ava self feeds now but it seems to take twice as long to cook, i used to cook up big batches of puree at the weekend and freeze them but now, cooking fresh takes an age, i don't like to give her what we have because of salt content, plus we have chillies in everything! Any time saving tips?, can i steam veg batons and freeze them?

I buy birds eye or shop brand frozen veg in individual packs (but in a large bag, if you know what I mean lol) You can either boil in bag or micro. Frozen veg keeps all the nutrients. Also buy quick cook pasta. xx

alfie just gets wat we eat but i dont use alot of salt in food really. we prefer to add salt once its cooked and served. i think they individual veg bags are a good idea tho.and u can buy the frozen pasta too x

Im queen of freezer to oven or fridge to micro cooking so my time saving tips possibly arent to your taste/healthiness lol.

Frozen mixed veg is a must here. A big bag lasts ages and I just put what I need in bowl with a spoon of water and micro for 1min.

Pasta I find quite quick and easy to throw extra veg like mushroons, courgettes, carrots into sauce (I hold my hand up to using packet sauces though and adding my own veg/mince). You could batch cook the mince/sauce, freeze it in portions and defrost in micro while you boil pasta to save time.

You can freeze indivdual portions of mash potato too, or be a total cheat like me and buy toddler ready meals like little dish/mighy mash that have no added preservatives etc.

Fish fingers are quick and not too bad served with veg and mash, even potato waffles arent that bad re salt and additives.

Im so unhealthy! I feel bad sometimes reading about people cooking all these lovely meals for their LO's... but obviously not bad enough to get off my bum at 4pm and get cooking! x

Snoopy don't feel bad hun - there's nowt wrong with fish fingers and waffles - Thomas (the child that stopped eating at 10 months ) has practically lived on fish fingers and waffles/hash browns for the last 18 months and he is 100% healthy and a normal lively little boy. It worried the crap out of me for months but it was a choice between this or he didn't eat .

Anyway he is just in the last month getting better and he and Hannah eat the exact same meals now. She wont be fed from a spoon. I do like to make up my own vegy sauces for pasta etc but if I'm in a rush I do give them a bit of dolmio.

The meals my two like the most are:
*Fish fingers, homemade potato wedges and peas
*Pasta twists mixed with condensed chicken soup and peas served with homemade garlic toast
*Pasta twists in homemade tomato and veg sauce (great way to hide loads of veg for fussy ones) and grated cheese with garlic toast
*Omlette (put anything they like in - another great way to sneak veg in) with new potatoes
*Chicken goujons (sometimes homemade, sometimes frozen - depends how lazy im feeling ) with waffles (ASDA do some carrot and potato ones) and veg (whatever is in the fridge)
*Pizza (either homemade or frozen cheese and tom) with added topping of your choice (another sneaky veg one if you grate the veg fine and mix it with the cheese) with homemade wedges

Lunches are usually:
*Sandwiches -cheese/ham/chicken/laughing cow/tuna with some quavers and raisins
*Cheese on toast/cheese toastie with fruit and yoghurt
*Eggy bread (sometimes with added cheese) with fruit and yoghurt
*Cheese and biscuits with chopped apple/grapes/raisins
*erm? I struggle with lunches tbh

Anyway - they are the meals I do most for my two and neither will be spoon fed so all finger foods - pasta can be messy so we have this on days when we aren't going out after dinner

xx

thanks debs some great ideas, i give ava those asda carrot waffles too, she loves them x