An even worse question than what to cook today can be ‘aaj dabbe mein kya doo’? Packing kids’ lunch box can be extremely tricky, especially if you have fussy kids. In the age of Maggie noodles and burgers, making the kids’ lunch box nutritious as well as attractive is complicated. But its not difficult if planned properly.
We have few great ideas for kids’ lunch box, but first the kid should have an affection for home cooked and nutritious meals. These cooking activities with kids can help you inculcate the habit of eating home cooked meals.
Cooking activities to do with kids:
Home cooked meals is a lifestyle which can be extremely healthy for you, your kids and your entire family. So why not set the right intentions through some fun activities. This way the possibility of your kid liking your home cooked meal in lunch box increases too!
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Home cooked meals
Cook at least two meals at home, every day, from scratch. No time? Ask your domestic help to cut, chop, and do some prep. Maybe you can prep and have them cook it for you. It can be a fun family activity too.
Read more about it in our: Farm-to-table over Packets-to-Plates
Meal planning
PLAN PLAN PLAN! We plan everything in life, from wedding to kids to retirement. We plan our holidays, we plan our meetings, we even plan our work day! Then why not meals?
Involve the family in meal planning so that everyone is committed to a meal plan. We will not fall for roadside food shacks, we will not bring home packaged food and we will be able to save money!
Grandma’s recipes
Kids usually love grandmother’s cooking. They like to eat anything she makes. So learn a few recipes from the grandmother, and recreate them with your touch. Show off your cooking flair and relaunch the Grandma Version 2.0.
You can also write them down in a cute cookbook, for your kids to refer whenever they want.
You will also like: 10 culinary project ideas
Cooking night with children
Plan a cooking night with your children. Whatever is their favorite junk food- pizza, pasta, chaat, Chinese, make it at home WITH THEM. Download and print recipes, play a short video, everyone wear an apron and a chef’s hat, delegate prep jobs, let the kids feel and touch the vegetables, let them smell the cooking, let them feel the real essence of cooking and eating fresh food. This will not only help them understand where and how the food is made, but they will have profound respect towards it.
Family picnics with nature
Go for family picnics to nearby villages, fruit gardens, or family-owned farms. Away from the neon signs, bright lights, and artificial greenery in a mall, a visit to a waterfall or a zoo or a trek will help the kids release their energy into the nature. The feeling of oneness with the nature triggers happy hormones that assist in their growth, make them less fussy, help increase concentration and become fast learners.
“Okay, so we do all this. But what do we ultimately pack in their lunch box????” Keep Calm and Read On!
10 Kickass ideas for your Kids’ Lunch Box
Here are some recipes that are fun, colorful and easy to make for kids’ lunch box.
Spinach-Paneer Pinwheels
Dhokla chaat
Crumble leftover dhokla (homemade), add sev, pomegranate seeds, cilantro, green chili, grated coconut, sesame seeds, curry leaves tadka.
Some sort of rice dish in kids’ lunch box
Pulao, biryani, fried rice with veggies, masala bhat, lemon rice etc.
Raita (usually to go with pulao or biryani) – carrot raita, beetroot raita, boondi raita, pineapple raita, pomegranate raita
Homemade snack item
Chakli, potato chips, banana chips, chivda, khakra, murukku, shankarpali, laddu, sev etc can be an interesting add on for your kids’ lunch box.
Puris (cut into fun shapes) and bhaji in kids’ lunch box
Fruits in kids’ lunch box
You can try giving a variety of fruits items in kids’ lunch box to make it interesting for them. It might fruit skewers, fruit salad or cut fruits. But ensure that it is local and seasonal to avoid to avoid fancy fruits.
‘Cheat Day Special’ Kids’ lunch box
Kids’ lunch box can have one cheat day special – Homemade samosa, vada pav, pav bhaji, pasta, noodles, preferably home made!!
Wraps
Make your own roti using different kind of flours, maybe maida wraps once every 2 weeks for your kids’ lunch box. Cheese Sandwich wrap (all the ingredients for making a cheese sandwich like tomato, onion, cucumber, beetroot, capsicum, potato and cheese wrapped in a homemade roti), Chicken wrap (Leftover chicken curry pieces, veggies, chaat masala), Pav Bhaji wrap, Frankie wrap, Tandoori Chicken wrap, Malai Paneer wrap etc Create your own wraps.
A mix of dry fruits (unsalted)
Cashews, walnuts, peanuts, almonds, figs, kharik (dry dates) etc.
Avoid packaged foods, juices, crackers, cheese, breads and cereals. Also do not mix dairy and fruits together. Keep everything local and sustainable.
If you have more such kickass ideas for kids’ lunch box and would like to share with our readers, send a message or comment below.
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Till then, enjoy #metime.
Also read: Easy to pack lunches for the trip