" Recipe ideas for a balanced diet for children "

Many mothers face the daily challenge of cooking healthy lunches for their children. They quickly get caught up in the balancing act between childcare, household chores and the often stressful organization of the day. Ideally, the food should be freshly cooked every day so that the little ones are provided with sufficient nutrients and a balanced diet. As this is not always possible, we recommend quick and easy meals that are definitely preferable to classic fast food.

Making healthy lunches appealing

The main focus of the meal plan is on foods that are healthy and still enjoy being eaten by the children.

Balanced nutrition for children

Even with children, it's important to remember that they eat with their eyes! For example, you can make a funny face or pattern out of raw vegetables or fruit so that they have fun while eating and empty their plates quickly.

Make healthy lunches appealing

It is particularly important that a warm meal is eaten at least once a day. If only cold meals are served, important foods such as meat, potatoes, pasta, pulses and eggs are simply not included. As a result, many mothers create their own recipes so that they can always cook healthy food without missing out on variety.

The family eats lunch together

Children are also happy when all family members sit together at the table and eat at the same time. This not only fulfills the role model function of parents and siblings, but also strengthens cohesion. This time is also a great opportunity to tell each other about the day's experiences or to plan activities for the coming weekend.

Cooking lunch with children

At lunchtime after kindergarten or school, the little ones are usually exhausted and full. They are very hungry and look forward to spending the afternoon together. To shorten the waiting time for a healthy lunch, children can be involved in the cooking. When the little ones are allowed to wash, cut and arrange vegetables, they are really proud and well occupied at the same time.

Be careful with scissors and knives. There are special cutlery for children. Setting the table is also a fun and exciting experience for children. For example, children love personalized tableware.

Their own name or favorite motif is covered with a delicious lunch and the aim can be to eat the whole portion in order to uncover the name. The more playful the lunch is, the more likely the child is to have positive experiences with it. This shapes them for the rest of their lives.

Of course, sometimes things can go wrong, because eating with cutlery is not easy. And touching the food with your hands also makes the food more tangible for the little ones and promotes independence. And so that their favorite sweater is not forever stained, there are colorful terrycloth eating mats are a must.

Of course, these are also all the nicer with a funny saying or your own name.

Recipe ideas for a balanced diet for children

Dip sticks

Cooking healthy food is sometimes a challenge. However, it can become an easy task if you always keep some ingredients on hand at home and pre-cook and freeze some portions. Healthy lunches for children are characterized above all by varied and nutritious foods.

Dip with vegetable sticks

Different types of vegetables often form the basis and should therefore always be available. Cucumber slices, carrot sticks or tomato pieces can easily be prepared a day in advance and keep fresh in a tin in the fridge.

Add a tasty dip made from yogurt and fresh or frozen herbs for a healthy starter.

Vegetable waffles

Homemade vegetable waffles are a great accompaniment. The batter for this dish is only slightly different from that for sweet waffles. Instead of sugar, grated zucchinis, carrots and kohlrabi are used and then freshly baked in a waffle iron with a little oil as usual. This makes all children's hearts beat faster and is also a balanced diet.

Vegetable waffles for children

Scalloped potatoes

Another popular idea for a balanced diet for children is an oven-baked potato topped with cheese. The potato can be filled with vegetables as desired. These can range from diced peppers to mushrooms and minced meat. These ingredients can also be cleaned and cut the evening before.

There are no limits to the imagination here and the child's preferences can certainly be catered for.

Desserts

Healthy lunches are also often rounded off with a delicious dessert. Fresh shakes are ideal for this because they are not only healthy but also very tasty. The basis is a banana, which is put in the blender with raspberries, strawberries and a dash of orange juice.

Fresh shakes as a dessert

Frozen berries can also be used here as an alternative to fresh fruit. The dessert is a little more filling if the banana is mixed with milk. You can add a little vanilla sugar or honey to round it off.

Such a shake is particularly popular from a cup eaten or drunk from a cup.

Now we hope you enjoy cooking it!