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annepowell
13-05-2009, 12:42 PM
I have a prospective mindee visiting tomorrow evening, who does not eat meat.

Can anyone help with menu ideas? as my current mindees are all meat eaters!

If I were to make lasagne etc.. with quorn would the other child be able to tell as i've never tried it. Or how about making a batch lot of meals for just him on the nights mindees eat a 'meat' meal?

Oh help! I'm stressing and Mum's not even been yet - however, after 10 yrs of minding I go with my gut instinct and I seemed to hit it off with this parent - so maybe it'll be ok?

Thanks

grindal
13-05-2009, 01:05 PM
Hi
My children do not eat meat - they are not vegetarian but neither of them seem to like it. You can get a lot of quorn replacement type meat things - sausages, burgers, fillets in breadcrumbs, you can also get quorn mince and quorn pieces. I use the mince and pieces a lot to make things. It does not taste like meat (and I think your other mindee would realise it was different) but it is not unpleasant. Personally I would not make different food, but I only have one mindee and he is only 7 months and his mum provides his food!!
Good Luck
Grindal

haribo
13-05-2009, 01:29 PM
im a veggie and only provide vegetarian food now. i used to consult with paents and say i would serve meat but not buy it , no one has ever been put off by this and following my last but one inspection where the ins. said its an excellent diet and dont feel u need to give a choice in this as she had just given an outstanding to a wholly veggie nursery i just have it in my policies. i use quorn a lot and none of my mindees have known the difference. in fact some of my parents have asked where to buy it cos the kids have been nagging for some once they found out what it was , they esp love the nuggets and burgers. its not cheap though and if the others are confirmed meat eaters you may want to make it seperate for him to keep costs down . but most veggie food is quick and simple to prepare!

Toothfairy
13-05-2009, 04:36 PM
Vegtable Lasagne
Vegtable and Pasta bake
Cauliflower cheese
Macaroni cheese
Omlette
Jacket Potatoes
Home made Pizza
Stuffed peppers
Stuffed mushrooms
Risotto
Quiche and salad/rice

:thumbsup:

sarah707
13-05-2009, 04:43 PM
It's quite important as children get older to make sure they have the same looking food on their plates... so if they are all having sausages, make sure the vegetarian child has quorn sausages. Children do notice these things and don't like to feel different.

Hth :D

katickles
13-05-2009, 04:45 PM
You will already have some ideas from above, but wanted to say I buy alot of vegi foods that are frozen as they make great quick & easy meals. They are by Dalepack or something like that. They do vegi fingers which are lovely & Cauliflower Cheese Burgers which again are lovely! These might be handy to have in if you need something in a hurry.

Also stirfrys are yummy & you can just add meat at the end for your meat eaters :)

Denise r
13-05-2009, 04:56 PM
Hi

I am a vegetarian and I do cook meat for my family and the children I look after, I would suggest have a look at Annabelle Karmel website, quorn website and also Netmums and Mumsnet as they have vegetarian sections as do most websites now.

My family do sometimes eat quorn, I make spag bolog & chilli with the mince and currys and stews with the quorn pieces. You generally don't need to brown the quorn like you do for meat. Personally I am not keen on the other products but just ask the Mum what they use and what the child prefers. The Mum will think well of you for asking, also head of to the library and borrow some veggie cook books.

Good luck let us know how you get on

Denise

Chell
13-05-2009, 07:03 PM
It's quite important as children get older to make sure they have the same looking food on their plates... so if they are all having sausages, make sure the vegetarian child has quorn sausages. Children do notice these things and don't like to feel different.

Hth :D

My children don't bother at all, they know they are veggie and their friends aren't. Just like they know Grandad eats meat and we don't. The only meat looking food we eat is veggie sausages, otherwise we have lentils/veg in meals rather than a meat type product.

* Homemade pizza
& Veggie lasagne made with peppers, onions, red lentils, courgettes, mushrooms, etc
* Veg/bean chilli with rice, cous cous or jkt spuds - chilli is really versatile. We have it a bit like shepherd pie with mash and cheese on top, inside a wrap and baked like enchiladas, etc.
* Omelette
* Lentil Shepherds pie
* Pesto pasta - pesto with sweetcorn, mushrooms, pesto (Salca Organic is veggie) and creme fraiche.
* Veg/green lentil casserole with dumplings or yorkshire puds
* Toad in the hole
* Macaroni cheese
* Stirfry or sweet and sour
* Veg/chickpea curry
* Dahl (made with split peas)
* Potato/cheese bake and baked beans
* Homemade burgers - breadcrumbs, egg, tin kidney beans and/or chickpeas, grated carrot/onion and some sort of flavour such as corriander, little cumin etc. Blitz it all up then shape into burgers. Bake in the oven. Freeze some (uncooked) for another day. Serve in a pitta bread.
* Quiche
* Rissoto
* Tomato pasta (pop some passata, onion, garlic, balsamic vinegar, basil and or oregano) in a casserole dish and leave in the oven till the onion is soft and the sauce has reduced. I freeze this in portions either to use as a pizza sauce or to make a portion of pasta for one of the children's packed lunch. Use it to make a pasta bake with other veg and topped with cheese. Also nice with cheese stired through.
* Bolognaise made with red or green lentils rather than meat.

How strict are they? I avoid E120/Cochineal as it is made with sun dried bugs (Muller rice strawberry, some Mr Kipling cakes, Smarties, etc) and gelatine (many sweets, jellies, some yoghurt eg Weight Watchers, Mousse type desserts, etc).
*