40+ Meal Ideas for Busy Mums

Planning my weekly meals is one of my least favourite things to do.  I spend ages trolling the internet looking for inspiration for child-friendly recipes.  However, I do find that planning our weekly meals saves us time, money, waste and ensures we eat a little better.

I recently asked a rather large group of local mums for some inspiration for meal ideas.  If I’m honest, I was rather humbled by the things they’re cooking their kids and it put my efforts to shame.  Below, I have compiled a list of their favourite meal ideas with suggested recipes.

Child Friendly Chicken Recipes

Homemade chicken and apple burgers with sweet potato mash

Chicken and vegetable couscous

Baked Spanish risotto

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Spanish Chicken tonight and rice

Rice with chicken in cinnamon and Bechamel sauce

Jambalaya

Chicken and veg stir fry

Surprise chicken (tomato, courgette, pepper, chicken stew) with rice

Lemon marinated chicken grilled with sweet potato mash/chips and veg

Katsu chicken

Chicken with a korma curry sauce and noodles

Chicken fajitas

Chicken and Chorizo cooked with Passata 

 

Family Meal Ideas - Pork

Sausages with mash potato cheese bake

Sausage and bean casserole

Bacon and veg pasta bake

Toad in the hole gravy and a dollop of cheesy mash with broccoli or peas

Easy Sausage casserole

Pasta with bacon and a tomato sauce

Autumn Sausage Bake

 

Child Friendly Beef Recipes

Speedy Meatball stew

Beef stew and dumplings

South African Bobotie

Cottage Pie

Child Friendly Lamb Recipes

Shepherd’s pie with baked beans 

Grated Apple Lamb Burgers

No-Fuss Shepherd’s pie

 

Child Friendly Fish Recips

Spaghetti with shredded surimi

Tuna Pasta Bake

Fish pie

Steamed salmon with sweet potato mash

Sweet chilli noodles with salmon

Fish fingers

Teriyaki salmon and new pots

Creamy pasta with broccoli, salmon and peas

Jamie Oliver’s Salmon on Lentil and Spinach

 

Child Friendly Vegetarian Recipes

Butternut Squash Risotto

Simple pasta with peas, butter and grated parmesan

Jamie Oliver’s ‘Hungover Noodles’

 

Thank you to all the SAMS for your suggestions.  If you have any other meal ideas you would like to share please do add them in the comments.

 

 

 

 

Meal Planning Monday – 29th April 2013

Meal Planning Monday

I do find meal planning a bit of a slog.  I usually sit down on a Sunday with my Slow Cooker Books and start trawling for recipes and making my shopping list.  Sometimes I wish I was one of those people who had a set menu every week but always keen to try new recipes.

But one thing that helps a bit is that I have a couple ‘themes’ to help me focus.  On a Monday it’s always #meatfreemonday and on Fridays we try to have fish.  So this just leaves 3 weekdays to sort out.

However, I do find that planning each week saves us time and money.  A couple of weeks ago I tried online shopping again and found I could do my shop for around £50.  However, on the weekend I went to Morrison’s, it’s usually cheap but found myself spending twice as much.  Think I will do it online again next week, it stops me from impulse buying.

This week my Slow Cooker will be busy cooking:

Monday – Aubergine Massamman Curry

TuesdayTomato, Lentil and Chorizo Soup

WednesdayAmerican Diner Style Chili

Thursday – Lamb Tagine

Friday – Smoked Cod with Bean Mash

Roll on Bank Holiday Weekend!

Meal Planning Monday – 22 April 2013

Weekly Meal Plan - 22 April 2013

I’m stuck in this limbo between Winter and Spring.  I know it’s supposed to be Spring but I kept finding myself still choosing winter comfort food when planning my meals this week; Two Bean Chilli, Sausage and Puy Lentils and Spaghetti Bolognaise.

I’ve never made the Salt Cod before and in truth I’m using up a selection of white fish from the freezer so it may not actually be cod.

I’m reviewing the spices, hence the Spicy Chicken and Rice recipe, but I’m not convinced about Chicken and Cinnamon and not sure how it will work.

I’m out at my networking group, An Afternoon in the Pub on Friday, so I will pop Spag Bol in the Slow Cooker for Hubby and Madame as it’s their favourite.

As always, these are all Slow Cooker Recipes and if I have any joy, you will find them on my other blog, slowcookerqueen.com.

Have a great week.

 

Meal Planning Monday

Meal Planning Monday – 15 April 2013

Meal Planning Slow Cooking

My daughter has now been off school for 18 days!  18 WHOLE DAYS!  I’m gagging for her to get back to school tomorrow and a semblance of a routine restored.  Her school had an inset today (just what we needed after two weeks off),  but  she was still supposed to go to child-care but threw a wobbly and as I was home, I decided to spare the childminder the pain and keep her home with me.

However, I did explain I had work to do and I’ve already planned the meals for the week so she’s going to have to eat Cannellini Risotto.  It’s not going to happen is it???  And for the record, I’ve got very little done.

Anyhow, all of the recipes this week are new so I don’t have any links to the recipes but if they turn out okay, you will eventually find them on The Slow Cooker Queen.

Have a great week and I hope you enjoyed a bit of sunshine.

Meal Planning Monday

Meal Planning Monday 8th April 2013

Meal Planning Inspiration for the Family

Week two of school holidays!  I’m on my knees but have ordered in a case of wine so I should survive.  As always, the majority of our meals this week will be done in a slow cooker.  Well, actually they all will be.

On Mondays we do #meatfree, but no chance I will convince our 5 year old to eat a veggie curry so I’ve opted for Lasagna which hopefully she will eat.  Fingers firmly crossed.  I will leave you guys to debate my spelling of Lasagna and for the record that is an ‘e’ in Kedgeree and not an ‘a’.

The second new recipe we are trying is the Paprikash – she loves pork, mushrooms and sour cream so hedging my bet on this one.

We will also be having a few tried and tested favorites.  The links to the recipes are below.

If anyone is looking for me this week, I will be hiding at the bottom of a bottle of red!  :-)

Have a great week!

Meal Planning Monday