Cooking for the family

[rachmumtobe]

Me and my oh usually just buy ready made cottage pie, lasagne etc from Sainsburys or use alot of Schwartz sachets/jars of chilli so i don't really know where to start with cooking from scratch and making it so lo can enjoy our food too. I've got some baby rice so how would i make a curry that he could eat or chilli con carne? I know we have have to watch how much salt our los eat but i've been told he can eat pretty much whatever we eat now but i'm not sure what that means. No sachets or jars? none of our parsley or bolognese sauce? xxx

 

[blondey]

The reason you have to avoid pre made sachets and jars is because they are usually packed full of salt.

Home made chilli is pretty simple. Mince, onion, garlic, kidney beans and a couple of tins of chopped tomatoes.

Bolognaise is pretty easy too, mince, onion, (we add peppers too), mushrooms, oregano, basil, splash of lee and perins, sometimes a splash of red wine and a carton of passata (or you can use chopped toms)

You don't need to mix it with baby rice either. Just give as it is, or mash/chop to the consistency your LO usually has food at.

 

[Future-Sailor]

I recommend you check the annabel karmel website, cow and gate website is also very good for baby recipes - gives you all he ingredients and steps on how to make these dishes. I make loads so that my OH and I can have some too but we add salt and some spicy stuff to our portions

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

If you batch cook sauces and meals like cottage pie etc then freeze it's just as easy as using a ready meal once you have cooked the big batch!
I'd get a good basic cookbook or just google for basic recipes.
Stock up your cupboard with spices etc and you won't need a packet mix again, so much cheaper and better for you not just LO!
No need to buy special 'baby' rice - normal rice is fine.

 

[HellBunny]

I've just been on the sainsburys baby club site hun, found loads of recipes which don't look too difficult (even for me haha)

https://www3.sainsburys.co.uk/littleones/recipes/12-18months-recipes/category/12-18months/4

They also have 6-12 month meals and 18-24 meals, though they would all be quite similar so providing you avoided the runny eggs/honey etc then you could probably use the 12-18/18-24 month ones xx

 

[rachmumtobe]

So i went out and got some herbs and passata the other day, going to have a go at cooking chilli tomorrow. I tried to do cheese sauce and failed so we just ended up having grated cheese with pasta, brocolli and sweetcorn, Finley seemed to like it anyway Would he be able to eat korma curry? I'm really not liking weaning. I'm a nervous wreck when he eats toast and bread for fear of him choking on it. As soon as i wake up i'm thinking about what he can have to eat for the day x

 

[Ice Cold Cube]

Previously OH and I ate things like ready made fish pies, stews and moussaka etc on a regular basis. We used to go through phases of cooking a lot and then not very often at all before Alex came along, but then when he arrived and things got busy busy it really did fall by the wayside for the first six months until we started weaning. Now that Alex is eating more 'adult' food we've completely changed the way we eat too. I make most of our family meals in a slow cooker, adding meat, veg, baby-suitable stock and herbs etc with no added salt at all. I bung everything into it around noon when Alex is napping, and come dinner time, hey presto, we have a healthy and tasty meal all ready for us. Often there is enough to freeze a portion or two for another day as well.

We do still have the odd shop bought meal now and then but I batch cook little portions of Annabel Karmel recipes and freeze them so we always have something healthy to offer Alex.

The slow cooker has been amazing though!

Laura x

 

[fuzzylu]

Another vote for a slow cooker hear. I use mine lots. have a chicken cooking at the moment ready for dinner tonight (will serve with roast spuds and veg)

its also good for stews, currys, soups. just dont add salt.

xx

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Yes korma curry would be fine - the way I do mine is I fry an onion, some chicken breast pieces, then add a little bit of korma curry paste (not much is used so salt levels not a problem IMO) then some natural yoghurt and ground almonds.