healthy vegan lunch ideas

Here we are showcasing healthy vegan meal ideas for adults and kids. These meals are suitable for at home, and at school, these are regulars in my kids’ lunchbox. (excluding the peanut butter sandwich)

1. Simple healthy tomato pasta

This is a common dish that my little ones love, made from pasta, and passata (sieved tomatoes.) I always adjust the recipe using whatever is available, some ingredients I usually add are caramelised onion, basil, garlic, black pepper, diced rosemary, olives, capers, sweetcorn, and soy mince. Whilst it always varies, it is always delicious and is also nice to eat cold. Pasta always goes down well, and in our household

2. Creamy cauliflower pasta

We love creamy pasta sauce that is made from boiled, then blended cauliflower. We add caramelised onion, sautéed garlic, herbs, seasoning with sea salt and black pepper before blending for full flavour.  Once married with the pasta, you would not believe that it is vegan or that it is cauliflower!

3. Creamy avocado pasta

Avocado pasta is very popular and so quick to make, start by boiling pasta, whilst it cooks start mashing an avocado with a fork or pestle, add a small pinch of sea salt, black pepper and a little drizzle of vinegar if you like. Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water and toss with the avocado, serve! This can be made the night before, and the salt/vinegar will preserve the avocado for a little while.

4. Butternut squash spaghetti

This recipe is a family favourite in our house, in need of a tasty and healthy not to mention filling dish? Look no further than my delicious recipe. My children love this recipe, my daughter asks for seconds and even thirds!

I would recommend this for a family of 4; two adults and two children but there is plenty to have another bowl..or two! Prep time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 45 minutes. Difficulty: Easy.

Ingredients

  • Butternut squash (1)
  • Olive oil (3 tbsps)
  • Small onion (1)
  • Fresh sage (handful)
  • Cloves of garlic (2)
  • Spaghetti (400g)
  • Water (1 litre)
  • Vegetable stock cube (1)
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)

Method

  • Pre-heat oven to gas mark 7. Peel and chop the squash into 2cm cubes, put to one side. Peel and finely chop the onion and the sage add to the cubes of squash.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the squash, onions and sage to the pan once sizzling, add the salt and pepper and chopped garlic.
  • Sauté until the onions are lightly browned then add to an oven dish for around 25-30 minutes.
  • While the squash cooks, Bring the litre of water to a boil with a pinch of salt to stop the spaghetti sticking. Once boiling add the spaghetti to the pan.
  • Once the cooking time is up and the pasta is cooked, drain and keep the water in a bowl. Add the squash and onions to a pan, add 3-4 cups of starchy pasta water to it and melt the stock cube, allow to boil for 10 minute until the squash is soft.
  • Once the squash is soft mash into a sauce consistency and chuck in with the spaghetti, toss around until fully coated.
  • Serve with your choice of salad and a garlic flatbread.

5. Hummus salad sandwich

hummus sandwich with salad

My little ones love sandwiches, it’s what they always ask for. Hummus and salad is one of there favourites, which is great because hummus is made from chickpeas and they are really good for you. The salad just improves its nutrition even more.

Personally I am a huge lover of hummus and have always wanted to try making it myself, I experimented with making my own tahini and found it was cheaper and easier to just use the jar of ready made tahini past as it contains the right amount of sesame seeds that’s needed. Not everyone is a big fan of olive oil, so I do understand if you want to run looking at this recipe, but please stay, you’ll love it I promise. Once I tried this recipe I refused to buy it again because It is so simple, easy and quick not to mention amazing.

Before when I used to buy hummus I found it was very high in fat and saturates where as this recipe actually contains unsaturated fat! With this hummus recipe I like to enjoy it with: Carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumber sticks, cut up whole wheat pitta breads, Dorito style crisps, a few olives and sun dried tomatoes served on the side, it makes a great go-to snack or a light lunch.

Ingredients

Chickpeas (¾ Tin) Olive oil (2 tbsp) Paprika (½ tsp) Cumin (½ tsp) Tahini (1 tbsp) Salt and pepper (½ tsp) Cold water (3 tbsp) Lemon juice (2 tbsp) Garlic (1 clove)

Method

  1. Drain your tinned chickpeas into the sink, and add to your food processor or blender.
  2. Mince your garlic or finely chop, add to the chickpeas, pour in your olive oil, fresh lemon juice and cold water and blend on a high speed for 1 minute.
  3. After one minute, take off the lid, add in your tahini, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin. If the mixture does not blend well after this, add in more water and a little more oil to make the mixture smoother.
  4. Once your mixture is at your preferred desired texture, give it a taste, add more salt and pepper if you need or serve in a bowl/dish with your favourite hummus a compliments.

