5 Easy Healthy Lunch Ideas for Kids

My main concern as a parent is if I can get healthy lunch ideas for kids!

First and foremost, I want my children to have a positive connection with food when it comes to diet and nutrition. Even if it means that they opt not to follow a strict vegan diet or that they experiment on their own with animal products.

As parents, all we can do is set a good example for our children and prepare the healthiest, tastiest meals we can.

Dr. Dana Ellis Hunnes, Ph.D., a senior dietitian at UCLA Medical Center and the author of Recipe for Survival: What You Can Do to Live a Healthier and More Environmentally Friendly Life, explains this viewpoint succinctly.

The recipes listed below are entirely plant-based and only use whole foods. To help guarantee that your children are invigorated, nourished, and prepared to take on the world, these meals are incredibly nutrient-dense and include a balanced combination of plant proteins, carbs, and healthy fats. They also contain vitamins and minerals.

5 Healthy Lunch Ideas for Kids

Here are 5 healthy lunch ideas given below-

1. Sweet Potato Toast with Peanut Butter and Jam

Number of Servings- 2 servings

Ingredients

• 4 sweet potato slices, each about 1/4″ thick and long enough to fit in a toaster

• Natural peanut butter, 4 tablespoons

• organic raspberries, 1 cup

• 1 banana whole, thinly sliced

• Chia seeds, 2 tablespoons

• Hemp hearts, 2 tablespoons

• Flaxseed, 2 tablespoons

• a little cinnamon

• Agave nectar or maple syrup (optional)

Instructions

• Cut a sweet potato lengthwise into pieces that are about 1/4″ thick. The length should just barely fit inside your toaster.

• The sweet potato should be tender after a total of 12 to 15 minutes of toasting. There will be several toastings necessary. Typically, we toast for five minutes, then repeat three times.

• After toasting, give slices five minutes to cool.

• Make a homemade jam out of the raspberries, chia seeds, flaxseed, and hemp hearts while the sweet potato is roasting. If necessary, add a splash of plant milk.

• The mixed mixture should be transferred to a skillet and heated for 5 minutes at medium heat, or until it resembles a sticky jam. Get rid of the heat.

• Spread jam and peanut butter on the pieces of cooled potatoes.

• Add cinnamon and banana slices as garnish. Pour some maple syrup or agave nectar over top for extra sweetness!

2. Quesadillas with Mashed Yams 

Number of Servings- 2 servings

Ingredients

• Two whole wheat organic wraps (we use organic spinach wraps)

• 1 medium yam with skin

• 1 diced green bell pepper

• 12 cups of whole, frozen corn

• 6 tbsp. mild organic salsa

• 1 cup of shredded vegan cheese without dairy (we use Daiya shredded cheddar cheese)

Instructions

• Bring water in a medium-sized saucepan to a boil after filling it halfway.

• Peel the yam and cut it into big bits as the water comes to a boil.

• In the boiling water, add the diced yam. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the potato, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it is tender. Drain the water once the yam has finished cooking, then mash the potato.

• Heat up a medium saucepan over medium heat while the yam cooks.

• To grease the pan, add one or two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

• On a large cutting board, arrange the wraps. Each wrap should have a vertical line cut in the middle and down the bottom half.

• Imagine that each wrap is divided into four quadrants to help you stack the contents. You should probably make use of the pictures below.)

• Place 1.5 tbsp of salsa in the top left and bottom right quadrants of each wrap. Spread approximately 1/8 of the mashed yam equally in the top right and bottom left quadrants of each wrap.

•  Each yam quadrant should have 1/4 cup of non-dairy cheese grated on top of it.

• Now comes the challenging part: folding the quesadillas.

• To condense the ingredients, fold the bottom right quadrant up to the top right and press firmly. After that, fold the top right quadrant over to the top left. Repress once more. Then fold the top left to the bottom left to form a sizable quesadilla with three triangles.

• Each quesadilla should be put on the pan. Cook the wrap for 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned.

• Flip the quesadilla using a wide spatula. Cook until browned for another 5 to 7 minutes.

• Cut the quesadillas into three or four pieces and place them on a cutting board for the children to devour with their hands. Enjoy!

3. Roasted Chickpeas and Mashed Cauliflower 

Number of Servings- Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 1/2 a big head of chopped cauliflower; 6 full russet potatoes; peeled; and halved; and 1/2 cup chopped and cooked;

• 12 cup frozen green peas or corn

• 1 cup of canned chickpeas that are organic, salt-free, or have minimal sodium (drained and rinsed)

• 2 tablespoons of organic, unsweetened soy milk

• Nutritional yeast, 3 tablespoons

• Roasted garlic and red pepper seasoning, 1/2 tsp.

