BACK TO SCHOOL
Now that holidays are over, and schools are reopened, moms are also geared up to open their creative minds and feed their kids healthy. But it’s so tough, isn’t it? Kids are always running around and are just not in mood to listen to their parents.
We want our kids to be fit n healthy, eating good food and exercise enough but time is also another issue. They have 5-6 hours of schools and then there are N number of classes and tuitions. Sometimes they are too tired to go out and play.
Giving healthy and nourishing food to our kids is also another task in itself. Whatever is tasty is not always healthy and whatever is healthy is not always tasty. Junk food which we get very easily outside, is never made in healthy conditions, nor the ingredients are healthy. But unfortunately, junk food tastes awesome and so liked by all the kids. But we should teach them what is good now and what is good for lifetime?
So what can be done? How can you be ensured about your kid’s health when he is jam-packed with his routine? The kids spend almost 6-7 hours of their day’s time in schools. See to it that he carries tiffin with him. Here are some tips for your kid’s health when he is in school-routine-
- Never send your kid on empty stomach to schools.
If the schools start at early morning, you can give a glass of milk with some flavour added if child doesn’t like plain milk, another healthy twist you can give is add some dry fruits and blend into a smoothie.
- Plan the tiffins wisely
Mostly there are 2 breaks in schools, one for lunch or a long break and a short break. For lunch, always see to it that you give wholesome food according to his likes and short break tiffin can contain some easy to eat and easy to carry snack because kids are never in mood of eating in short breaks since they need to run towards the ground.
- Rest of the day
Even if you had to give some snacks or some junky food in kids lunch boxes due to time restraint or any other reason ,see to it that rest of day’s nourishment is well balanced. Proteins are very important for any kid and mostly we do not give dals or milk products to tiffins since they are not easy to carry. So always add some protein in the meals when kid is at home.
- It is also important to give something very nourishing and healthy whenever kid is hungry especially after coming home from sports or tuitions or school.
- Never send them to evening sports activity on empty stomach. Something snacky should be given which is easy to eat and not heavy on stomach.
HERE ARE SOME HEALTHY TIFFINS IDEAS –
- You can give mixed dal chilas, or thalipiths with curds as a lunch option. It is rich in proteins , easy to make , time saving and easy to eat also.
- You can add soy, flaxseeds into your chapati flour so the chapati he/she eats has some added nutrients in it.
- Instead of farsan, shev, fafda, you can give khakra, roasted poha chiwda, kurmura, roasted chana.
- Chapati sabzi roll, groundnut chutney-ghee-chapati roll, ghee-jaggery roll are some good easy to eat options in tiffins.
- You can sometimes also give rice, with added veggies and for some protein, you can add paneer, tofu, or chole, rajma into it, if kid can eat nonveg, you can add chicken and fish pieces as well. Rice is easy on stomach and combining with protein and veggies is an excellent lunch option
- Instead of cakes, pastries and candies you can give paushtik laddu, groundnut laddu or a mixed dry fruits chikki.
- Mixed dry fruits, fresh fruits, roasted chanas, makhanas are easy to carry snack items which the kid can eat whenever he is hungry.
- For evening snack, always make some healthy, sometimes you can give maggi or instant pastas but that should be limited to once a week. You can make cutlets from the leftover sabzis or poha or rice.
- Bhel is a good snack option, you can increase nutrition quotient by adding sprouts, veggies and less of farsan.