meal planning.

[aly]

I only have 1 i cook for and that is only on a friday....maybe a tuesday but thats only now and again.

Anyway as I dont plan meals as such i usually leave it til last minute and like today realise there was nowt in and ended up at mcChucks. :panic:

SO I really want to get in the swing of meal planning {and freezing} and need your help...I have a 'sample'planner from someone but i need more please if you could send me them if poss.

I need basic meals too that dont take up to much time...I am really fussy and Lew, well he eats nothing like potatoes etc:angry:

please inspire me. :littleangel:

[Roseolivia]

In this weather i use the BBQ a lot and give them sausages and wedges.
What about tuna pasta, tomato pasta, fishfinger and chips, spaghetti, macaroni cheese, cheese on toast
Depends on what parent wants, do they want a full cooked meal or a snacky meal, if you have a slow cooker you could put it on in the morning and leave it till tea time.

[Tina O]

sorry I'm not much help as mine bring packed lunches.....

[sarah707]

I put my new spring summer menu on the parents page of my Knutsford Childminding website a week or so ago.

It's much more flexible than previously because the children were consulted and said they like to decide what they want.

We are giving it a go, with them taking turns... it's not been easy so far but we are getting there :D

[Chell]

I meal plan and shop according to it (for evening meals, lunch tends to be decided when mindee comes in and is offered a choice).

We're all vegetarian so mindees parents know that and I cook something we will all eat. I'm very lucky that the mindee who eats with us in the evening eats anything, the only thing I have given her that she doesn't like is sour cream.

I bulk cook things like curries, veggie chilli and lasagne so I have those in the freezer when I need something quick.

Macaroni cheese is also very quick to make from scratch.

Jacket spuds are easy and can be had with left over chilli/curry or with coleslaw, cheese, tuna, etc.

Tomato pasta sauce is very simple and freezes well. You could freeze portions of this to use in a hurry. I presume you always have pasta and either tuna or cheese to add to it.

My DD's favourite meal is pesto pasta - pasta, pesto from a jar, creme fraiche and a tin of sweetcorn.

Tonight the girls have dancing so they need something fairly light. They are very excited as they are having pitta breads, various salad bits and Birds Eye vegetable fingers or a burger.

My meal plan is just a list of 7 meals, I don't tend to allocate them to a certain day. I just make sure everything in the fridge is used up at some point and not wasted. Sometimes I end up making something different with the ingrediants.

I find it is easier if I know the evening before what I am making the next day as I can prep it, that might be by putting everything in the slow cooker ready to turn on the next morning.

It would stress me out trying to chose and cook at tea time. I like it part prepared earlier when there aren't hungry children inder my feet. :p

[miffy]

If you're only cooking for a small number I'd ask them to help plan some meals that they like and then rotate these.

My problem is loads of children and they all like different things - some are more willing to try new foods than others :rolleyes: Bliss, is just having a couple of unfussy children to cater for! :D

Miffy xx

[caz3007]

I have lots of after schoolies and have a core menu of about 8 meals and rotate them. I look in my freezer and see what I have then menu plan for the week for them, gives me time to get in anything I need.

This week we have had Jacket potatoes, Shephards Pie, Chicken Pie, Sausages and wedges and Fridays are always burger and chips. One child requested an extra day so he can come Fridays :laughing:

I also do Pizza, Spag Bol, Curry oh yes and occasionally chicken nuggets. I have bought a couple of easy and reasonably priced cook books lately by Gill Holcombe, got one from The Works and they have brilliant recepies in them that arent expensive to make. The beef in ale went down well with my family at the weekend and so much nicer completely homemade

[aly]

If you're only cooking for a small number I'd ask them to help plan some meals that they like and then rotate these.

My problem is loads of children and they all like different things - some are more willing to try new foods than others :rolleyes: Bliss, is just having a couple of unfussy children to cater for! :D

Miffy xx

its only 1 little one and he is 15mths so no help from him ;)
he does love pasta though so will give those ideas a bash...will look at yours also sarah...tbh its not jsut mindee its my lot too i have no inspiration lol

[singingcactus]

this is quite a nice menu planner programme. It does require that you sit down and put a little bit of time into planning, but it has a nice shopping list on each day so you can see at a glance what you will need to purchase for each week. You could make up a number of them then cycle them.
IT might be an idea to get into the habit of planning now while you only have one child for one day a week to feed, cos you will need to be much more organised as you get more mouths and opinions :)