Eat Right: 6 healthy & tasty tiffin meal ideas for kids

Most parents struggle with what to pack for their kids in the lunch box. But it is important for parents and caregivers to prioritise the quality of food in a child’s lunch box and ensure it is not only nutritious but also appealing and tasty. By providing a variety of colourful and flavorful options, parents can make lunchtime enjoyable for their children while setting them up for a lifetime of healthy eating habits.

Did you know that packing a nutritious lunch box encourages children to develop healthy eating habits from an early age? When exposed to a variety of healthy foods regularly, they are more likely to develop a taste for nutritious options, which can have long-term benefits for their overall health and eating patterns.

And yet there are some parents who struggle to think of ideas when it comes to giving their children nutritious tiffin. The reasons, according to Nalini Malik, a Home Science educator at Apeejay School, Saket, who teaches classes XI and XII, are simple.

‘First, parents usually give in to the demands of their kids. It is easier to give the child what he/she will eat rather than give a tiffin that will come back full. Second, many parents genuinely can’t think of tasty and nutritious meals that they can give to their kids in the lunch box,” Malik explained.

And there are parents who go with what is convenient. Packing a left-over pizza, a packet of chips/biscuits is easy and simple. “It is also something that the child will eat with relish. However, this is only ensuring that the child develops unhealthy eating habits,” Malik opined.

She shared six healthy, tasty and nutritious lunch box ideas for parents for each day of the week.

Day 1: Sandwiches are the easiest to make. Why not make them healthy? Take brown bread, spread peanut butter evenly on both slices of bread. Take a couple of bananas and cut them in thin rounds. Layer these on top of the peanut butter. Lo and behold! You have a tasty and nutritious meal!

Day 2: Make vermicelli. It is a traditional type of pasta similar to spaghetti. Kids will love this. Add lots of colourful veggies like red, yellow, and green bell peppers. Add cabbage and mushrooms. Stir fry these veggies and add the cooked vermicelli. Add some sauce and you have a tasty and yet healthy meal.

Day 3: Make vegetable grilled toast. Take a few veggies like carrots, capsicum and cabbage. Grate them. Add a bit of hung curd, salt, pepper to taste and a dash of mustard (optional) if your child likes a bit of zing. Mix together. Take bread slices. Put this mixture generously. Put another slice on top. Take a frying pan. Add a dash of butter and place the sandwich. Grill for a few minutes and each side. Cut it diagonally to make it easy for the child to eat.

Day 4: Veggie rolls. These are the easiest to make. If there is some leftover vegetable from last night, make a roll for the child. You can also stir fry some veggies in the morning like carrots, cabbage, capsicum, and beans. You can even add paneer. Add these to make the roll. The roti has carbs and the veggies have the necessary vitamins and minerals needed. Paneer has protein.

Day 5: Make a colourful parantha from spinach and beetroot. Make this by layering two different wheat flour dough. Not only does the parantha look appealing, it is healthy and full of iron and necessary nutrients that can boost the child’s immunity.

Day 6: Give poha. Add some peas and peanuts to it. Sprinkle some coriander, cut a piece of lemon and keep it in the lunch box. The different colours – yellow, green and brown (peanuts) is sure to whet your child’s appetite. Upma is another option. Parents can add a few veggies and pack for the child.

Did you know that packing a nutritious lunch box encourages children to develop healthy eating habits from an early age? When exposed to a variety of healthy foods regularly, they are more likely to develop a taste for nutritious options, which can have long-term benefits for their overall health and eating patterns

–Nalini Malik, Home Science Teacher at Apeejay School, Saket

For health & well-being

A well-balanced lunch box ensures that children receive the necessary nutrients for their growth and development. It provides them with energy, vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients required for their overall health and well-being. “It is also advisable to pack a handful of nuts like cashews, almonds, and walnuts together with pumpkin seeds. DO NOT pack any junk food in the tiffin. Pack the tiffin in such a manner that when the child opens it looks colourful and inviting to eat. Remember, we eat with our eyes first,” Malik said.