To be honest, and I know health visitors and the like wouldn't smile upon it, we still eat seperately from our kids, apart form lunch at weekends (when we may well eat different food, but sit together). I think perhaps it's because we're vegetarian, and really like spicy food ourselves, so most of the meals we have they wouldn't like. But also it's becuase we like to eat later in the evening, once they've gone to bed, with a glass of wine and relax and chew over the day! Selfsih I know!
Anyway, apart from that, I still do 'plan' my toddlers' meals to an extent. I'll always add fruit and veggies to the grocery list that I know they'll like, and add quorn and cheese also. That'll probably account for 3 or 4 meals during the week. And there's always pizzas, sausages and garlic bread in the freezer, and some tins of beans in the cupboard.
But also every weekend I cook up a batch of a casserole or paella or chilli dish or something that I can freeze - usually make enough for about 8 portions and freeze them inidividually. It saves on time preparing meals, money cos you don't waste anything, and means that at any one time I have about 6 different healthy meal options available within a few minutes of defrosting in the microwave.
I usually aim for them to have one of the healthy options a day (packed full of veggies, protien, no sugar/salt etc) and am then more relaxed about the other meal (cheese on toast, pizza, quorn sandwich etc.)
Hope this helps.
