Make a weekly menu and avoid ordering in or opening a packet of readily available calorie laden chips when your kid has hunger pangs.
By Payal Kothari
I have two kids, both millennial, a sixteen-year-old daughter and an eight-year-old son. The two of them are at different ends of the pole in everything including food habits. One loves Western foods; the other is a fan of traditional Indian cuisine. Although being a nutritionist does make me think faster and wiser but serving multiple meals for my children with different preferences becomes a challenge at times. Not all days are similar, not all meals are appreciated, but I try to make their mid-meal snacks fun, healthy and yummy. I am sharing a few healthy lip-smacking options that my kids enjoy eating all year round.
Chia seeds and oats energy bars
These are easy to make. Bake rolled oats,chia seeds, jaggery or dates, dark chocolate, a pinch of salt, organic vanilla extract and coconut oil together and roll into small balls while still warm to the touch.
Cheese Veg chilli toast on multigrain bread
Finely chop red, yellow and green peppers, spinach along with mushrooms and mix it with grated cheese, ¼ tsp green chillies and a pinch of salt and bake till cooked and well browned on top. Serve this baked delight with homemade beetroot ketchup.
Hummus with vegetable crudités
My kids love hummus, and I flavored it with parsley, dil, jalapeno, truffle oil and beetroot. This is best had with vegetable sticks like cucumbers, carrots, asparagus and a handful of lavash.
Nuts and seeds
Brain food between meals is a great mood elevator and ensures satiety. A couple of almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios and all mixed seeds are amazing fillers and nutrient-dense good fat bites.
Homemade nachos
Make some flat nacho chips at home and melt some cheese. Add some homemade salsa, guacamole and chilli flakes to it and you have the world’s best nachos ready.
Fruit salad in almond milk
Banana, custard apple, apple, pomegranate and oranges finely chopped and tossed in chilled almond milk just before serving tastes like heaven. You could add some jaggery or sugar to it, if required.
These snacks are healthy and satiating. They work well for pre and post workouts too. Meal prep is advisable for homemade dishes like hummus, nacho chips and almond milk. So make a weekly menu to avoid ordering in or opening a packet of readily available calorie laden chips.
(The writer is an integrative and functional nutritionist.)
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