Instant food and snack culture mushroomed due to the inherent convenience they offered—preparing a full meal without spending hours in the kitchen. While it is occasionally fine to indulge, it isn’t advisable to consume them regularly due to their low nutritional profile.
Parents never have it easy, straddling two worlds: their professional commitments and family life. A major chunk of their time goes into figuring out a healthy meal prep plan for the family, especially children, who need optimal nutrition for their growth. Here are some healthy meal prep ideas for busy parents, which are not only easy to make but also fulfil your child’s nutritional requirements:
-
Overnight oats
Take a mason jar or box and add a cup of rolled oats, almond milk and chia seeds to it. For toppings, you have multiple options such as Greek yoghurt, strawberries or other berries and nuts. Mix everything well and refrigerate overnight. Chop up the fruits and nuts in shapes that your children like. You can add a pinch of cocoa powder for a touch of sweetness.
You can prepare this in batches, as well. When you take it out in the morning, you can add some freshly chopped fruits to the mix and consume it. The meal is nutrient-dense and easy to make and hence a great option.
-
Idli/dosa
Idli and dosa are fermented foods and hence excellent foods for children. Idli/dosa batter is again something you can prepare in huge quantities beforehand. Take some time aside during the weekend and get a week’s portion of batter ready.
You can get a tiny idli pan or use the regular one to steam the idli. If you prepare the batter, 70-80% of work is done. Chutneys can be prepared and stored, as well. Serve those tiny idlis hot with tomato chutney and watch your children savour every bite till the last!
-
Wraps and rolls
Wraps are an enjoyable and healthy food option for both adults and children. They hardly take time to be made, so that is a plus. You can use the rotis from the previous night to make the rolls the next morning. Alternatively, you can buy pre-made tortilla shells or even make dosas as the base. For the fillings, you can use plain vegetables/paneer tikka/chopped eggs/chole/tofu or pretty much any option that you want. This works for sandwiches, as well.
Take the base and heat it on the tawa. Apply a layer of chutney over it, add the fillings and roll everything well. You can make one or two rolls and it will keep your child free of hunger for a few hours, at the very least. With the right fillings, the meal will be high in protein, as well. What’s not to like?
-
Vegetable salads
Invest in a good vegetable chopper and it will become your trusted companion in the kitchen. Nothing saves time like a device that chops vegetables finely. During your weekend meal prep session, you can use a chopper and cut essential vegetables in the desired quantities and store them, beforehand.
You can use the chopped vegetables to whip up a yummy vegetable salad in 5 to 10 minutes on a busy morning. Common recommendations for vegetables are capsicums, tomatoes, coloured bell peppers, carrots and leafy vegetables. You can roast a few vegetables before adding them into the mix such as broccoli, sweet potato and zucchini. Take all the desired vegetables in a bowl, add some salt, pepper and olive oil for the dressing, mix everything and serve your child a colourful and tasty meal. You can add some protein in the form of chopped (boiled) egg whites/tofu/paneer.
-
Yoghurt parfaits
Always ensure that you have a bowl of yoghurt ready in your fridge. It will come in handy when you wake up late or face an empty pantry situation. Take out those nuts from the fridge and chop them finely. Cut some fresh fruits and raisins, as well. Add everything to some yoghurt, mix well and serve your child a yummy and simple yet nutritious meal. If needed, you can add half a spoon of honey for more sweetness and granola for the crunch.
-
Egg muffin
Egg muffins can be prepared beforehand and are a wonderful source of protein since they are made of eggs. Take 7 to 8 eggs, crack and gently pour them into a dish. Chop the vegetables of your choice and add them to the eggs. Put some salt, pepper and some cheese and whisk everything well till the mixture becomes uniform without lumps.
Line the muffin tray with paper liners and pour the egg mixture into each cup. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops turn golden. Incorporating colourful vegetables into the eggs will make them look more appealing to children.
-
Quinoa-veggie bowl
Cook quinoa and chickpeas in bulk when you work on meal prep for the week. You can also roast some vegetables like broccoli and sweet potato and store them. Put together a bowl with quinoa, chickpeas and vegetables. Nothing better than a nutritious bowl prepared in less than 5 minutes, right?
While balancing both work and family life never gets easy, these recipes are sure to save time for parents on days when they feel fatigued and overwhelmed. A bonus is that the kids enjoy home-cooked meals instead of eating fast food.
The best thing to do would be to set aside some time during the weekend for next week’s meal prep. You can prepare oats, quinoa, veggies and batter and stock everything right in time for Monday morning. Draft a breakfast plan for the week with the ingredients that you have made ready so that it gets easy to make them on a busy morning. You can involve your children to engage them, as well.
Happy eating!
