Cooking

Post originally by Riverman

When I was a normal person doing normal person things like good home cooking, I really enjoyed bimbling about the kitchen, chopping, slicing, smelling, sizzling, stirring, boiling, simmering, rushing to disarm the smoke alarm, and regularly experiencing the great satisfaction of cooking for other people. Since the family unit broke down, cooking has been less of a passion because a) the little 'n' is very particular and will only scoff a small repetoire (nothing with 'bits in it') plus there isn't really anyone to cook for. On Friday, I managed to cook a little something for a friend and realised how much I'd missed it. How much I'd missed busying about the kitchen, cooking for another, and the feel good factor after having filled myself with hearty, fresh(ish) grub.

As a lone parent bringing up a small child, I've only just fully realised how the circumstances can affect health and how important it is to remain aware (as I sadly haven't) how beneficial it is (both for parent and child) to prevent myself from choosing the easy option, ie: make the kid what she wants, then settle for something quick, non-fussy and most probably bad for the health.

My question is this: how do you handle cooking? Do you and child share what's made? Do you eat with child? Or do you make kiddie something and then eat later on your own? Does child often sit at table? And are you aware of any lapse in your cooking habits due to being single? Does child help you with the cooking and the clearing-up? Do you have specific periods where you cook with child? (Cakes, biscuits, etc, etc).

oo..I've given myself an appetite now! **reaches for spicy monster munch**

Reply by Princess

Hi

Know what you mean I don't cook at all
I have it worked out that at tea times, I am usually visiting where we get fed
When we were in a couple, he did all the cooking mainly, cos I can burn water, I can do some food but nothing F would eat.
I mainly try to have a good breakfast for us, lunch and supper, tea is with whoever wants me for an hour or 2.
Maybe when I ever settle down again, It will all fall into place for us. I do miss the family meal thing
Oh well, chippy tonight
J xxx

Reply by Joanna72

I cooked something scrummy for us all this evening... and they just went UGH. So I had several portions

So, the questions:
how do you handle cooking? sometimes I handle it, sometimes I don't. But it doesn't usually get worse than fishfingers and peas.
Do you and child share what's made? sometimes yes, sometimes not (like tonight, lol). But I never make something for them and something different for me. If I don't eat with them it's cos I've been scoffing chocolate all arvo so am not hungry
Or do you make kiddie something and then eat later on your own? sometimes don't feel hungry at kid supper time (see above) and then end up having toast with peanut butter before bed.
Does child often sit at table? For supper, mostly. Can never get them there for breakfast though
And are you aware of any lapse in your cooking habits due to being single? Resounding YES. Love not having to cook for the ex It's so nice for it not to be a duty. If I'm going to cook something now, it's cos I want to.
Does child help you with the cooking and the clearing-up? Youngest likes to help in the kitchen. Middle one likes the idea of helping but gets bored quite easily. Oldest one, not that interested. Clearing up never gets further than them taking their plate into the kitchen (if I'm lucky)
Do you have specific periods where you cook with child? Once in a blue moon Nice idea though

Just feel like I've done my homework. Am gonna hand it in now

Reply by Riverman

prompt, jo.

prompt!

First day into my new healthy eating plan for me and Cara. Two bowls of cheerios for her while watching spongebob one bowl of muesli for me - after I'd downed twelvtyten cups of tea. Lunch was cheese sandwiches which little n didnt eat. Give her credit, she had four bites and then begged for 'treats'. Tea was fish, chips and beans.
I'm gonna get out to a local farm shop, get some veg, and cook Jo's 'easy peasy soup' tomorrow. It's stuff like this that is gonna make healthy eating all the more easier. The healthy eating plan for day one failed! Tomorrow is the start of a new culinary adventure for both of us.

easy peasy soup

Reply by Nick

Many years ago I trained as a chef and as a result hate cooking, however recently money has been tight so I have been doing a lot more home cooking to save money. I made a lovely bacon and mushroom pie which made 3 meals the other day and I've still got it as a chef

Reply by Riverman

That sounds yummyscrumptious Nick. Bacon and mushroom pie! Mmmm...so it's all round yours for a feast then!

