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Kids Must Have Healthy Snacks in School
Parents are always overwhelmed every morning about what to pack for their kids' tiffin. Are we ensuring that they are eating healthy? Do they have a nutritious diet? Is their immunity growing? These are a few of the queries that are always there in the minds of parents. Ensuring a healthy diet for children is tricky, especially if the kid is fussy about food.
The goal for parents is to ensure that the food is packaged so that kids would love to have it. Ideally, they can be taken into the decision making process. Parents can also prepare the dishes with the kids. In this way, the kids will understand the nutritional value of their diet.
Benefits of Healthy Eating for Kids
Healthy growth
Children grow very fast during early childhood. Your kid needs to have a proper diet to ensure adequate intake of nutrients that will also allow them to stay healthy. Healthy consumption of food also makes the bones strong, and most of the skeletal mass is built during childhood. Having nutritious food allows your kid to have the ideal body weight. So, you need to ensure that your kid has a regular intake of nutritious food for healthy growth.
Better Development of the Brain
Having nutritious food goes a long way in the development of the brain in kids. Poor nutrition during the formative years can lead to reduced IQ levels. Deficient diet can also lead to problems in being attentive apart from behavioural issues. For a better brain function, kids must have fatty fish, eggs, and peanuts and almonds. Having whole grains is also important.
Ideal Body Weight
The ideal body weight of your kid will vary according to their build. However, having healthy and nutritious food will ensure that your kid has a perfect body weight with respect to their height. The need to introduce healthy food to kids stems from the fact that low-nutrient food was linked to higher obesity levels in kids and also had a link to having chronic diseases at a later stage in life. Parents should not focus on increasing their child's weight. Instead, the focus should be on improvement of the overall health of the kid.
Stronger Immunity
The dietary intake of kids ascertains their health as well. If they have nutritious food, they can ward off diseases and will have fewer health problems. A more robust immune function will mean lesser visits to the doctor. You should discuss the food intake of your kid with a dietician. Research has shown that kids with a higher intake of fruit and vegetables have a reduced chance of having diseases.
Prevents Obesity
Parents take a keen interest in the weight of their child. One aspect of forgetting to notice about our kids is what they are eating. Many kids around us are obese. It is mainly because of faulty food habits. A significant cause is junk food like burgers, aerated drinks, wafers, etc. Children who are obese often have chronic diseases later in life. It becomes necessary to introduce your kid to healthy foods early.
Lead to a Healthy Lifestyle
The dietary needs of children are something that parents must be bothered. Most kids are fussy about their diet and are more indulgent in junk food. Parents must take note of this early and introduce them to a healthy lifestyle. Growing up means the metabolism is at a faster rate. It requires children to have a proper dietary regimen. It will provide them with the nutrients necessary for healthy growth.
Early Adoption of Healthy Eating
Children who are introduced to a healthy diet during their childhood are known to live a healthier lifestyle. They are given to exercising more than others. A healthy lifestyle will ensure that they have proper growth and development – both physically and mentally.
The Best Healthy Snacks for Kids
Children are known to be very fussy about food and are always on the lookout for tasty food. It is due to this trait that they get introduced to harmful junk food like aerated drinks, pizzas and chips. It becomes difficult for parents to make the shift from junk food to healthy eating. However, there is a way out. What if you make some healthy yet tasty food for the kids! They will be eager to have them while parents can also sneak in healthy food in their kids' tiffin boxes.
Eggless Pancake
The pancake is made from ingredients high in nutrients and can be made using atta or all-purpose flour. The butter can be replaced by oil too.
Ingredients:
- 1-2 spoons butter/oil
- 1 spoon sugar
- 1 large spoon baking powder
- ½ spoon cinnamon powder
- 1 ½ cups of vegan milk
- Salt – as needed
- 1 cup of atta
Making the batter:
- The butter needs to be melted for around half a minute.
