I often talk about what a picky eater Florence is. She’s just never really eaten much and what she does choose to allow past her lips is vetted to within an inch. If she doesn’t like the look of it it’s out! If it’s the wrong colour it’s passed over. If there’s any odd texture to it then it’s well and truly cast aside. I understand because I was also like this as a child but it doesn’t half make food preparation a bit time consuming!

Jimmy is different and he will eat lots of different types of food. He eats well in comparison to Florence and although, like his sister, he doesn’t have massive portions I don’t have the same challenges in deciding what to make for him. He will pretty much eat a bit of whatever I put in front of him which is fab!

They do both have one food thing in common though – they will very rarely eat pre prepared meals. Jars of baby food were always off the agenda and I tried many times to encourage them with lots different brands. They just didn’t like them. Florence wouldn’t have any of it, not a single mouthful and Jimmy is pretty similar although he will occasionally make a concession for a fruit based pouch. If it’s fruit only and in a pouch which he can suck out of (never eat from a spoon) then he might just have a few sips but honestly, what’s the point? They’re far too expensive to open for just a couple of mouthfuls aren’t they!

The trend has continued as they’ve got older and ‘ready meals’ are just not up their street either. It’s a good thing in one way but sometimes it would be lovely to have the back up option and give me an easy evening of throwing something in the microwave but of all the different ones I have tried (I’ve only tried the child friendly ones), the supermarket own brands and those of famous chefs and brands, they just turn their noses up!

But…

There is one brand of children’s ready meals that they WILL eat! Little Dish! And it means that finally, FINALLY, I have the option of having an easy evening! It’s not just that they WILL eat these child friendly ready meals but they absolutely love them and consider them a real treat! In my local supermarket they are often on offer for two meals for £4 and although I wouldn’t be able to afford this on a daily basis, it is super do-able for once a week. On top of that, my little ones who don’t seem to eat very big portions, manage to share one meal between them! Occasionally if they are very hungry I will cook the second but on the whole one meal suffices!

I think the reason they don’t like most brands is because child friendly often means bland flavourless nothingness. My children like flavours and who can blame them! Little Dish meals are tasty, so tasty that I often can’t resist a scraping of the cooking dish when it’s been served myself and neither can Daddy! It’s usually the only taster we do get mind as they rarely leave any of their Little Dish meals! They’re quick to cook in their own dish using the microwave or oven, can be frozen and nothing ever gets wasted! Brilliant!

We have our favourites and the fish pie has always been an absolute winner! It really is quite delicious! Little Dish have some new recipes on the block and asked us if we’d like to give them a practiced Little Dish palate test so how could we resist? We were a tad worried as the Fish Pie recipe has changed and we hoped it wouldn’t be too different but we found it to be just as yummy! The new Fish Pie with Wild Salmon and Pollock went down a treat! It’s still creamy and cheesy and with spinach inside to boost the goodness factor even more it couldn’t be healthier for little ones!

And then we got to try the brand new Mini Cheese Ravioli in a Tomato and Veg Sauce.

The new Little Dish meal!

Florence looked at it and said ‘What is THAT?’. She didn’t like the look of it but she surprised me and tried it anyway. I told her about ravioli being a little parcel with a surprise inside and this seemed to do it. After her first mouthful she said ‘You have to TRY things before you know if you don’t like them’, parroting the line I often find myself saying to her but which usually goes completely ignored. And then she took another forkful!

I gave them five pieces of ravioli and plenty of sauce each (just one meal) and my teething Jimmy also ate with gusto. He finished after three pieces which is usual for him especially with his teeth coming and then Florence asked if she could finish Jimmy’s! This must mean she REALLY liked it! Ordinarily she wouldn’t ask for more and if she ever does she NEVER wants it from her brother’s plate. She has a thing about eating anything he’s touched and says she doesn’t want ‘baby suck’ on it but she knew this was the only portion left and went for it anyway! Fab!

The start of a successful meal! 

These are ready meals which have no nasties but to top it off they have flavour and are clearly appetising! All of the meals have sauces and textures that ordinarily Florence would turn her nose up at but she always eats them with no hassle. I can’t explain it but it’s true?

I have not been paid to write this post but I was sent the two meals spoken about in the post for the purpose of review.

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