Meals your kids will eat - ideas needed
Discussion
Hi - am a single Dad with two young kids (5 & 7) and to be honest I’m at my wits end when it comes to getting something decent and nutritious on the table during the week after school. I work a full time job so it always feels like I’m compromising all the time these days and and serving up crap. So, anyway - I was just looking for some inspiration for quick and healthy recipes that you could share...that are kid friendly. Ta....
I know the feeling, very easy to dish up nuggets and pizza! Our three are quite picky but will usually eat:
Meatballs (simple beef / beef & pork, fry off, add jar of passata, serve with spaghetti or penne)
Pesto Pasta (really quick, cook pasta, stir in couple of spoons of pesto)
Chicken Lasagne (cook off some chicken, maybe mushrooms and leeks if they'll eat it, make / buy cheese sauce, layer with lasagne sheets)
Beef Lasagne (mix in some pork mince with beef mince optionally)
Chicken curry (chicken breast, jar of mild curry sauce, rice)
Trick with our kids is to leave out any "bits" - onion etc. One of the boys will eat chicken lasagne provided there's no "green stuff" (leeks) in it.
Meatballs (simple beef / beef & pork, fry off, add jar of passata, serve with spaghetti or penne)
Pesto Pasta (really quick, cook pasta, stir in couple of spoons of pesto)
Chicken Lasagne (cook off some chicken, maybe mushrooms and leeks if they'll eat it, make / buy cheese sauce, layer with lasagne sheets)
Beef Lasagne (mix in some pork mince with beef mince optionally)
Chicken curry (chicken breast, jar of mild curry sauce, rice)
Trick with our kids is to leave out any "bits" - onion etc. One of the boys will eat chicken lasagne provided there's no "green stuff" (leeks) in it.
miniman said:
Trick with our kids is to leave out any "bits" - onion etc. One of the boys will eat chicken lasagne provided there's no "green stuff" (leeks) in it.
Quick and easy fix for that. Whizz the offending ingredient in a food processor first, then cook with it. Works with all sorts of veg as long as you have a sauce/meaty stuff to hide it in. Another alternative is to insist on one green thing on the plate, every main meal. Start small! Macaroni cheese became macaroni peas in our house. Started with 3 peas in a serving, I now tip in a handful. Broccoli "tree", ditto. If they drown it in gravy to get it down, who cares.
Mine are quite good, so eat most things. They each have their likes and dislikes but generally do ok. Some favourites are:
Peasy cheesy pasta pesto
Pasta with bacon and peppers in a cream or tomato sauce
Bangers mash and peas
Fajitas
Chilli with rice and Doritos
Spaghetti Bolognese
Do the last two in batches to speed up cooking
More time consuming ones:
Chicken korma
Roasts
Chicken risotto
Paella
Peasy cheesy pasta pesto
Pasta with bacon and peppers in a cream or tomato sauce
Bangers mash and peas
Fajitas
Chilli with rice and Doritos
Spaghetti Bolognese
Do the last two in batches to speed up cooking
More time consuming ones:
Chicken korma
Roasts
Chicken risotto
Paella
Mine won't touch lasagne since having it at school.
I also roast chicken thighs in a bit of olive oil and lemon for 40 mins at 210. Chuck some white wine and a stick cube in and cook it down while the veg is cooking, serve with mash.
Ham, egg and wedges - very hot oven, par boil wedges with their skins in for 5 mins, then cover in olive oil in a hot pan and pour onto a hot baking tray for 25 mins turning regularly. Start them on the skin side so they don't stick.
I also roast chicken thighs in a bit of olive oil and lemon for 40 mins at 210. Chuck some white wine and a stick cube in and cook it down while the veg is cooking, serve with mash.
Ham, egg and wedges - very hot oven, par boil wedges with their skins in for 5 mins, then cover in olive oil in a hot pan and pour onto a hot baking tray for 25 mins turning regularly. Start them on the skin side so they don't stick.
