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7 day meal planner for baby and family

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Sunday

Baby

Mixed veg purée

Mash some of the vegetables cooked in the chicken juices of
the Sunday roast (below) to feed to your baby (from 9 months).

For older babies (12 months) you can fork-mash some of the
chicken meat (without the skin) with the vegetables.

Family

Pot roast chicken

  • 2 onions, cut into eighths
  • 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 leeks, chopped into rounds
  • 6 baby potatoes, peeled and halved
  • 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • 1 whole organic/free range chicken
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup dry white wine (or more chicken stock)
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C
  2. Place vegetables and rosemary in a large cast iron pot with a lid
  3. Place chicken on top of vegetables and pour chicken stock and wine over
  4. Put lid on pot and bake chicken and vegetables for one hour
  5. Remove lid, stir vegetables around and baste chicken with cooking juices. (Remove vegetables and meat for your baby now.) Season with salt and pepper
  6. Bake for a fur ther 30 minutes without the lid until the chicken is golden brown
  7. Serve with rice and steamed vegetables.

Tip

Don’t be worried about the alcohol content of the wine, it burns off during cooking and only the flavour remains


Monday

Baby

Strained peas

  • 100g frozen peas
  1. Cover the peas with water, bring to the boil and simmer, covered for 4 minutes
  2. Drain, reserving some cooking liquid. Purée in a blender or by pressing through a sieve, adding some of the cooking liquid as desired. Peas are naturally sweet so make a great first food.

Family

Spaghetti bolognaise

  • 1 packet spaghetti
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 3 sticks celery, chopped
  • 3 carrots, peeled and grated
  • 4 rindless bacon rashers, chopped
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 500g minced beef
  • 2 cans chopped, peeled tomatoes
  • 80g tomato paste
  • 2 tsp Sugar
  • 1 cup beef stock or red wine
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Cook spaghetti according to packet instructions
  2. Meanwhile make the sauce by heating oil in a large saucepan. Cook bacon, onion and garlic till golden brown. Add celery and carrot to onion mixture. Brown mince, then add undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and stock (or wine).
  3. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered until most of the liquid has evaporated
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste
  5. Drain pasta, place in serving bowl and pour sauce over.

Tuesday

Baby

Potato, broccoli and baby marrow purée

  • 180g baby potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 50g broccoli florets
  • 50g baby marrow (courgettes), sliced
  1. Place potatoes in saucepan, cover with water and boil for 10 minutes
  2. Place steamer basket with broccoli and baby marrow on top of potatoes and boil for a fur ther five minutes or until all the vegetables are tender
  3. Purée by pressing through a sieve, adding enough of the cooking liquid to get the right consistency.

Family

Chicken pie

  • 3 tbsp Olive oil
  • 4 leeks, cut into rounds
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 cup leftover chicken cooking juices (from Sunday) or chicken stock
  • ½ cup cream
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 - 3 cups leftover chicken (from Sunday)
  • 1 cup leftover onions and veggies (from Sunday)
  • 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
  1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
  2. Fry the leeks in the olive oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat until soft and glossy. Set aside In the same saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Whisk in the leftover chicken cooking juices or stock. Stir until you have a thick sauce. Remove from the heat
  3. Whisk together the eggs and cream and fold into the sauce (keep 50ml aside to brush over the puff pastry later). Then add the leeks, leftover onions and veggies, chicken and parsley.
  4. Season to taste and spoon the mixture into a casserole dish.
  5. Cover with the sheet of puff pastry. Trim the edges, and if you’re feeling creative, use the cut-offs to decorate your pie.
  6. Brush with reserved egg wash and bake for 20 minutes at 200°C, then reduce heat to 180°C and bake for a further 30 minutes
  7. Serve with rice and steamed veggies left over from baby’s food.

Wednesday

Baby

Carrot purée

  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  1. Place carrots in a saucepan of lightly boiling water, cover and cook for about 25 minutes or until very tender
  2. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid and purée to a smooth consistency, adding as much of the reserved liquid as needed.

