Schools have reopened from the summer break. Parents can let out a sigh of relief now :-) The school routine makes our days more planned and predictable.
As moms of young children, we are more concerned about what to pack for their lunch box / snack box rather than their homework / studies ;-) Isn't it such a happy feeling when their dabbas come home empty?
I decided to make a list of ideas for myself, to keep my meal planning stress-free. Sharing this with other parents who believe in packing healthy lunch boxes without any packaged foods / junk foods.
Regular readers of my blog, you might have come across similar lists in my previous posts. It is "araicha maavu araichufying" (grinding the same batter) in a new avatar ;-)
Snack (mid-morning break)
1. Seasonal Fruits
2. Fruit Chaat / Fruit Salad
3. A few nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts or pistachio)
4. Dry fruits (raisins, dates, figs)
5. Chikki varieties (peanut, sesame, flaxseed)
6. Roasted makhana
7. Homemade popcorn
8. Vegetable sticks with hummus (Cucumber, carrot, capsicum)
9. Simple veg salad / kosambari (soaked moong dal, chopped cucumber, carrot, raw mango)
10. Sundal varieties
11. Roasted peanuts / boiled peanuts
12. Boiled sweet corn
Main meal (Breakfast / Lunch)
1. Idli / Mini Idli
2. Stuffed masala idli
3. Oothappam (with different veggies)
4. Kuzhi paniyaram
5. Sevai / rice vermicelli (Lemon sevai, coconut sevai, peanut sesame sevai)
6. Lemon rice
7. Tomato rice
8. Coconut rice
9. Veg pulao / Veg fried rice
10. Capsicum corn rice / Cabbage rice
11. Aloo paratha
12. Paneer paratha
13. Carrot cabbage paratha
14. Rava idli
15. Rava Upma
16. Veg rice (any dry veg preparation mixed with rice and a little ghee - kaai saadham)
17. Curd rice
18. Chapathi rolls (thick chapathi stuffed with rajma/chickpeas/paneer + veggies)
19. Vermicelli Upma
20. Poha with potatoes / Tamarind poha
21. Poori / Beetroot poori / Palak poori
22. Cutlet / Tikkis
Let's take an oath to avoid packing junk foods or other packaged foods in our kids' tiffin boxes, irrespective of whether the school enforces or not. A few things to avoid:
Cheese slices / cubes
Chocos / ragi fills
Lotte choco pie in individual packs
Bournvita biscuits in individual packs
Any other biscuits/cookies/candies
Also I would highly recommend that you use simple steel boxes to pack snacks/lunch for your kids. The colorful plastic ones are unhealthy, even if they claim to be food-grade.
Our kids are dependent on us for nutrition and good health. Let's not outsource that work to food corporations. If we need to wake up early, let's set the alarm 30 min earlier and make something healthy and homemade.
If you pack other healthy, homemade options, do share in the comments below. Will add them to the list above.
Let's welcome a healthy and happy academic year!!