Pack a Tasty Tiffin

Pack a Tasty Tiffin

Does your child hate his lunch box? Does he come home with his food untouched, only to barge into the kitchen ravenously searching for something to eat? Or perhaps, unbeknownst to you, he distributes his tiffin amongst his little gang at school. While your child's ideal lunch box would consist of pizzas or burgers, you as a parent know that his choice of food does not provide the required nutrition. So what do you do? Pack him a tiffin of daal chaaval or chapatti and vegetables day after day after day.

Who says that food can't be tasty and healthy at the same time? All that your child really wants is a change from mundane everyday food. And with limitless food options available at our disposal, why do we unfailingly insist on providing our child with the same food everyday? Even vegetarian options can be limitless – all you do is cook the same vegetables in a different way, and the entire taste and appearance changes.

Food is not just a feast for the taste buds. It is a feast for the eyes as well, and while we may believe it targets just one sense, it in fact targets the sense of smell, of sight, of taste and yes, of touch as well. Think about it – mushroom doesn't have much of a taste by itself, but the texture is what makes it so delectable.

Like all parents, you mean well, but just run out of ideas every now and then as to what to pack into your child's lunch box. So here are a few healthy and tasty alternatives that your child is sure to love.

Monday

Skip the white bread. Opt for brown bread instead. Visit the neighbouring bakery for a variety of options. If your child doesn't like regular brown bread, pick up a footlong (baguette, roll) or pita instead. Using the same ingredients you always do while making your child a regular sandwich, but put it in a footlong instead. Add some mayonnaise, and your child will gobble it up.

Tuesday

If your child likes home-cooked soup, instead of sending your child daal, try sending him soup today with garlic bread or cheese toast. (Avoid making soup from packets, they are not a healthy option.) Once again, instead of sending him regular bread, pick up a mushroom bread for him.

Wednesday

Watermelon and papaya cubes, kiwi and apple slices, strawberries and grapes make a tasty fruit salad. So if your child likes fruits, let one box of his tiffin contain fruits today and at least one other day of the week.

Thursday

Instead of water, let your child take sweet lime water (nimbu pani) or buttermilk in his water bottle a couple of times a week. Send him his favourite subji wrapped up in a chappati, Frankie style. Better yet, substitute chapattis with lightly fried (in ghee) parothis.

Friday

Most children love peanut butter sandwiches. Peanut butter is not locally available in India, and you may have to buy imported peanut butter. Optionally, it is easy to make peanut butter at home. All you need is a grinder. Take two handfulls of peanuts, a couple of garlic cloves and a little salt. Combine ingredients in a grinder and grind them till you have a paste. You can even add a little butter or oil. If your child likes it spicy, add a little red chili powder.

Saturday

Give your child a baked treat! Vegetables baked in white sauce. Instead of using maida in the white sauce, use regular wheat. It will be just as tasty, and incredibly nutritious.

Avoid giving him maida, pasta or white bread in any form.

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