12 Easy and Healthy Indian Lunch Box Ideas for School

Packing a lunch box for school can often feel like a daily challenge, especially when you’re aiming for healthy Indian lunch box ideas for school that are both nutritious and appealing to kids.

Did you know that according to a survey, 60% of parents struggle to find nutritious lunch options that their children will actually eat? If you’re tired of the same old sandwiches and are looking for some fresh inspiration, you’re in the right place!

Here are 12 easy and healthy Indian lunch box ideas that are sure to make lunchtime exciting for your kids while giving you peace of mind knowing they’re eating well.

Let’s check out these delicious and wholesome recipes that will bring a burst of flavor and nutrition to your child’s school day!

Top 12 Healthy Indian Lunch Box Ideas For School

1. Vermicelli Upma

Vermicelli is made from suji (semolina) and 0% maida (refined wheat flour). Little children often relish it as a ‘noodle dish’ when prepared with their favourite vegetables.

Because of its texture and taste, children easily relish vermicelli upma. It is a good replacement for unhealthy packaged noodles.

2. Veggie Cutlets

Cutlets are one of our top favourites in the list of healthy Indian Lunch Box Ideas for school tiffin for your kids. They are made up entirely of steamed and mashed healthy vegetables like potatoes, beets, carrots, peas, beans, etc.

You can lightly stir-fry them in healthy cooking oil. To coat them, in place of bread crumbs, you can use powered poha as well as light besan paste. All in all, it’s a healthy lunch box idea Indian style.

You can pack it with your child’s favourite dipping sauce like ketchup, yogurt-cucumber dip, or green mint chutney.

3. Veggie Pancake (Uttapam)

Uttapams are savoury pancakes that can be made using rawa or the regular rice-dal batter used for idlis and dosa. You can either buy fresh or packed batters or make the fermented batter at home using the raw ingredients.

For this recipe, all you need to do is spread the batter on the pan and top it up with your little one’s favourite vegetables (e.g., onion, tomato, beans, broccoli, etc).

Let it cook on both sides and serve! They can enjoy it with ketchup or light coconut chutney. What your child will love about this dish is its mild flavour, and great taste even with fewer spices.

4. Green Paratha (Spinach & Corn Stuffed Paratha)

Spinach and corn are both flavours that children would enjoy, especially when used together. Parathas stuffed with spinach and corn can be a great addition to your child’s lunch box.

If your child loves spinach, then you can consider kneading the dough with spinach leaves as well for added nutrition and flavour. Make sure to boil or steam the corn and spinach properly before adding them to the paratha.

5. Vegetable Idlis

Idlis can be made with rawa as well as the dal-rice idli batter. Adding vegetables to idlis not only makes them more nutritious but makes for a wholesome meal for your child’s lunch box.

For your child’s tiffin, pack these idlis with coconut chutney, ketchup, light podi powder, or whichever dip or sauce your child prefers.

6. Paneer Bhurji Sandwich

Children usually enjoy eating lightly spiced paneer bhurji tossed with their favourite vegetables. Make sure that you use small amounts of oil and spices to make this preparation.

Making grilled sandwiches with paneer bhurji, and serving it with ketchup, is one of the best healthy Indian lunch box ideas.

7. Paneer Bhurji Sliders

Paneer Bhurji is a versatile filling. You can also use this as a stuffing to make mini Paneer Bhurji burgers – or Paneer Bhurji sliders. Children would love the idea of burgers as tiffin.

In fact, you can replace the burger buns with the whole wheat burger bun variety. You can also layer the burger with a slice of cheese, cucumbers, onions, or tomatoes if your children enjoy that.

8. Paneer Bhurji Spinach Kathi Roll

If your child loves spinach and enjoys spinach paratha or any spinach recipe, and also paneer bhurji, then this is the best out of all healthy Indian lunch box ideas for school.