I have twin boys of 12. They eat pretty much anything (one doesn't like parsnips)
Worth banning all other snack food first - chocolate, biscuits and the like. They will eat stuff if they are hungry, and there's nothing else about, and everyone around them is eating it. We've always pretty much ignored their likes and dislikes and they've just had what we have. One doesn't like spice, so we tend to avoid deliberate spicy food, and instead opt for a spicy sauce which is optional, as both I and the other lad like spicy stuff.
My routine, and has been for many years. Sunday night is cooking night. They will 'help' me with the cooking, which seems to increase tolerance of variety. I try and make something that will last 3 days (Monday and Tuesday, my Mum feeds them Wednesday,and back to me on a Thursday. Friday is family tea, and my wife cooks fresh stuff, based on a family member choice on a rotation basis)
Fish pie with broccoli and peas and sweetcorn.
Occasionally sausages with onion gravy and mash.
Fried pasta - onions peppers garlic and bacon stir fried, with a load of pasta and a domino sauce - very popular with me and the kids.
Tomorrow night is veg stew - onions, garlic, peppers all fried and stock added (there is a theme here), kidney beans, tomatoes (tinned), peas, sweetcorn, 5 or 6 potatoes cut small and parboiled and any other old veg in the fridge, simmered for many hours, and served with fresh bake it yourself bread. Tasty and very healthy and cheap.
Sweet and sour, with chicken breast and brown rice is a decent option for a week or so.
Pre-prepared fish done in the oven with rice and peas and sweetcorn is popular and tasty, and not terrible. Supermarket own brand battered cod is pretty good.
For us a slow cooker is not big enough, so stuff might as well be done in a huge big pot, and an oven.
Friday night, Enchiladas are very popular, as well as pasta and meatballs. Fried, sliced steak with avocado sauce and salad, in a pitta bread goes down well, and is lovely (a personal favorite).
Occasionally if I'm busy / stressed / disorganised / CBA we have pizza or some such rubbish, but not very often.
Just realised from that, I must smell of onions and garlic all the time, as well as having the worlds biggest bill for peas and sweetcorn.
Worth banning all other snack food first - chocolate, biscuits and the like. They will eat stuff if they are hungry, and there's nothing else about, and everyone around them is eating it. We've always pretty much ignored their likes and dislikes and they've just had what we have. One doesn't like spice, so we tend to avoid deliberate spicy food, and instead opt for a spicy sauce which is optional, as both I and the other lad like spicy stuff.
My routine, and has been for many years. Sunday night is cooking night. They will 'help' me with the cooking, which seems to increase tolerance of variety. I try and make something that will last 3 days (Monday and Tuesday, my Mum feeds them Wednesday,and back to me on a Thursday. Friday is family tea, and my wife cooks fresh stuff, based on a family member choice on a rotation basis)
Fish pie with broccoli and peas and sweetcorn.
Occasionally sausages with onion gravy and mash.
Fried pasta - onions peppers garlic and bacon stir fried, with a load of pasta and a domino sauce - very popular with me and the kids.
Tomorrow night is veg stew - onions, garlic, peppers all fried and stock added (there is a theme here), kidney beans, tomatoes (tinned), peas, sweetcorn, 5 or 6 potatoes cut small and parboiled and any other old veg in the fridge, simmered for many hours, and served with fresh bake it yourself bread. Tasty and very healthy and cheap.
Sweet and sour, with chicken breast and brown rice is a decent option for a week or so.
Pre-prepared fish done in the oven with rice and peas and sweetcorn is popular and tasty, and not terrible. Supermarket own brand battered cod is pretty good.
For us a slow cooker is not big enough, so stuff might as well be done in a huge big pot, and an oven.
Friday night, Enchiladas are very popular, as well as pasta and meatballs. Fried, sliced steak with avocado sauce and salad, in a pitta bread goes down well, and is lovely (a personal favorite).