• to taste, sea salt

• A little black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Use parchment paper to cover a baking sheet.

• Chickpeas in a can should be drained and rinsed. Add them to a mixing dish after petting them dry with paper towels.

• Sea salt and roasted garlic and red pepper spice are used to season chickpeas. Blend thoroughly and then move to the baking sheet.

• To grease the pan, add one or two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

• On a large cutting board, arrange the wraps. Each wrap should have a vertical line cut in the middle and down the bottom half.

• Imagine that each wrap is divided into four quadrants to help you stack the contents. You should probably make use of the pictures below.)

• Place 1.5 tbsp of salsa in the top left and bottom right quadrants of each wrap. Spread approximately 1/8 of the mashed yam equally in the top right and bottom left quadrants of each wrap.

• Each yam quadrant should have 1/4 cup of non-dairy cheese grated on top of it.

• Now comes the challenging part: folding the quesadillas.

• Add roasted chickpeas to the mash after removing them from the often.

• Kids should be given dishes to eat from with spoons. Just be careful to let it cool beforehand!

4. Tofu Scramble with Brown Rice and Veggies

Number of Servings- Servings: 2 to 3

Ingredients

• 1 block of firm or extra-firm organic tofu
• Dry whole grain brown rice, half a cup
• 1 chopped red bell pepper
• 14 ounces of chopped tomatoes in one can
• 14 cups of frozen whole corn
• 14 cups of green peas, frozen
• 1 sliced avocado
• Nutritional yeast, 3 tablespoons
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• A little black pepper

Instructions

• Over medium heat, preheat a medium saucepan. Add a tablespoon or two of water or extra virgin olive oil.

• Add 1 cup of water and the dried brown rice to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil before simmering. Cook the brown rice until it is tender and has soaked up all the water.

• The block of tofu should be placed in a medium-sized mixing basin while the brown rice is cooking. Use a masher or your hands to crush the food into small pieces.

• The crumbled tofu should be mixed with the nutritional yeast, sea salt, and black pepper in a mixing dish.

• Stir well after adding the tofu mixture, red bell pepper, diced tomatoes, corn, and green peas to the pan.

• For 8 to 10 minutes, cook. Always stir after a few minutes. Brown rice is then added to the tofu scramble once the heat is turned off.

• Put the tofu scramble in bowls and add avocado on top. able to eat!

5. Epic Smoothie Bowl

Number of Servings- Servings: 2 

Ingredients

• 1 cup of your preferred organic plant milk, unsweetened (soy, almond, oat, cashew)
• one cup of mixed frozen berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries)
• Mango  half-cup
• 12 cups of frozen spinach or greens
• 14 cups of green peas, frozen
• 14 cups of frozen cauliflower riced
• 14 cups of sliced frozen beets
• 1 whole banana
• 1 pitted Medjool date
• Hemp hearts, 2 tablespoons
• Flaxseed, 2 tablespoons
• Cinnamon, 1 teaspoon
• Ground turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon
• A little black pepper
• Raw, unsalted walnuts, 1 tablespoon
• Raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds, one tablespoon
• Cacao nibs, 2 tablespoons
• 2 tbsp of raisins, organic

Instructions

• In the order given above, add the ingredients to a sizable high-powered blender.

• Blend ingredients completely until they form a lovely, thick ice cream consistency. To reach the correct consistency, add water as needed.

• Put the scraps in a dish. Make careful to scrape everything from the blender’s sides!

• As indicated, add the toppings. You’re welcome to add or eliminate any toppings that you prefer!

Conclusion

First of all, this is a two-way conversation. Ask your children what they enjoy eating in a conversation. Healthy lunch ideas for kids at home mentioned above could be their damn favorites! You never know!

When you go grocery shopping, let them help you choose fresh fruit, and then let them help you cook it. Children typically like tasting their own creations. Maintain enjoyment.

Above all, don’t make children consume stuff they don’t want to. The primary objective is to have a healthy relationship with food! If you remove the emotion from it, there’s a good possibility they’ll sample it on their own and begin to enjoy broccoli, spinach, and other nutritious greens and veggies without any more effort on your part.

Simply keep providing wholesome food; they will consume it.