Healthy Food Needn’t Be Icky!

Rakhee Vaswani, chef and culinary expert talks on the benefits of nutritious food and how they can be made delicious for children

Finding the right balance between a demanding career and an equally hectic home schedule, this can seem like an impossible ideal. If the child turns out to be a picky eater then the task at hand only seems to get tougher.

The book, ‘Picky Eaters and Other Meal-Time Battles’ provides guidance on how everyday food can be made exciting. Here are the most common ‘ick’ foods that are actually incredibly good – and tricks to include them into your child’s meal.

BROCCOLI

You can skewer broccoli with other veggies and marinate them in spices for flavour. They go well with dips like hummus. Make a tasty potato and broccoli soup and add some yummy croutons so your kids will love it; grate some parmesan on top to make it even yummier. Crumble the florets to put in a salad or even in tikkis.

FISH

The most important element present in oily fish is omega-3 fatty acids. The body requires healthy fats for early development of the brain and nerves, and hence fish is called 'brain food'. You can expose kids to different types of fish with baby steps.

Give them something they are guaranteed to love, like fish fingers or fish and chips. But if you aren't too keen on these fried options, begin with these and then move onto fish in Chinese sauces or curries.

BEAN SPROUTS

Bean sprouts are highly nutritious and tend to retain their beneficial properties until consumed, unlike other vegetables which start losing their nutrition the moment you pluck them. These shoots contain all the vitamins.

They are a rich protein source especially for vegetarians and also contain a lot of fibre which aids digestion. They are good for kids with anaemia or a low haemoglobin count because of their high content of iron. Sprouts can be added to tikkis, salads and raitas.

BEET

Beets are also a wholesome source of magnesium, niacin, iron and calcium, along with other vitamins. They go well in a salad or soup to give a vibrant red colour. You can also blend it with hummus to make a funky snack.