Kids always want a delicious meal that can be eaten fast while parents want a meal that can be prepared rapidly, but should not be full of vacant calories. Provide your children with the energy they require to create through out the day by taking healthy lunch, also studies have revealed that if you supply your kids with healthy food to eat at home or school, they will be better prepared to learn and study. When kids are hungry, their brains notify them to consume junk foods loaded with sugar and fat, as that’s what provide them instant energy. You have to come up with a cunning plan of action in order to reinstate these urges with the flavor buds of a slight gourmet. Now, forget the same-old lunch that you keep on serving to your kids and try out something new. Every day give your kids something new to look forward at lunch with a range of options which they won’t trade away! Do you give money to kids for buying their lunch at school and cross your fingers as they choose a healthy lunch? Do you purchase a few pre-packaged, grab and go meals that price more, and are these also healthy? Check out here the collection of 20 kid-friendly lunch ideas that takes less time to prepare at home as well it help to keep lunches healthy and enjoyable. Kids can learn how to plan, prepare and eat a different diet rich in nutrients with these healthy lunch ideas.
20 Healthy lunch ideas for kids at home
Photo courtesy: chefschoolontario.com
Best healthy and tasty lunch ideas for children:
1, Pita bread pizza
As an appetizer or light lunch, these mini Pita bread pizzas are simple to make and need readily accessible ingredients. All you have to do is just set up pita loaves, sauce and topping buffet style, then bake it - now it’s ready. Several variations are possible with this pita pizza recipe, you definitely can add any cheeses that you favor, and of course any toppings. Blue cheese adds an exclusive flavor, and pita bread is an ideal crust.
2, Chicken noodle soup
This is a wonderful soup that you would like to cook for kids. If child likes lots of noodles then utilize a whole pound of them. Home style chicken noodle soup can be served hot with the favorite salad and bread, or else add carrots, peas and celery in soup. Moreover, when you don't have time to make your soup entirely from scratch, this is a very trouble-free and good substitute. In winter season, ginger can be also added as it is great for colds.
3, Honey chicken kabobs
The major ingredient in these Kabobs for kids is honey and it adds the wonderful, fine sweetness! Honey is a natural sweetener and it adds an exclusive sweetness in comparison to the plain old sugar. Up to 12 hours you can marinate the chicken; and you can have a more savory finished dish, if you marinate it for longer period. As per review, if you marinate chicken for 3-4 hours also, then it still turned out DELICIOUS... In order to maintain the freshly-grilled taste, keep the veggies warm. The spicy mix of pepper, soy sauce, honey, and garlic makes for a tangy marinade and basting sauce for chicken kabobs.
4, Honey Fruit Salad
When fresh fruits are available in season, this fruit salad is splendid. It is also good with tea or as a light dessert. A lime dressing and light honey brings out the taste of canned and fresh fruits. Mix kiwifruit, peaches, pears, cherries and more into an attractive, sinfully-sweet fruit salad. It takes around 10 minutes to assemble this easy salad. Escort this delicious honeyed fruit salad recipe with an assorted cheese, a baguette, and a bottle of spicy-sweet sparkling dessert wine for a wonderful picnic. In place of white wine, add water, white grape juice or apple juice.
5, Trail mix
It is a grouping of nuts, dried fruit, grains, raisins, coconut, and sometimes chocolate. It is lightweight, yummy, easy to store, and nutritious, offering a rapid boosts from the carbohydrates in the dried fruit and/or granola, and continued energy from the mono- and polyunsaturated fats in nuts. In trail mix whatever the kids consume will work wonders. The ingredients are trouble-free to get in the bulk bins at the supermarket, and you can be resourceful in finding the combination that you enjoy the most. It doesn't require any refrigeration and is food-safe for numerous days.
6, Baked beans
You have to allocate time for soaking and simmering the beans, though this recipe is still quite easy. It tastes fabulous if served with honey and biscuits, or fresh cornbread. Baked beans could be eaten hot or cold by kids. By preparing baked beans at home, one can control whatever goes in and shun the added sugar found in the canned range.
7, Toasted cheese sandwich spread
Queso fresco can be mixed with cream cheese, toasted walnuts, mayonnaise and dried cranberries in this sandwich spread. A crumbly white cheese, Queso fresco holds its shape when heated. Spread Queso fresco on whole grain bread, warm it under the broiler for a short time, and get amazing results. This is one such recipe that can be prepared in minutes, so simple but really tasty. You can add any vegetables in this including capsicum.
8, Stuffed hamburgers
Don't top your burgers - stuff them by placing extra ingredients inside the burgers as it keeps the flavor inside. No more melted off cheese or lost toppings as well it’s a good change from plain old hamburgers on the grill, only a little something to flavor things up. Think of your much loved ingredients for your stuffed burgers such as blue cheese burgers, stuffed mushroom burgers, bacon and cheese stuffed burgers, and sautéed onion and garlic burgers.
