Kids’ aversion to all things green and leafy is no stranger to us. To see a growing child automatically drawn toward a pizza or pasta more than a healthy bowl of salad is a concern for many parents. They are usually in a dilemma about feeding the right food to their kids, especially when they are young. Since it is fruits and vegetables that lend the body the right kind of nutrition and provide all the required nutrients for growth, it becomes imperative that the kid eats the most detested foods too. If you happen to serve a plate of palak saag and roti to a kid, he or she would most definitely fret and throw tantrums so as to not eat it. However, rarely would a kid say no to a pizza, pasta or a pancake kept on the table.
Interestingly, celebrity chef Amrita Raichand holds a similar opinion. In an interview with Slurrp, she exclaimed that being a mother, she disguised the healthy ingredient inside a tasty dish to feed her son. For instance, she would “camouflage green vegetables in a sauce and top it with cheese” so that her son can happily eat it. She has also devised several other healthy recipes like Roti-E-Burger so that kids can eat healthy and tasty at the same time.
If you want to feed your kids all the greens, here are a few recipes that you can try at home.
1. Spinach Scrambled Eggs
Not just lunch and dinner, even breakfast can be healthy for your kids. A bowl of cereal wouldn’t be the best pick for them but a lot of kids love eggs. Scrambled eggs are soft and yummy, with a creamy texture that kids usually like. The eggs are whisked together with salt, butter, and milk until they turn fluffy. To this, some crushed spinach leaves can be added. Combining it all together gives you a delectable and wholesome egg breakfast that is nutritious and tasty.
2. Sweet Spinach Pancakes
Another great breakfast dish are pancakes. Since they are soft in texture and sweet in taste, the pancakes are perfect to lift up your kid’s mood. While regular pancakes are made with a batter of all-purpose flour, sugar, milk and eggs, they turn out brown and boring. The spinach pancakes not only serve the purpose of providing your kid with nutrition but also add a pop of colour to the plate. Stack them all and top with whipped cream and fresh fruits like mangoes, pineapple, and berries.
3. Kale Pesto Pasta
The kids are generally fussy about food and quite moody too. In that case, a plate of their favourite pasta can make them happy. As Chef Amrita also believes, adding some cheese to your dish can make it a delectable treat. For the pasta, a healthy and protein-filled sauce is prepared with basil and kale. Chopped tomatoes can be added to the pasta along with chickpeas to increase the nutritional value. Topped with parmesan cheese and walnuts, a crunchy bowl of pasta is ready.
4. Banana Spinach Muffins
A sweet treat can always make things right. Just like these banana spinach muffins. Instead of carb-loaded cake batter, these muffins come packed with fruits and veggies that provide your kid with all the right nutrition. Bananas are filled with fibre and spinach has a lot of iron in it. Pair these two together in the muffin batter and a heavenly sweet meat would be ready.
5. Crispy Zucchini Fries
Gobbled down one after the other, there’s no stopping when it comes to fries. However, you won’t feel guilty of feeding the kid fries very often if they were filled with zucchini instead of potatoes. The zucchini is finely sliced and coated in first, corn flour and then some bread crumbs. Baked in the oven, the fries turn out golden-brown and are perfect evening snacks to be served with some ketchup.