Cooking for Children

[Barmaid]

Can you believe at the age of 37 I have never cooked for children?! My mouth operated without the backup of my brain on Saturday night and I invited a friend of mine and his two kids (aged 8 and 9) to stay the night on Thursday. Really looking forward to meeting them, but the cooking is sending me into a cold sweat. Normally for a guest I would dish up something a bit special. It looks like being great weather so I thought about a bbq. Can any of you offer me any ideas please as to what to serve the children so that they enjoy it, its nutritional and its fun (I am part of the weekend treat), so its important I don't muck it up.

Any suggestions welcome, please.

[jack daniels]

why not ask the guest what the children like - that'll give you something to work on

children like hot dogs
burgers
chicken wings
baked potato
corn on the cob
bananas

don't forget something healthy for them to drink too

[nutgoneflake]

Try a sort of 'create your own' type thing. My two love this. I give them tortilla wraps, bits of spicy chicken, burgers, meat skewers etc (you could barbecue that part) also bowls of salad cut up small, grated cheese, mayo, ketchup anything. Then let them put together the combination they fancy.

Fruit skewers are easy and also go down well too. You could even barbecue those too, if you felt like it!

Lastly, if you're outside, don't forget ice-cream, but buy cornets. Take it from me - ice cream in a cornet and they'll worship you forever. I have the boys' friends to tea all the time, and they ALWAYS ask if I've got cornets! Dead cheap, very impressive to small people. Trust me!

Have fun xxx

[terambulan]

CHICO PASTA: ....2 cupfulls of pasta boiled in enuf hot water to cover the pasta, with a pinch of salt, for 20mins, drain and place cooked pasta into oven-proof dish. Mix with shredded half-pound mature cheddar, inch of tomato puree (from tube) half cup of milk and pinch of oregano. Place all in oven (or grill) for 20mins to crisp.

BREAD & BUTTER PUD: four slices of buttered toast cut to soldiers, (4 strips per slice). Half T-cup sugar, one t-cup raisons. half pint milk, 1egg.

Fork-whisk egg with a little cold milk. Heat remaining milk and stir into whisked milk & egg,

Layer oven dish with toast, sprinkle over sugar and few raisons, same for next layer until all used. Pour hot milk mix over pud layers and place in oven for 20mins...........yummy

[wiifan]

kids love spaghetti bolognaise and garlic bread!!!!

[pastafreak]

Toasted marshmallows!!!!!! Perfect if you BBQ- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshmallow .....and may I come...drool!!

[hippyhoppy]

if BBQ why not buy some chicken fillets and some Southern coating, let them make up their own kebabs with peppers, onions, tomatoes etc then cook them off on the BBQ or under the grill...

[Eve]

I was going to suggest kebabs as well if you're having a BBQ.

You could do a mult course to keep the kids occupied so they can come back and forth and play inbetween and you can have a decent chat with your friend.

Have something to keep them occupied in the garden like hire a paddling pool if it's going to be hot enough or a trampoline, just make sure the parent knows to bring the appropriate clothing, swimsuits etc...

You can even make then feel special by having their own little low table with cushions to sit on if you have one.

You can jazz up their drinks with funky straws or cocktail umbrellas.

Buy some non pointy/splintering kebab sticks, do a load of veggies and meat and such on the BBQ then pop in a bowl and they can make their own kebabs.

Just avoid anything with little bones or is fiddly to eat like chicken breasts and avoid too hot or spicy marinades.

You could do the same with fresh fruit as a dessert or ice cream will always go down well with stuff in it, flakes, sauces, sweets (think McFlurry).

If it's a nice evening, could you borrow something like a rounders set or Twister?

[Eve]

A chocolate fondue is another idea for a dessert, chop up some bananas, grapes, marshmallows, pineapple etc... and let them have their own little fondue set.

[Eve]

Sorry, am having all sorts of brainwaves now!

You could make your own traditional lemondade or freshly squeezed orange juice in a bit cooled jug with lots of sliced oranges/lemons in it.

[Eve]

Scavenger hunts are fun if the local area is nice and you can both supervise at a distance.

If you have the time then you could go around and make up questions about things which are pretty easy to find and things they have to find with a quiz section, maybe with a break so you can all sit outside a nice local pub?

[funnygirl]

Fish fingers and macaroni cheese!

[ramasus]

Vodka jelly !

[theonlyone]

I do hope these children eat real food ? <br /> and not just McD's and junk ..hope <br /> all goes well the forecast is good for <br /> the SE..have a good time ...enjoy ..

[theonlyone]

Who the hell did that to my post ????

[eash]

I agree with wiifan; kids love spag bol!

[boogieboogie]

What I have found to be best and suit everyone is to forget the nutrition and go for pleasing: help yourself: a plate of pizza slices, a plate of garlic bread, a large bowl of pasta, a bowl of sauce, a bowl of sweetcorn, another of mixed veg.. never failed me. Something on those lines makes people more comfortable than having a plate of food put in front of them too.

[eash]

How did it go? What did you end up doing for the kids?

[know-ledge]

And did you cop off with their dad?