Need help with making meals out of what i have.

Caterina

Why are some people being so challenging to the OP? There's a long tradition of welcoming and helping people on this thread, please let's keep it that way.

BTW welcome to the Old Style thread stealthelf, sorry I cannot help as am vegetarian and haven't cooked meat for the last 30 years, but I hope you get a lot of help on this thread, there are a lot of good ideas around and also recipe threads that I am sure you will find useful.

stealthelf

Thank you for the welcome Caterina.:D
I think people might just be shocked as there is alot on the list. I just thought it would be easy for myself if i asked before i got started as my ideas was a very plain, I have looked about meal planning and think that is a good idea, plus found a nice idea about a sausage plait, and a few other things of different os threads.

janb5

Hi Stealthelf,


Welcome! Could you please break up the sentences a wee bit as otherwise your posts are difficult to read? Paragraphs would help.
Thanks.x

stealthelf

thanks janb5, I have gone back and broken up the sentences more. thank you for the advice.

ampersand

Welcome and well done stealthelf.

Please don't be dissuaded by the tone of some posts. We are not all wired the same way where expressing ourselves is concerned. The computer is just a tool to help, as is Martin's wonderful site. I've had a lot of help from the techie forums over the years.

I'm glad to see Caterina has posted. You won't go wrong with her support:-).

I should think my chest freezer contains easily the amount you have listed and more - and there's only one of me these days! Did you know there's a very good Living From The Freezer Challenge' Thread? I'm doing it anyway, although adding 6lbs of home-grown rhubarb yesterday.

re: little ones and picky eating. If the whole mealtime business becomes a ludicrous theatre, you all lose out. Food should simply be enjoyed ensemble, a family meal is a family time. Let each child have a hand in some part of its prep. in order to have that moment of 'stardom' and be in charge at the table for that element - offering, serving. being praised and thanked by everyone else etc. Your children will thank you for this later and also have a sound template for mannerly eating out or in other households.

One little hint - but important.

Always defrost your meat in the fridge - it takes longer, but this is always recommended on food safety grounds.

Involve others to a small degree. Announce choices i.e.
'Special casserole and fish pie this week. Who wants to make the Yorkshires with me?'

Please don't buy these or anything like that. Casseroles with your venison and ostrich will be gorgeous and I never rule them out, even in summer. Lovely to have with salads or green beans, tomates provençales etc.

You have loads of good food on hand and you can be inventive. I sense a bit of confidence building won't go amiss right now.

Remember, you are very welcome on mse:-)

John Seymour's advice still holds true: 'Eat sensibly, not too much, mostly vegetables' - although as an NZer, I do love my meat.

No Western world child will suffer by refusing a meal or two. Just stay low-key and let the family meal carry on, with everyone in the conversation all still around the table.
#
p.s. I refused tomatoes and cheese until I lived in France and love both now. I needn't have disliked them, but was a probably spoilt only child.
#
Start here for recipes, or ask for help there too.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/235198
Squeaky's Old Style Indexed Collections (Page 1)
and here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/8736367#Comment_8736367

gayle1

i have a chest freezer too and when its full its usually full to the brim welcome xxxx
my lot are just starting to experiment with spicy stuff please look for inspiration we do one pot dinners and freeze small portions for the kids to eat through the week x

Solstice_3

My little girl has a cows milk protein intolerance and I've been told she should grow out of it by 1 year old (fingers crossed!).

I have to say thank you for posting OP as I get stuck with what to cook too sometimes and the deconstructed meals are a useful idea for me and my children.

I know the stress and pain of cooking for difficult eaters I find it a nightmare to make a meal that I can serve a 8 month old who can't have dairy and a nearly 3 year old who is in a fussy stage. I do tell my 3 year old he eats what is on his plate or goes hungry but I try to give him something he likes as part of his meal.

Suggestions

17X chicken breast, 17x6-7oz beef steaks, 1/2 bag mixed peppers, 1 bag mushroom sliced - Stir Fry with rice or noodles, my Son has plain noodles, plain meat (he doesn't like sauce) and peas when we have stir fry.

0.570kg-cod loin, 2x haddock fillets - Homemade fish fingers/breaded fish and plain fish fingers for the fussier ones.

4x 8oz venison steak - http://www.abelandcole.co.uk/recipes/wild-venison-ragu

1.90kg beef brisket - Borrow a copy of Save with Jamie, cook the roast recipe and use the leftovers in his leftover recipes.

2x salmon fillets - Oven baked salmon with either veg stir fry (with a separate sweet chilli sauce) or with tagliatelle with a lemon, olive oil and parmesan dressing and a side salad.

6x 1kg egg whites (carton) - Make some meringues with your 10 year old

6 pitta bread - Serve with dips for lunch

Hope that helps

stealthelf

Thanks ampersand.:) I will have to go look at that thread and maybe join.

I have just got all my gadgets out in the kitchen again.

Looking forward to cooking today as am making burgers with the kids to go with a rack of ribs thinking honey and mustard and hm chips for tea, have just help my oldest daugther make blackberry jam, she is in the kitchen at the minute making cupcakes. (Wants to be a baker when she is older.)

Am starting on a meal plan this afternoon.

kerri_gt

There are lots of good ideas about what to make, but with regard to your little one, do you get her involved in making the meals? if she gets to help prepare, touch and feel the food as you're making it, it can help her get over her uncertainty about eating it. I don't mean hand her a great carving knife, but even if she's around the kitchen and you talk to her and get her engaged in what you're doing it will all help.

I think it's something like 15 times you can introduce a child to a new food before they will accept it so don't give up.

She may also be picking up habits from your 9yr old who is a picky eater too so i'd watch that - youngsters love to copy their older siblings.

stealthelf

Solstice_3- I love the Wild Venison Ragu recipe I will be trying that. and i hope your little one does grow out of it as i found it very hard when she wanted try things as there are alot of things that have milk in.(crisps, alot of baby/ toddler snack) plus was hard to get milk free chocolate easter eggs and she wanted a egg like the bigger ones).


kerri gt - I use to get her involved when i cooked but still scared i was think as making her two meals a day for a bit as whatever we are eating on the night but on the lunch time making her a pasta and sausage or chicken nugget meal. And then i am not worried that shes not eating on the evening.

I wish they would all eat like the oldest one she eats everything.

A 1kg carton of egg whites is about 32 eggs.