Try these meal plans to make healthy tiffin boxes

Kids should follow a balanced diet that comprises carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre. A deficiency in one of these could lead to learning disorders, exhaustion, anaemia, panting and stunting. Nutrient packed meals should be eaten to ensure growth for children and cell development in adults.

Breakfast
The breakfast which is eaten hours after the previous night’s dinner is called the ‘brain food’. Do not skip breakfast as it supplies the energy that is required to start the day on an amazing note. These are some of the healthy options for a well-balanced breakfast.

Idli – sambar
Upma – add carrots, beans, peanuts and urad dal
Appam/ puttu/idiyappam/chapathi with Bengal gram/green peas/soybeans/ paneer curries
Sandwich – brown bread stuffed with carrot, tomato, cucumbers, butter, egg or paneer
Oats porridge cooked in milk and garnished with fruits, cashews, almonds and cherries
Colourful puttu – Nutritious dish made with carrots, beans, drumstick leaves and meat.

Include a glass of milk and a fruit in your breakfast menu

Lunch
Rice is rich in carbohydrates. Curries made with fish, egg, leafy vegetables and yoghurt contain protein, calcium and iron.

Rice, sambar, stir fried leafy vegetable, yoghurt. Boiled egg and tomato raita with pulav
Chapathi stuffed with paneer, soy chunks and peas masala filling
Curd saadam, sambar saadam or tomato saadam

Evening snack
Kids returning from school should be given tasty snacks that are cooked at home. Traditional snacks like ilayappam (steamed rice patties), kozhukatta, puttu, kumbilappam, idli, soft flattened rice, puri, bread – omelette and French toast are some of the healthier options.

Dinner
Dinner should be served before 8.30 in the evening. It is better to avoid fried food and include food that is lighter on the stomach and easily digestible. Rice gruel or chapathis could be enjoyed with curries.