Occasionally if I'm busy / stressed / disorganised / CBA we have pizza or some such rubbish, but not very often.
Just realised from that, I must smell of onions and garlic all the time, as well as having the worlds biggest bill for peas and sweetcorn.
A slow cooker and a freezer and you'll never look back.
As suggested in a previous post, make a batch of chilli or beef casserole. I freeze it in takeaway style containers (Sainsbury's sell them) with enough in each to feed both kids. Serve it with rice, pasta or potatoes (even frozen potato waffles) and some veg (bag of frozen broccoli or frozen mixed veg). Job done.
I've got a large size chicken from Sainsbury's (£4.60 I think) that's going in the slow cooker at 10am tomorrow morning. It goes in with nothing except a bit of salt and pepper and 7 hours on low later it's sitting in its own juices and is falling apart as you take it out of the pot. Incredibly easy and the meat is so moist, kids love it. Stick the leftover meat in the fridge and it should be good for sandwiches over the next couple of days. I'm sure there's something fancy to make from the juices left in the pot but I've never bothered - ideas anyone?
As suggested in a previous post, make a batch of chilli or beef casserole. I freeze it in takeaway style containers (Sainsbury's sell them) with enough in each to feed both kids. Serve it with rice, pasta or potatoes (even frozen potato waffles) and some veg (bag of frozen broccoli or frozen mixed veg). Job done.
I've got a large size chicken from Sainsbury's (£4.60 I think) that's going in the slow cooker at 10am tomorrow morning. It goes in with nothing except a bit of salt and pepper and 7 hours on low later it's sitting in its own juices and is falling apart as you take it out of the pot. Incredibly easy and the meat is so moist, kids love it. Stick the leftover meat in the fridge and it should be good for sandwiches over the next couple of days. I'm sure there's something fancy to make from the juices left in the pot but I've never bothered - ideas anyone?
Usual week in our house (9 and 7):
Sunday - roast of some description - chicken, pot roast in the slow cooker, gammon in the slow cooker etc. Slow cooker gets prepped in the morning, go to various places to watch kids football and very little fuss later. I buy a bigger joint than I need so I have leftovers.
Monday - leftovers night - so if gammon, I'll do a risotto or pasta. Chicken goes to anything, beef goes to a stew
Tuesday - always manic but something quick due to after school/sports stuff. Stir Fry usn't uncommon and using up any leftovers that are hanging about.
Wednesday, Thursday - lots of stuff. Hidden veg pasta is often done one of these days (garlic, carrots, leaks, celery, onion, tin toms, herbs, stock, simmer till veg is cooked and then blitzed). Fajitas with salad on the side, both are made to choose but we put them in bowls and they help themselves now. One prefers tomatoes, one cucumber, both eat carrot sticks. Spag bol (made in batches at a weekend and frozen in portion sizes), jacket potatoes, all sorts. I don't eat fish so my wife will cook it if I'm late back from work for them, simply with sweet potato wedges and veg. Pesto pasta is quick, I tend to throw some peas and chop up some tomatoes really small into it as well. Ours like pork, pork tenderloin is quick to cook and very flexible what you can do with it. They love pulled pork and ribs, sometimes serve that with rice and roasted peppers.
Saturday is always a curry in our house, my eldest has started to help me with that. he doesn't like chopping but he'll measure the spices for me and is starting to get more engaged in the kitchen, might be worth trying? We've agreed with him he has to help at least once a week in the kitchen. We're lucky in that they'll try pretty much anything though.
Freezer and slow cooker are your friend, batch cooking chilli, curry, stew, bolognase means you can always have something on the table quickly. Sometimes have ready roll pastry in the fridge to convert a leftover beef and veg or a freezer stew into a pie. Just try and make it easy on yourself!
Sunday - roast of some description - chicken, pot roast in the slow cooker, gammon in the slow cooker etc. Slow cooker gets prepped in the morning, go to various places to watch kids football and very little fuss later. I buy a bigger joint than I need so I have leftovers.