6. Mixed Pepper & Jackfruit fajita wrap

Fancy Mexican? Wraps are super delicious and colourful. Use red, green and yellow pepper, sauté in a frying pan with some onion and Mexican seasoning. You can even add some extras like refried beans, guacamole, tomato salsa or soy mince to give it a protein boost and if you’d like you can swap out tortilla wraps for taco shells.

Preparation time is less than 10 mins, cooking time is between 15 to 30 minutes and this recipe will serve four people. What a fantastic variation of the classic chicken fajitas, jackfruit is a popular vegetarian and vegan choice as it has a great texture that is similar to meat. It falls apart like pork, it has tons of health benefits and overall is a perfect meat alternative.

In this recipe, we combine sweet red pepper, red onions and jackfruit with a fail-proof Mexican blend for the ultimate fajitas. Scoop them up with a flatbread wrap or taco shell and you will be on your way to a super delicious midweek dinner.

You can enjoy this fiery with chilli, simple with tomato passata or as a sweet BBQ flavour. Once you taste this recipe, I guarantee this will be a new favourite! It is a definite hit with our children, they prefer a milder taste and not too many chillies, but we add a little cayenne pepper or chilli’s sauce to our own to spice it up

For this recipe you will need: one red bell pepper, one red onion, olive oil, Fresh or Dried Chilli (optional), Fajita seasoning (1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, a large pinch of sea salt, and black pepper), Tomato Passata (200ml) / BBQ sauce (100ml), Tin of Jackfruit and Wheat Tortilla Wraps (see my recipe).

Heat up a frying pan with a little olive oil, then add your diced bell pepper, and red onion. Cook until softened. Add the jackfruit and cook for a few minutes, then add you fajitas seasonings and cook dry for one minute. Add either the tomato passata, BBQ sauce and mix well.

If the sauce is too thick add a little water to get the right consistency but be careful not to add too much otherwise it will make the wraps soggy. Once the mixture is all good, add it to fresh tortilla wraps with lettuce if you’d like. Enjoy!

7. Cashew & herb vegan cheese crackers

Cashew & herb vegan cheese

When we were vegan, we used to make this homemade cashew and herb vegan cheese, it was so tasty, healthy and extremely versatile. The nutty creamy flavour gives you that soft cheese spread flavour without the cheese and a lot more nutrition. Spread it on crackers or even put it in a bowl and the little ones will love spreading this treat. Feel free to also throw it into a pasta sauce or spread on toast.

This vegan cheese plant based spread contains no dairy and is made entirely from plants, but don't let that fool you, it tastes just like the real thing but better. The main difference being that it is a powerhouse of nutrition. The nuts are a great source of vitamins and minerals and so are the other ingredients. Overall, this vegan cheese spread can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and can be spread on crackers, on toast or throw it into a pasta sauce. Here's how to make it.

Ingredients

  • 310g cashew nuts
  • 60ml water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 garlic clove
  • small handful of fresh parsley leaves
  • 6-8 chives

Method

  • Place a medium saucepan of water on a high heat, once boiled put the cashews into it for 15 minutes. Alternatively soak them overnight in cold water.
  • Drain the nuts and pop them into a food processor or liquidiser with 30ml fresh water then whizz for 60 seconds un till you have a smooth, creamy paste with no bits.
  • Add in your remaining 30ml water, salt, coconut oil and the nutritional yeast (You want thick, gloppy consistency so add more water if necessary)
  • Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice catching any pips in your other hand, peel the garlic and add it to the food processor or liquidiser, whizz for a few more minutes until the mixture is smooth, scraping down the side with a spatula every now and then to make sure everything is mixed.
  • Transfer the completely smooth mixture to a bowl, finely chop up the parsley and chives and stir them into the mixture with a spoon.
  • Lay out a large piece of cling film on a clean work surface and spoon the mixture into the middle.
  • Fold over the cling film and roll up the cheese into a log shape, squeezing out any air and tightening the ends of the cling film as you go.
  • Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set fully.

