Ways to Sneak Healthy Foods into Your Kid’s Lunches

With the mass production of school lunches, bringing a packed lunch is a safer and healthier option. At the same time, kids have finicky taste buds and generally tend to gravitate towards extremely sweet or salty foods. Rather than serving a salad or a plate of Brussels sprouts, try incorporating the following healthy options that your picky eater will be more likely to eat

1. Black bean brownies

Beans are typically reserved for savory dishes, but they do not have an overpowering flavor and so they can also be used in desserts. With its dark color, the black bean can blend in with cocoa powder to make a protein-rich, gluten-free brownie.

2. Skewers

Skewered vegetables and meat pieces are not reserved only for barbecues. Try skewering vegetables, meat, fruit, and even pound cake for a sweet treat! Experiment with flavor combinations as well. For example, try Hawaiian (pineapple, ham and bell pepper), Italian (mushrooms, meatballs and bell pepper), dessert (pound cake, raspberries and strawberries), or a sophisticated combination of melon, prosciutto, mozzarella and balsamic. Anything that is skewered is easily assembled and instantly looks more appetizing. Your little one can also get involved in making these skewers. However, if your child is very young then look for plastic or rounded skewers to avoid injury.

3. Add vegetables to sauces, pastas and soups

A trick to hide vegetables in meals is to incorporate them into a sauce, dressing, pasta dish, or soup. Zucchini, corn, peas, mushrooms, squash, carrots, and spinach are all easy to add without taking too much attention away from the flavors of the dish.

4. Vegetable fritters

When lightly browned with minimal oil, vegetable fritters can be great additions to lunch. Finely shred 1.5 cups of carrots, squash, or any root vegetable. Next, drain the liquid from the grated vegetables (or reserve it for a soup) and mix in an egg, a chopped onion, corn or peas, and enough flour (or rice flour) to bind the mixture. Drop it into a heated and lightly greased pan using a ¼ cup, and cook it until both sides are golden brown. While most schools have condiments available near the utensils, it’s healthier to pack your own dips in small, leak proof cups.

5. Vegetable chips

Chips do not have to be deep-fried to taste good. The rising health food trend is changing the shelves of supermarkets, and better options are available. Root vegetable chips—such as carrot or parsnip, or kale chips—are nutritionally superior to the basic, white potato chip. If you want to cut down on costs, thinly slice root vegetables or kale yourself and bake the slices after coating them with olive oil. Not only are you avoiding the possibility of preservatives, but you can also customize flavors based on what your child likes, making them much more likely to enjoy their healthy snack.

6. Cauliflower as potatoes or rice

Cauliflower mimics the creaminess of potatoes when blended, making it an alternative addition to soups or fritters. Additionally, raw cauliflower florets can be pulsed in a food processor and used as a low-carb “rice” in a traditional rice dish. When broken into tiny crumbs, the overwhelming cauliflower taste disappears, leaving behind a neutral base that can absorb any flavors added to it.

7. Green smoothies

The best part about smoothies is that a lot of nutrition can be packed into one little shake. Blending in natural sweeteners (e.g. bananas or soaked dates) and milder greens (such as spinach) can mask the grass-like taste of vegetables. For a thicker, milk-shake consistency smoothie, blend in half an avocado or some yogurt. In warmer weather, freeze smoothies to make creamy and healthy ice pops.

8. Creamy purees in place of cream sauces

Heavy cream and cheese are traditional ingredients in childhood classics, from macaroni and cheese to tomato soup. Consider substituting more nutritious purees—for example, butternut squash or cashew puree can be used in place of the cheese sauce in macaroni and cheese, and avocado puree is an alternative to heavy cream in puddings.

9. Quiche muffins (load with veggies)

Lighten up quiches by pouring the egg batter into a muffin tin instead of a pie crust. Quiche muffins are great not only for lunches but also for breakfasts on the go. Best of all, they serve as perfect vessels to hold vegetables and meats. Mix in your child’s favorites, such as mushrooms, bell peppers, tomatoes, spinach, sausage, ham, tofu and peas.

10. Hidden vegetables in meats (sweet potatoes, carrots, peas in meatballs/patties)

Finally, vegetables have their place in meat-based dishes as well. Make moist meatballs or burgers by stirring a grated sweet potato or carrot into the meat mixture. The vegetables will complement the savory meat with a hint of sweetness.