Hi all,

I have some baby books with lavish recipes in (the sort where you need, 3 sprigs of thyme and other annoying things that you just don't have in your cupboard 24/7) but to be honest, I don't use their recipes a lot anyway. I love cooking and making exciting new things but I find myself giving Bethanie the same meals for her daily meals, things like:
Weetabix, Ready Brek or toast for breakfast.
Cheese on Toast, Pasta, Baked potato for lunch
Dinner is mainly what we have (usually beef or chicken) things like Spaghetti Bolognese, Chicken with rice.. god im bored writing it.

What do you give your LO's?

You know, I truly need ideas too. We tend to give the same things time and again, especially when they are picky. Soon though, they hate those things. What now?

My 4 year old is at a stage where all he wants is ice cream and chocolate. Ugh! My 6 year old is a bit better. I'm at the point where all treats are going bye-bye in this house. I do well when they aren't grocery shopping with me as then I pick out fruit juice freezies, yogurt etc. But, when the kids are with me, they sneak things into the cart when I am not looking.

I know exactly how you feel, im not a big cook but i try to make an effort. Its so frustrating tho when they wont eat stuff. This week i have not bought any crisps, biscuits etc cos im sick of everyone eating crap, so bought a load of fruit and veg instead.

Roasts are always a big hit in this house but such a palava to make. i could do with few ideas also, sick of making same things over and over too.

Breakfast is usually toast, french toast, pancakes, cereal, ready brek, weetabix or porridge.

Lunch is pasta, cheese/beans/spaghetti and toast, scrambled egg, poached egg, omlette, sandwiches, jacket spuds, fishfingers and peas/sweetcorn etc.

Tea we have stews, roasts, curries (Annabel Karmel does a really simple recipe, we've got it tonight), risotto, spag bol, savoury mince, meatloaf/meatballs (so easy to make simple ones up) etc.

I make quite a bit of "old favourites" that my mum used to make.
Cottage pie, sausage casserole, stew and dumplings, lasagne, pork steaks with mash, that kind of thing.
I also have quick stuff on hand like chicken nuggets, fish fingers, pizza slices, oven fries. I do like to bake batches of potatoes then wrap them well in foil and freeze. I can take some out at lunch time and they'll be thawed by dinner then I can zap them in the microwave.

I sometimes think it's harder to feed older kids than babies. I mean with babies you can just grab a couple fruits or veggies steam them til really soft and mush them up with a little of the cooking water or milk.

Snacks are a big down fall of mine often ending up as apple slices with peanut butter, toast with peanut butter/marmite/jam, a bowl of cold cereal.
Breakfast is nearly always a choice of cold cereal - rice krispies/coco pops/cheerios/weetabix or toast.