dinner ideas please!

[jembelina]

Help please:(

Ds is 11 1/2 months old and eats a great variety of healthy food. However, come dinner time he screws his nose up at just about everything! He loves baked beans and this very simple rice thing I make as well as fish fingers ( but I can't really see the nutritional value there!) and was entirely happy gobbling down a plateful of salad veg - mushies, capsicum, cherry toms, grated carrot olives, the works! most nights. Then he decided that each night he would refuse another vegie to the point where now all he'll eat from the plate is olives! I have tried him on egg, tuna/salmon, pasta and grated veg with cheese sauce. Any meal ideas would be greatly appreciated....

[Foxy]

Hi Jembelina,

My 11 month old's current favourite is an easy Bolognaise. I make heaps and freeze it in those zip lock bags in portions sizes.

500g lean mince
3 grated carrots
2 large mushrooms
2 cans peeled & diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups risoni pasta
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (if you think he will like it)
parsley & oregano to your taste
tomato paste to your taste

I cook pasta in the microwave, and while I am waiting, cook the mince in a bit of olive oil and garlic. I then add canned tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, spices and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. I then add the tomato paste to thicken to the right consistency and add cooked pasta and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes.

It freezes well, and I just defrost in microwave and add a little bit of grated parmesan when serving. DS would eat every night if I let him, and DH has also been known to defrost some, add salt, pepper & chili and be very happy!

You could add any veges you want to increase your DS's intake as I think the tomato based sauce over-powers the taste of individual ingredients IYKWIM.

Good Luck :)

[Foxy]

Just thought of another one.

Cook couscous in vegetable stock instead of water, it makes it so tasty! Then just stir though whatever veges you want.

I think this gives the veges a more interesting consistency for them.:)

[My3kids]

Hi

Have you tried making a vegie soup? That way he will get all the goodies with out knowing it!

[H&B'sMum]

Harry loves fish fillets. You can get them in a packet in the seafood freeze at woolies. They aren't fish fingers, but real fish in fillets. He loves them. I usually put some mashed potato, peas and carrots with them and he scoffs the lot.

[lil monkey]

DD loves my home made stew at the moment!

I cut up two bits of gravy beef, half and onion, 2 carrots, one large potatoe and what ever other vegie. I toss the beef cubes into flour to lightly season and then cook until lightly browned. I then fry the onion and add the beef back in and the carrots and potatoe and vegies and stir. I then add 1-2 cans of tinned tomatoes, add a dash of worchestire sauce and some mixed herbs. Place in a casserole dish for up to 2 hours or until the beef is tender and is flakey (the longer you cook, the more tender it is).

Then separately i cook some pasta (mini shells or soupt pasta) and then once it is cooked I throw it all together and mix. I use a fork to mash things up a bit and voila, beef and vegie stew!! We even eat it for dinner too!!

[My3kids]

Also forgot to add, It amazing what food taste's like once it's cut out with a cookie cutter shape. It's seems like that piece of chicken does not really taste like chicken some how cut as a star taste's better! Who would figure:rolleyes: ! Hope that helps!

[reAllytee]

Im pretty luck at the moment as bubs pretty much eats whatever is given to him.
Have you tried roasting some pumpkin with some yoghurt on top ? Makes it even sweeter which is usually always a good thing. My bubs would live on yoghurt if given the opportunity so dont worry they all go through these stages ! :)
I make couscous with a little chicken & whatever vegies are around, usually pumpkin & some peas for us.
You can also make a sweet couscous with milk & some cinnamon havent tried that one out yet but another option is soaking it in some fruit juice & adding some dried fruit or just mashed fresh stuff my bubs likes this but mind you he refused it tonite LOL :rolleyes:
Another winner for us is tuna & pasta just use a small tin of tuna with some risoni & either a simple cheese or white sauce. I actually made us a tuna bake for dinner tonite & the left overs will be mashed up & frozen for bubs to have another time.
I found the best solution when they are being fussy is to give them what your eating as my bubs has decided if we are eating something he wants that he doesnt want to be given something different so will actually throw it away or slap at the spoon so me being sick of having food as my new fashion statement tried him out with this & has worked ever since.
Good luck hopefully he will settle down soon :D