Growing Plates

Growing Plates Growing Plates is a subscription based frozen baby and toddler meal service created by a Doctor and Mum. Nillumbik Council Approved

02/07/2026

Not every recipe makes it onto the menu… and I think it’s just as important to share those moments too. 🤭

This week I attempted to baby-fy the viral Marry Me Chicken. The idea sounded great—swapping the cream for coconut milk, reducing the salt, simplifying the flavours and making it suitable for little taste buds.

But sometimes a recipe just doesn’t translate.

The coconut milk changed the balance of the sauce, and while it was perfectly edible, it just wasn’t the rich, comforting meal I’d hoped for.

That said… there were a couple of wins. The one thing I absolutely loved was the beautifully crisp, golden skin on the chicken thigh—and I have my trusty pan to thank for that. I also used the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes instead of adding extra oil, which gave the dish a deep, rich flavour without relying on preservatives or unnecessary ingredients. Those little techniques are often the best part of recipe development.

Rather than settling for “good enough,” this one is heading back to the drawing board.

One of the things I love most about developing meals for Growing Plates is that every recipe goes through plenty of trial and error. If it doesn’t meet the standard I’d happily serve to my daughter, it doesn’t make the menu. Quality always comes before convenience.

Back to the kitchen… because every “failed” recipe teaches me something that makes the next one even better. 🍽️💛

29/06/2026

Some weeks are a little busier than others.

I’m heading into my fourth week of night shift in a busy obstetric hospital, where the nights are filled with welcoming new babies into the world, supporting families through some of the biggest moments of their lives, and making countless decisions before the sun comes up.

That doesn’t leave many waking hours at home, but today those precious hours were spent batch cooking one of Growing Plates’ favourites—our Cottage Pie.

Every meal is made the same way I’d cook for my own daughter: packed with vegetables, rich in iron, freezer-friendly, and designed to make life just that little bit easier for busy families. While I might be running on coffee after nights, I know that taking the time to prepare wholesome meals means parents have one less thing to think about when life gets hectic.

Because behind every Growing Plates meal is a doctor, a mum, and someone who understands just how valuable a nutritious, ready-to-heat dinner can be.

Now it’s back to the hospital for another night of helping bring little lives into the world—and hopefully a few more Cottage Pies into your freezers too. ❤️

BusyParents

16/06/2026

There’s something incredibly satisfying about eating produce that’s truly in season. ❤️💋♥️🎈🌹

Seasonal produce is often at its best nutritionally and flavour-wise because it’s harvested when naturally ripe rather than being stored for long periods or transported vast distances. The result is food that tastes better, looks better and can retain more of the nutrients that growing children need. It also teaches them that food changes throughout the year.

Pomegranates are one of autumn’s seasonal treasures, reaching their peak in Victoria from March through to May. Picked straight from the tree and sprinkled through yoghurt, they’re a simple way to add colour, texture and nutrition while embracing what’s naturally in season.

Pomegranates are packed with fibre, vitamin C, potassium and powerful antioxidants, making them a wonderful addition to a balanced diet. Their bright ruby-red arils also provide a fantastic sensory experience for little ones, encouraging curiosity and acceptance of different textures and flavours as they learn about food.

For babies, pomegranate can be introduced from around 6 months of age when solids commence. Younger babies may enjoy the juice mixed through yoghurt, porridge or chia pudding, while older babies and toddlers can explore the soft arils themselves. As with all foods, supervision is important while eating, and introducing textures gradually helps build confidence and oral motor skills.

07/06/2026

There’s something about back-to-back night shifts in a busy obstetric hospital that makes preparation absolutely essential. 🌙🏥

When you’re running between labour rooms, emergency buzzers, theatre, postpartum reviews and supporting women through some of the biggest moments of their lives, there’s often barely time to stop — let alone think about what you’re eating.

One thing I’ve learnt very quickly is that if I don’t prepare food ahead of time, convenience wins every single time. After exhausting shifts, it’s so easy to default to whatever is quick, easy and requires the least mental energy.

Meal prepping has become less about perfection and more about making sure both Olivia and I are fed properly during busy weeks. Having nourishing meals and snacks ready means I know she’s still eating well even when my schedule is chaotic, and it takes so much pressure off during long runs of nights.

Tonight’s prep means future me has food ready between overnight births, emergency caesareans and the unpredictability that comes with obstetrics — while also making sure my daughter still gets balanced meals despite the crazy hours. ❤️

Because caring for everyone else is hard to sustain if you’re not looking after yourself too.



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22/05/2026

There’s something about back-to-back night shifts in a busy obstetric hospital that makes preparation absolutely essential.

When you’re running between labour rooms, emergency buzzers, theatre, postpartum reviews and supporting women through some of the biggest moments of their lives, there’s often barely time to stop — let alone think about what you’re eating.

One thing I’ve learnt very quickly is that if I don’t prepare food ahead of time, convenience wins every single time. After exhausting shifts, it’s so easy to default to whatever is quick, easy and requires the least mental energy.

