Reader FAQ: What to cook the kids on holidays

What to cook the kids on holidays? Kids will be kids, and there will be times when their behaviour is just plain random and confusing but will often go back to normal without changing anything. Sometimes, the answer to your problem is over a coffee with a friend, posting the question in an online mother’s group, or secret forum. A fellow mummy with experience can often provide that little bit of wisdom, the glimmer of hope that you have been looking for or at the very least, a new idea to try.

We certainly don’t have all the answers. So these FAQ blog posts are to be seen like this…  if our closest friends were to ask our advice, these would be our answers. But don’t let it stop with us, If you have an idea that might help others, we would love to hear it. Leave a comment after this post, or join our Facebook page to talk to other parents.

“Hi One Handed Cooks, I am going away for 1 week with my husband and two kids ages 2 and 4. What are some good recipes to cook when away on holidays to avoid eating/spending on junk food?”

When you are on holidays you often have access to simple kitchen appliances, like a stove, oven and fry pan. Try and think of no-fuss or one-pot-wonders that don’t take too long to prepare. You are on holidays, so everything should be free and easy.

Here are my tips on how I usually plan for a holiday with kids:

• Buy or bring from home, a weeks worth of simple, adaptable veggies, fruit, bread, beans, canned fish, and some pasta/rice.
• Have a basic meal plan in your mind that you can use your basic ingredients for and add some fresh meat/protein as you buy it.
• Purchase fresh fish, sausages, and other meats as you go, depending on what the adults are eating.
• Choose meals that take 15-30mins or less.
• Choose meals that produce leftovers that be eaten the next day/served cold/rotated during the week.

I would usually make the following sorts of meals by adapting what we were eating. All these meals use similar ingredients or offcuts of what we were eating so nothing was wasted. By the end of the week the food was finished and I didn’t have to bring anything home.

Sample 7 Day Menu Plan 

You could create a “tasting plate” of raw/steamed veggies, fruit, and one of the finger foods below:

• Pita pizzas (So fast, versatile and can have cold for lunch the next day)
• Real fish fingers (fish filets dipped in egg then breadcrumbs)
• Vegetable chips (sweet pot, and pot, touch of oil in the oven for 20 mins)
• Vegetable/tuna or salmon patties (mashed vege, tin of tuna – egg/crumbed optional)
• Pasta (you can make any adaption of this pasta using what you have available)
• Spag bol  (we were all eating it and I adapted a mini version for him)
• Sausage on sticks – (mince,herbs,onion blended and put on a paddle pop stick then fried on bbq)

If your children are younger you can just cook the protein you are eating and “mash” in some veggies or turn into mushy finger foods by crumbing and frying or rolling into balls.

I hope that helps. One last thing, make sure you try not to stress too much if your good eating habits aren’t met. Kids are very adaptable, and will go back to their old eating ways when you get home. All you want to avoid is letting the holiday style eating follow you back home, let the kids know what you expect from them as soon as you return.

Enjoy your holiday! Holidays create some of the fondest memories for our children, and enjoying new and delicious food and food moments – such as eating ice-cream at sunset, is all part of it.

Other Holiday Reading:

• Flying with kids and food
• Resort food guide

Other FAQ’s:

• How many serves of fruit does my child need?
• Grazing Vs Three Meals Per Day 
• Help My Toddler is Throwing Food

Don’t forget to read our disclaimer.  If you have any specific questions or concerns regarding the nutritional adequacy of your child’s diet or their health and wellbeing please consult a medical practitioner or an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) for individualised advice.