So many new parents think they need to be Jamie Oliver or Nigella Lawson when weaning their kids – this is not true! Tasty, simple nutritious meals are what’s on the menu – I mean if cooking is your thing then go to town, but please don’t think you need any level of skill to feed your family well.
I’ve put together a list of “store cupboard essentials” which will help you stock up on the things you’ll need to make great tasting family meals even when you’ve forgotten the weekly shop! Store cupboard meals are also a great way of saving money when we’re all feeling the pinch.
#1 – Beans & Pulses
Canned butter beans, chickpeas and lentils are a great way of adding essential nutrients into dishes. Lentils can be added to mince dishes to bulk out the dish and make it go further. Lentils are packed with protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre for a healthy digestive system.
Chickpeas and butter beans mixed with tahini makes fabulous hummus. Rich in calcium and a source of protein, home made hummus is a great food for weaning.
#2 – Full Fat Cream Cheese
Super basic but so versatile! Cream cheese on oat or rice cakes along with some tomatoes forms a great snack. It can also be added to tomato based sauces to bring in a lovely creaminess.
#3- Eggs
Maybe an obvious one but the humble egg is often underappreciated. A boiled egg for a snack, an omelette can have almost anything thrown into it and scrambled egg on toast with avocado is a super quick dinner.
Eggs allow you to make things like pancakes, frittatas, savoury or sweet muffins and many other things so always keep some in your fridge.
#4 – Frozen Veg
Often more nutritious than the fresh alternative as the speedy freezing process locks in nutrients.
#5 – Oats
Porridge, overnight oats, crumble topping, flapjacks, crumb coatings.
#6 – Tinned & Frozen Fish
Fish cakes, fish pie, fish pate, fish pasta. It takes no time to cook some pasta, open a can of tuna, a can of tinned tomatoes, throw in some frozen veg and mix together with cheese on the top – viola – a healthy, balanced meal.
#7 – Nut Butters
Perfect for spreading on toast and oatcakes, stirring into porridge, mixing into muffin batter and making in sauces. Just pick one without added sugar, salt or palm oil.
#8 – Yogurt
Full fat Greek yogurt is the best! Avoid anything flavoured or with a character on them! These yogurts are extremely high in sugar and/or artificial sweeteners which are not good for anyone, let alone growing children.
#9 – Flour and Baking Powder
Having flour and baking powder in your store cupboard gives you that ability to make so many things. Muffins and pancakes are great foods to start weaning with. You can add all sorts of amazing fillings and introduce lots of different tastes to your baby. Cheese and Broccoli is a popular choice. The great thing about baking at home is that you can control the sugar and salt content. It is so easy to sweeten things like muffins for example with fruits or leave out salt from recipes which might traditionally add it in.
#10 – Tinned Tomatoes
These are the base for many dishes. Add them into a bolognese, a curry, a stew or make into soup – they are a much better alternative to jars of sauces that contain sugar, salt, preservatives and other additives.
Meal Plan
If you’re after some ideas as to what weaning can look like download my Weaning Meal Plan
Recipes
For weaning recipes and family meal inspiration my 68 page Family Recipe Collection is available purchase for only £9.99
The Weaning Hub
For more help with weaning, including all the recipes from the Family Recipe Collection, 6 months of support from me along with a 2 hour weaning workshop, exclusive videos and fact sheets join THE WEANING HUB for only £30.
Printable
I’ve created this handy printable that you can stick on your fridge to remind you what you need to keep stocked up on – hope you find it helpful!
