5 Easy And Healthy Lunch Box Recipes For Kids

We understand that feeding kids can be an extremely tricky affair, that’s why we have listed well-balanced and healthy lunch box recipes for kids, filled with nutrients, and wholesome ingredients that are yummy for little tummies! Just make sure you pack wet tissues along with the lunch box for your child to clean their messy hands before and after eating.

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These lunch box recipes for kids are not only super easy to make but will also keep their stomachs full and satisfied all afternoon. Take a look.

Lunch Box Recipes For Kids

1. Carrot Rice

This is a great way to feed your child carrots. It not only looks and tastes delicious but is also healthy. You can pair the carrot rice with some fryums, chips or papads.

Ingredients:

Carrots: 2

Cooked basmati rice or any leftover rice: 1 cup

Garlic paste: 2 teaspoons

Chilli powder(optional): 1 teaspoon

Cumin powder: 1 teaspoon

Garam masala powder:1 teaspoon

Cinnamon: 1 small piece

Cardamom: 2

Fennel seeds: half teaspoon

Method:

Grate carrots.

Cook rice and set it aside to cool down or use any leftover rice.

Heat ghee, and add in a small piece of cinnamon, cardamom and fennel seeds. 

Add garlic paste and mix well. 

Add in grated carrots and saute for three to four minutes. 

Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder. 

Add salt to taste and mix well. 

Add cooked rice and mix well and cook for about 2-3 minutes. 

2. Soya Chunks Biryani

Soya chunks are healthy, high in protein and make a great substitute for any meat especially if your kid is a meat lover. chicken or any meat. You can add some raita on the side with the biryani.

Ingredients:

Soya chunks: 2 cups 

Peas(optional): half cup

Cooked basmati rice or leftover rice: 1 cup 

Onion: 2 large sliced thinly ( Reserve some for deep frying) 

Ginger garlic paste:  1 tbsp

Tomatoes: 2 large chopped finely 

Green chilli: 2 slit 

Mint leaves: ½  cup 

Coriander leaves:  ½  cup 

Curd: 1 cup 

Chilli powder:  1 teaspoon 

Coriander powder: ½ tablespoon 

Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon 

Salt to taste 

Oil- 1 tbsp 

Butter or ghee – 1 tablespoon

Lemon juice- 1 tablespoon 

Cinnamon  – 1 small stick

Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon

Cardamom – 2 

Cloves  – 2 

Bay leaf – 1 

Cashews – 1 tablespoon 

Raisin – 1 tablespoon 

Method:

Wash basmati rice well. 

Soak it for 30 minutes. 

Drain and keep it aside. 

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter/ghee mixed with 1 tablespoon of oil in a pressure cooker. 

Add all wholes spices and sauté for 1 minute.

Add onions and green chilli and sauté till golden brown. 

Add ginger garlic paste and sauté for about a minute. 

Add in tomatoes and cook this till they turn soft. 

Add in the coriander leaves and mint leaves and mix well. 

Add curd, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, and salt as per taste and mix well. 

Add in cooked soya chunks and mix well. 

Add in soaked drained rice and mix well. 

Add in three cups of water and bring it to a boil. 

Simmer the flame and cook covered for 15-20 mins until the rice is cooked.

Fry onions in about a tablespoon of ghee or oil till golden brown. 

Garnish the cooked biryani with fried onions, fried cashews and raisins and coriander leaves.

Lastly, add a dash of lemon juice.

3. Creamy Corn Macaroni

The fancy-looking creamy corn macaroni recipe is easy, simple, and an effortless lunchbox recipe for kids. Your child might just ask you to repeat this one!

Ingredients

Whole wheat macaroni: 2 cups

Butter: 1 tablespoon

Sweet Corn: 1 cup

Garlic chopped finely: 1

Cream: ¼ cup

Milk: 1 cup

Pepper to taste 

Salt to taste 

Method

Bring water to a boil with a pinch of salt and 2-3 drops of oil. 

Add in macaroni and cook.

Drain water and set it aside. 

Heat butter in a pan.

