Summertime Eats: Exciting Food Ideas To Keep Kids Happy And Healthy

During the summer holidays, children need the right nutrition to stay cool and healthy as they spend most of their time playing outdoors in the scorching heat. Fortunately, nature has bestowed us with a plethora of seasonal fruits and vegetables that can be used to make interesting summer treats.

Summer is also that time of the year when children potter around the house and like helping in the kitchen. Make their holidays more fun with these simple and interesting recipes that can be easily assembled by the children with some help from parents.

1. Cheesy Chickpea Pinwheels

Method:

1. Spread the garlic and cheese spread over the tortillas evenly.
2. Add coriander leaves and salt to the chickpeas and mix thoroughly.
3. Spread the mashed chickpeas over the tortilla and sprinkle chopped spring onions.
4. Roll each tortilla like a spring roll and then trim the edges.
5. Cut out 1-inch pinwheels from them and secure the edges with toothpicks.

2. Corn Pancakes with Pineapple Salsa

Method:

1. To make the pancakes, sieve together the flour, salt, and baking soda, and keep aside.
2. In another bowl, mix the curd, milk, sugar, oil, and corn kernels well.
3. To this liquid, add the dry mix and give it a nice stir. Mix till everything is well combined.
4. Heat a pan and grease with oil/butter. Then, pour a ladle full of batter and let it cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side till the pancake is golden in color.
5. For the salsa, roast bell peppers on a grill pan till charred and then chop roughly.
6. In a bowl, mix pineapple, onion, peppers, and coriander
7. Add salt, pepper, cumin, and lemon juice and mix well. Serve the pancakes hot along with the salsa.

3. No-Bake Honey Almond Granola

Method:

• Dry roast the almonds in a heavy-bottomed pan till they give out an aroma.
• Cool them a bit and grind them to make almond butter. Grind till their oil is released, then add a teaspoon of any flavorless oil and some salt.
• Heat a pan and put almond butter into it. Add honey and melt them both together.
• Now, add the rest of the ingredients except chocolate chips. Turn off the heat and mix it well.
• Line a tray with baking parchment paper and pour the mixture over it. With your fingers or with the back of a spoon, smoothen the mixture to form an inch-thick slab.
• Then sprinkle the chocolate chips over it and push them inside a little. Put the tray in the fridge to cool for 3-4 hours. Once set, cut into squares.
• Store it in an airtight box; it keeps well for up to two weeks.

4. Chocolate Almond Bites

Method: 

• Dry roast the almonds till they are fragrant
• Pulse them in a mixer till they start releasing their oils and then add sugar and butter to it, pulse again for 2 minutes
• Take out from the mixer jar and form small bite-sized balls from them.
• Dip in melted chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes. To increase the fun element, kids can even decorate these with sugar sprinklers which are easily available in the market.

5. Cheese and Fruit Skewers

Method: 

1. Let the kids assemble their favorite fruits and cheese in the order they like on the skewer sticks.
2. Once the skewers are done, assemble them on the serving platter and then drizzle some melted chocolate over them.
3. A lip-smacking quick snack is ready for your kids

Stay cool and refreshed this summer with our delicious and healthy summer drinks for kids.