Lunch Ideas That Toddlers Will Love

You may be an amazing cook! But when it comes to feeding your toddler a meal, it is a daunting task. Isn’t it? Packing a successful toddler lunch box - one that they will eat and not immediately reject -is far more difficult than it appears. Sure, a perfectly made peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a side of raspberries should appeal to them in theory, but in practice? They'll eat those sandwiches one day and then refuse to even look at them, let alone try a bite the next day. If you're stuck for inspiration, these charming and distinctive toddler lunch box ideas should be plenty to stimulate your child's attention.

Many parents are concerned about their toddlers not eating enough nutritious foods. Toddlers are prone to eating very tiny amounts, being picky about what they eat, and refusing to eat at all. There are a few reasons for this:

• Toddler appetites vary constantly because of growth spurts and variations in activity.
• Toddlers aren’t growing as fast as babies, so they need less food.
• Toddlers have small stomachs.
• Toddlers are very interested in the world around them, so they have short attention spans for food.
• Toddlers want to push boundaries and show how independent they can be.

The following suggestions are innovative, super healthy,  and will make lunch look exciting, which is precisely what you want. You are free to entirely replicate them or simply use them as a source of inspiration. Change up small pieces of them to suit your child's preferences.

1. Rainbow Idli Platter

Take your kid’s love and fascination for colors one step ahead.

1. Orange Idli – Mix Carrot in the idli batter
2. Green Idli – Mix Green Peas in the idli batter
3. Brown Idli – Mix Ragi in the idli batter
4. Red Idli – Mix Beetroot in the idli batter
5. Dark Green Idli – Mix Spinach in the idli batter
6. White Idli – Plain rice batter idli

Serve this colorful palette of idlis with some green chutney or coconut chutney or ketchup or whatever dip your kid prefers.

2. Broccoli & Beetroot Pasta

• Boil Beetroot and Broccoli together. Grind them together once it cools down. Keep this paste aside
• On the side Boil Red lentil Pasta with a little salt and olive oil
• In a pan take some butter. Add finely chopped Garlic, Onions & Zeera powder. Add Chopped Carrots, Beans, and some salt
• Mix the Beetroot-Broccoli paste in the pan now and add the boiled pasta
• Add sweet paprika and black pepper as per your toddler’s liking.
• Grate little cheese to add some body and taste

Your toddler will love this super healthy and yummy recipe for sure.

3. Rajma Oats Sooji Balls

• Soak Rajma overnight, Boil with some salt and Blend
• Dry Roast Sooji and Oats, Grind in a Mixer
• Mix then together
• Add Cumin powder, Red Chilli, Pepper, Lemon, Hari Mirchi, Hara Dhaniya, Parsley, Salt, and Garlic powder
• Make small bite-size balls
• Apply bread crumbs all over
• Roast in a pan with little Olive Oil

Again, a combination of flavors and nutrients your toddler will love.

4. Peanut Butter and Banana Toast

If you're short on time and need to put something together quickly, this is the meal for you. Peanut butter is high in nutrients, including plant-based protein and healthful fats.

When buying peanut butter, make sure to read the label and go for one that doesn't have any added sugar or salt. Bananas contribute to one of their five-a-day requirements while also providing nutrients such as potassium.

5. Strawberry Rawa Porridge

If you are looking for something seasonal or fresh fruit-based recipes or porridge-type meals, this recipe is for you.

• Lightly roast RAWA
• Add little milk/water as per your desired consistency. Let the Rawa absorb all the Milk/Water
• Add fresh strawberry pulp
• A dash of Cinnamon
• Let it cool down a little and add some honey to balance out the sour taste of the strawberries

6. Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

Did you know that one single tomato can supply almost half of our daily vitamin C requirements?! Tomatoes are so healthy for the immune system.

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
• Arrange your tomato slices on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt
• In a small bowl, whisk together the parmesan cheese with chopped basil, garlic powder, and ground pepper
• Sprinkle a spoonful of the parmesan mixture over each slice of tomato
• Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese, is nice and melty

If your toddler refuses to try new meals, don't punish them. This might make trying new meals a terrible experience. Continue to introduce different foods. Children can need up to 10-15 tries to accept and love new foods. Serve the same foods to your child as the rest of the household. Your child will benefit nutritionally from a wide variety of foods and will accept new tastes and textures as "normal."

Try to be as creative as you can with your recipes in terms of colors, flavors, and plating of the dishes. That is the key! Don’t let them develop the habitude of eating with any kind of screen time. Teach them to be wholly involved and present with their food and savor it.