6 Tips To Planning The Perfect Lunch Box For Your Kid

Meal planning for young kids is surely a hectic task for any parent. On National Nutrition Day, we try to focus on how to get the most nutrition in our children’s lunchboxes while making sure that they actually enjoy their food. Kids are picky eaters. No matter how much we try and research to get them the right kind of food, and the right amount of nutrients, kids have a mind of their own. On some days, they will like broccoli, and the next day they will not want to be near broccoli at all! During this Nutrition Week, we try to decode healthy Indian lunch box ideas for school and try to understand how to plan the perfect lunch box for your child. It is essential to keep in mind that every child has their own preferences and tastes, and the more we try to force our children to eat a particular kind of food, the more aversive they become to that particular food group. As parents, we need to understand that kids don’t look at food as nutritional, they look at it as fun and a way to excite their senses. Therefore, there needs to be a level of creativity and personalization when planning your child’s lunch box. Identifying your child’s taste is the perfect way to make sure that the tiffin box comes back home- empty!

Meal preps, mixing cuisines, using the right boxes and more- 6 tips for planning that perfect lunch box!

Use Fun Lunch Boxes - To make the content appealing, let us try to make the medium interesting! Getting your child the same steel lunch box as their parents, will not get them excited for lunchtime. In fact, getting the same lunchbox as the other kids in school too will take away from the excitement of opening their lunchbox in class.

Understand what your child likes - do they like a particular superhero? Do they like patterns? Do they like a particular theme? Personalize the lunch experience for them, and make them feel special!

Meal Prep - Parents, we hear you! It is not possible to come up with the most offbeat and interesting lunch idea every morning. Moreover, it is taxing on a parent to do this every morning, as you get yourself and your child ready for the day. This is where meal prep comes in! Does your child like the idea of a certain meal or a flavour? Cook and pack in advance to make things easier for the rest of the week!

Identify Your Child’s Palate - Does your child like particular flavors and combinations? Are they more inclined toward savory foods than spicy? Do they prefer a certain vegetable? Understanding your child’s palate is key to making sure your child actually enjoys lunchtime.

Try Different Cuisines - Instead of the same old roti-sabzi combination, try experimenting with different cuisines and recreating healthier versions of the same for your child’s lunchbox. For example- tortillas with a fun range of colorful veggies and sauces can make for a filling and tasty lunch. Sweet and sour paneer pakoras inspired by Chinese cuisine, or fun-shaped Japanese rice balls and healthy and innovative ideas for your child’s lunch.

Condiments - Want your child to love their veggies and fruits? Add condiments to their lunch. We know mayonnaise and cheese is not exactly healthy, but if in small amounts, it gets your children to have a healthy amount of veggies then it definitely warrants a try!

Lastly, Be Serious About Food Waste - Even if we try our best as parents, children can still remain the picky eaters that they are. It is our responsibility as caregivers to make them aware and sensitive to food wastage, and to make them aware of the privilege of carrying such innovative and fulfilling lunch boxes filled with nutrition and customised food made just for them.

For more content like this, visit the Podar International School blog site!