- Warm the milk and pour in into the bowl with the butter and heat for another half a minute.
- Add sugar to the warm milk and melted butter and mix all three.
- The mixture needs to be at room temperature, and the butter must melt completely. Pour it into a saucepan.
- Place a sieve on the pan and add flour and baking powder along with salt. Add the cinnamon powder too.
- Mix all the ingredients but ensure it is not too thick.
How to make:
- Make the pan moderately hot but do not overheat.
- Pour a large spoon of the batter onto the pan and cook till it is firm.
- Flip it and cook till this side is firm too and remove.
Corn Cutlet
The base of these cutlets is potatoes and corn. They can either be roasted or baked and can be used in a burger. They also find a place in your kids' lunchbox.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sweet corn
- 1 cup of potatoes
- 2 spoons of coriander leaves (finely chopped)
- ½ spoon of spices
- ½ spoon powdered red chillies
- ½ spoon ginger paste
- 1 green chilli
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- Cooking oil - as needed
- Salt – as needed
How to make:
- Boil the potatoes and the corn separately.
- The potatoes must be mashed and add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- The dough should be kneaded for a smooth bind.
- Divide into small balls and flatten them.
- Take a saucepan and pour one spoon of oil and heat for some time.
- Toast both sides until golden and take them aside.
Whole Grain Crackers
These crackers are rich in nutrients like carbs and fibre. It also has flax seeds that have calcium, fatty acids, and fibre.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of flour (You may take whole wheat flour)
- ½ cup oats (grounded)
- 4 spoons of sesame seeds
- 2 spoons of flax seeds
- 1 spoon red chilli powder
- 1 ½ spoon of oil (to knead the dough)
How to make:
- Take the flour and mix the oil to knead the dough.
- Mix the rest of the ingredients into the mixture and knead well.
- Flatten out the dough and use a cookie cutter to make round shapes.
- Take the round-shaped mix and place on a baking dish.
- Pre-heat the oven and bake the dough for around twenty minutes at 180o temperature.
- Once baked, store them in a container.
Date Brownie Energy Bars
This snack can energise adults and kids alike. No wonder it can find itself in tiffin boxes of parents as well as kids. The bars are rich in proteins and anti-oxidants.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup Cocoa Powder
- ½ cup oats
- 500 grams Dates
- 1 cup almond, crushed
- ½ cup Flax seeds, powdered
- 2 spoons Vanilla custard
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup Soy granules
How to make:
- Grind the ingredients in a food processor and make it into a dough.
- Ensure the dough has combined well by remixing the ingredients in a mixer.
- Make small balls from the dough.
- Flatten the balls. You may use a cookie cutter too.
- Refrigerate, if needed, and the energy bars are ready.
Dates and Cashew Laddoos
Another energy-boosting snack, the ingredients are rich in minerals like magnesium and copper. The snack also has vitamins and antioxidants in abundance.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of dates, without the seeds
- 1 cup of cashew nuts
- ½ cup coconut, grated
- Salt – as needed
How to make:
- Soak the dates in water for an hour. Then drain the water away.
- Blend the cashew nuts and coconut in a blender till smooth.
- Mix the dates into the blend along with some salt.
- Roll the blend into small balls and place them on a tray.
- Refrigerate, as needed, and the delicious laddoos are ready.
Masala Omelette Sandwich
A popular street food, it can also be made for your kids at home. It is rich in nutrients and energising too. But, instead of mustard oil, you may use refined oil.
Ingredients:
- 1 Onion, chopped
- 1 Tomato, chopped finely
- 2 Green Chilies, chopped
- 4 Whole Eggs
- 4 Whole Wheat Brown Bread
- ½ spoon Mustard oil, or refined oil
- 1 spoon Garam Masala powder
- 1 spoon Black pepper powder
- Salt – as needed
How to make:
- Whisk the eggs and salt.
- Add chopped tomato, onion, green chillies, along with black pepper powder and garam masala powder.
