weekly menu?

[mrs robbie williams]

would anyone be prepared to share a weekly menu with me? got 2 newbies starting soon both will be having eve meal with me so was after some ideas xx

[Penny1959]

Mine are on my website www.*********************

Don't always stick to them but most weeks at least 4 of eve meal on menu actually get served.

Penny

[sarah707]

There is an excellent one here

http://www.*****.com/food/Meal_planner.357/#planner

[JCrakers]

Sorry to take over your post but just a quick question.

Do we NEED to have a written menu?

When I started 3yrs ago I had a bi-weekly Menu that I gave out to parents.
But it didnt really work with me as occasionally I would forget to buy an ingredient or if I had some chicken in the fridge that needed using it would be a shame to throw it out, so I would end up using it instead. I dont have a car so nipping to the supermarket last minute is not an option. t would have meals and pudings such as jam roly poly and custard but I really dont have time so end up giving yougurts and fruit. PLls the amount of money it was costing to buy all these things was ridiculous!!

Also because I dont get a lot of time to cook, I used to prepare a large cottage pie or similar at weekends and freeze some but it got to be a drag and now I dont do it so much.
So now I just cook more spontaniously with what I have available...will Ofsted be ok with this or do they want to see a written thought out menu?

Surely they cant expect us to do what Nurseries do as they have a cook?

Thanks
Becky x

[caz3007]

I just plan at the weekend what we are having that week, depending on what I have in and write it in my diary. Mrs O did notice it and talked about it. But I dont think we have to do it, I suppose its just what works for each of us

[zillervalley]

There is an excellent one here

http://www.*****.com/food/Meal_planner.357/#planner

i use this one too

[Noomie]

I do my weekly food menu with the kids. I know then that they like the food I am going to cook. This way it is done during minding hours as well. Then I either do an online shop or go to the supermarket on the weekend. We eat what they eat just a couple of hours later so it is always things that can be either reheated or just as easy to whip up a few things later on. I either put slow cooker on in morning or get most of prep done in the afternoon when most littlies are snoozing so only ever spend 10mins max getting food served up and on the table. If DH and I want something a little more fancy, we do this on the weekends.

But I have always been a planner and used to plan meals a week in advance before I even minded so I could have all the right ingredients in and never have to pop out to the shops, etc. It's also good for budgeting and saves on wastage. We hardly ever throw things out for being out of date. It's probably a bit boring of me but it works for us.

Last weeks menu:
Breakfasts are generally continental. I have various rolls, muffins, croisants, toast, cereals, fruit and juices and the children choose what they would like.

Lunches are:
various sandwiches/wraps/rolls (or sometimes a pasta dish from the night before),
fruit
yoghurts/cheese

Dinners:
Mon - Pesto Pasta
Tues - Burgers
Wed - Soup and rolls
Thurs - Lasagne and salad
Fri - Home made pizza (every fri night is pizza night!)

The week before:
Mon - Spag and Meatballs (sauce done in slow cooker)
Tues - Jacket Pots with either tuna or beans topping and salad
Wed - Tuna Pasta
Thurs - Fish fingers and home made chunky oven baked chips (healthier), beans
Fri - Pizza

Puds are cheese and fruit, yoghurt and fruit, angel delight and berries, custard and peaches, jelly and fruit.

[mrs robbie williams]

I do my weekly food menu with the kids. I know then that they like the food I am going to cook. This way it is done during minding hours as well. Then I either do an online shop or go to the supermarket on the weekend. We eat what they eat just a couple of hours later so it is always things that can be either reheated or just as easy to whip up a few things later on. I either put slow cooker on in morning or get most of prep done in the afternoon when most littlies are snoozing so only ever spend 10mins max getting food served up and on the table. If DH and I want something a little more fancy, we do this on the weekends.

But I have always been a planner and used to plan meals a week in advance before I even minded so I could have all the right ingredients in and never have to pop out to the shops, etc. It's also good for budgeting and saves on wastage. We hardly ever throw things out for being out of date. It's probably a bit boring of me but it works for us.

Last weeks menu:
Breakfasts are generally continental. I have various rolls, muffins, croisants, toast, cereals, fruit and juices and the children choose what they would like.

Lunches are:
various sandwiches/wraps/rolls (or sometimes a pasta dish from the night before),
fruit
yoghurts/cheese

Dinners:
Mon - Pesto Pasta
Tues - Burgers
Wed - Soup and rolls
Thurs - Lasagne and salad
Fri - Home made pizza (every fri night is pizza night!)

