My Menu Monday

Today is usually a 'get the house back into order' kinda day. Weekends can usually be a little hectic for us, so it is my day to re-gather, plan for the week ahead, spend time with my boys and also shop for the groceries. I am one who likes lists, I always have. One way this translates into my regular routine is my menu plan. I don't shop for food without this step because I find it helps me plan my cash too. I always start off with a template much like this one here at Super Healthy kids. This way it gives me an overall balanced view of what we are eating and I can get a good variety of meals between things like vegetarian, crabs, fat, red meat etc...
I always work out my menu and then I transfer the ingreadients onto a template I have printed out with the headings *Cold/ frozen *Fruit/ Veg *Groceries *Cleaning/ personal/ other.
This helps me while in the supermarket to be efficient and save $$$!

Here are some of the ideas that are often on our menu.
Breakfast Staples:
* Smoothies - cheap as i buy frozen berries on special and all you need is milk, natural yoghurt and some honey. I have also freeze bananas sometimes and it makes it extra cold in summer.
*Pancake {tuesdays} - I make a pancake batter on monday nights and have electric frypan ready to go so it doesnt take an extra long time. They are cheap and easy to make. I like making chocolate by adding cocoa and a little veggie puree like pumpkin, carrot, beetroot etc...to make it extra healthy.
*Eggs - usually scrambled but i like making an 'omelet bar' which gives you a great opportunity to chop up a few ingredients and get kids to pick and choose what they want in their omelet. I use things like cheese, capsicum, spring onions etc.... My 3 yr old loves chopping with plastic knife and mixing it up too. You can also add puree to eggs for extra nutrtition (i heard someone adding a green veggie puree to it and made their kids "Scrambled Shrek Swap Eggs")
* Porridge - I always mix the plain oats with honey, cinnamon, honey, sultanas and a little ground cloves. I like keeping it healthy and cheap.
* Weet Bix / Toast - I factor in 'normal breakky' for crazy mornings which in our house is usually wednesdays and fridays.

Some Snacks Ideas:
* Veggie plate : I usually make a rainbow of veggie stcks and serve it with hummous to dip. Baby corn, capsicums in all 3 colours, carrots, cucumber, zuchinni etc....
* Fruit Rockets : I have a packet of pop sticks (safer than skewers for little ones) and thread fruit onto them. Serve with yoghurt dip (stir in some honey, cinnamon, vanilla if you like too).
* Banana wraps : Miz cream cheese with cinnamon and honey. Spread onto a mountain bread or other flat bread. Slice up bananas and roll up to a wrap. Place on frypan/ grill press and lightly toast.
* Apple snow : Grate an apple into a bowl and give them a spoon....they love it. Can add yoghurt dip on top if you like.
* Muffins : these are a GREAT snack as you can bake with the kids and get them involved with cooking. They love tipping the ingredients in and mixing it through (especially if they have a kids apron like my little precious). You can even make a base batch (in sweet or savoury) and make a few different flavours. They are cheap and freeze very well making them very handy.
* Nibble mix : never know what to do when you get that little bit of cereal in the bottom of the pack thats not enough for a full serving? I usually add these (cheerios are good for this) to some sultanas, dried fruit, a few mini marshmallows and put it into a little bowl. They love it.
* Choc fruit bites : Melt some milk or dark choc on stove and mix through dried fruit (apples, sultanas, apricots, craisins etc), some nuts but not peanuts....almonds are good, a few mini marshmallows and blob onto baking paper in bite size pieces. sprinkle with a few sprinkles or coconut and pop into fridge.


I might pop back with some of our lunch and dinner staples later. Have a great Monday everyone :)

Lauren xo