Just roll up their favourite paneer bhurji in the palak paratha, along with some sliced onions and tomatoes. We guarantee that they’ll wipe the lunch box clean.

9. Yellow Veggie Pulao

When we were kids, our parents would feed us anything. They’d feed us ‘turmeric rice’ by telling us that they were ‘Maggi rice’ only because they looked yellow.

Some of us have been fed ‘papaya’ in the name of ‘mangoes’.

So, you can tell your story about how the yellow veg pulao got its colour. However, if your child is a fan of rice or pulao, then, this might be a great healthy lunch box idea for them.

10. Roti Noodle with Vegetables

Are your children fussing about eating roti? Well, here’s a great fun way to make them eat their roti and vegetables.

Why this recipe is a hero in the list of healthy Indian lunch box ideas for school because it is versatile?

You can use leftover roti from a previous meal to make this dish (provided you keep them fresh in the fridge if you’re in a hot or humid climate).

Just shred the rotis into strips and saute them with your children’s favourite vegetables like tomatoes, onions, capsicum, bell peppers, spring onions, etc.

Add a hint of soy sauce, tomato ketchup, and only a pinch of vinegar to make it more interesting. However, if your child is under 5 years of age, you might want to avoid adding any of these condiments.

11. Poori Chana & Halwa

Poori, Chana, and Halwa are a combo of dishes prepared on the culmination day of Navratri fasts in Northern households. However, once in a while, this makes for a great tiffin for your child at school.

Pooris stay fresh longer and taste great with lightly spiced and sauteed black grams or chickpeas. When combined with atta (whole wheat flour) or sooji (semolina) halwa (pudding), it can become a lunch box of delight for your child.

12. Paratha-Pizza

Having trouble getting your little angel to eat parathas in the lunch box? Give it an Italian twist while still keeping it completely Indian. Take your child’s favorite veggies, and top up the paratha with them.

You can also add paneer or roasted dals to it. Top it up with some cheese (mozzarella or cheese slice), heat it over a skillet or pan, and let the cheese melt. Pack it up pizza style and send it as a surprise tiffin!

Tips for Successful Lunch Box Planning for School Kids

Plan in advance:

If you leave planning lunch box ideas Indian style for the morning, chances are the pressure is going to get to you.

As a result, your child might not enjoy the food and bring back the lunch box untouched when they come back from school. Planning a menu in advance can help you keep your child nourished and happy.

Involve your child:

Adults often tend to think that children lack wisdom. On the contrary, children are quite wise and respond really well to being given a choice in the matter.

They like taking ownership. If your child is a fussy eater, we advise that you involve them in the process of planning their lunch menu.

Take into consideration what they want, and share with them what you’re planning to send with them and how it is beneficial for their health. Create excitement around lunch box planning. Together, both of you should function as a team.

Educate your child:

Information tends to solve the biggest of challenges. Therefore, making your children aware of the benefits and harms of different foods encourages them to take ownership of their own health.

It may not work immediately but practicing it over time with consistency may bring a big difference. 

Stock up on the ingredients:

Research shows that better preparedness is linked to greater confidence and success. The same principle applies to your child’s nutrition and health. By keeping your pantry well-stocked with essential ingredients, you ensure that preparing healthy and nutritious lunches becomes quick and easy.

This foresight helps you consistently provide balanced meals, contributing to your child’s overall well-being and success.

Keep Your Kids Happy and Healthy with These Indian Lunch Box Ideas

Milkbasket has all the ingredients, groceries, and lunch food essentials you need for each recipe in this blog.

Simply place your order by midnight on Milkbasket, and receive everything at your doorstep by 7 AM the next morning! Download the Milkbasket app to get all the lunch box essentials that will keep your little one happy and satisfied.

We hope you enjoy these healthy Indian lunch box ideas for school for your child.

Also Read:

• 3 Easy & Healthy Breakfast Ideas (Indian Style)
• 3 Healthiest Breakfast Recipes (Indian Style Edition)