Kids await their lunch hour from the time they enter school to indulge in the yummy food you made for them. To make sure their lunch box comes home empty try out these classic tiffin dishes but with a slight twist.
As kids, lunch breaks played a huge part in our school lives. Looking back, weren’t most of our school memories made during those breaks? At school kids eagerly look forward to the lunch bell so they can get to eat all the yummy food packed by their parents with so much love and effort. And sometimes, when the lunch box contains something colourful and delicious, kids do not even wait till lunch to dig in. Instead, they sneakily eat it during the class along with their other friends (we’ve all been there and done that).
Here are a few tiffin ideas that will surely get your kids all excited and make them look forward to opening their tiffin boxes:
1. Rajma Chawla
Rajma Chawal is a great option to pack for your child’s box. This classic dish is just so iconic and tasty. Replace the regular plain rice with zeera tadka for a different taste. Rajma rice is very nutritious and filing. It will surely help your child get through a hectic school day and keep them energetic throughout the day.
2. Fried Rice
Another versatile dish that you can customise according to your child’s taste is Fried rice. Veg, chicken, egg, paneer, soya; plain, Schezwan, Garlic, Lemon flavoured, the options are simply endless. You can also add in pineapple for a fruity kick to the rice. Make sure to adjust the spice according to your kids’ taste, as kids usually have very little tolerance to spice. You can also use rice to make other flavoured Indian variations of fried rice like masala rice/ palak rice/ tomato rice/ coconut rice, the list can go on and on. A trick to make your rice extra flavourful is to boil it in a vegetable or chicken flavoured broth, instead of regular water. Top the cooked rice with quick mayonnaise lettuce and olive salad. You can also toast the rice with some butter, salt, and paprika before adding to the stock.
3. Parathas
Children love flavourful parathas so stuffed parathas are always a great idea. You can stuff parathas with classic fillings like aloo, paneer, methi, gobi, or give it a twist by going international and stuffing it with pizza topping along with cheese. You can serve this with their favourite choice of sauce or make a refreshing mint dip.
4. Noodles Alternatives
alternative Instead of packaging their tiffin with readymade noodles, you can replace it with a some healthy alternatives such as seviyaan pulao. Made with vermicelli this dish is savoury and tangy. You can add as many vegetables as you want. This dish proves that healthy is not always meant to be bland and boring.
5. Idlis with a twist
You can also give regular idli a makeover by cutting them into bite-sized pieces and pan-frying them in butter and pav bhaji masala. Just like other recipes, you can also sneak in some vegetables.
Avoid giving your kids curries or anything that is oily as this will increase their chances of creating a mess. While packing tiffins, keep in mind that kids are visual eaters. Use bright colours to tempt them into finishing their lunch without creating a fuss and avoiding food wastage.