Cooking with your children can be fun even if you aren’t confident in the kitchen. It is a good idea to have five simple recipes that you can whip up whenever the children come to stay. The dishes should be collaborative, something your children like to eat, easy to make and something that can be made in your own kitchen with the equipment you currently have.
Let’s think about ingredients, fresh food needs to be frequently bought but dried foods, tinned foods and frozen foods have a long shelf life and can be stored in your cupboards or freezer so you can cook a quick dinner, serve a quick breakfast. Little children especially want to eat immediately when they are hungry.
Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness.
Auguste Escoffier.
Be prepared.
I know a father who wasn’t a confident cook before his separation. He now orders a meal delivery kit for when his children stay over for the weekend. The box contains enough food for him to make two main meals with his children. It means that there’s little food wastage, balanced meals, and a clear set of instructions on how to prepare the food. Before the children leave, they all sit together and decide what food to order for their next visit. It’s a family activity. This gentleman isn’t a lover of supermarkets, so we have organised that he get’s a delivery from Ocado for his other foods and products he needs for the house. There’s cereals in the cupboard and pancakes and bread in the freezer. There’s always pesto, sauces and pasta stocked for a quick meal. His children know there’s always choice at their father’s house.
For when you don’t have time to cook.
If you really don’t want to cook from scratch but want to provide your children with healthy home cooked meals, you could buy your food from Cook. They have independent shops but also offer a delivery service of excellent frozen family meals. The website is easy to use and has dietary and allergy requirement information. The food is available in different portion sizes so great for avoiding waste. There’s a lot of choice and your children would enjoy planning ahead for their next visit.
Picky eaters.
My own children weren’t fans of vegetables when they were small. I had to make sure that there were blended sauces with hidden vegetables and plenty of fruit in the house. There’s no judgment. All children are different, and my own personal philosophy is that food should never be forced on a child and trying new things can be gently encouraged. Food tastes change and develop as we age. Five family dishes will be different for each family and our dishes would be different today.
Our five dishes.
My boys were meat eaters so our five dishes from their childhood would probably be:
Spaghetti and meatballs (I used to have to wash the sauce off the meatballs for one of my stepdaughters)
Home-made breaded chicken (the kids enjoyed dipping the raw chicken in the flour / egg / breadcrumb production line). Served with mashed potatoes and baked beans. There would have been broccoli / asparagus etc. for anyone willing to try vegetables. We would have fresh fruit on the side.
Make your own burgers with toppings served with oven cooked sweet potato fries (This is easily adaptable for non-meat eaters / pescatarians etc).
Home-made pizza – Still a family favourite. My son is a genius with dough. It’s such a group activity and great fun. Our new pizza oven has made the activity even more of a giggle for us. We have had some epic fails and interesting toppings over the years.
Big breakfast – Pancakes, French toast, sausages, bacon, eggs, fresh fruit etc. We have a feast when our whole family is in residence. This is my husband’s speciality and is much loved and expected by all.
The list could go on – taco’s, fajita’s, rice dishes, mac and cheese, lasagne, duck and noodles, traditional Sunday lunches, shawarma, bangers and mash, toasted sandwiches, mild curries, fish and chips, picky plates etc.
Cater to their needs.
When the boys were little, they had to take a packed lunch to school, one of my sons ate a cream cheese sandwich and the other a tuna sandwich every day for a whole school year. I offered them a variety, but they knew what they wanted, they were happy to eat the same thing day after day. Sometimes there is comfort and security in the familiar and maybe in the busy world of school they just needed something they could rely upon to stay the same.
There’s a lot of upheaval in a divorce and children will find reassurance in the things they can trust not to change.
All our girls were vegan for a while, so we had to adapt and create dishes to suit all needs. I still make a variety of foods when required. Luckily there’s no allergies but there’s different dietary preferences amongst us. When the house is full, I am happy to cook more than one option. To be honest, it is a lot of work but worth the effort when we all sit at the table. Eating together is a cherished production in our house.
What are your five dishes?