8. Special fried tofu rice

This should be made with brown basmati rice because it is safer to reheat compared to white. Start by boiling your rice or use the left-over previously cooked. This can be made many ways but I like to start with finely diced onion in a frying pan with oil, I add frozen peas, then my marinated tofu. When everything is cooked well I add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then throw my rice in, stirring carefully and adding more oil if necessary. You can twist this recipe to your taste, a little dash of organic soy sauce is always a treat.

9. Tomato & Basil Ciabatta (Bruschetta)

Tomato & Basil Ciabatta (Bruschetta)

Inspired by our trip to Sorrento, Italy. This is so tasty, you wouldn’t believe it. Before I go into the method I recommend finding the freshest ingredients, and preferably organic. This will only help it taste that much nicer, knowing exactly what it will do to your health.

Things you will need Tomatoes of your choice, garlic,  fresh basil, (we like to grow our own, but you can buy fresh from most shops.) A ciabatta, you are welcome to make your own if you are confident in your cooking, but for the price of an organic ciabatta, we just buy it from the local shop or bakery. Try to get a good quality olive oil, as cheaper ones can be extracted via harmful methods or may simply taste bitter. You will need sea salt and black pepper, freshly ground really is that much better, so get whole black peppercorns and grind them yourself.

To make your bruschetta start by gently heating a drizzle of olive oil over low heat. Whilst heating, chop garlic, and fresh basil finely and add to the pan for less than one minute. Then add sliced tomatoes, add a pinch of salt, and fresh black pepper. let it cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Cut ciabatta bread through the middle and place in a grill to toast, feel free to use a drizzle of olive oil or butter if you prefer. Once the ciabatta is toasted put it on a plate and top with the tomato, basil and garlic topping and serve immediately.

10. Peanut butter & banana sandwich

peanut butter and banana sandwich

As my little ones go to nursery two and a half days a week because of there age, they are at home for lunch sometimes which is a perfect excuse to make quick easy peanut butter sandwiches with organic wholemeal bread.  This is eaten only at home due to the risk of harming others with nut allergies.

11. Avocado with salt, pepper and vinegar

Probably the simplest lunch but also super delicious, healthy, and quick to make. Slide an avocado in half, remove the pit, small pinch of salt and pepper on each half, drizzle with vinegar and it is perfect. Eat it solo, it is full of healthy unsaturated fats or cut into cubes and add to a salad.

12. Vegan korma curry

vegan korma curry with rice

This recipe is a meal I will cook time and time again, it is nutritious, delicious, and exactly the same as the traditional korma sauce but made with plants! 

This recipe feeds up to 6 people. If feeding a smaller amount just half the recipe or freezing the rest, it will be good for up to 3 months. 

This meal is a great mid week dinner that will get the goodness of veggies into your family without any hassle because it tastes so good they wont realise. 

Ingredients

  • Sweet potato peeled and chopped (400g)
  • Carrots peeled and chopped (150g)
  • Butternut squash peeled and chopped (500g)
  • Groundnut oil (3 tbsp)
  • Large white onion (2)
  • Cardamom pods (7)
  • Poppy seeds (2 tbsp)
  • Cloves (2)
  • Bay leaf (1)
  • Cashew nuts (50g)
  • Blanched almonds (75g)
  • Fresh ginger (2cm piece)
  • Green mild chillies (2)
  • Garlic cloves (3)
  • Ground nutmeg (1/2 tsp)
  • Ground turmeric (1/4 tsp)
  • Coconut milk (400ml)
  • Limes (2)
  • Coriander to serve. 
  • Rice to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 180c. Put the peeled and chopped carrot, sweet potato and butternut squash onto a baking sheet on an oven dish and drizzle with one tablespoon of oil and season with a pinch of salt. Put into the oven for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Peel and finely slice the onions, bash the cardamom pods open with a rolling pin, put them into a large frying pan. Add the poppy seeds and cloves, toast for 3 minutes until aromatic. 

Reduce the heat to a low and add two tablespoons of oil. Add onions, bay leaf, cashews and 50g of the blanched almonds. Cook until the onions are soft and the nuts have toasted. Peel and roughly chop the ginger, remove the seeds from the chilli's and finely chop, peel and crush the garlic. Add it all to the pan with nutmeg and turmeric and Cook for 2 minutes. 

Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Remove the bay leaf and pour it into a liquidizer. Add 200ml of coconut milk and blend until you have a smooth sauce. Pour back into a pan and put on medium heat, add in the cooked, roasted veggies with the remaining coconut milk and gently mix until all combined. Squeeze the juice of the limes into the curry catching any pips. Season with salt to taste and serve with rice, coriander and the rest of the blanched almonds. 