Monday - leftovers night - so if gammon, I'll do a risotto or pasta. Chicken goes to anything, beef goes to a stew
Tuesday - always manic but something quick due to after school/sports stuff. Stir Fry usn't uncommon and using up any leftovers that are hanging about.
Wednesday, Thursday - lots of stuff. Hidden veg pasta is often done one of these days (garlic, carrots, leaks, celery, onion, tin toms, herbs, stock, simmer till veg is cooked and then blitzed). Fajitas with salad on the side, both are made to choose but we put them in bowls and they help themselves now. One prefers tomatoes, one cucumber, both eat carrot sticks. Spag bol (made in batches at a weekend and frozen in portion sizes), jacket potatoes, all sorts. I don't eat fish so my wife will cook it if I'm late back from work for them, simply with sweet potato wedges and veg. Pesto pasta is quick, I tend to throw some peas and chop up some tomatoes really small into it as well. Ours like pork, pork tenderloin is quick to cook and very flexible what you can do with it. They love pulled pork and ribs, sometimes serve that with rice and roasted peppers.
Saturday is always a curry in our house, my eldest has started to help me with that. he doesn't like chopping but he'll measure the spices for me and is starting to get more engaged in the kitchen, might be worth trying? We've agreed with him he has to help at least once a week in the kitchen. We're lucky in that they'll try pretty much anything though.
Freezer and slow cooker are your friend, batch cooking chilli, curry, stew, bolognase means you can always have something on the table quickly. Sometimes have ready roll pastry in the fridge to convert a leftover beef and veg or a freezer stew into a pie. Just try and make it easy on yourself!
Have you tried a fajitas?
You can get Old El Paso or a supermarket home brand kit.
I stir fry chicken breast, onion and peppers (leave out what they don't like). Shred some lettuce, cut up some tomato and grate some cheese (we have sour cream and avocado as well). Put it all in the middle of the table on a plate and let them make their own.
My kids still love them in their late teens and it is quick and easy.
You can get Old El Paso or a supermarket home brand kit.
I stir fry chicken breast, onion and peppers (leave out what they don't like). Shred some lettuce, cut up some tomato and grate some cheese (we have sour cream and avocado as well). Put it all in the middle of the table on a plate and let them make their own.
My kids still love them in their late teens and it is quick and easy.
If I'm pressed for time, I'll do a 20 minute Thai green curry and sticky rice for ours. Fry some chicken in spices, add red peppers, broccoli florets, a lemon grass stalk and some garlic to stir fry for a couple of minutes, then add coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes whilst the rice cooks.
Salmon fillets with a mirin and soy sauce marinade with rice and broccoli spears is another good, tasty one. Nigella's recipe is the best
Salmon fillets with a mirin and soy sauce marinade with rice and broccoli spears is another good, tasty one. Nigella's recipe is the best
I don't have kids but to me is sounds very much like batch cooking is required, it's what I have to do when watching my weight.
I'd recommend getting a food process (to save chopping) and make a load of chili / spag bol using the same base, stews and curries that you can then freeze.
Some meats can be cooked in advance too, for example, pork belly slow cooked and then cut into portions can then be reheated at later date works really well (like restaurants do), add that to some ready made roasts and frozen veg and a mid week roast can be on the table in 30 minutes with very little effort. Pork Shoulder turned into pulled pork, first night in wraps with salad, the second added to some sauce and served with rice / pasta.
The problem will still be time though, I spent 3h on Saturday cooking for the week, not fun but makes the evenings more relaxing during the week.
I'd recommend getting a food process (to save chopping) and make a load of chili / spag bol using the same base, stews and curries that you can then freeze.
Some meats can be cooked in advance too, for example, pork belly slow cooked and then cut into portions can then be reheated at later date works really well (like restaurants do), add that to some ready made roasts and frozen veg and a mid week roast can be on the table in 30 minutes with very little effort. Pork Shoulder turned into pulled pork, first night in wraps with salad, the second added to some sauce and served with rice / pasta.