- Heat a flat surface pan with mustard (or refined) oil and evenly coat it with oil.
- Pour the whisked egg on the heated pan having it spread across the pan evenly.
- Cook it for a few minutes on one side and then flip it to cook the other side.
- Chop the omelette into four pieces.
- Stuff 2 of the slices in between two pieces of bread and apply some melted butter on the outer surface.
- Grill the sandwich from both sides.
Oat Apple Crumble
A great mix of delicious apple and nutritious oats and packed with flavours of cinnamon. It will keep your kid’s tummy full at school.
Ingredients:
Apple filling- Lemon juice - 2 lemons
- 4 apples, thinly sliced
- 1 large spoon of cinnamon powder
- 2 large spoons of brown sugar
- 2 large spoons of jaggery - grated
- Grated lemon zest
You will also need:
- 1 cup oats
- 2 large spoons of light brown sugar
- ½ spoon cinnamon powder
- 2 spoons of chilled white butter, diced
How to make:
- Add the lemon juice to the sliced apples.
- Mix the rest of the ingredients for the apple filling together along with some butter and keep it separately.
- Mix the oats with the cinnamon powder, butter and sugar.
- Take a baking pan and put some of the oats mixture on it. Put the apple filling on top of it and sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top.
- Bake the mix for forty minutes at a heat of 190o C till the mixture is sticky.
- Bring it out and serve.
Special Banana Roll
Are you late in preparing your kid’s tiffin? Help is at hand. These special banana rolls are easy to make.
Ingredients:
- 1 banana, peeled and cut into slices
- Honey
- Peanut butter, as needed
- A roti or a paratha
How to make:
- Prepare a soft paratha and keep it aside.
- Spread the peanut butter over the paratha as required.
- Put some of the banana slices on top.
- Pour some honey to add taste.
- Roll the paratha, and the special roll is ready.
Scrambled Egg Sandwich
It is a traditional snack that is both nutritious and easy to make. It is packed with proteins and makes an excellent lunchbox for kids. And even adults can have it for breakfast.
Ingredients:
- 3 Eggs
- 2 cucumbers, sliced
- Cheese spread, as required
- 8 brown bread, preferably whole wheat
- 1 large scoop of butter
- Salt – as needed
- Pepper – for taste
How to make:
- Whisk the eggs along with salt and pepper.
- Put some butter on the pan and heat it. Then add the eggs and stir the eggs till it looks like a crumble.
- Spread out the pieces of bread and spread some cheese.
- Put the sliced cucumbers on the bread and sprinkle some salt and pepper.
- Add some of the scrambled eggs on top and cover with the other bread. The sandwich is ready.
Paneer and Potato Cheese Sandwich
It is a high protein sandwich that will provide the necessary nutrients for your kid. Surely the tiffin box will be empty when your kid returns home.
Ingredients:
- 2- 3 Potatoes, boiled and peeled
- ½ cup Paneer, crumbled
- 1 Onion, chopped
- 2 Green Chilies, chopped
- 8 Whole Wheat Brown Bread
- Salt - to taste
- Butter – as needed
How to make:
- Mash the potatoes and add the rest of the ingredients, viz. onions, chillies and paneer. Mix the ingredients well and add salt to taste.
- Place some of the mixture on a slice of bread and spread well. Over with the other slice.
- Grill the sandwich until crisp.
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Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle as a Family!
Food plays an important part in adopting a healthy lifestyle. And healthy foods start at home. Kids learn healthy habit by following their parents. So, if you wish your kids to have a healthy lifestyle, start with yourselves. Abolish the junk food and carbonated drinks from your household. Instead of store-bought snacks, try having sprouts, yoghurt, fruits, veggies etc as your snacks. The kids would be more receptacle to healthy snacks themselves if you are a role-model for them. Next time, you are looking for a teatime snack, reach for a fruit or a sandwich instead of store-bought junk food.