Meal prepping has become less about perfection and more about making sure both my daughter and I are fed properly during busy weeks. Having nourishing meals and snacks ready means I know she’s still eating well even when my schedule is chaotic, and it takes so much pressure off during long runs of nights.

Tonight’s prep means future me has food ready between overnight births, emergency caesareans and the unpredictability that comes with obstetrics — while also making sure my daughter still gets balanced meals despite the crazy hours. ❤️

Because caring for everyone else is hard to sustain if you’re not looking after yourself too. 🥰🥰



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21/05/2026

One of the core principles behind Growing Plates that I’m really passionate about is introducing children to seasonal produce and helping families feel confident offering foods in their natural forms. 🍂🍊

Persimmons are one of those beautiful fruits that completely change depending on when you eat them — and both versions are delicious in their own way.

When they’re firmer, persimmons are crisp and crunchy, almost like an apple, making them great for slicing and self-feeding. As they ripen, they become incredibly soft, sweet and almost custard-like inside, perfect stirred through yoghurt, spread on toast, mixed into oats or simply eaten with a spoon.

One of the things I love most about offering seasonal foods to children is that it teaches them food isn’t supposed to look, taste or feel exactly the same all year round. It encourages flexibility, sensory exploration and acceptance of different textures, colours and flavours — all of which are so important when building positive relationships with food.

My daughter absolutely loves persimmons in both forms, and watching her explore the differences has been such a lovely reminder that children often embrace variety when we simply give them the opportunity to experience it. ❤️

Seasonal eating doesn’t need to be complicated or perfect. Sometimes it’s just about slowing down, noticing what’s available, and letting our little ones experience food as it naturally changes through the seasons.

13/05/2026

Not every meal is a hit — and honestly, I think that’s important to show too.

These sweet potato, zucchini, corn, broccoli and cheese croquettes took me AGES. Grating vegetables, mixing, shaping, shallow frying batch after batch while trying to keep a tiny human entertained at the same time. I thought they were going to be such a winner.

Instead? One bite… immediate rejection… straight onto the floor.

And while there’s always a tiny part of me that dies inside watching lovingly cooked food get launched from a highchair, it’s also such a normal part of feeding toddlers. Exposure still counts. Seeing it, touching it, smelling it, tasting it — even if only for one bite — is all part of learning.

It also reminded me that sometimes the “Instagram worthy” methods just aren’t practical for busy parents. Next time I’ll absolutely be oven baking them instead so I can do a massive batch at once and freeze extras for quick meals later on.

Parenting, feeding kids, and cooking for little people is honestly just one giant experiment. Some meals are devoured, some are politely declined, and some are dramatically thrown to the dog/floor/wall.

We move on and try again tomorrow.

11/05/2026

Another Growing Plates meal that was a huge success.. a creamy veggie risoni packed with goodness — and it was one of those meals that everyone at the table genuinely enjoyed 🧡

I tried using crème fraîche instead of cream for the first time and it gave the dish a much lighter, fresher feel while still keeping that comforting creaminess. It balanced so well with the parmesan and made the whole meal feel rich without being too heavy.

Loaded with vegetables, soft textures and comforting flavours, this is the kind of meal I love making for my family. Simple ingredients, easy to eat, and perfect for little ones learning to explore different textures while still being something adults actually want to eat too.

And judging by the empty bowls from both my daughter and my dad… this one will definitely be staying in the rotation 🤍
foodthatgrowswithyourchild

07/05/2026

My famous slow-cooked beef ragu… and honestly, I WISH you could smell this 🍅🌿🥩

At the end of every summer, when the basil is starting to fade, we chop it all up and cover it in olive oil so we can use it as the base of our pasta dishes all year round. The smell of that basil hitting the onion and capsicum at the start of this cook was honestly unreal — the most fragrant beginning to such a beautiful slow brew.

Then came the beef, homemade pasta/sugo, beef stock cubes, tomato paste for richness and a can of tomatoes… and now the hardest part: waiting six hours for it to slowly come together into magic.

Tonight I’m making linguine with it to see if the little one finds it easier to grab and self-feed — but honestly, this ragu works on anything. Pasta, rice, couscous, mashed potato… you could eat it with a spoon straight from the pot and I wouldn’t judge 😂

Currently salivating while writing this post.

06/05/2026

Little hands, big flavours 🧡🥜🍛

This weeks menu: pumpkin, carrot & chickpea coconut satay curry with rice — creamy, comforting and packed with goodness. My little kitchen assistant spent most of the cooking process appearing every few seconds with a tiny hand asking for “just one more” spoonful of peanut butter straight from the spoon 😂

Pumpkin and carrots bring beta carotene for growing eyes and immune systems, chickpeas add fibre and plant protein, and peanut butter adds healthy fats and flavour (plus a great way to continue allergen exposure). Coconut cream tied it all together into the coziest family dinner.

Not every moment in the kitchen is neat or perfectly styled — sometimes it’s sticky fingers, stolen ingredients and a toddler taste-testing every step… and honestly, those are the best kind of memories 🤍

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Diamond Creek
Melbourne, VIC
3089

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