Ultra’s Nutritious Lunch Box Recipes Your Kids Will Love 

Packing a nutritious and exciting lunch box for kids every day can feel like a puzzle. The food needs to be healthy, mess-free, and interesting enough for children to actually eat and enjoy. With busy school schedules and growing nutritional needs, kids deserve meals that provide energy, support development, and still bring a smile to their faces. Here are five lunch box recipes that strike the perfect balance between taste and health, made with easily available ingredients from Indian kitchens.

Vegetable Paratha Rolls 

Ingredients  

For the Dough
  1. Whole wheat flour – 1 cup
  2. Ghee or oil – 1 tbsp
  3. Water and salt as needed
For the Vegetable Filling
  1. Grated carrot – ¼ cup
  2. Finely chopped capsicum – ¼ cup
  3. Finely shredded cabbage – ¼ cup
  4. Onion – 1 (small and finely chopped)
  5. Potato – 1 (small, boiled and mashed)
  6. Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp
  7. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
  8. Jeera powder – ½ tsp
  9. Salt
  10. Oil – 1 tsp

Cooking  directions

  • In a bowl, combine whole wheat flour, salt, and oil. Gradually add water and knead to make a soft dough. Cover and set aside for 15–20 minutes.
  • In a pan, heat 1 tsp oil, add onions and ginger-garlic paste, saute until aromatic.
  • Add all the vegetables, mashed potato and mix in turmeric, jeera powder and salt.
  • Cook on medium flame for 3–4 minutes until veggies soften. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  • Roll the dough into parathas and cook them will ghee or oil.
  • On cooked parathas, add 1 or 2 tbsp of the vegetable filling and roll the parathas tightly into a wrap and serve.
  • You can add cheese, ketchup or green chutney for extra taste.
  • You can also make it protein rich by adding paneer or scrambled egg.

Millet Spinach Cutlet 

Ingredients  

1.Millets – ¼ cup 
2.Potato – 1, boiled and mashed 
3.Spinach – ½ cup, finely chopped 
4.Onion – 1, small finely chopped 
5.Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp 
6.Cumin powder – ½ tsp 
7.Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp 
8.Garam masala – ½ tsp 
9.Salt 
10.Coriander leaves  
11.Corn flour – 2 tbsp 
12.Bread crumbs – ¼ cup 
13.Oil for shallow frying 

Cooking  directions

  • Wash and pressure cook ¼ cup millet with 1 cup water for 2–3 whistles or until soft.Let it cool completely and fluff with a fork.
  • In a large bowl, combine cooked millet, mashed potato, spinach, onion, salt and all spices. Add corn flour to bind and mix well into a soft dough.
  • Shape into small oval cutlets. Roll each cutlet in bread crumbs for a crispy outer layer.
  • Heat a tawa or pan, drizzle some oil, and shallow fry the cutlets on medium flame until golden on both sid

Whole Wheat Pasta with Vegetable Sauce 

Ingredients  

For the Pasta 
  1. Whole wheat pasta – 1 cup 
  2. Salt – 1 tsp 
  3. Oil – ½ tsp 
  4. Water for boiling 
For the Secret Sauce
  1. Tomato – 1 medium size, chopped
  2. Carrot (chopped) – ½ cup 
  3. Red or yellow capsicum (chopped) – ¼ cup 
  4. Onion – 1 small, chopped 
  5. Garlic – 1 or 2 cloves, minced
  6. Olive oil or regular cooking oil – 1 tbsp 
  7. Salt to taste 
  8. Chilli flakes – ¼ tsp 
  9. Oregano – ½ tsp 
  10. Grated cheese – 1 tbsp 
  • In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add salt and a few drops of oil.
  • Add the whole wheat pasta and cook as per the package instructions (usually 8–10 minutes).
  • Drain and rinse with cold water. Toss with a few drops of oil to prevent sticking.
  • In a small pan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add garlic and onions and saute until soft.
  • Add all the chopped vegetables and cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until soft.
  • Cool slightly and blend the mixture into a smooth sauce using a mixer or blender.
  • In the same pan, add little oil and pour in the blended sauce, season with salt, pepper, and oregano.
  • Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes. Add cheese for extra creaminess.
  • Finally add the cooked pasta and let cook for 1–2 minutes for the flavours combine and coat well.

Carrot Oothappam 

Ingredients  

  1. Dosa batter – 1 cup 
  2. Grated carrot – 1cup 
  3. Onion – 1, finely chopped 
  4. Coriander leaves – finely chopped 
  5. eera – 1 tsp 
  6. Ghee or oil  

Cooking  directions

  • In a bowl, mix grated carrot, chopped onion, coriander leaves, and a pinch of jeera.
  • Heat a tawa and drizzle a few drops of oil or ghee. Pour a ladle of dosa batter and spread thickly like an oothappam.
  • Immediately sprinkle the carrot-onion mixture evenly on top and give a gentle press all over the oothappam.
  • Cover with a lid and cook on medium flame for 2–3 minutes. If required flip and cook.
  • When the base is cooked and golden brown, remove the oothappam from the tawa.

Paneer Garlic Cheese Toast 

Ingredients  

  1. Multigrain bread – 4 slices 
  2. Butter – 2 tbsp
  3. Garlic cloves – 2 or 3, minced or grated
  4. Grated paneer – ½ cup
  5. Grated cheese – ¼ cup
  6. Coriander – finely chopped
  7. Chilli flakes – ¼ tsp
  8. Oregano or mixed herbs– ¼ tsp 

Cooking  directions

  • In a small bowl, mix paneer and softened butter with minced garlic, herbs, and chilli flakes.
  • Spread the garlic butter generously on each bread slice and sprinkle grated cheese on top evenly.
  • Heat a tawa on low flame. Place the bread slices with the cheese side up, cover with a lid, and toast on low heat for 4–5 minutes.
  • Cook until the cheese melts and the base is crisp.
  • You can also add sweet corn to the toast for added crunch.