Reply by Redsarah

I love to cook although I'm not very good

I even managed to burn rice the other day and set the smoke alarm off

However there are a few things i can pull off well. I am unfortunately blessed with a faddy daughter who hates trying anything new, so meal times can become a bit of a mind field ( the dining table has become the battleground ) as i will no longer cave in to her picky demands

Reply by Riverman

sounds like we're in the same boat rs - regards faddy daughter. Cara loves pasta - but ONLY the 'pasta 'n' sauce' lol...she can detect all healthier imposters before I've tossed in the tomatoes. I never knew 4 year old kids could differentiate between brands. She's starting infants in sept - the dining room is gonna be a nightmare for her. Hopefully the experience of observing other children eating 'things with bits in' will encourage her to lighten up and experiment. problem is - she's so stubborn. All my (playful) attempts to encourage her to eat have been frowned upon. Girl's too old (she is four you know!!!) to be lulled into trying new stuff, and two young to understand healthy eating. She knows that eating food will help her 'get bigger' (one of her main priorities at the moment) and will make her happy...but it's kinda back-fired on me because everytime she takes a bite she smiles then asks me whether she's grown.

healthy eating is on hold. Cara has gone to mum's (or somewhere within radius of 100 miles) so it's back to grazing for a few days freudian slip in my choice of words in that sentence.

I hardly cook any more, partly due the fact that my 2 yr old son just wastes most of it or throws it on the floor. He eats pasta like its going out of fashion, loves his chicken, and cottage pie, but will eat few things other than that. I eat with him if im hungry at that time, but most of the time i give him his tea then eat later.

I gave him a chicken fillet and potato chunks the pther day. The chicken  was scoffed and some of the potato was eaten, but the rest got thrown on thr floor.

Louise 

hi i have been on my own for 4 years and only just cracked this one.

meal times were a problem for a long time

i now eat at the table every evening with my daughter we eat together it is easier more socialble and quicker. eat then clean up and all done!

she helps me prepare food and enjoys it. i make a lot of shepherds pie, chicken pie, soups etc in bulk then seperate and freeze. i chuck in loads of veg, peas carrot kidney peas etc then if i am having a bad week it is there ready. we also have a pasta and a rice dish every week because it is cheap and easy.

stick with it guys it does get easier once you have cracked it but takes a while!!

my daughter doesn't help me clean up although it is a good idea and i might start that!!

hi i have been on my own for 4 years and only just cracked this one.

meal times were a problem for a long time

i now eat at the table every evening with my daughter we eat together it is easier more socialble and quicker. eat then clean up and all done!

she helps me prepare food and enjoys it. i make a lot of shepherds pie, chicken pie, soups etc in bulk then seperate and freeze. i chuck in loads of veg, peas carrot kidney peas etc then if i am having a bad week it is there ready. we also have a pasta and a rice dish every week because it is cheap and easy.

stick with it guys it does get easier once you have cracked it but takes a while!!

my daughter doesn't help me clean up although it is a good idea and i might start that!!

Hang in there, folks! It was all I could do to get the kids fed for a good few years, and the idea of eating with them never even entered my head (actually, looking back, there wasn't too many things at all entering my head!?)

But as time went by something approaching reasonable started to appear on the horizon (and I've absoutely no doubt that the extra effort of having their mates round, as well as the school dinners 'experience', made a big difference - it's amazing what they'll eat if their mates are eating it), and these days - they're 12 and 13 now - we sit down most teatimes to something together - and it's quite often homemade (damn this halo gives me such a headache!!)

Something running round in the back of my noggin (along with the tumbleweed and weevils) told me it was 'a good thing' to eat together. And then I read an article a couple of weeks back that said that children who eat with their families at least 5 times a week are far less likely to get involved in criminality, substance abuse, risky sexual behaviour etc, and are more likely to do better at school and generally be happier!

Food's magic, it seems! (And so's chocolate - did you know if you share it, it halves its calorific value??)

Gary

Hi Gary and welcome to the site!

Had to giggle at your choc info, but tell me who wants to share choc? No, No in my eyes.

Totally agree with the eating together at mealtimes, it is a time for parents and kids to have a chat, NO TELLY!!

But I'm still having the same problem in that I can't cook much! and when I do F turns her nose up at it.

Crash course in cooking maybe required!

Take care

Janine

It's a fair point - mind you, it doesn't have to be equal shares......

