Nutritious Snacks

[Cindy]

Please share your ideas for nutritious snacks especially for preschoolers..

[Alan]

Vegetable Cutlets are a good way to get them to eat vegetables. But they may need tons of Tomato Ketchup with t. So, its better to make some home made Ketchup, using tomato puree, water & citric acid. U can cut out the preservative, Pottassium metabisulphate & the food colour.

[RedPepper]

[tscii:e221c59073]
Please share your ideas for nutritious snacks especially for preschoolers..
Teach your child to eat lots fruits and vegetables. (It is hard I know, but most kids seems to like fruits which is a healthy snack)

Melt your kid’s favorite cheese on top of cooked vegetables like potatoes, broccoli, carrot etc.
Sprinkle honey over cut fruits.
Make smoothies, they will love banana or strawberry flavored smoothies.
Yogurt, flavored or plain
Pop corn
Baby carrots with yogurt or cheese dip.
You can make quick mini pizzas using bagels or English muffins. Just spread the tomato sauce, toppings and the cheese and bake it until the cheese melts.
Cheese balls stuffed with olives (let me know if you want the recipe)
Graham crackers
Cooked dried beans (Chana and red kidney beans are my kid’s favorites)
Pasta
Potato in any form, baked, mashed or fried…… Brocooli and cheddar cheese go well with baked potatoes.
Freeze flavored yogurts, custard, puddings, fruit juices in popsicle trays.
Dahi vada
Fried plantains
Sweet potatoes, boiled and cubed

These are some of the the snacks my kid likes. Hope that helps.

[/tscii:e221c59073]

[sri2005]

Thanks red pepper for the tips..
What about healthy lunch during this cold season.
My preschooler was taking rice and dhal in summer.Not its cold and the rice bcomes cold and dry.
Any tips for some thing to pack for lunch in this winter

Sri

[RedPepper]

Thanks red pepper for the tips..
What about healthy lunch during this cold season.
My preschooler was taking rice and dhal in summer.Not its cold and the rice bcomes cold and dry.
Any tips for some thing to pack for lunch in this winter

Sri

I am facing the same problem too. I coudn't figure out a way to send indian food in the lunch box because my daughter won't eat it cold. So I am experimenting on this. I have a bunch of muffin recipes with things like dried fruits or berries in it, I am trying them one by one. Now I am packing foods like muffins, fresh fruits and vegetables, dried fruits such as raisins, prunes or dates, cheese sticks, flavored yogurts(store bought ones, I freeze them the night before so it will stay fresh until their lunch time) or sandwiches. Not so many choices. :( I tried packing pasta, but she couldn't eat it cold. Today she took only a muffin, a cheese stick and a banana! I feel like a bad mom for not being able to pack a variety of good foods for my kid's lunch. :cry:

[ssanjinika]

I might be wrong as I dont have much experience with getting kids to eat but how about some Cold sandwiches with a slice chicken and some lettuce,tomatoes along with some cheese.You could also try giving some nice yoghurt with some strawberries or blueberries as dessert(if you are in the US you get really good ones which are whipped and taste like great not at all like the usual ones we get).

[sri2005]

Thanks redpepper.
I am doing the same thing..She takes only 2 slice of bread with some jam on it..ans she is bored with this to take sandwich on all 5 days.
she doens't like to take any other filling in the sandwich.
If I send something else, she doesn't eat at all.
Pasta didn't work for me too.
Do we get any hot bags..like cello which we used to get in India ..which keeps food somewhat warmer..
I coulnd't find anything like that here in US.

Sri

[binal142001]

sri..,
Then why dont you get the warm cello type lunch bag from india?

[chefvasu]

My daugher loves Soft Taco. Everyday, we make fresh Taco for her. I use flour tortilla. Beans from Taco Bell Vegi.refried beans. And Four cheese - Mexican from Sam's club.
I put some seasoning-Taco seasoning to the beans.
Warm in the microwave for 22 second (2 taco).
I found this one is very healthy lunch. Before she was very tiny-(height) in the class (KG). Now she is in 4th grade and she is avarage girl in the class.
Its takes only 3 minutes to make two taco.

