four kids two sets of meals any advice?

Pooky

And there was me thinking chips were made from potatoes :rolleyes:

If they'll eat chips then they can eat home made wedgies I assume - an easier alternative and using less oil can be a far better alternative to chips.

I think I'd be tempted to just do a bowl of pasta salad that's kept in the fridge and can be dished out at every meal to those who like it (a basic tomato and veg sauce is fine served hot or cold) and make up a bowl of mash that again can be kept in the fridge. Plan the meat or main part of the meal around what they'll all eat.

Butterfly_Brain

Mine have to eat what is put in front of them if they don't like what I prepare tough
Your older ones should be able to cater for themselves at their age - My DD is veggie and buys her own quorn and cooks a lot of her meals herself unless I am doing something veggie, then I don't mind

irishgirl62

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

Mine have to eat what is put in front of them if they don't like what I prepare tough
Your older ones should be able to cater for themselves at their age - My DD is veggie and buys her own quorn and cooks a lot of her meals herself unless I am doing something veggie, then I don't mind

I agree but like i said i enjoy all of us sitting down together to eat, and the only way it is possible is if i serve it up all at the same time the oldest have no problem cooking for herself but its usually later than we eat

lynzpower

Any advice on easier weekly meals planning? I really want to try hard next month on budgeting for food when they were younger I set food down and made them eat it and it was always the same on pasta nights or potatoes meat and veg night and it was always the same two who refused it and went hungry instead!

I recommmend changing a different tack to be honest with you.

All four of them are certainly old enough to cook some things, the 12 year old can help you and you can train them into making thier own menu plans, that you can stick to.

Tell them in no uncertain terms that you wont be cooking different meals, its not fair on you. So they can either make meals for themselves that they will eat providing it is nutricious, and you will eat that with them. And on your cooking days, you will make things that are agreeable to ALL of them.

Sit them down with a pile of cookery books and pen & paper and let them get on with it. Dont intervene!!

If you let them plan out a month, you could do a rough print out of what things cost if this is an issue. ( eg potatoes cos this, mince costs that)

Some meals can be done either or- eg spag bol can be served in a jacket pot , chilli with wedges.

But let your kids ( well young adults) do thier bit, if you dont make them theyll lead you a merry dance forever more! Layt it down adult to adult, this cant go on anymore you have had enough.

irishgirl62

ok I will try it by asking them to plan menus and me jiggling it around... i know they can cook but I always cook and wouldnt change it for the world as when they cook for me on my birthday or mothers day or randomly it means alot to me as they never ever did that when i was married to their father

zippychick

Sounds like you got some awkward kids there! But I am sure you know that anyway!

If you make batches of chilli, curry (veggy, beef, prawn), spag bol, pies, etc for the freezer.

Then you could build up a supply of half baked potatoes/pot wedges ready for throwing in the oven. (from the freezer or fridge)

You make the baked potatoes/wedges for those who like , and cook rice for the other two. If you base your meal around things that go with both, then you would be on a winner

Curry & wedges/baked pots & rice
Spag bol & wedges & rice/pasta
Pies and wedges/savoury rice (loads of recipes if you need) (coule also make a couple of days worth of savour rice up for fridge)
chilli & baked pots/rice

Your chip night could alos be a veggie night - egg , chips and beans/ chips/beans & cheese/ chips & quorn chilli

Others
Chips & sausages
Home made pancakes, bacon , eggs & syrup
Sausage casserole & HM bread & peas
Eggs/bacon on toast
French toast & syrup/beans etc
HM pasties (with leftovers in) , peas carrots , gravy & bread?
Omelette & toast
Toastie night - eggs, beans, cheese, ham , tomato, onion
Fritatta & savoury pasta/wedges/chips
Corn beef hash - with extra mash veg instead of potatoes - with beans/sweetcorn & gravy
HM soup with HM bread (a big crusty loaf, mmmm)
HM burgers & salads/chips/wedges
HM Kievs (as mentioned)
Sandwiches/toasties with soup
Mullagatawny soup
HM pizza with salad or roasted veg

I would also challenge the kids to cook one meal a week/fortnight if poss. With your help and planning - but then they will also get a better idea of what you go through. Something for the whole family. Could it be part of their chores?

Have you tried potato rounders or fried potatoes?
Have you tried hiding potato in dishes to thicken? Like a stew? Or cooking and blending into soups so they can't "see" them

Edit - i see have crossed over with a few ideas here, took ages thinking of all that so didnt see!

irishgirl62

Thank you all for your ideas and suggestions... i think the way to go is to freeze food and plan ahead I will get the kids to draw up a menu plan for the week and go from there

Spendless

I was going to suggest same as Zippychick. I tell my 2 if there is anything worse than a child faddy with eating it's an adult faddy eater and said how difficult it was for us to go out for a meal when people wouldn't eat or try a, b, c, x,y and z.

Perhaps it was the thought that one day we would go out and leave them behind that did it, but mine will now try anything.:D

Mojisola

Good for you for having a family meal but that doesn't mean you have to do all the work. At least a couple of times a week the kids could do the evening meal - two could do one night, the other two another night. You may find they get more adaptable in their tastes when they realise what a pain it is doing different foods at the same meal!

Otherwise, I would cook double pasta one night and half would get reheated for the next night. The next night cook double potatoes and then reheat those while the new batch of pasta is cooking.

cyclingyorkie

do they like fajitas?