PDA

View Full Version : Could you take a look at my menu please



Becci26
07-11-2011, 10:55 AM
Hi all,

I am just getting my parent pack sorted and have done a 4 week menu as a guide. Would you be good enough to look over it and give me your feedback please. I am trying to make sure each day is balanced etc. There will be a mid morning and mid afternoon snack also.

Here's the link (hopefully)

Mrs Book
07-11-2011, 11:00 AM
Looks fab to me. For lunches I tend to do what ever we have had for tea the night before.

kel1983
07-11-2011, 11:16 AM
I love it that is fab

I just wish more of my parents took up ht meals with me.

At the moment I only cook for 1 on Monday, 2 on Tuesdays, 1 on Wednesday and 1 very very fussy eater on Friday

I tend to freeze left overs from what we eat which is mostly the same each week. The children have not complaine yet though. The very very fussy eater loves pasta and beans and that is pretty much aboout it but I cant really give her pasta every Friday can I.

Tatjana
07-11-2011, 11:48 AM
Sounds lovely....when I can come for dinner?!

candlequeen
07-11-2011, 12:42 PM
What age kids do you have and will they be there for lunch and dinner? I've found that for younger children (especially first children) their parents often prefer a main meal at lunch time. Although personally I think your menu is really balanced and healthy, you might get a parent saying that houmous and vegetables and breadsticks is not enough for their child's lunch!

uf353432
07-11-2011, 01:24 PM
I cook every night for the kids - but have to be honest I don't change the menu this regularly - as you will not be able to effectively use the leftovers to your financial benefit. Its a lovely balanced menu but in reality this will cost you a small fortune. I do have a sample menu on my website - but its only there as a guide the weekly menu is put on a white board on my kitchen wall. You will also have to consider the time implications of cooking all these meals from scratch.

Some of the things I do is batch cook a tomato/veg sauce which I can then portion up for a variety of different meals - or if I make a large VAT of bolegnaise I can turn left overs into a chilli con carne. A roast chicken dinner, left over chicken can make a chicken casserole or a chicken pie or chicken curry.

On that basis consider doing a rotating 2 weeks menu so you alternate week one, week 2, week one, week two. Any left overs from week one can go in the freezer and cut down the shop cost on week three and obviously the time of making all the meals.

Your menu is a great starter and we all need to start somewhere - when I started having children for dinner, I started making a menu with their input on the things they like to eat. Now my menu is based on the kids likes as appose to meals I have plucked out from the memory banks and I have much less waste because they are eating meals they love to eat.

Also consider adding in yoghurt to some of your lunch options, I agree the hoummous one looks a bit sparse and they may need some more calories.

Tealady
07-11-2011, 01:28 PM
What age kids do you have and will they be there for lunch and dinner? I've found that for younger children (especially first children) their parents often prefer a main meal at lunch time. Although personally I think your menu is really balanced and healthy, you might get a parent saying that houmous and vegetables and breadsticks is not enough for their child's lunch!

I agree about the houmous dish. I do something similar but include mini veg samosas. :)

Becci26
07-11-2011, 01:35 PM
Thankyou for your input, whatever I cook the family will also be eating so not so much waste and I will make extra to put in the freezer where possible. I will think about the 2 week plan.

I will add in yoghurt at lunchtime and think about what else to put in with the hummus, my daughter eats this a lot in her packed lunch and seems quite happy with that so will have a think. Mini samosas is a good idea!

At the moment as I have 1 8 year old ad hoc and will be starting 2 more after schoolies 1 day a week and a 3 year old 1 day a week, so still quiet at the mo. I'm not sure on doing a hot meal at lunch time but if the general consensus from parents would be they would prefer it I may change.

VeggieSausage
07-11-2011, 02:27 PM
looks good to me although I do more vegetarian main meals - so I would include things such as vegetable lasagne sometimes rather then meat each time - but jus the way I do things not a negative on your menu - well done you for being so organised!!:)

Nature'sKids!
07-11-2011, 03:14 PM
Yep, I'd do one or two vegetable dishes and one or two oily fish dishes, cutting gown on the meat to 2-3 times a week as per recommendation.
Also breakfast could be a little more varied like scrambled / boiled egg or omelette, muesli or porridge instead of cereal, fruit and yoghurt too.
Falafels, and pitta go well with humus.
Sounds really good otherwise!

Nature'sKids!
07-11-2011, 03:16 PM
Oh, depending on the age, kids under 3 shouldn't have shellfish / prawns

Maza
07-11-2011, 10:11 PM
Mmmm, I'm hungry now! Couscous (made with stock) is a v quick option, could be served with chicken drumsticks/quorn and salad or an easy to prepare veg, gnocchi is really quick too. As Nature said, falafel is yummy with hummus. A really good menu though. I'd be happy to send my child round to yours!

Tatjana
07-11-2011, 11:12 PM
[QUOTE=Nature'sKids!;1007297]Oh, depending on the age, kids under 3 shouldn't have shellfish / prawns[/QUOT

I've not heard of this advice before, why is that? I thought it was safe when they're over a year old, all my children have eaten fish and shellfish from a very young age.

Becci26
08-11-2011, 07:46 AM
[QUOTE=Nature'sKids!;1007297]Oh, depending on the age, kids under 3 shouldn't have shellfish / prawns[/QUOT

I've not heard of this advice before, why is that? I thought it was safe when they're over a year old, all my children have eaten fish and shellfish from a very young age.

