Cooking is something that some people really enjoy. If you like to cook, learning how to cook for kids and families is a win win. It will make you more marketable to some families and you can be paid to do something your enjoy.

My suggestion would be to try out recipes at home first. You can also start learning more creative ways to make kids like healthy food. Some of this is just presentation, understanding their flavor palette, and expanding on types of food that they already like to eat. You may also want to experiment with making healthier baked goods (simple stuff is fine too like substituting applesauce for oil in muffins or adding some pureed vegetables).

It sounds like your employers eat more of a South Beach, lower carb or GF limited diet. Fish is easy to make and you can google some recipes on cooking in a "pouch". This is usually just parchment or even foil folded over. You place each serving of fish, seasonings, and vegetables in a pouch and then cook in the oven or grill. Very easy low clean up, very healthy, and avoids the problem with over drying or overcooking fish. You can do the same with boneless chicken breasts (longer cooking times).

America's test kitchen (not always super healthy but usually good), allrecipes and epicurious are good sites. I actually don't like the food network's recipes as they often have some pretty bad recipes.

A previous job I had for 2.5 years I was a house manager/nanny and cooked dinner for a family of 5, 5 nights a week.

Meals they loved:

Chicken cattitorie served over egg noodles
Fajitas or tacos
Baked ziti with homemade meatballs
Breaded pork chops, couscous, and a green veg
Crock pot ham and pineapple, mashed potatoes, green veg
Pork tenderloin, baked sweet potato, green veg
Stir fry (tons of veggies with a protein)
Baked salmon with teriyaki marinade, rice, and green veg
Breakfast for dinner (omelettes, home-fries, turkey bacon)
Egg salad and/or Tuna fish served with pan fried pierogies
5 bean chili served with brown or white rice
Shepards pie served with a nice big salad
Gourmet grilled cheeses (Brie and a fruit compote) served with homemade tomato bisque)
Sweet and sour meatballs with white rice and green veg
Homemade lasagna (veg or meat) and Caesar salad
Roaster chicken, roasted red bliss potatoes and green veg

Those are just some of the meals I would cook for them. I would change the rotation every 2 weeks to keep things new and interesting.

I always made a green vegetable with dinner. The only exception was if I made a giant salad.

Vegetable side ideas:

Roasted Brussels sprouts
Roasted asparagus
Roasted broccoli
Steamed artichokes
Edamame
Green beans with toasted almonds
Steamed sugar snap peas
Candied carrots (carrots reduced in brown sugar and butter)
Steamed broccoli and cauliflower
Steamed spinach
Sautéed spinach with garlic and EVOO
Sautéed mushrooms, onions and peppers
Peas

Legume/Starch/Carb sides:

Rice
Couscous
Quinoa
Sweet potatoes
Baked potatoes
Mashed potatoes
Roasted red bliss potatoes
Corn on the cob
Black beans
Refried beans
Garlic bread
Homemade crescents
Homemade biscuits


Hope this helps.

Chicken soup, turkey meatloaf/balls, apricot jam baked chicken, chicken fingers, salads, cooked greens, lotS of different pasta dishes. Easy and can sit till everyones home, leftovers are great!

OP here, thanks for all your answers, I'm going to just start trying out recipes. !

I cooking lots delicious food,the problem is I like to get everything organic and my boss doesn't want me to buy organic,she said is too much money to spend.

It's very smart of you to diversify your skills and make yourself more marketable, especially in this economy, OP.

Good for you!

Anonymous wrote:They eat very little carbs, which is new for me. They use carbs as condiments to the protein and veggies. So instead of a bed of pasta with seafood and veggies on top, it's a bed of veggies with seafood and a dollop of pasta on the side.

I never saw anyone eat this way before.

It's called the Paleo diet

Cooking has never been in my job description nor do I offer it as an extra. I will make all the children's meals they eat with me but I never cook for my employers. If I were to do it, I would do very simple recipes and cook in bulk to freeze.

They eat very little carbs, which is new for me. They use carbs as condiments to the protein and veggies. So instead of a bed of pasta with seafood and veggies on top, it's a bed of veggies with seafood and a dollop of pasta on the side.

I never saw anyone eat this way before.

Anonymous wrote:You are a nanny not cook or maid.

Alot of nannies cook and clean as well. Not all but alot so why comment something so pointless?

A lot of it depends on their preferences. I like making meatballs because you can freeze them and you can add veggies to the meatballs as well as the sauce.

Meal prep can also be just as helpful. Cutting vegetables, washing and cutting fruit, making a marinade for the meat to soak in.

My biggest weaknesses are fish (because I don't eat it) and meat (because I don't know how to tell when it's overdone). When I'm cooking for myself, for instance, I might overcook the meatballs a little to make absolutely sure they are cooked all the way. I had food poisoning once from a restaurant and I never want to have it again!!

When I'm making dinner for my employers I keep it pretty simple ie. protein, green veggie, starch just as I would for my charges. As I get to know their tastes I will step it up a bit more. Slow cook/one pot meals are also great to throw together in the morning as I'm feeding my charges breakfast. It cooks all day, and MB/DB walking in to the smell of a great pot roast.

You are a nanny not cook or maid.

You are a nanny not cook or maid.

I was just wondering what you like to cook for your families/''charges'. Do you make anything that they especially love?

I don't consider myself a good cook, but I want to try and learn what kind of meals are typical so I can learn. I just started with a new family with an infant. Eventually I'd like to offer to start or make dinner since both parents work fairly late. I want to be able to keep getting new jobs in the future making more money so I'm thinking I better learn!

Thanks guys.