Add in garlic and saute for a few seconds. 

Add in corn and saute for about 2-3 minutes

Add in cream, milk, salt, and pepper and mix well. 

Add in cooked pasta and mix well.

4. Palak Paratha

Palak parathas are a tasty way to add to your child’s lunch box recipes, to make sure your child gets his/her dose of healthy greens. These crispy parathas are something that your child will relish happily along with some pickle or raita. 

Ingredients

Spinach leaves: 200 to 250 grams

Whole wheat flour: 2 cups 

Carom seeds (ajwain): ¼ teaspoon

Chopped green chillies: 1-2 finely chopped 

Asafoetida (hing): 1 pinch 

Method

Wash spinach leaves thoroughly with water and then drain them.

(You can soak spinach leaves in a mix of water, vinegar and baking soda for 4 to 5 minutes, to remove pesticides from them before rinsing them)

Drain all the water and set it aside.

Heat some water in a pan until it boils. 

Remove the pan from the stovetop.

Add the spinach leaves and blanch them for about five to six minutes. 

Add the blanched spinach leaves to the blender and make a smooth puree.{don’t add water).

Take the whole wheat flour, add carom seeds, green chillies, a pinch of asafoetida and salt as per taste.

Mix the ingredients well.

Add the spinach puree along with 2 teaspoons of oil.

Mix everything well and knead the dough. 

Make a medium size ball from the dough.

Roll the dough ball into a medium-sized round shape. 

Heat the tava and place the palak ka paratha on the hot tava.

Once one side of the paratha is slightly cooked drizzle some ghee and turn it over.

Do the same with the other side. 

Let both sides cook by turning it over one more time.

1. Rice Crust Pizza

We know pizza falls under the unhealthy food category but what if we told you there is an option to making the pizza healthy and tasty for your child? Yes, the rice crust pizza is something that your child will not be able to resist and you can let him/her have it without worry. All you need is the humble dosa batter! The best part is you don’t need an oven to make this pizza.

Ingredients

Dosa batter: As per the number of servings

Grated cheese: 2 – 3 tablespoons for each pizza

Toppings: As per choice

Method

Heat a dosa tava.

Grease the tava with some oil, ghee or butter.

Take a spoonful of the dosa batter and spread the batter in a circular motion just like you make an uttapam.

Cook it on both sides till it turns golden brown.

Once it’s cooked, switch off the gas, and spread some pizza sauce evenly on top.

Sprinkle some thinly sliced onions.

Add any topping that your child likes. (Toppings like mushrooms, corn, capsicum, and olives are a good choice).

Sprinkle the grated cheese.

Turn on the gas and cover the pizza with a lid and let it cook on low heat for about 3 -4 minutes till the cheese starts melting.

Cut the pizza evenly into triangles.

Now that you have some super easy recipes to add to your child’s lunch box list, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind when you pack the school lunch box.

Helpful Tips For Lunch Box Recipes For Kids:

1. Make use of leftovers like cooked rice, dough, and cooked veggies to make the school lunch.

2. Peel, chop, and knead ingredients(if you plan to make rolls and parathas) and keep everything ready to cook at night when you prepare dinner, so you save time in the morning.

3. Be creative with vegetables your child dislikes and turn them into interesting recipes so you can make sure they eat those vegetables.

4. Try and stick to vegetarian food when it comes to school lunch boxes since lunch boxes usually stay in your child’s bag till afternoon or lunch break and non-vegetarian foods can get spoiled when kept out of the refrigerator. This can not only cause a bad odour when your child unboxes the lunch box but can also cause food poisoning.

5. Use BPA-free plastic and sustainable lunch boxes (preferable steel) to pack the food.

6. Wrap chapatis, parathas and rolls in parchment paper to prevent them from drying.

7. Add a surprise note for your child. Kids love surprises and an encouraging and love-filled message from you will brighten up your child’s day especially if they are having a tough day in school.

With these Monday to Friday lunch box recipes, your child is sure to be hailed as the kid with the most interesting lunch box in school!

Cover image source: freepik.com