As a mother, I think the biggest question and worry in our mind always is how to feed our child something nutritious, healthy yet tasty always. Being a mother of an 8 year old, athletic, active and genetically lean; I have gotten used to the taunts and comments of my relatives who always say ‘Please give her something to eat.’, ‘Give her proper food’ , ‘What diet is she on?’

Initially, it used to bother me, now, when I know I am doing the best I can as a mother and she’s a well fed, healthy and active girl; I do what I do best- ignore.

With school back on and quick Snack fixes really need to be quick, here are a few of my go- to snacks for her snack boxes, after school snacks and the occasional breakfast.

Please note, while I am a vegetarian, my daughter is a non-vegetarian and hence, I have included egg in a few of her dishes. Feel free to skip that step if you don’t consume eggs.

1. I-hop Pancakes:  Whenever we travel, pancakes are our reliable breakfast option.And the pancakes at i-hop, amongst the first pancakes she had in the US remain her favorite pancake brand. It took me years to get the i-hop pancake perfected at home. I add a cup of flour/atta, one egg white, ½ spoon salt, ½ spoon powdered sugar, white chocolate chips and a handful of sprinkles. I add low fat milk to make a slightly runny mixture. You can add water, as well. I usually make this mixture overnight and stir it well before making thick, small pancakes for her lunch box or breakfast.
2. Finger pops: A handful of poha, a slice of wet bread and a cup of any veggies you like, add in salt to taste and some oregano; shape them into thin long, snake like pieces and you can air fry or shallow fry them to get a delicious and simple lunch box dish. My girl doesn’t like ketchup so I serve these with some coriander chutney and they are good to go.
3. Puris: Instead of throwing away the leftover curries, I bind them with atta and make lovely puris. They taste awesome and are a delicious change in breakfast. I have made puris with everything from yellow dal to dal makhani, rajma, chana and even the occasional leftover mixtures of stuffed parathas, as well. They are a great way of making kids have the extra protein and veggies albeit in a fried form.
4. Bread roll: If you ask my daughter, she would say she doesn’t like bread but honestly, she loves them. You can offer her a sandwich or a burger, toast and she’s never turned it down. Lately, I tried the bread roll in an air fryer and since she’s not a fan of the traditional bread rolls with stuffed potatoes, I made these with other veggies instead. Roll a slice of bread, wet it with some water, add a spoon of mayonnaise, a spoon of ketchup or chutney, two spoons of finely chopped veggies (I use, broccoli, capsicum, onion and tomatoes) and add a slice of cheese. Now fold it in half, seal the edge of bread with water and keep them to set in the refrigerator. I make these and usually air fry them next morning for her lunch box and they taste splendid and remain crunchy for 3-4 hours. 
5. Pita wraps: For a quick, healthy and filling snack; I usually spread a thick layer of hummus (we buy ours) and add chopped tomatoes, parsley, onions and mint, a couple of falafel balls and then toast the wrap/bread to crisp. This is her favorite go-to snack and while I do agree, frozen hummus and falafel nuggets are not a way to go, they serve well on early school days. You can also replace the falafel nuggets with boiled kidney or black beans or even some scrambled eggs. The options and combinations are endless.

At the end of the day, I have realized that what works for someone else does not have to necessarily work for you. For our children, there is no one better than us to discover their likes and dislikes, preferences and open up their eating choices. 

Feel free to share your go-to snacks for you and your kids.