13. Vegan cheese recipe

Back in 2018, we decided to follow the vegan diet and this sauce was my replacement for cheese. Whilst it is completely dairy-free it does have a very similar taste. The only difference is that it is made from plants. Sometimes dairy-free is a lifestyle change and some people have lactose intolerance which means that their body cannot consume milk, cheese, or butter because of the natural milk sugars known as lactose. These sugars are digestible to most people but for some, they can cause side effects.

This vegan cheese sauce is so easy to make and requires only one vegetable. Not only is it tasty but it is also much more healthy in comparison to a real cheese sauce. For example, Cauliflower contains many vitamins and nutrients. One serving of cauliflower is 100% of your daily recommended vitamin C. This vegan cheese sauce is great for making vegan macaroni cheese or you can simply add a bay leaf, a pinch of nutmeg, and use it as a Béchamel white sauce replacement.

The possibilities are endless, you could try boiling garlic with the cauliflower to change the flavour slightly or you could add it to mashed potato for a cheesy twist. Even try adding the vegan cheese sauce with sautéed leeks to serve with your Sunday roast. For amounts, you should use however much cauliflower you need. Per four people I recommend half a cauliflower but you could always make a bigger batch and store it in the fridge, it will last for about 3 days. At the end of cooking a cheesy pasta bake, you can top with an ingredient called yeast extract. This is a deactivated yeast that has a nutty cheesy flavour and it is great for sprinkling over this vegan cheese sauce.

Ingredients

  • Cauliflower
  • Sea Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Dairy-free butter (optional)
  • Dried yeast extract

Method

Cut cauliflower into chunks or florets then boil in a saucepan full of water until soft. Once it becomes soft, it can be removed from the water and you can place it in a blender with a dollop of dairy-free butter if you’d like. Pulse until smooth and then season to taste with salt, pepper and yeast extract.

14. Ultimate vegan chocolate mousse

ultimate vegan chocolate mousse

Smells absolutely divine, the rich chocolaty smell fills the air and you would not believe that there is even avocado in this other than the fact that it gives you a luxurious creamy texture. Whilst this is a vegetarian recipe, it can be enjoyed and loved by all.

If you are vegan simply swap out the honey for maple syrup. Using simple ingredients like pure cocoa, dark chocolate, avocado, any milk of your choice, and sweetened by honey and banana, this chocolate dessert is an absolute winner. If you’re a real chocolate lover I would recommend adding more dark chocolate, bananas are not essential if your not a banana lover also.

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ ripe avocados
  • ¼ cup raw cocoa powder unsweetened
  • 1/3 cup melted dark chocolate
  • 5 tsp maple syrup or honey
  • 1 x ripe banana
  • 3 tbsp. milk of your choice (I used soya)
  • Crushed biscuit (optional)
  • Sliced strawberries (optional)
  • Sliced banana (optional)

Method

  1. Cut open your avocado, remove pip and begin to spoon out the inside of the avocado. Peel and remove banana from the skin.
  2. Add avocado and banana to a large bowl and mash until smooth. Slowly add in your cocoa powder and stir until incorporated well.
  3. Boil water in a pan and use a heatproof bowl to melt the chocolate, once melted add to the avocado mix, stir well adding your 5 tbsp of honey (or to taste)
  4. Mix in the 3 tbsp of your preferred milk and stir the mixture until combined well. Add to a dessert cup/bowl and top with your favourite crushed biscuit and strawberries or leave plain.
  5. Leave in the fridge to chill and solidify for around 3 hours, the longer the better. Serve and enjoy!

The mousse should last up to 2 days so eat it quick, not that you’ll need to leave it that long in the fridge its too good to not eat!

15. Apple Crumble Recipe

This apple crumble recipe is delicious and is made the same as the traditional pub classic. It is simple and easy to follow our step by step guide, make it while the roast is in the oven so you can chuck it straight in when you serve dinner. Apple crumble originated in the UK, and in our household, we have it for dessert after our roast dinner every Sunday night.

As a family, we eat this and no one goes without having seconds or thirds depending on your bowl size! This is the best crimble-crumble (our children call it this) you will ever taste! This is a vegan recipe using dairy-free butter and soya cream to serve, however, you can use the ingredients that you have on hand.

