School Lunch boxes...

This causes the most stress in our house, with J wailing that he never has packets. Packets being crisps, sausage rolls, fruit winders, or those yogurt covered fruit things. Poor boy... I don't like putting rubbish in his lunch box, I want him to eat real food and recognise real food! Plus I want him to realise with a little effort he can eat nice food that is not from a packet! I live him hope this will set him up for making good choices when he is older...

He only really likes sandwiches and because of his ASD can be fussy with combinations and likes having the same things over and over.

Options are:
Sandwich
Cheese
Marmite
Cheese and marmite (see the theme?)
egg mayo
tuna mayo
grated cheese wrap

Fruit and veg
Depending on season as the UK as a whole is an apple/bananna/orange only country.
Strawberries and blueberries (his absolute fave)
Apple and pear
Cucumber +/- cheese
Carrots, cucumber and cheese

Treat (his words not mine!)
fruit/veg is always chopped and ready to eat I wrap in damp kitchen towel
piece of homemade cake or biscuit
hot cross bun
dried fruit
cereal bar

Dairy
yogurt
milkshake

Others
granola (so easy to make)
pretzels
boiled egg


Sometimes I add pure OJ or apple juice. Water is on the table and he likes pouring his own- so he tells me.

They aren't perfect and some days they have a lot of sugar but he has eggs, porridge or weetabix for breakfast so pretty low sugar compared to Kellogg's. Over the week he has very little in the way of sweets and crisps so it all balances out I hope?

Jelly on a plate, jelly on a plate...

My oldest loves jelly, I've never made it and I sometimes buy the little pots but they are expensive at £2.00 for six little pots. I used beef gelatine only because that's all I could find. I used long life mixed berry juice looked at the ingredients and it said just juice nothing added. Recipe said add sugar but I didn't. So my whole list was juice, gelatine, strawberrys! J gave it a big thumbs up!

Lemon cake, cheese and marmite twists and soup!

Soon its birthday time for littlest one, also known as fatty... the boy eat everything. We should have called him Oliver all we hear is bellows of 'MORE!'

We are having a picnic at a local farm/soft play. I made a some cheese and marmite twist thingys as well as a lemon cake for a testing purposes. I was thinking of the twists, quiche, rolls, chicken drum sticks and lemon cake. Plus Turkish watermelon and a salad. I've been saving  my 4 pint milk cartons and will fill them half way with strong rocks squash and freeze and then add more squash as we leave-perfect ice cold drinks. Have to take the buggy might as well load it up! Its a beast of a buggy and I love it.

While this was cooking I made soup for today, just all my soon to turn veggys plus some potatoes and added some red lentils. Simple easy and great easy supper with bread. Reserved three portions for the freezer for S for lunches.

The twists were devine, and were so easy. Lemon cake was enjoyed by boys with a smidge of vanilla ice cream. Straight from the oven, yummy! I've put a wedge in the freezer too to see how it tastes after defrosting.

Cheese and Marmite twists

Made puff pastry (packet mix sorry!) and spread with marmite.

fold in half and cut and tidy sides.

my strips were a little thick, thinner is better.

Lemon cake with a piece already hacked off...

veggy lentil soup and three for the freezer!

Food of the gods- fact

Cakes, cakes and more cakes

Lego Police party

Very late in posting this, its a few photos from J's birthday. He wanted a police and pizza party. He had 6 friends over for tea on his birthday after school. We played games and did a few crafts. All of the ideas are from google. Sorry I didn't save links, will do next time.

Policeman cut out, made from wallpaper and a rather large box. J and his guests loved this, it was very simple to make

invites printed at local photoshop for 5p each!

Chocolate cake, made in a pyrex dish. The cake pops out it it make a lovely large cake.

This is for the game pin the handcuffs on the policeman... :)

Home made banner, very easy made from wrapping paper.

Boys doing a craft crown/hat. I was very surprised they loved this and it was a great quiet time activity. Its made from strips of wallpaper. I made some cardboard stencils of policemen and lego. Also cut some bits out for them to glue on.

Games
Grab a donut, twist lengths of cling film to make a narrow rope and thread donuts handcuffs child and away they go.

Easter Hat

Its not a great photo, but this is the easter hat winner! holding his much treasured prize! Top had and egg carton with eggs and chicks. Very easy and cheap to make.

Eggy windows

My boys love these, so do I! Its a slice of bread with the middle cut out. Boys like a square with the square being cut into soldiers.  Lightly fry on one side, then flip and crack an egg in the middle. Cook over a medium heat with a tiny bit of oil. Yummy eggy windows!