Family

Minestrone soup

  • 2 onions, peeled and chopped
  • 3 carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes
  • 3 sticks celery, sliced
  • 250g baby potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 6 baby marrows (courgettes), sliced
  • 90g green beans, topped and cut into small pieces
  • 250g cabbage, shredded
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 5 cups water
  • 3 tsp chicken stock powder (Or use chicken stock made on Sunday instead of water and stock powder)
  • 2 tins whole, peeled tomatoes
  • 1 tin cannellini beans
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add onions and cook over medium heat till onions are pale golden brown
  2. Add carrots, cook for two to three minutes, stirring occasionally. Repeat this process as you add each of the vegetables
  3. Stir in the water, stock and undrained, mashed tomatoes
  4. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1½ - 2 hours
  5. During the last 15 minutes, stir in the drained and rinsed beans. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a little grated parmesan cheese and fresh Italian bread.

Tip

You can serve this soup to older babies (from 9 months) by leaving out the seasoning and liquidising the soup in a blender or food processor

Did you know?

Tomatoes are full of antioxidants that help fight cancer and skin damage caused by UV rays and sunlight. So don’t feel bad if your children want tomato sauce on everything. Just make sure you’re buying a “good one” that’s not packed with sugar and perservatives


Thursday

Baby

Butternut purée

  • 1 butternut, peeled, de-seeded and cut into cubes
  1. Steam butternut or cover with boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes or until tender
  2. Mash through a sieve or liquidise in a food processor, using some of the cooking liquid to thin the purée a little. Reserve ½ cup to use in the family meal, feed some to baby and freeze the rest in ice cubes for another day.

Family

Special macaroni cheese

  • ½ packet macaroni or penne pasta
  • 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp mustard powder
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups cheese, grated (use cheddar, emmentaler, gruyere or mozzarella)
  • ½ cup mashed butternut (from your baby’s meal)

Optional extras:

  • 1 tin tuna or ½ packet bacon, chopped and fried
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C
  2. Boil the pasta according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside while you make the cheese sauce
  3. Melt half the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and fry over medium heat until translucent
  4. Add the rest of the butter and melt. Then add the flour, salt and mustard powder. Stir for a minute over medium heat, then add the milk and increase the heat
  5. Continue stirring until you have a thick white sauce. Remove from heat and stir in eggs, cheese (reserving about ½ cup for topping) and butternut
  6. Now you can add your optional extras (if using)
  7. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix well. Pour into a greased casserole dish and sprinkle reserved cheese over the top
  8. Bake for 1 hour or until top is nice and brown. Serve with salad and lashings of tomato sauce (for the younger members of the family).

Friday

Baby

Potato purée

  • 800g baby potatoes, peeled and halved
  1. Put baby potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer till potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Drain and reserve cooking liquid
  2. Mash through a sieve (not a blender or food processor) and mix with a little cooking liquid. Feed some to your baby.
  3. Mix a little butter (about a tablespoon) into the rest. Season with salt and white pepper and keep for the rest of the family to eat with the stew.

Family

Hearty beef stew

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1kg beef chuck steak
  • 8 baby (pickling) onions, peeled
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 3 sticks celery, finely sliced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 4 rindless bacon rashers, chopped
  • 250g button mushrooms, sliced
  • 30g butter
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 1 cup dry red wine (or more beef stock)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp Brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp Fresh oregano, finely chopped (can be replaced with thyme)
  1. Cut away as much fat from the beef as possible, then cut into 3cm cubes
  2. Heat oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan and brown beef in batches
  3. Heat butter in same saucepan and cook onions, garlic, celery, carrot, bacon and mushrooms over medium heat, stirring constantly until onions are browned all over
  4. Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture and stir. Remove from heat, add stock and wine and stir thoroughly. Return to heat and cook, stirring until mixture boils and thickens.
  5. Add beef and any juices to the dish, then add bay leaves and sugar. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours or until the beef is tender. Stir every ½ hour.
  6. Discard the bay leaves and stir in the oregano (reserving some to sprinkle over each portion)
  7. Serve with the reserved mashed potato.

Saturday

Baby

Spinach and sweet potato purée

  • 100g Spinach, washed with stalks removed
  • 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  1. Place sweet potato in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes or till just tender
  2. Add the spinach and cook for a few minutes longer till the spinach leaves are wilted
  3. Purée in a blender or by pressing through a sieve.