The problem will still be time though, I spent 3h on Saturday cooking for the week, not fun but makes the evenings more relaxing during the week.
my kids favourite is a very healthy homemade pasta pesto
i cook a handful of kale for 2 mins then a a handful of spinach for a minute then drain and put in blender ( nutribullet its easy and quick to clean) with
spoonful of nutrional yeast ( veggies favorite look it up if not heard of it - makes it a bit cheesy )
clove or 2 of garlic
small splash of oil
spoonful of pine nuts ( i cook them for a min or 2 in a frying pan whilst kale is cooking )
salt and pepper
some basil leaves
blitz it all - add a tiny bit of water if needed and stick on some healthy pasta.
turns the pasta an illuminous green so it looks quite cool.
pasta pesto was her fav before doing this so that helped but this way she gets kale and spinach not a spoonful of supermarket oil and salt.
sometimes do homemade fish cakes which can be a faff to make but you can freeze them - just good quality fish, mash parsley, veg.
rainbow wraps go down well in summer ( or unicorn wraps..) lots of shredded colourful stuff like carrots cucumbers in a wrap )
sausage mash and veg is easy - trick is to get healthy organic proper food if you can afford it not eg sausages from the supermarket that are 90% scrotum
quorn chicken bites are identical in taste and look of a chicken nugget. as a one off occasionally they are good with veg etc.
dirty rice goes down well - any veg you have mixed with rice stirred in with an a egg.
same goes for noodles she will eat most things in noodles and they take seconds.
i cook a handful of kale for 2 mins then a a handful of spinach for a minute then drain and put in blender ( nutribullet its easy and quick to clean) with
spoonful of nutrional yeast ( veggies favorite look it up if not heard of it - makes it a bit cheesy )
clove or 2 of garlic
small splash of oil
spoonful of pine nuts ( i cook them for a min or 2 in a frying pan whilst kale is cooking )
salt and pepper
some basil leaves
blitz it all - add a tiny bit of water if needed and stick on some healthy pasta.
turns the pasta an illuminous green so it looks quite cool.
pasta pesto was her fav before doing this so that helped but this way she gets kale and spinach not a spoonful of supermarket oil and salt.
sometimes do homemade fish cakes which can be a faff to make but you can freeze them - just good quality fish, mash parsley, veg.
rainbow wraps go down well in summer ( or unicorn wraps..) lots of shredded colourful stuff like carrots cucumbers in a wrap )
sausage mash and veg is easy - trick is to get healthy organic proper food if you can afford it not eg sausages from the supermarket that are 90% scrotum
quorn chicken bites are identical in taste and look of a chicken nugget. as a one off occasionally they are good with veg etc.
dirty rice goes down well - any veg you have mixed with rice stirred in with an a egg.
same goes for noodles she will eat most things in noodles and they take seconds.
Edited by petemurphy on Monday 14th January 08:52
Our kids generally just eat whatever we're having so long as it's not got loads of chilli in it. Bubble and squeak tonight with the leftovers from yesterday's roast. Lucky really as at 5 & 7 years of age they'll eat pretty much anything even stuff kids are supposed to hate e.g. sprouts, cabbage, etc.
Never pandered to them, can't be doing with fussy kids.
Never pandered to them, can't be doing with fussy kids.
Just a slightly different aspect - how do you serve your food? We make a point of putting it all out in bowls for the kids to choose what they want. Now, in reality, we put it all on their plates anyway and they have to something from everything but you'd be amazed how things change from being faced with a massive plate of food.
This tactic saw my eldest go from complaining like mad to eat sprouts at Christmas, to last night eating 4 of them happily.
This tactic saw my eldest go from complaining like mad to eat sprouts at Christmas, to last night eating 4 of them happily.
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