Ingredients

  • 180g plain flour (preferably organic)
  • 80g vegan butter or if preferred normal margarine
  • Granulated sugar (50g)
  • Gala apples (4)
  • Cinnamon (1/4 tsp)
  • Cream, custard, or vanilla ice cream

Method

  • Peel and core the apples, chop them into small bite size chunks
  • Add butter and sugar to the flour mix into a crumble, use your fingers to make it resemble breadcrumbs.
  • Boil 1 cup of water in a small pan, add the diced apples, cinnamon, and soften for 10 minutes
  • Drain off most of the liquid, saving some to help cook the crumble mix.
  • Add to a deep oven dish and top with the crumble mixture and a little sprinkle of sugar on top to caramelise.
  • Cook for 25-35 minutes on Gas mark 6 (200°C, 400°F) or until golden and crisp on top. Serve with cream, custard or your favourite vanilla ice cream!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why do we limit ourselves to the same old boring breakfasts? Why don’t we change it up a bit or even eat something a bit healthier so that we can start the day the right way! These are the top 5 healthy vegan breakfast ideas that my kids love to eat.

16. Cereal

vegan porridge with fruit

Now cereals don’t have to be sugar-coated and they shouldn’t be. Especially when kids are concerned, starting the day with a bowl of sugar is only going to set them up to fail. For there day and may even cause addiction to sugar later on in adult lives. What cereals are the healthiest? I recommend a range of them that you can switch between to keep things getting stale.

Whilst these are healthy, they don’t have to be tasteless. You can try them with different kinds of milk like oat, cashew, almond, etc. You can top them with banana and honey, or strawberries with maple syrup, apple and cinnamon, or even top with toasted nuts and grated dark chocolate. There are plenty of ways to keep these types of breakfast interesting without too much creativity.

  • Shredded Wheat
  • Weetabix
  • Bran Flakes
  • Muesli
  • Cornflakes
  • Porridge

17. Pancakes

These are a hit, who says pancakes have to be only on pancake day? We add simple fruits, organic maple syrup, soy yogurt, nuts, etc. and you have yourself perfect pancakes!

They are not something that you could have every day but are a fantastic treat, with the right combinations of fruits, nuts, and a small amount of maple syrup it is still much better for you than conventional cereals that we see flooding the market of today.

18. Flapjack

flapjack image

Handmade healthy no-cook flapjack bars as a quick morning breakfast that will keep your little one happy. I strongly recommend that you do not buy these as pre-made breakfast bars from the shop or supermarket as they likely will be extremely unhealthy loaded with sugar and full of preservatives.

You can make these using dates, raisins, nuts, oats, seeds, desiccated coconut, grated apples, and mashed bananas. Anything healthy just pop it in the blender or food processor and form them into fun-size bars!

Method

Grate around 2 apples, mash 2 bananas, finely chopped raisins, nuts, and dates. Grab yourself a large bowl pour in 2-3 cups of oats and 2 tbsp of desiccated coconut then mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Give the mixture a good stir, eventually, once the ingredients are all combined you can pour the mixture into a greaseproof tray, bake in the oven for around 10-15 minutes until golden brown, let it cool, cut into bitesize chunks serve and enjoy!

19. Toast

When we say we don’t mean the commercial soft square block that you see in the shops, they contain lots of nasties and are so processed. You should either go for an organic bread that you could freeze, make your own or try to get to the bakery.

Do whatever is the most convenient for you. Wholemeal is, of course, the best and this is because white bread is made from grains that have had the brown removed, and contains only the starchy sugary carb known as all-purpose plain white flour.

Things that we love to top toast with

  • Mashed avocado with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and black pepper
  • Peanut butter with sliced banana
  • Fresh tomato, a drizzle of olive oil, sea salt and black pepper to taste

20. Healthy Vegan Full English Breakfast

This dish does take a little longer than the others, I would recommend keeping it for a weekend breakfast when there’s no rush and you can just relax after. My children, my partner and I love this breakfast, it is so filling and is the tastiest of all!

This includes Linda McCartney vegetarian sausages, avocado, seeded brown bread (toasted) vegan garlic butter mushrooms, baked beans and grilled tomatoes with salt, pepper, and basil. I know I could make my own vegetarian sausages but these ones are great and taste just like meat without the bad stuff!

These are just some of our favourite breakfast ideas to switch up your mornings! Sometimes we even just have a big bowl of fresh mixed fruits, pre-prepared the night before and squeeze Lemon or orange juice over it to keep it fresh, and you have the perfect healthy morning meal that is ready to eat.

