Cheap and yummy lunch to feed a truckload of kids

Page 1 / 2
babe3babes, Jun 25, 9:41pm
hi all! I don't have a lot of money for tomorrows lunch with lots of kids coming... help! I have time to bake/ cook something so I am hoping to get some ideas that kids (can be fussy) will love. Thought oven baked chips should be a start, can any one please give me any ideas? Thanks :)

winnie231, Jun 25, 9:46pm
Scone dough made into savory spirals or even 'pizza'. Corn fritters with extra veg grated in (like spuds, carrots, pumpkin) to make them go further. Egg stir fried rice. Noodles/pasta.

babe3babes, Jun 25, 9:48pm
ohh they sound good thanks!

lynja, Jun 25, 11:21pm
cheerios and sauce!

buzzy110, Jun 25, 11:34pm
A big pot of vegetable soup made with a bacon hock or whole chicken and toast. I personally wouldn't cater to fussy eaters, only those with known food intolerances.

tawera_moeke, Jun 25, 11:36pm
Any noodle or small meat balls go down a treat and im for the savs and sauce

retired, Jun 26, 12:07am
How about noodles and toasted cheese sandwiches, children seem to like them? Microwave chocolate pudding and ice cream seem to go down well with a 'crowd'. Good luck

babe3babes, Jun 26, 1:36am
mmmm yeah some great ideas there!

tania007, Jun 26, 3:05am
Make big scone dough recipe and roll out on oven tray and top with pizza toppings, scones topped with jam and cream, fairy bread with 100s and 100s or sausage rolls, mousetraps toasted with cheese and marmite, toasted sandwiches cut into quarters.

rolznsp, Jun 26, 3:24am
oooo i have a really good biscuit recipe! Kids love them and there cheap and easy peasy to make. I take them to my sons preschool once a week as the kids beg for them. let me grab it for you... .

rolznsp, Jun 26, 3:29am
Oat and Condensed milk biscuits

250g butter, softened
3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 and 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
chocolate peices ( i just chuck a random amount in of dark chocolate melts and white chocolate melts. Also cranberries are nice mixed in also)

pre heat oven to 180 degrees. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
beat butter, condensed milk and sugar togeather until light and creamy.
add flour rolled oats, baking powder and chocolate bits and mix with spoon.
add spoonfills on the baking paper tray and cook for 15-20mins untill golden brown.

they are really yummy!

good luck :)

tania007, Jun 26, 6:59am
packet of frozen sausage rolls cut up into pieces goes long way also, buy pack of round crusty rolls cut in half and top with spaghetti cheese etc and make mini pizzas. Sandwiches cut with cookie cutters go down well or put piole fresh fruit cut into pieces on some kebab sticks.

toadfish, Jun 26, 8:26pm
I have to agree with Buzzy110, let the fussy ones go hungry.

A big pot of soup is an excellant idea as is copious toasted sandwiches. A tin of spaghetti and a loaf of budget bread is about $3 and that will make a huge pile of toasted sandwiches.

Also Burger buns split in half with spaghetti, Cheese & Onions toasted go down well. (let the fussy ones pick out the onions lol)

Sausages on the BBQ with sauce and fresh bread.

I have also resorted to $5 hot chips from the takeaway for food in a hurry with bread and sauce... Not nutritious but we don;t do it often and teenagers love it.

I have also made the dreaded scone dough pizza many times and once rolled it into individual bases and let them all do their own with fillings I had laid out on the bench.

In fact I am reasonably sure the teenagers hang out at our place as its relaxed... and no fuss.

toadfish, Jun 26, 8:29pm
This also goes down well and feeds alot.

Toadies Famous Macaroni Cheese

Fry 1 onion and 4 rashers of chopped up bacon in  2 tbsp of butter. Add 2-3 tbsp of flour and cook for a minute and add milk to make sauce.
Add 1 tsp of wholegrain mustard and 1 ~ 2 cups of grated edam or colby cheese  Mix through 1 packet of cooked San Remo pasta elbows (or budget).
Put in a large oven proof dish and place finely sliced tomatoes on the top and sprinkle with a little cheese.

griffo4, Jun 26, 9:09pm
Toadie what size packet of elbows do you use?

toadfish, Jun 26, 9:24pm
The one in the cupboard at the moment is Budget Brand and is 500gms.
Just the regular size pack... makes heaps

ann7, Jun 26, 9:30pm
I havent met a bunch of kids yet who would get excited at soup.

toadfish, Jun 26, 10:04pm
Then you need to come home and meet mine then... . I have a 16 & 17 year old who lovvveee my homemade soup and so do their friends... In fact 2 weeks ago one girl had 2 half bowls because she couldn't ddecide on the tomato or vege... . and the tomatoe soup was just the ww point free soup... not that we told her that. My soup is legendary.

Think possibly because not too many get real homemade soup at home... . and its a novelty.

ruby19, Jun 26, 10:47pm
Same in our house, I get asked to make soup, summer & winter, all the family loves it.

lynja, Jun 26, 10:51pm
i agree ann7! !

theanimal1, Jun 27, 2:02am
my friends teens do, they like to wrap their laughing gear around a mug of hot soup whilst waiting for the other food, if all else fails, freeze your soup.

theanimal1, Jun 27, 2:03am
Cheese and Ham Croquettes

3oz butter, 2 1/2 oz flour, 1/2 pint milk, 4oz grated cheese, 4oz cooked ham, salt and pepper. Melt butter in saucepan, add flour and cook for a few minutes. Gradually add milk beating well. Beat cheese, ham and seasoning into mixture. Put in bowl and chill until firm. Shape into croquettes and dip in egg mix then crumbs. Then Fry.

theanimal1, Jun 27, 2:04am
Chicken Croquettes

80g butter or marg
small onion finely chopped
1/2tsp dried thyme1/2tsp dried oregano
2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken (can use chicken mince, just cook for an extra 2 minutes approx)
2 T flour
2 T chopped parsley
1 T french mustard
1 t salt
pinch black pepper
2 tablespoons milk
1 egg lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Melt 30g of the butter in a large heavy frying pan. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until soft- about 5 min. Blend in the thyme and oregano and cook 1 min more. Stir in the chicken, flour, parsley, mustard, salt, pepper and milk and cook for 3 min. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the egg and cheese.

Pour the mixture into a buttered medium sized dish spreading it evenly. Chill in the freezer for 15 min or until stiff enough to shape

Take the dish from the freezer and shape into patties

Melt the remaining butter in the pan over moderately high heat and brown the croquettes for 3 to 4 min each side.

theanimal1, Jun 27, 2:05am
Cocktail Meatballs

1 pound lean ground beef (can use chicken mince)
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3 tablespoons minced onion
1 (8 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce (optional)
3/4 cup chili sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, water, bread crumbs, and
minced onion. Roll into small meatballs. Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes,
turning once. in alarge saucepan over low heat, blend the
cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, and pour over meatballs .

can be eaten cold

buzzy110, Jun 27, 5:22am
l'm sorry ann7 but i would have enjoyed vegetable soup. It is both gratifying, nutritious and delicious soul food. My mother used to make it all the time.

Just why children should be fed on cheap and nasty stodge is beyond my imagining but I have obviously missed the train when it comes to children's nutrition.