the boys to have the following day.

I am trying to lose weight - I suppose I could make whatever we're having and add extra cheese/yoghurt/olive oil for them (dh and I don't eat meat or fish). We also tend to eat a lot of spicy dishes and lots of pulses which I think would be hard to get the kids to eat. Might have to be more conservative for a bit, or give the kids pizza or fishfingers on those days!

Tone down the spices, but no need to me conservative - why no pulses? Kids don't need kid's food, they can eat normal food!

beans and lentils are very child-friendly IME.

In terms of getting him to eat them - if he resists homemade food for a while just to do the one spoon of jar food, one food of home made food trick until he learns to love the homenade stuff :-)

Dcs get on fine with pulses - DS2 has even managed green lentils at 6mths. When I make curry/chili I make it mild - take out child sized portions then add curry paste/salt etc for DH and me - works well -except we seem to live off these dishes!!!!!. Homemade pasta sauce always goes down well - could add cheese/mince - instant spag bol/meatballs etc etc. My kids would have pasta sauce and pasta every night if they could - at least its healthy I suppose!!!!!

Label you frozen portions though - we sometimes forget and end up with some very odd combos!!

Betty, you say tyou dont have time to cook cos of the 3.5yo. Get him to help you cook! Make some kind of veg bake - chunks of sweet potatoes, onions, peppers, carrots, potatoes etc. Get him to help you wash them, and give him a blunt butter knife and a bit of veg for him to cut up, then he gets the important job of putting it all into a dish before it goes in the oven. You have this as a side dish, and baby ds gets the sweet potatoes/potatoes/carrots mashed up a wee bit, and a helping for baby ds aLso goes into the freezer. If you can get ds1 involved in the cooking (even if he's not actually helping at all), you'll be able to keep him occupied while you cook, and it gives you an "adult" thing to do!