Tasty food is regarded as yum by kids. In an effort to add variety, parents often try new recipes. Salads and soups are not always liked by kids and the more familiar the recipes become they have a keener urge to explore junk food. It would be totally right to deprive kids of junk or fast food. Include the same in your weekend recipe. If the kids love to order pizza then make it at home. Add more of cheese, corn, vegetables in pizza and use a single crust one. Serve the same with iced tea instead of cola or a perfect strawberry smoothie.

 

Each child is particular of what he or she gets in his tiffin for school. It is to be appreciated that many schools are laying a time table to inculcate discipline and see that kids eat healthy food. Try to include sprouts or use a masala bhel in the afternoon snack. Vegetable patties is a good idea. Side snacks can be marinated carrot sticks with a wedge of lemon.

 

Sago kichdi or patties will surely delight them. Use brown bread instead of white. Try some paneer or soya chunks in their pulav. Try to cut down the toppings in a cake or again lessen the spoonfuls of sugar in milk. Try variety of idlis like kanchipuram idli, broken wheat ones and other toppings. Include healthy diet biscuits. Saying no to each item will be harsh and let them occasionally go for the pasta or burger.

 

Mornings should be healthy breakfast  time. Use fruits, cereals,  muesli and make it a habit to let them like nuts. Almonds, pistachios, raisins, dates and figs are extremely good for health. Green vegetables are quite unfriendly with the kids liking. Try making a palak or pea paratha and use some yoghurt raita to go along with the same. Roast the cauliflower and top it with chat masala instead of the deep fried fritters. Use oven roasted wafers over ready packs.

 

Juices are healthy. Garnish vegetable juices as per the kids preference and make it a routine one time meal instead of tea or caffeine. Dark chocolate is good but if kids love sweets one can lay the Diwali sweet recipes before them. Fat is required in very low quantities and hence there is no need to feed the kids with oodles of ghee and oil. Make some masala roasted papad to avoid oily deep fried papads. Make a smiley dosa with home made tomato chutney instead of ketchup. Enjoy cooking and eating the healthy way!