just wanted to say helloo (&a few questions..)

mrsHall2b

hello, ive been lurking on here for ages but only decided to sign up a few days ago..

im 23, i have 2 young children (2&half years old and an 11 month old) and a very fussy fiance.
my partner wont eat veg
my 2yo isnt keen on meat
my 11 month old will eat anything put in front of her
i am also quite fussy but have been trying new things.

i need some ideas for a few meals, i have a fridge freezer & a big chest freezer so am able to freeze portions.

ive just planted cucumber,lettuce,tomato,spring onions & raddish and we also have some potatoes planted in our veg patch.

also any sweet recipes

does anyone have a recipe for tuna napolitana? i bought a packet mix of it and we all loved it, but i dont want to pay that much for a packet mix really.

and cupboard staples? what should i always make sure i have so i know i always have something i can throw together?

i also have a cat and a mental rabbit.

Lilyplonk

I've not cooked any of these, but they are just a couple of what comes up when you google for Tuna Napolitana.

Good Luck and I hope that at least one of them is useful to you and your family.

http://cassiefairy.com/2013/01/18/pieday-friday-recipe-tuna-napolitana/

http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/classic-napoletana-pasta-sauce-L3081.html

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/25303/homemade-napolitana-sauce.aspx


Sorry I'm just off to do something, so haven't got time to go through the 'storecupboard thing' - but I'm sure somebody else will be along in a minute to give you some ideas .

cats_ahoy

This is my list of store cupboard staples:
rice
pasta
flour
veg oil
sugar
chopped tomatoes
dried pulses e.g. lentils chickpeas
spices for making curry chilli etc, salt and pepper, herbs
baked beans
sweetcorn
peas/mushy peas
few jars of ready made sauce/soup for when I'm lazy
tinned fruit
packet noodles

I'm sure other people will have better lists for their cupboard essentials, but I hope this helps anyway!

caroc

Dear mrs hall 2b.


It might cause ructions at first, but if you are the one doing the buying preparing cooking etc, everyone needs to dance to your tune.
My oh used to moan about veg, I don't like this that etc. I told him to set a good example to the kids otherwise they'll end up eating the same carp as he does, so now he rarely moans about veg ! I wouldn't worry about the little 'un not liking meat too much, as just a little will be enough

Linda32

mrsHall2b wrote: »

and cupboard staples? what should i always make sure i have so i know i always have something i can throw together?

Hi, Welcome to the forum.

You should always make sure you have food in that you all want to eat. It might sound obvious but if you just buy random suggestions you are not going to fancy anything.

For example, at the moment, I am eating oatcakes, onions rings and cheese :rotfl: The next person would likely turn their nose up at that. But I like oatcakes.

Likewise, I like veg but if your OH does not like it. Then don't buy it or just cook a little bit for yourself and serve the OH's dinner without any veg.

I suspect your 11 month old will eat anything put in front of her because she dose not know any difference

Perhaps if you make a meat and two veg meal, rather than cooking different things for everyone (I realise you didn't say you did) Give OH the meat, your 2 year old the veggies. You and your baby everything.

Can't help with the Tuna as I don't like tuna so never eat it or the mental rabbit. :rotfl:

thehappybutterfly

Oh mrshall, I feel your pain! I used to make 4 different meals virtually every night as I hated the post mortems hubby and/or kids would perform on their plates! Years of this. Now I just make one meal and they pick their way through it, swapping this for that. "One pot meals" are my godsend - spag bol, chilli, rissotto, spanish chicken and rice, stew, mince and tatties etc. What they dont like, they leave. It's hard work feeding a family isn't it?! It does get better as they get older - they don't tend to look at their plates like you've just served up worms.

As for basics, tinned toms, beans, frozen peas, pasta/rice, cheese, passatta, tinned beans like kidney, chickpeas etc., tortilla chips (I top chilli etc with them and grated mozza), tom puree, chorizo sausage, eggs.

ETA - frozen veg is your friend. Some veg is just as nice frozen, like peas, green beans, brocolli. Not so much carrots and sweetcorn IMO. Fresh veg is one of the foods I waste more of than anything else.

Another ETA - pasta and pesto is a brilliant standby. Jarred or hm pesto. If you've got LO coojed chicken, even better!

tiredwithtwins

mrsHall2b wrote: »

and cupboard staples? what should i always make sure i have so i know i always have something i can throw together?

i also have a cat and a mental rabbit.

hopefully not to eat!!?????? :rotfl:

sorry, couldn't resist

good luck, this is a fantastic resource for making your money&food go miles xxxx

EstherH

Hi MrsHall2b
when we had our children we both agreed that being made to sit in front of a cold congealing dinner until you ate it was not the way we wanted to be with our children as that is what we both remembered. HOWEVER, having cooked separate meals for a fussy DS and had other people put to trouble when we visited them, DS went off to uni and first day in halls with a meal package of lunches and dinners, learned that it was eat it or starve as he looked at the menu and realised that he didn't like either of the choices offered. :rotfl: Why oh why did I make separate meals all those years. And why did we think it was so important not to make them eat their meals like we were made to? After all, we have survived! Hubby was fussy to when we first got married but although there are some things that I don't cook on the whole he eats a lot more than he did. The poster who said that she told hers that he was setting a bad example has a very good point. Try and get him to eat veg as it's important and the kids need to see him eating it, and keep offering meat to your little one. Don't make the mistake I did.
Esther x

sooty&sweep

Hi
I'd suggest you focus on what you all like and then try & build on that rather than what you all don't like.
For example would everyone eat pasta with a tomato sauce ? You could then add chunks of sausage + veg eg peppers depending on taste.
Or roast veg (potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, peppers etc) & chicken pieces.
Jen

mrsHall2b

EstherH wrote: »

