Eat Right: ‘Healthy food can be tasty too’ says dietician

The minute you think of healthy food, you think of bland and unappetising meals. Who wants to give up on chocolate and go for sugar-free tea/coffee? Or who wants to give up on French fries, burgers, or even pizzas that are loaded with cheese? Who wants to eat oats instead of butter chicken and butter naan? But did you know that you can eat all these things and yet proudly say that you ate a healthy meal?

Yes, you read that right. Making small yet sensible modifications in meals doesn’t mean that you compromise on taste or give up your favourite food altogether. According to a mother of a Class IV student at Apeejay School, Nerul in Mumbai, eating healthy has become a norm today. But kids always want junk food or fried stuff so one has to think of innovative ways to make them eat healthy meals.

“We are South Indians and idli-sambhar is a staple diet in our home. But my eight-year-old son runs away from this food. Even the mention of idli puts him off. What he doesn’t realise is that this is a balanced diet – the idli has carbs, and protein and the sambhar has plenty of veggies that have the necessary vitamins and minerals that a growing child needs. So, I have had to twist this staple diet,” A Anurathaa said.

To make the idli more palatable for her son, she shallow fries it and then sprinkles it with powder made from different roasted daals. “He enjoys this and finishes his tiffin without grumbling,” Anurathaa said, who has come up with yet another innovative way to make her son eat fruits.

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“My son hates eating idlis. So I added a twist to it. I shallow fries it and then sprinkle it with powder made from different roasted daals”

–A Anurathaa, mother of students from Apeejay School, Nerul

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To make her son eat bananas, which is a complete food and very good especially for growing kids, she cuts them into small pieces, sprinkles jaggery over them, and cooks this in a pan for a few minutes till the jaggery melts. “It becomes a sort of candy which he relishes. It also means that he doesn’t eat refined sugar which is bad for his health. This can be done with any fruit,” she said.

According to Jasleen Kaur, a dietician in the capital, it is a myth that healthy food has to be bland. “Healthy food can sometimes be tastier. “A fruit smoothie is a much better option than just eating fruits. A kheer with some mango or strawberry pulp is tasty and healthy. One can even make a fruit chaat or a fruit tart. Kids love this. Candied fruits or even grilling fruits like pineapple are a great way to make children eat their portion of fruits and ensure that they get their intake of vitamins and minerals,” Kaur advised.

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“Candied fruits or even grilling fruits like pineapple are a great way to make children eat their portion of fruits and get their daily intake of vitamins and minerals”

–Jasleen Kaur, Dietician

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And how do parents make kids eat veggies? “Mix it with potatoes. Kids love potatoes. One can even give them stuffed paranthas – paneer parantha, gobhi, and mixed veggie paranthas taste great. One can make spinach, beetroot, and methi puris. Pizzas with a wheat base topped with plenty of vegetables can also be included in the diet. And once in a while, the child can be allowed to eat his favourite junk food as well,” Kaur said.