Lunch Box Recipes for Kids

One of the biggest worry for every mom is to pack a nutritious and tasty lunch that her kid would love to finish up. Many time we wonder what to pack. Here I have compiled a list of recipes that has been tried,tasted and approved by Lil Angel.I will be updating this post as and when I add new recipes to the blog…

All these dishes can be prepared with ease or the filling for parathas / pooris can be made the previous night. Also the vegetables can be cut / steamed before hand so that it is easy to rustle up a quick meal.

Most of these dishes have vegetables in them. Be sure to add a fruit to the meal.

Idli varieties

Idli – Pack with sambar/ Tomato chutney / Mint / coriander chutney/ milagai podi mixed with oil.

Carrot [mini] rava Idli – Pack with sambar.

Onion Podi Idli – Mini idlis tossed in milagai podi and sauteed onion. Can be packed as such

Sevai / Rice Noodles

Carrot Sevai – Home made rice noodles seasoned with grated carrots. Pack as such or with sambar.

Kothu Idiyappam -Nadar community style Home made rice noodles and a mix of vegetables and spices. Needs no side dish!

Akki shavigay – Karnataka style home made rice noodles with vegetables and without spices. Pack as such or with sambar.

Dosa / Uthappam

Vegetable Uthappam – Pack this in a hot pack along with sambar.

Green Peas uthapam – Pack this in a hot pack along with sambar.Add some grated cheese/ carrot on the surface for extra taste and health!

Coin Dosa – Mini dosas shaped like coins can make eating fun. Smear the mini dosa with milagai podi / pack with sambar / tomato chutney.

Chapathi / Roti / Parathas

Chapathi Noodles – Strips of Chapathi sauteed with vegetables . Pack with some Tomato Sauce

Paneer Anjain Parathas and Vegetable Dal – Cook the vegetables and dal the previous night and rustle up the meal within minutes…

Aloowali roti and Tomato kurma – Super soft roti very apt for the lunchbox.

Bikhaniri Pappad paratha – A Rajastani paratha with a stuffing of pappad and mild spices. Pack with Yogurt / a simple dhal or a radish curry[ All recipes are present in the above link]

Punjabi Aloo Anardana Kulcha – The stuffing can be made the previous night and stored in the fridge. Pack with rajam curry / sauce

Cheesy Paratha – Pack with kurma / sauce

Spicy Cheese Paratha – Older kids will love this cheese, onion and spice filled Paratha. Pack with tomato sauce / kurma

Masala Spring Onion Paratha – Pack with yogurt / sauce

Turkish Gozleme – Potato filled Turkish style parathas.Can be packed as such / with tomato sauce / yogurt.

Stuffed Protein Parathas – Paneer stuffed parathas. Pack as such / with kurma / channa masala

Vegetable Parathas – Cool way to add veggies to the box… Pack it up with Potato-peas masal.

Poori

Palak Puri and Aloo Matar – Colorful pooris with a simple side of potato and peas curry. Use different shaped cookie cutters for cute shapes that the kid loves.

Double Colored Poori – Kids will love this poori! Pack with potato masal.

Beetroot Poori – Pack it up with potato masal.

Beetroot Poori

Radish Ragi Poori – Pack with potato masal.

Ragi Poori – Pack with potato masal / vegetable kurma

Bedmi Poori and Aloo Sabji – Delhi Style dal stuffed Poori and a simple potato curry.

Flavored Rice Varieties

Spicy Potato Rice – A dish older kids would love. The spiciness can be adjusted to suit the kids taste. Can be packed as such / crispies / yogurt

Beetroot Pulao – Colorful pink pulao! Pack with potato curry / vegetable curry / yogurt / raita

Simple beets and peas rice – Non spicy version for lil ones. Pack with yogurt / raita / crispies / vegetable

Mexican Rice – A variation from the usual tomato rice. Pack with a raita / yogurt / vegetable curry / crispies.

Chak Angouba & Aloo Kangmet -Manipuri Fried Rice & Mashed Potato Curry – A simple yet flavorful combo.

Capsicum rice with homemade spice powder – Pack along with pappad / crispies / potato curry.

Babycorn – Capsicum Pulao – Pack with raita / yogurt / crispies

Baby corn Pulao – Pack with yogurt / raita / crispies / vegetable curry

Quick Cabbage pulao and Potato curry – Ease to prepare lunch!

Purple cabbage rice – Colorful rice that tastes good on its own or pack with yogurt /crispies / vegetable curry

Gooseberry rice – Flavor plus health! Pack with potato / beetroot curry / crispies

Maavinkaai Chitranna – Raw Mango Rice and Cucumber Raita – Pack with raita / yogurt / crispies

Sprouts and Spring onion pulao – Health and taste in a box!

Spicy Peas Pulao – Pack with raita / yogurt / crispies

Vaangi Bhaat | Brinjal Rice – Pack with yogurt / raita / crispies / vegetable curry

Carrot peas Rice – Pack with vegetable curry / pappad

Carrot Pulihora– Tangy carrot rice. Pack with yogurt / raita / crispies / vegetable

Methi Mattar wara Chawaran – Fenugreek leaves – Peas Pulao . Pack with yogurt / raita / crispies / vegetable

Simple pearl Onion Rice – Quick to make. Pack with crispies / vegetable curry

Ajwain Toamto Rice and Carrot Curd Rice – For the curd rice, mix cooked and cooled rice with lots of milk and add just a teaspoon of curd to it. This way the rice will not taste sour when the kids have it for lunch and cooling the rice before adding milk makes it a little runny and not very clumpy.