Family

Homemade pizza

Dough:

  • 1½ cups wholewheat flour
  • 1 sachet instant yeast
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ cup lukewarm water

Tomato base:

  • 1 onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tin whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 tsp sugar

Topping:

  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 handful olives, pipped
  • 3 tbsp spinach purée (from your baby’s meal)
  1. To make the dough: pulse together all the dry ingredients in a food processor. Add the oil and pulse to mix. Add just enough lukewarm water to form a ball of dough. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and let it rise for 30 minutes. (If you can’t face making your own dough, buy some bread dough from your nearest bakery)
  2. To make tomato base: fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil. Add the undrained, mashed tomatoes and sugar. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes or until sauce is thick.
  3. To make the pizza: preheat oven to 200°C. Knock down the pizza dough and divide into four balls. Roll each into a circle about 1cm thick
  4. Spread tomato sauce over pizza bases. Combine the two cheeses and sprinkle evenly over pizza. Top with olives or spinach (or any topping of your choice) and bake for 15 – 20 minutes.

Tip

Making pizza is something the whole family can get involved in. Let each member of the family make their pizza with their own favourite toppings. Roll out the bases, spoon the tomato sauce over and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Then have bowls of toppings ready for each person to choose from.

Try these combinations for children

  • Leftover chicken and pineapple
  • Bacon and spinach
  • Ham, mushroom and corn kernels

Try these combinations for adults

  • Camembert and cranberry jelly
  • Caramelised onions and blue cheese
  • Roast butternut, pine kernels and sage

Shopping list for the above meals

Planning before you head off to the supermarket will help you shop more economically

We’re assuming your cupboards are bare, but that you have basics like salt and pepper, so this is everything you’ll need to make your family meals for a week:

From the fresh produce aisles:

  • 1 packet onions
  • 1 packet baby (pickling) onions
  • 1 head garlic
  • 1 packet/bunch leeks
  • 1 packet celery
  • 1 packet carrots
  • 2 packets baby potatoes
  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 1 butternut
  • 1 cabbage
  • 1 packet baby marrows (courgettes)
  • 1 packet green beans
  • 1 head broccoli
  • 1 packet button mushrooms
  • 1 packet fresh spinach
  • 1 packet fresh rosemary
  • 1 packet fresh parsley
  • 1 packet fresh oregano or thyme

From the dairy section

  • 500ml milk
  • 125ml cream
  • 1 block butter
  • 1 block cheddar cheese
  • 1 block emmentaler/gruyere cheese
  • 1 block mozzarella cheese
  • 1 piece parmesan cheese
  • 6 (1 carton) eggs

From the frozen foods section

  • 1 packet puff pastry
  • 1 packet frozen peas

From the meat section

  • 1 whole organic or free range chicken
  • 1 packet rindless back bacon
  • 1kg beef chuck steak
  • 500g minced beef

From the dry goods aisles

  • 1 bottle olive oil
  • 1 packet macaroni/penne pasta
  • 1 packet spaghetti
  • 1 packet plain flour
  • 1 packet wholewheat flour
  • 1 packet instant yeast
  • 1 tin chicken stock powder
  • 1 tin beef stock powder
  • 1 packet bay leaves
  • 1 tin mustard powder
  • 1 packet brown sugar
  • 1 tin cannellini beans
  • 3 tins whole, peeled tomatoes
  • 2 cans chopped, peeled tomatoes
  • 1 tin tomato paste
  • 1 packet/tin calamata olives in brine

From the bottle store/wine aisles

  • 1 bottle dry white wine
  • 1 bottle dry red wine

Stock your grocery cupboard with:

  • olive oil
  • canola oil
  • wholewheat pasta (spaghetti and penne)
  • tinned tomatoes
  • tinned chickpeas
  • tinned butterbeans
  • tinned cannellini beans
  • longlife milk

Stock your fridge/freezer with:

  • frozen peas
  • frozen corn kernels
  • chicken breasts
  • skinless chicken thighs
  • hake fillets

Other useful food goodies:

  • fresh fruits and vegetables
  • wholewheat flour
  • rye bread, low GI bread
  • ground flaxseed/Oat bran

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