What people eat!

Oh there is hope for your kids. Our kids used to be the usual...hate vegetables,love Mcd0onalds etc etc. The youngest who is 24 and a trainee architect has turned into a real foodie. He now cooks for himself and his girlfriend and invites us round for meals... and they are not ordinary meals. Not only are they delicious but beautifully set out on the plate. He has asked me to grow different coloured beetroots this year, blue fleshed potatoes, salsify, horseradish, savoy cabbage, sorrel. Rocket, garlic, shallots and radicchio are regarded as absolute essentials.
I think these TV chefs have a big influence on what he cooks but my son has also travelled around the world. I am absolutely staggered at the transformation.

 

At least four of us on our small lane do work full time, have kids, and do cook I've always worked full time, have five kids, and if I had to rely on 'ready foods', I honestly think I would start to not look forward to a meal! During the week we always have a full meal in the evening - often if one of the kids goes to a friends after school and has dinner there, they will come home hungry having had for the most part, fish fingers and baked beans or frozen chicken nuggets and chips.
On the weekend, we always find the time to cook as a family - whether it's treats on a Saturday, or the Sunday family dinner. I think my seven year old knows how to cook more things than some of his friends mums. Served my eldest well - went to university and has had the nicest girlfriend for the past couple of years - the first thing that attracted her to him was that his meals always looked so good - needless to say, he ended up being the main cook in his student digs

Natilie,I admire you mums that work full time plus raise a family,keep home,gardens,allotments etc,plus find the time to partake in their after school activites.It is good also that you are taking the time to teach your five sons to be good cooks as well.I also hope that you are teaching them how to do their own washing and ironing,because like you say when they go off to Uni,they will have to fend for themselves anyway.

My mum and dad raised ten kids,plus fostered and adopted the tenth one and I know what hard work it was in those days raising a large brood.I think you all need medals for all the hard work you put into keeping families together.

Re the fact that your kids are hungry when eating at their friends homes,you will probably find that the portions offered to your kids are probably a tad smaller to what they are used to at your home so that is why they always feel hungry after visiting their friends.Every family has it's own ideas on what sized portions their kids need to keep them full:D

If you find some time you will have to put up some of your Canuck recipes in that section on here if you haven't done so already.I have had a quick Google of Canadian recipes and some of them look really good and healthyapart from the Maple syrup ones which would be too sweet for me:D

 

Geoff I think you are so right about the bread - I love the smell of fresh baked bread - one of the most satisfying aromas ever But.....we can't get away with the bread machine, as with 7 of us, a loaf would be well and truly gone by the time I had set it up for the next batch!

Kandy - laundry? Yup! Well, the 18 yr old does his own, has for a couple of years, and the 10 and 11 yr old both know about 'sorting' their laundry, and help fold when out of the dryer.

My 11 yr old has just come through having made his own apple/blueberry oatmeal for a late brekky (they're off on school closure today), the 10 yr and 7 yr olds toasted themselves some bagels with cream chese - baby steps.....but at least I know they wouldn't starve.

Geoff - your son's travels probably did have an influence on his foods - particularly if he did the typical backpacking route of West and SouthEast Asia - I know when we did that back in the early '80's you either lived on crackers and cheese, or got into the local fare - which was much better

Re the portions - it's not just the portions size Kandy - it's the type of food - My kids have never seen chicken nuggets and chips as being a meal, maybe a quick lunch, but definitely not for a main meal at night. It's possible that these kids have hot school dinners, and so have something light in the evening, but my guys won't eat the school dinners and prefer to take a packed lunch, even if it's a soup in a food thermos to keep it warm.

 

Soup in a thermos flask! Those were the days. That's what I had in my packed lunch and two finger rolls for dipping. I even remember my lunch box-It was a red Muppets one with the band on the front of the box and the swedish chef on the thermos lol.

 

Slow cookers are marvelous for working Mums,Cook two or three pounds of Stewing Beef with some onion,divide into containers for the frezzer and you have the basis for numerous meals.Dinner with yorkshires or dumplings ,pies stews or curries.

 

You mean like this Sparky and Peri,We have even bought a slow cooker for using in the caravan as well...

And you can't beat a nice slice of this especially hot and dripping with butter

 

Looks like you've got it down to a fine art Kandy.I have never made bread in mine though I often make it the ordinary way in the oven.

 

The bread looks delish Kandy - my favourite homemade bread has always been sourdough - really good

 

Lakeland sell a good slow cooker recipe book if anyone fancies starting slow cooking.