Anoher thing that occured to me (andthre's lots!), I've noticed parents often get hung up on this idea that they've got to prepare a wide variety of stuff; and also tht they've got to completely solve this problem (and a lot of otehrs besides), else they might as well not even try. From a kids point of view, though, if they like it they'll eat it 3 times a day for days/weeks/months, quite often, so if there's something F likes (does she get the rest of her name when she's older.....) and it's acceptable to you, then give her that. If you're eating at the same time, a bit of imagination means you can probably vary it enough to stop it sending you bonkers. And if you can't get her to eat the ideal sort of meal, get as close as you can (Unless it's poo-burgers, sawdust and lard, chances are it'll be OK. Stuff that comes in tins/out of the freezer can be perfectly fine (just keep an eye on the refinedsugars and the salt levels), finger food can be just as nutritious as hot stuff, and chances are if there's at least 3 different colours on the plate, it's got a good chance of being reasonably balanced.) I'm convinced there's a lot of food snobbery out there - yes, we need to keep an eye on what we/our kids eat, but it seems sometimes like common sense has been sidelined.

And at the end of the day, if healthy stuff is all that's on offer, they'll eat it eventually, 'cos the survival instinct will kick in!

(But don't forget to save yourself that bit of chocolate........)

Gary

Major problems started with F's diet was when dad was still here. She was only allowed to eat organic, super healthy seed stuff.... meaning seeds were sprinkled on everything, as I worked full time, dad did all cooking, when we split apart from being totally gob smacked to what she would and wouldn't eat, there was also the problem of what I could afford to buy her. She does eat a kind of balanced diet, but as you say the same thing day in day out, but she's growing, healthy, teeth are perfect, so must be doing something right.

Also noticed, that if we eat out at friends or restaurants she is more willing to try other foods.

And guess what?? She doesn't like chocolate..... Thank God! more for me!

Janine

Doesn't like chocolate!!!!

My problems with Al's eating is getting worse as she gets older. Every meal time is a battle. She won't eat red meat, unless it comes in the form of a burger or sausage, she's fussy on chicken and examines every piece for fat. The slightest sign of it and she won't eat. She likes pasta but with salt only. No sauce. I used to be able to hide the veggies in the sauce but know she's wise to it and just puishes it around her plate. The slightest sign of vegetables in any sauce, including onions in curry, and she won't eat.

She won't eat mince because it feels horrible in her mouth. She won't eat lamb because it's cruel. She asked to become a vegetarian but doesn't want to eat any veg apart from broccolli, sprouts and carrots ( as long as they're not over cooked) She'll eat celeraiac mas as long as lots of butter and milk are used. Peppers as long as they're raw,Onion's only raw once more, tomatoes but only cherry ones. So her vegetarianism will consist of raw peppers and onions, served with celariac mash and broccolli, carrots and sprouts! She doesn't like cheese - it's fattening, nuts, they get stuck in her teeth, seeds are for birds etc etc.

my issue over less healthy food consumption for both me and my son has come from working to a budget.

I am a complete traditionalist at heart, i used to get some weird sense of pride in making sure the house was tidy and the tea was on the table for when my partner got home from work.

Now im single i have become to loath cooking. I often find myself stood in the kitchen worrying if my 5 year old will eat what is given to him this time. The problem with working on buying food with such an insanely tight budget is that the quality of food in the price range i can afford is quite shocking. Meat is grisley, especially sausages and mince, along with meats like chicken that are more water than substance and shrink to sizes beyond belief and barely taste of chicken at all. Vegetables are now tinned instead of fresh and well ... fruit is obtained as a treat when we visit my mothers!

Children are picky eaters but mainly over the texture. And the texture and quality of budget "own brand" and in store "basic" ranges is so poor my son will hardly eat anything. And ... to be honest, i dont quite like it either but as an adult understand that i cannot live off of biscuits and sweets that no matter how cheap ... still taste nice!

I know where you are coming from as regards to budgeting Suzanne. I myself am currently in receipt of Income support and child tax credit and it doesn't spread far. I basically have to shop around, route thrown the bargain bucket of stuff going out of date wqhich can be frozen. As for fresh fruit and veg recently Aldi have introduced a policy where 6 of their fresh fruit and veg are greatly reduced each month. Last month at 39p and this month 59p which have included Grapes, pineapple, a large bag of baking potatoes, tomatoes, Mixed peppers and green apples are this months. Another change I have made recently is switching from fresh milk to long life milk (I only but skimmed as I'm dieting). I can't taste the difference but the saving is around 60p for every 4 pints.

cheers for the tips nick. I also am on the income support and child tax budget. I am still baffled how the government decide that the amount of money we are allowed is enough to survive on. Maybe we should take our food bought on a budget into 10 downing streets kitchen and force them to eat it. See how well they think they could cope without their sushi wining and dining!

It would be nice to have fruit back in the fruit bowl again