9, Burritos
A type of Mexican food, Burrito contains a wheat flour tortilla wrapped or folded into an almost cylindrical shape to wholly enclose a filling. On the contrary, a taco is usually produced by just folding a tortilla in half around a filling, leaving the semicircular perimeter unlock. Generally, the flour tortilla is evenly grilled or steamed, to soften it and to make it more flexible. Begin your day in a different way - Burritos with bacon, fried eggs, and refried beans topped with melted cheese. In place of bacon, ham or sausage can be used. Dish up with salsa on the side.
10, Cheese crackers
When you have lemons, you may think to prepare lemonade. But when you have 5 pounds of cheddar cheese, then what would you make. It is recommended to make your own spicy cheese crackers that will just melt in your mouth. Utilize more or less spice to suit your tastes. These crackers are extremely light and airy, so you’ll marvel why you never made them earlier. The ingredients needed for making cheese crackers include butter, grated cheddar cheese, flour, salt and dried chives.
11, Soft pretzels
A sort of baked food, Pretzel is made from dough in soft and hard ranges and savory or sweet flavors in an exclusive knot-like shape that originated in Europe. The shape of pretzel is a distinct symmetrical looped form; with the ends of an extended strip of dough, interlink brought together and afterward twisted back onto itself in a definite way. Soft pretzels could be coated with cinnamon and sugar. After making it, dip the hot pretzel in melted butter and coat with your preferred flavors. For seasoning and decoration purpose, use different salt crystals, glazes, sugar and seeds or nuts.
12, Tomato salsa
Salsa, which means "sauce" in Spanish comes in several different ways, the most widespread being chopped tomatoes, onions and chile. Salsa has the benefit of being a salad, sauce as well as savor - all in one. There is neither fat nor sugar in it, and the flavor is amazing. To make tomato salsa, you require diced ripe tomatoes, small onion, lime juice, garlic clove, cilantro leaves or parsley and salt. This is the perfect salsa to keep stocked in your fridge at all times. Tomato salsa is packed with vitamins, antioxidants and minerals that kids require.
13, Candied pineapple
Candied Pineapple is a wonderful treat and even makes a charming gift for kids by merely wrapping it in plastic with a bow. These sugary treats last for longer period. It is prepared by candying in sugar syrup and afterward drying pieces of fresh pineapple. In simple words, Candied pineapple is a dried pineapple that can be sugared. Make use of your candied pineapple in cookies and fruitcake, or dip in chocolate for your own home-based candies.
14, Oatmeal cookies
Oatmeal cookies recipes are abundant, in fact great recipes are rare. Oatmeal cookies are a recognizable favorite with both kids and adults. The crunchy and chewy cookie is full with oats, dried fruit, and chopped nuts. Add a cup of raisins if you wish. A luscious mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla instill the oats as they bake, making every bite an appetizing blend of spices and texture.
15, Watermelon pie
Summer can be best dealt with by a cool slice of fresh watermelon. Watermelon pie is very much refreshing that it lasts only for short time on warm summer days. Watermelon and a little convenience items make it a lovely dessert that doesn't need much effort. To produce a yummy low-fat, no-bake pie, draw on low-fat ingredients united with watermelon.
16, Orange snowballs
Sweet and tangy, these appetizing orange treats are easy to make and require no baking. It can be made with vanilla wafers and orange juice concentrate/orange marmalade and liqueur. Compared to a cookie (more of a cookie dough texture), the orange snowballs are softer. Make these quite a few days in advance for nice flavor.
17, Strawberry soup
Strawberry soup is a flavorsome combination of roasted strawberries, yogurt, sugar, and cream. It could remind you of a Smoothie. It is a good dessert to make if you have a plenty of luscious tasting strawberries, rather ones you have chosen yourself at your local u-pick strawberry farm. The sweet, healthy treat, packed with vitamin C, can be made in advance and chilled until serving time.
18, Tuna tacos
Try out tuna tacos rather than the routine of the tuna sandwich. Take a taste adventure and serve these tacos with shredded lettuce, sliced avocado, salsa and black olives. Also, one can try tuna tacos with the peppers, onion and lettuce in addition to the not-so-usual fresh hot sauce.
19, Potato chips
When it comes to potato chips or wafers, mostly all agree that you can't stop with simply one! Particularly, when it is something you prepared at home. Make your own potato chips using lighter cooking oil for a healthier alternative. It really tastes better compared to their bagged counterparts. Choose big sized potatoes to obtain chips of larger diameter and utilize a mandoline slicer to get identical pieces. For making them stiff, we normally put them in ice and water for about 10 minutes before frying. The basic chips are cooked and salted, and even add black pepper, cheeses and other spices.
20, Hard-boiled eggs
Hard-boiling eggs is nearly as simple as boiling water, if you are familiar with the right procedure. Purchase your eggs about a week in advance as fresh eggs are harder to peel. A hard-boiled egg is packed with protein as well as it tasted great. Cooking eggs for long time can result in tough whites, cracked shells and green-gray, sulfuric-smelling yolks, so be careful while boiling the eggs. Hard-cooked eggs in the shell might be refrigerated for up to 1 week.