Menu Ideas

[kittykatty2000]

I am currently a temp supervisor at an out of school club and since I have been with the company the menus keep changing.
At the moment they have been changed once again and only the manager likes them as the rest of the staff including myself thinks the menus have gone down hill. One day we use about 12 loafs of bread in one week for breakfast and tea also rice has been put on what goes cold by the time the children get to eat it.

What I would like is ideas on menu ideas to make great menus. Were not able to cook so everything needs to be prepared fresh. Please can I have some ideas to help a make a better menu for the kids for tea. We normally have bread or something else, meat or cheese, and 2 or 3 sort of veg, then pudding.

Thank you all x

[Ruthierhyme]

Hiya, are all the evening meals main meals rather than a snack? and are they all currently served cold?

xx

[kittykatty2000]

We have a small snack when we first pick the children up (menu fine on this bit) the other is the main meal what is always cold as we have the children in 2 different places so cooked things would just go cold anyway. The only cooked thing we really do what we dont mind going cold is pizza, but the main manager also has put rice on what we cook but by the time the children eats it it's cold and the children dont like it (mind you i wouldnt like it either).

x x

[Ruthierhyme]

Tough one, is there any opportunity for you to ask about insulated boxes to help keep the foods warm while on the way to you?

This is an idea of some of the equipment that's available - insulated food carriers and an item from Ebay, they aren't cheap sadly but will help serve food that you and the children prefer warm.

Fruit smoothie and scone or flapjack could be a good alternative for your rice dilema.

These are a few links that may help gather some hot & cold meal ideas:
Rice recipes - Potato recipes - Bread recipes - Pasta recipes

Allotment recipes - Veg box recipes - Dietary specials - Eggless cooking

If you search for school menus there are lots of ideas out there that can hopefully help more xx


If anyone knows of any recycling initiatives that offer value and insulated products for transporting food please post ..

[ray]

some cold meals nutritious meals you could serve are

Pasta Salads with fresh cucumber and tomato on the side
Quiche and Potato Salad
Pre cooked chicken kebab sticks ( have cooked veggies on the stick too)
Hoummouss and Fresh Bread with carrot , cucumber , pepper sticks
Salads, tuna, chicken etc served in a wrap

[Heidi]

Originally Posted by kittykatty2000

We have a small snack when we first pick the children up (menu fine on this bit) the other is the main meal what is always cold as we have the children in 2 different places so cooked things would just go cold anyway. The only cooked thing we really do what we dont mind going cold is pizza, but the main manager also has put rice on what we cook but by the time the children eats it it's cold and the children dont like it (mind you i wouldnt like it either).

x x

Are there any worktops/areas/rooms (safety permitting of course) where you dish out and get the children's food ready?

If so, have you thought or investing in a rice cooker. I use one at home it takes about 20 minutes to cook and automatically switches over to 'keep warm' when cooked. I have a large size one that will cook up to 12 adult portions -more than enough to feed three to four times more children.

If you have a safe area away from the children, possibly a microwave would allow you to warm up things to go with rice, or you could cook/heat things such as scotch pancakes (obviously adhering to heath and safety).

And a toaster would also allow you to offer warm food. A nice piece of warm toast and butter/spread/jam or with soup (placed in large flasks - food flasks if it is chunky soup) would go down well after something cold in winter.

Cold food is alright, but in the depths of winter warm food is a lot nicer even when premises are heated - if you are able to provide it.