It is safe to give them at about 1 year, unless there is a family history of allergies and in that case wait until 3 years old. I this case I would change the dish.

Becci26
08-11-2011, 07:48 AM
Mmmm, I'm hungry now! Couscous (made with stock) is a v quick option, could be served with chicken drumsticks/quorn and salad or an easy to prepare veg, gnocchi is really quick too. As Nature said, falafel is yummy with hummus. A really good menu though. I'd be happy to send my child round to yours!

Thankyou for these suggestions :) , your child is welcome anytime! :p

Becci26
08-11-2011, 07:48 AM
Thankyou all for your suggestions, I will look at adding in some more fish dishes.

rickysmiths
08-11-2011, 08:32 AM
Good meal ideas and others have made some good suggestions and similar to the ones I would have.

However in my parent information pack I just list a few of the breakfasts I offer, a few lunches and dinners I don't do a four weekly cycle in public as it were because things change. I put the weekly menu up on my notice board on a Monday.

I use pasta quite a lot macaroni cheese, pasta with fresh tomato and veg sauce, and I notice you don't include any, I also do puddings, rice pudding, semolina, fruit crumble, bread and butter pudding as well as fruit an yougurt.
I wouldn't offer shell fish, so prawns to mindees either. They are expensive and pron to allergies. Some things I leave to the parents to offer, after all they are usually at home for more meals than they are with us!

I always cook a hot lunch for under 3s unless the weather is hot and we have more of a snack/sandwich meal.

Becci26
08-11-2011, 09:02 AM
Good meal ideas and others have made some good suggestions and similar to the ones I would have.

However in my parent information pack I just list a few of the breakfasts I offer, a few lunches and dinners I don't do a four weekly cycle in public as it were because things change. I put the weekly menu up on my notice board on a Monday.

I use pasta quite a lot macaroni cheese, pasta with fresh tomato and veg sauce, and I notice you don't include any, I also do puddings, rice pudding, semolina, fruit crumble, bread and butter pudding as well as fruit an yougurt.
I wouldn't offer shell fish, so prawns to mindees either. They are expensive and pron to allergies. Some things I leave to the parents to offer, after all they are usually at home for more meals than they are with us!

I always cook a hot lunch for under 3s unless the weather is hot and we have more of a snack/sandwich meal.

I chose to do a 4 week menu because I will be using this not only for mindees but for the family as well (evening meals), it's something I have been meaning to do for ages and have never got round to. I state in my parent pack and will mention to parents that this is a guide and may change depending on circumstances.

The prawns are contraversial, I will take them off the menu, thank you for your input.

I have included, spaghetti, lasagne and pasta bake in my menu.

Becci26
08-11-2011, 09:29 AM
Also meant to say I cook a lot with quorn mince so that would be in lasagne, spag bol etc.

Nature'sKids!
08-11-2011, 10:18 AM
[QUOTE=Tatjana;1007502]

It is safe to give them at about 1 year, unless there is a family history of allergies and in that case wait until 3 years old. I this case I would change the dish.

the same things that pregnant women should avoid (uncooked meats, shellfish, unpasteurised cheeses etc) should also be avoided in kids under 3 because their immune system isnt fully functioning and theyre at more risk of getting seriously ill, just like pregnant women.

and its raw or undercooked shellfish, sorry, i just checked.

Daftbat
08-11-2011, 09:26 PM
I think your menu looks lovely and has given me a few ideas for something new. I hope you dont mind - I have printed it off so I can have a good look and decide what I think would go down well.

I only show a typical weeks menu in my parent pack just to give an idea to parents - they have so much other stuff to look at I try to keep it simple!!!!:laughing:

I find providing exciting, non repetitive meals a real challenge at times especially with fussy kids..... today for example a child did a typical "there's something different on my plate so I don't like it" routine - I then pointed out that gammon was the same meat aas the ham he ate on sandwiches which he loves and then he decided he loved it! You cant win:panic:

Becci26
09-11-2011, 09:46 AM
I think your menu looks lovely and has given me a few ideas for something new. I hope you dont mind - I have printed it off so I can have a good look and decide what I think would go down well.

I only show a typical weeks menu in my parent pack just to give an idea to parents - they have so much other stuff to look at I try to keep it simple!!!!:laughing:

I find providing exciting, non repetitive meals a real challenge at times especially with fussy kids..... today for example a child did a typical "there's something different on my plate so I don't like it" routine - I then pointed out that gammon was the same meat aas the ham he ate on sandwiches which he loves and then he decided he loved it! You cant win:panic:

Hi,
Of course i don't mind, I feel quite flattered!! :blush:

Gotta love the fussy kids!! :huh: :panic:

Just out of interest what else do you include in your parent pack?

Narnia34
09-11-2011, 11:25 AM
Also meant to say I cook a lot with quorn mince so that would be in lasagne, spag bol etc.

If you're going to use Quorn, I'd specifically ask if the child has an allergy to it/ has tried it at home. Even if the child eats lots of veggies and fruit Quorn can bung them up, so I personally wouldn't offer it unless it's been tried out at home.

Other than that the menu looks yummy!

Chatterbox Childcare
09-11-2011, 01:11 PM
I do a 5 week menu because of 5 week months and then don't use the 5th week if there are only 4. Most of your desserts are fruit and yoghurt, could you not offer this as the healthy options but have others as well to give a variety during the week?

Last night mine made their puddings out of meringue, cream and fruits.