The week before:
Mon - Spag and Meatballs (sauce done in slow cooker)
Tues - Jacket Pots with either tuna or beans topping and salad
Wed - Tuna Pasta
Thurs - Fish fingers and home made chunky oven baked chips (healthier), beans
Fri - Pizza

Puds are cheese and fruit, yoghurt and fruit, angel delight and berries, custard and peaches, jelly and fruit.

thanks noomie x

[pinkbutterfly]

Bexc ... apparently we are supposed to provide the menu in advance for the parents to see. It's difficult I know ... I'm not the greatest cook and for me it's a chore that just has to be done. In my area they've just started running Quality Improvement Toolkit and that's one of the points I queried as I hate cooking and planning meals. To be honest it does make sense as the child has the best opportunity to have a balanced diet ... so the parent doesn't make spag bol the night before you make it and the child ends up eating the same two days running.
You could do a menu like Penny's and mention just like she did that you may alter it if there's a deal on something etc
In the long run I find it comforting? (if that's the right word) that I know what I cook today and tomorrow and don't have to stress out thinking about it.
xxx

[pinkbutterfly]

Oh and by the way ... we're better than nurseries because we multitask ... we're a key worker, cook, cleaner, taxi and an accountant all rolled into one.

[Lady Haha]

ooooh! I didn't know we had to let parents know in advance!!!

I usually do a menu plan on Sunday night based on who is coming that week as a couple of them are flexi and days change every week. I try as much as I can to make sure that the kids will like what I'm making each night and as they are all so fussy this is a chore!!!

I must admit I have got lazy with idea as it's so much easier to have the same rubbish stuff that they all like (fish fingers, chick nugs, pizza, chips) two or three times a week! But to show Ofsted a menu like that wouldn't be good!!!

I am now gonna take the bull by the horns and start doing a fortnightly menu which includes tons of 'oh so unusual and exotic' food like shepherds pie and lasagne! I will just have to ignore the moans of 'Urrghhh!! Whats that?!' when it's not a fish finger looking up at them

[debratina]

Hi
I have a four week menu and it's works for me. I do have a lot of after school children so I cook a meal for them every night except for Fridays as this children have had a school meal and I do sandwiches for those mindees. I do 16 different meals over the four weeks and on my PC I have four weeks shopping lists. It makes my life so easy when I go shopping
Debra x

[nokidshere]

I have a list of sample menus but dont cook them in any particular order - depends who I have on which day and whats in the cupboards.

Oh.. and the parents are not in the least bit bothered about what their child has eaten!

[Bridey]

I have a chalk board in my hallway and write each week's menu up on there for the parents to see. Some weeks I'm organised and have the week's meals planned in advance, other weeks I'm scouring the cupboards and freezer in a panic and adding to the chalk board daily. I keep a note of each week's meals in my diary so, when short of ideas, I can look back at what I have cooked previously for inspiration.

I don't follow a pre-planned pattern of menus as I cook for the family and mindees together and we like a wide variety of foods.

[button68]

I do 16 different meals over the four weeks and on my PC I have four weeks shopping lists. It makes my life so easy when I go shopping
Debra x

Now THAT is orgainised

[BlondeMoment]

I make a rough plan each week but don't share it with my parents because I often have to change it at the last minute. The kids have school dinners every now and then but not in a regular pattern so sometimes they'll have what I've planned for lunch as well as dinner so I change it.

Also sometimes you don't always have time for what you've planned due to kids needing more attention for teething etc so it changes then too.

I still make a plan from week to week to make sure the kids aren't having the same thing each time they come, especially the part timers, but like to only make it a week ahead so I can throw in new things to try.

[miffy]

Hi

. I do 16 different meals over the four weeks and on my PC I have four weeks shopping lists. It makes my life so easy when I go shopping
Debra x

You are very organised!

I have a sample menu to share with parents but don't stick to a weekly/monthly plan. What I cook often depends on which children I have and what's on offer at the supermarket!

Miffy xx

[mrs robbie williams]

Hi
I have a four week menu and it's works for me. I do have a lot of after school children so I cook a meal for them every night except for Fridays as this children have had a school meal and I do sandwiches for those mindees. I do 16 different meals over the four weeks and on my PC I have four weeks shopping lists. It makes my life so easy when I go shopping
Debra x

That IS SO ORGANISED - I love that idea why cant i ever be that organised my life would be soooooo much easier dont suppose you fancy sharing........... ?

[sweets]

i dont cook tea for mindees, just lunch.

i dont have a menu i just cook something that i have in on the day. I do plan a little at the weekend and make sure if got something in to do a 'big' meal like something in the slow cooker. this will usually do 2 days meals.
the rest of the days i do sandwiches or beans/egg on toast, soup, or anything easy.

i tell my parents when they start that i dont cook a main meal every day as its too tying and often we are out and about especcially in summer when we have lots of picnics.

i just tell the parents at pick up time what their child has had for lunch.

[debratina]

hi
i have tried to put my menu on but it looks higgled piggled
debra