After two years of online classes and homeschooling, it’s time to head back to school again. As a concerned mom, you must be feeling overwhelmed thinking about what to fill your kids’ lunchbox with, to ensure a nutritious and tasty meal for your little ones - something that would be a one-pot meal, would tempt your kid to gorge on and yet be healthy and filling. Fret not. Here are some lunchbox ideas that have always worked.
Cheese, Paneer and Veggie Rolls: Loaded with vegetables and oozing with cheese, this meal will proffer your child with a wholesome and scrumptious option comprising proteins, vitamins, minerals and fats - all in the right quantities. The preparation time can be minimised if you keep the paneer cubes and chopped vegetables sautéed the night before and just spread them over the freshly made paratha or chapati, grate some cheese on top and roll it. Pack it with tomato ketchup and some cookies or sweets for a perfect school lunch treat.
Bread Pizza: A pizza with a difference, you need onions, green capsicum, yellow and red bell pepper, carrots, black olives (if available)and sweet corn, all of which need to be sautéed in butter. Apply a layer of pizza and pasta sauce on top of the bread and spread the sautéed veggies, topping it up with grated mozzarella cheese or any cheese that you would prefer. Now, put the bread on a pan and cover it for 10 minutes, checking in between so that the base doesn’t get burnt. Add oregano and pep up the lunch box with some sweet strawberries and grapes or two slices of plain cakes as dessert.
Vegetable Pulao: With the goodness of rice and veggies, this is surely one of the best ways to ensure that your kid gets everything you want him to. Make the rice beforehand for a quicker early morning lunchbox preparation and add fried cashews and raisins for a wholesome meal. You can pack some homemade kheer for a delightful dessert after your little one enjoys the pulao.
PaneerParatha or Masala Paratha:
Parathas when stuffed with nutritious ingredients make for a delectably healthy lunch option. If you have leftover paneer curry, just take the paneer and saute it along with the curry masala and some onions and stuff it in the dough to make delicious parathas loaded with proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins. Alternate it with masala parathas that can be made with veggies like potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, green peas, boiled and enhanced with powdered spices, preferably roasted and powdered at home for a better taste and stuffed in the dough. Serve with your child’s favourite chutney or pickle and curd. You may also pack a small cup of mishti doi or shrikhand that are easily available in the market.
Maggi Magic: Maggi noodles in the lunchbox is all things nostalgic and believe it or not, this awesomely tasty and all-time favourite dish can be turned into a healthy and wholesome one with some added veggies and some egg scrambles. Pep up the lunch box with a cupcake or mawa cake, and you are sure to be showered with love for an amazing lunch once your child gets back home.
Mothers are born innovators when it comes to preparing something delicious for their children. With these lunch box ideas, you can just don your creative hat and tweak the ingredients for a week full of meal options for your kids.
*Satarupa B Kaur has been writing professionally for a decade. Always on the go, she loves to travel, read books and enjoy playtime with her toddler, as she explores new places and food.