Packing lunch boxes for kids have always been any mother's nightmare. The demand for yummy interesting food from kids is never ending. But as a parent, giving them healthy food is our duty. This combination has always been difficult to match with. Healthy food is always boring to kids. Getting back an empty lunch box should be the motive. A power packed lunch should have a good amount of carbohydrate base in one of these forms – bread, rice, chapathi/paratha, or pasta. The protein element could be in the form of lentils (rajma, channa), egg or good ol' dal. What is important is to give them an interesting avatar – while most children baulk at a traditional dal tadka accompaniment to phulkas, they would dig into dal parathas. You could make sure calcium-rich foods are included through the snack box fillers – a cube of cheese for example. Traditional jaggery-based sweets like chikki and til laddu are a great way to sneak iron into your child's diet. Use yummy green chutney as a sandwich spread – a subtle way to include methi, coriander and peas in one go! Veggies should take their pride of place without drawing undue notice to themselves – carrots grated into atta and dosa batter, steamed corn and broccoli with dips – these are some ways to increase the intake of veggies. Cut fruit, topped with a little chaat masala for the zing, is an easy way to get the children excited about fruit. Make sure your fridge is always stocked with Boiled channa Cucumber Tomatoes Frozen corn kernels Frozen peas Peanut butter Fruit jam/jelly Mashed potatoes Butter Idly/Dosa batter Eggs Ready sauces (Tamarind chutney, green chutney) Invest in good quality Snack boxes with neat inner boxes Leak-free Tupperware for curd, juices Spill-proof Rubbermaid boxes Tiny plastic forks and spoons in bright designs Perky napkins 'Hot packs' It is at this tender age that kids need the maximum nutrients and protein. Their growth and health depends completely upon how well they are fed and how much good goes into their body. So parents, even if your kids cringe a bit, try feeding them the best of food variants available. For healthy food is healthy life.
