Rujuta Diwekar's Wholesome Dinner For Healthy Kids Guidelines Are Here!

It is essential that in the time when there are so many healthy foods available in the market, we switch to and try to stick to healthy eating. For growing kids, it is of prime importance that they have nutritious food. Kareena' Kapoor's Nutritionist, who has taken up a kids fitness challenge, has shared some tips for a healthy dinner. It is simple, delicious and quick to make as well.

What will you eat for dinner is a question that we should never ask our children. Instead, we should tell them what they will be eating for dinner tonight – a steady, simple and nutritious meal. 3 tests it should pass:

• It should be a meal that was your grandmom’s dinner too
• It should be local to your region 
• It should be easy to cook and tastes best when served hot

All traditional combos like roti-sabzi, dal-chawal, khichdi-kadhi, etc., meet this requirement and it ensures that the growing bodies and brains of our children meet their requirement of nutrients too. It even ensures sound sleep. The key is to stay consistent with dinner, even at the cost of it being boring, on most nights of the week. And yes, don’t forget to add ghee.

Easy Dal Palak Recipe

Image courtesy: i.pinimg.com

Ingredients:

• 4 cup toor dal
• 1/4 cup masoor dal
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 1 or 2 green chillies
• 1 inch ginger chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp hing
• 1/2 tsp haldi
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 to 2.5 cup water for cooking dal
• 1/2 to 1 cup water to add to the dal in the last step
• 2 to 3 tbsp ghee or oil
• Salt as per taste

Method: 

• Pressure cook dal for 5 to 6 whistles, till the dal becomes mushy and soft.
• Mash the dal and keep it aside.
• In pan heat ghee and fry the cumin seeds. 
• Add chopped ginger and fry till the raw aroma goes away.
• Add chopped chilli and fry for half a minute.
• add chopped spinach, chilli powder and asafoetida.
• Saute for some minutes till the spinach becomes soft and stops releasing the water on the medium flame.
• Now, add mashed lentils and mix them with spinach.
• Add water around 1/2 to 1 cup depending on how thick or thin you like your dal to be.
• Add salt and simmer the palak dal for 5-6 minutes.
• Serve the dish hot with rice.

   

Moong Dal Khichdi Recipe

Image courtesy: ghargrihasti.com

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice
• 1/2 cup moong dal chhilke wali (split green gram)
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• Hing (Asafoetida)
• 1 tbsp dhania, powdered
• 2 tsp salt

Method:

• Pick and wash the rice and the dal, and soak together in water for 1/2 an hour, at least. Drain and keep aside.
• Heat the ghee in a heavy based saucepan and add the cumin and hing.
• When the seeds splutter, add the rice and dal mixture, and saute over high heat, till well mixed and excess water dries up.
• Add the dhania powder and the salt and mix well too. Add 2 1/4 cups water, and bring to a boil, covered.
• Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, by which time the khichdi should be cooked, and ready to serve

Don't Miss: Rujuta Diwekar's Weekly Plan For Healthier Children Is Here Now!

What you must not have for dinner on a regular basis:

• Variety*- different meals every day
• Ready to cook meals like noodles & pasta
• Take away or ordered in food
• These do not have the nutrients to fuel growth, often leave our kids dehydrated and disturb the sleep routine too

   

Eating out: Not more than twice a month, and that includes the times they may have eaten out because of birthday parties, etc.

* You may offer your children variety for dinner once a week at home, ideally on a Saturday. Eat simpler, grow faster.