Hi MrsHall2b
when we had our children we both agreed that being made to sit in front of a cold congealing dinner until you ate it was not the way we wanted to be with our children as that is what we both remembered. HOWEVER, having cooked separate meals for a fussy DS and had other people put to trouble when we visited them, DS went off to uni and first day in halls with a meal package of lunches and dinners, learned that it was eat it or starve as he looked at the menu and realised that he didn't like either of the choices offered. :rotfl: Why oh why did I make separate meals all those years. And why did we think it was so important not to make them eat their meals like we were made to? After all, we have survived! Hubby was fussy to when we first got married but although there are some things that I don't cook on the whole he eats a lot more than he did. The poster who said that she told hers that he was setting a bad example has a very good point. Try and get him to eat veg as it's important and the kids need to see him eating it, and keep offering meat to your little one. Don't make the mistake I did.
Esther x

we do tend to make 2yo eat it if ive made it. but if its meat she sits there and just keeps it in her mouth chewing, urging and crying. i know it wont do any damage in the long run, i was considering trying quorn or other meat substitute in foods for all of us and see if we all prefer that?

tiredwithtwins wrote: »

hopefully not to eat!!?????? :rotfl:

sorry, couldn't resist

good luck, this is a fantastic resource for making your money&food go miles xxxx

haha nooo not to eat! although the 11mo has a good go now and again...

thehappybutterfly wrote: »

Oh mrshall, I feel your pain! I used to make 4 different meals virtually every night as I hated the post mortems hubby and/or kids would perform on their plates! Years of this. Now I just make one meal and they pick their way through it, swapping this for that. "One pot meals" are my godsend - spag bol, chilli, rissotto, spanish chicken and rice, stew, mince and tatties etc. What they dont like, they leave. It's hard work feeding a family isn't it?! It does get better as they get older - they don't tend to look at their plates like you've just served up worms.

As for basics, tinned toms, beans, frozen peas, pasta/rice, cheese, passatta, tinned beans like kidney, chickpeas etc., tortilla chips (I top chilli etc with them and grated mozza), tom puree, chorizo sausage, eggs.

ETA - frozen veg is your friend. Some veg is just as nice frozen, like peas, green beans, brocolli. Not so much carrots and sweetcorn IMO. Fresh veg is one of the foods I waste more of than anything else.

Another ETA - pasta and pesto is a brilliant standby. Jarred or hm pesto. If you've got LO coojed chicken, even better!

my main thing when i start getting low is pasta, bakes beans and whatever meat i can find left over in the fridge/freezer.
or as odd as this sounds a few packs of cheapy noodles fried with some hot dog sausages..

i do tend to buy frozen veg as it works out alot cheaper and yes i was throwing away quite a bit of fresh. thats another reason ive planted some of my own, which i will probably end up freezing or making into sauces and freezing.

mrsHall2b

Linda32 wrote: »

Hi, Welcome to the forum.

You should always make sure you have food in that you all want to eat. It might sound obvious but if you just buy random suggestions you are not going to fancy anything.

For example, at the moment, I am eating oatcakes, onions rings and cheese :rotfl: The next person would likely turn their nose up at that. But I like oatcakes.

Likewise, I like veg but if your OH does not like it. Then don't buy it or just cook a little bit for yourself and serve the OH's dinner without any veg.

I suspect your 11 month old will eat anything put in front of her because she dose not know any difference

Perhaps if you make a meat and two veg meal, rather than cooking different things for everyone (I realise you didn't say you did) Give OH the meat, your 2 year old the veggies. You and your baby everything.

Can't help with the Tuna as I don't like tuna so never eat it or the mental rabbit. :rotfl:

haha thanks i love onion rings (not sure what type you mean but i like em all!)
i cook sausages then push them through the middle of battered onion rings, mmm.

caroc wrote: »

Dear mrs hall 2b.


It might cause ructions at first, but if you are the one doing the buying preparing cooking etc, everyone needs to dance to your tune.
My oh used to moan about veg, I don't like this that etc. I told him to set a good example to the kids otherwise they'll end up eating the same carp as he does, so now he rarely moans about veg ! I wouldn't worry about the little 'un not liking meat too much, as just a little will be enough

they dont really see him eating veg as when he used to work we would have food before he got home and now hes so used to eating a lot later he always eats late in the evening. its not very often we all eat at the same time. so its usually just me and the girls.

cats_ahoy wrote: »

This is my list of store cupboard staples:
rice
pasta
flour
veg oil
sugar
chopped tomatoes
dried pulses e.g. lentils chickpeas
spices for making curry chilli etc, salt and pepper, herbs
baked beans
sweetcorn
peas/mushy peas
few jars of ready made sauce/soup for when I'm lazy
tinned fruit
packet noodles

I'm sure other people will have better lists for their cupboard essentials, but I hope this helps anyway!

thankyou very much for this list