[binal142001]

I do not have any experience with kids but Chefvasu they say eating flour/Maida products on a regular basis is not good for a lot of reasons(apart from putting on weight) and especially during their growing age it might be more hindrance for a healthful growth.

Just shared my info.

[sailu]

Cindy, I am giving the recipes of two nutritious snacks for kids.One is made of corn,cooked rice and cheese called corn fingers (http://indiacuisine.blogspot.com/2005/11/corn-fingers-tea-time-snack.html) and the other is Veggie Pattis (http://indiacuisine.blogspot.com/2005/11/vegetable-pattis-veg-burger.html) made of boiled mashed potatos,carrots or any veggie of your choice and cheese.This can be used a filling for veg burgers as well.
I have posted the recipes at my food blog (http://indiacuisine.blogspot.com) with pictures. My son just loves it and of course we adults enjoy it too.I make it often at my home.

[Cindy]

Thank you so much for all your recipes...

I am trying out and experimenting snacks for indian conditions though...

and of course, he takes fruits, sprouts etc..

thanks once a gain and keep posting ur innovative ideas..

[chefvasu]

Binal, you are right about Maida. But, if you eat bread or tortilla, its same. Also, we are vegitarian,eating everyday very healthy and home cooked food, so we don't have to worry about gaining weight.
Also, beans are very healthy with lost of vitamins.
This lunch I suggested with 7 years of experience with two growing kids.
And this Taco is very popular in my son's group too!!!

I'm just sharing my Real Experience.

[sri2005]

Thanks for the recpies and tips.
Veggie patties sounds a good one, also its not deep fried , so no need to worry about oil,fat.will try out and let u know

Sri

[binal142001]

chefvasu,
No doubt u must definitely have a lot of experience with 2 kids for 7 years.
But about Maida- i mentioned other health problems apart from putting on weight.
I'm a vegetarian too and cook healthy food everyday. But now I have few health problems which the doctors say i got because of maida and which are aggrevated(i can feel that the very next day) if i eat maida. This is my real experience.
So just thought will caution you.

My opinion- No meal is a healthy meal if it has maida


Normally we do not know how long will it take for the problem to develop inside our body before we see the symptoms.

[sailu]

Thanks for the recpies and tips.
Veggie patties sounds a good one, also its not deep fried , so no need to worry about oil,fat.will try out and let u know

Sri

Do try it and it hardly takes any oil.


Thank you so much for all your recipes...

I am trying out and experimenting snacks for indian conditions though...

and of course, he takes fruits, sprouts etc..

thanks once a gain and keep posting ur innovative ideas..



Your welcome Cindy!

[RedPepper]

Thanks redpepper.
I am doing the same thing..She takes only 2 slice of bread with some jam on it..ans she is bored with this to take sandwich on all 5 days.
she doens't like to take any other filling in the sandwich.
If I send something else, she doesn't eat at all.
Pasta didn't work for me too.
Do we get any hot bags..like cello which we used to get in India ..which keeps food somewhat warmer..
I coulnd't find anything like that here in US.

Sri

Sri,

You asked for the hot bags like cello.

Look what I just found, http://www.hotdishes.com/cassarole.htm
Scroll down the page, you can order cello lunch pack from that site. Price seems reasonable too. $17.99

[sri2005]

Thanks Red pepper for the link..will def try this.

Sailu, i tried your veggie patties..My picky eater didn't eat :cry: , i ended up eating all.

[a_gopinathan]

Sri, Red pepper,

i was browsing amazon and happen to see this.
Zojirushi Mr. Bento Stainless-Steel lined Lunch Jar, Silver

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000246GSE/qid=1134921562/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-8467750-8227021?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=284507

i guess this is little expensive. but may be if you search you"ll get some thing suitable for your little one. this has got good reviews