Side snacks for kids

No matter what, they always get either a piece of fruit or some veggie to snack on. Common snacks include apples, bananas, pineapple pieces, half an avocado, carrot sticks and humous. Nuts are really good for you, however, you can’t give them to your children at school because of allergies.  What other healthy snacks can you give them? Why not pop your own popcorn from kernels. Don’t add anything to it and you have a natural healthy fibrous whole grain, seeded whole-grain crackers are great, or even plain rice cakes.

It can be difficult finding those staple snacks to combat hunger, at that moment it is very easy to turn to unhealthy options but we are here to make sure that you don’t need too! These are our go-to-snacks, and each one is suitable for vegans, and dietary requirements of gluten-free, and dairy-free. You could take these snacks on road trips, have them with your lunch for school, you can even bring them on a plane. They are super quick and easy to make!

Homemade Oat biscuits

oat biscuits

This is a common after-dinner dessert snack in our household. The reason I love it is because it is so simple to make using simple healthy ingredients and they taste great. As well as being delicious it also features so many variations, you can adjust the recipe to your taste swapping out different ingredients.

Popcorn

popcorn

Made using only popcorn kernels that are popped in a little oil, These are whole grain, and are very good for you because of their vitamins, minerals and polyphenol antioxidants. Whilst they are high in carbs, one-fifth of the carbohydrates are in the form of dietary fibre which is also good for your health.

For them to remain healthy you shouldn’t add anything else, but if you do fancy making it a little tastier and are not concerned with health you could make sweet popcorn, salty, sweet & salty or make an indulgent toffee popcorn that is the ultimate treat when watching a movie or binge-watching a series. There are plenty of popcorn recipes online so try switching it up If you’d like! 

Rice cakes

rice cake with toppings

These are one of the best healthier alternatives to crisps, but for it to remain healthy you should choose rice cakes made with brown rice and without salt. They don’t have to be plain, you could top them with delicious peanut butter, humous, fruit jam, butter, or dark chocolate spread. 

Fruits

bowl of fruits

Fruit is a wonderful natural healthy sweet snack and you are not just limited to apples and bananas. Great options for snack includes oranges, pineapple, melon, dragonfruit, kiwis, grapes, cherries, berries, figs, apricots, peaches, grapefruit, coconut, nectarines, Sharon fruit, lychees, dates, raisins, guava, kumquat, mango, mandarin, plum, pomegranate, pear, passion fruit, papaya, prunes, and more.

There are so many types of fruit and as a snack, they can be enjoyed fresh, tinned, or dried. If you want you can even make them into a delicious juice smoothie, just don’t drink too much! If you are purchasing dried fruits, they should be organic to avoid added sugars and unnecessary additives such as antioxidant sulfur dioxide (a chemical used to dry the fruit) – Whilst occurring naturally it does come from volcanic rock and the burning of fossil fuels, not something you really want to be eating.

Carrot baton sticks & hummus

hummus dip

This is by far my favourite snack, these are two of those ingredients that just work so well together. The crunch and natural sweetness from the carrot paired with the flavour of sesame seeds and chickpeas from the humous is too yummy.

At the same time as eating this tasty snack, you are also getting a good source of protein and fibre, the chickpeas used in hummus are high in iron, folate, phosphorus and B vitamins, carrots contain vitamin A, antioxidants, and other nutrients that may fend of disease and illness.

Snacking in moderation

All of these snacks are rich in nutrients, however, you should remember that moderation is the key. Eating too much of anything good is bad for you. For pregnant women, you should find out whether the individual ingredients above are safe. 

Healthy drinks

healthy smoothie

Our children never drink juice unless it is pure orange or apple juice. That is even on the rarest of occasions due to the high sugar, despite being natural, in its high concentrations with low fibre, it doesn’t do much good for the body. Their main drink is always water, and so it should be. It is the most hydrating, sometimes however if we have too much fruit in the house that might spoil, if not eaten soon we throw them in the blender and turn them into smoothies.

My little ones love them and they provide lots of nutrients too! Another great healthy drink if on-the-go is natural coconut water, studies show that it is even more hydrating than regular water. Most commercial fruit juices squash contain either lots of sugar, sweeteners, artificial flavours, colours or chemicals. These are harmful to health and should not be given to kids. I hope you enjoyed this article on healthy lunch ideas for kids.

Up next: 16 Ways to Become Healthier

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