MY RECIPE FOR AN EASY LIFE

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With my first-born son, I did everything by the book. I was a stickler for routines; I wouldn’t meet up with a friend if it was during his ‘must be in a cot in a dark room’ lunchtime nap; I freaked out if I gave him his bottle half an hour later than the allotted time, and I constantly wound myself up about getting everything text-book right.

As I knew absolutely nothing about my gorgeous (but often screaming) creature in my arms, I lapped up all the advice from the baby gurus – especially the ‘how to get them sleeping through the night’ ones. So, when it came to weaning and beyond, I did everything Annabel Karmel told me to do…

I puréed to lump-free perfection. I agonised over which food types I was meant to ‘introduce’. I arranged crudités in ‘tempting’ smiley faces. I spent hours creating a Peppa Pig 1st birthday cake, that turned out looking like a pink cow in clothes. I whipped up fruity chicken curries and made hot cross bunnies. I cut sandwiches into dinosaur shapes. I made sure snacks were healthy and organic – chips and sweets were banned; I even swiped them from my little mite’s hands at parties.

Then number two showed up and my culinary standards dropped drastically.

I no longer had the time to flick through recipe books. I couldn’t waste minutes prepping and stirring. I had a baby in my arms that kept crying (thanks to reflux) and a toddler stuck like a limpet to my leg (also crying) in need of constant attention and hugs.

So when I hit the weaning stage with my second, I stocked up on baby-food pouches (all organic, which lessened the guilt). Yes, I still made the odd homemade stash of purée and dished out plenty of fresh fruit and veg, but having the ready-made option lessened the daily ‘what am I going to feed you?’ panic that I had with my eldest.

Now my boys are eating the same food, meal-making is far less of a stress. I admit that I give them treats to keep them quiet, that they eat heaps of baked beans (both on toast and on potato, so there is a bit of variety) and that fish fingers appear regularly on the menu…but then I’m really not the best of cooks. I’ll opt for easy recipes or time-saving whack-in-the-microwave dishes every time.

I do however make a mean spag bol (when I remember to drain off the greasy fat), a not-so-bad macaroni (when I haven’t curdled the cheese) and try to do a roast chicken every Sunday – featuring my boys’ favourite (often burnt) honey-glazed parsnips.

So in terms of mastering ‘basic’ family cooking, I’m getting there.

Annabel Karmel I am (sadly) not, but I’m far happier being a laid-back, OK cook than stressing out while trying to be a perfect one.

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Fiona Pennell lives in the Cotswolds with her husband and their two boys, Jack, 6, and Otto, 4. A former YOU magazine sub-editor, Fiona now spends her days being trampled on, going on slug hunts and dreaming of lie-ins. (Twitter: @fiona_pennell)

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