5 Healthy Lunch Ideas Kids Will Actually Eat, From a Nutritionist Dad

How to Make Healthy Recipes Kids Love

5 Plant-Based Lunch Recipes Kids Will Love

1. Mashed Yam Quesadillas

Ingredients

• 2 organic whole wheat wraps (we use organic spinach wraps)
• 1 medium yam, skinned
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup frozen whole kernel corn
• 6 tbsp organic mild salsa
• 1 cup non-dairy vegan cheese, shredded (we use Daiya shredded cheddar cheese)

Instructions

1. Fill a medium-size pot half full of water and bring to a boil.
   While water is boiling, peel and chop the yam into large chunks.
2. Place the chopped yam in the boiling water. Reduce to medium heat and cook covered for 15 to 20 minutes until the potato is soft. Once the yam is cooked, drain the water and mash the potato.
3. While the yam is cooking, preheat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Drizzle on a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil to slick the pan.
4. Layout the wraps on a large cutting board. Cut a vertical line in the center and along the bottom half of each wrap.
5. For layering the ingredients, imagine each wrap is divided into four quadrants. It’ll probably be helpful to refer to the images below.)
6. In the bottom right quadrant and top left quadrant of each wrap, evenly spread 1.5 tbsp of salsa. In the top right quadrant and bottom left quadrant of each wrap, evenly spread about ⅛ of the mashed yam. Sprinkle ¼ cup of the shredded non-dairy cheese on top of each yam quadrant.
7. Now for the tricky part: the folding of the quesadillas. Fold the bottom right quadrant up to the top right and press down to compact the ingredients. Then, fold the top right to the top left quadrant. Press down again. Then fold the top left to the bottom left, creating a large triangular-shaped quesadilla.
8. Place each quesadilla on the pan. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the wrap is browned.
   Using a large spatula, flip the quesadilla. Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until browned.
9. Transfer the quesadillas to the cutting board and cut them into 3 or 4 slices for the kids to eat with their hands. Enjoy!

2. Tofu Scramble with Brown Rice and Veggies

Ingredients

• 1 block of organic tofu, firm or extra firm
• ½ cup of dry whole grain brown rice
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 can of diced tomatoes - 14 ounces
• ¼ cup frozen whole kernel corn
• ¼ cup of frozen green peas
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast
• ¼ tsp of sea salt
• Dash of black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Drizzle on a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil or water.
2. Add the dry brown rice to a small pot along with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the brown rice is cooked and has absorbed all the water.
3. While the brown rice is cooking, add the block of tofu to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Crumble it with your hands or use a masher to break it down into a crumble.
4. Add the nutritional yeast, sea salt, and black pepper to the mixing bowl and combine with the crumbled tofu.
5. Add the tofu mixture, red bell pepper, diced tomatoes, corn and green peas to the saucepan and stir well.
6. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Be sure to stir every few minutes. Turn off the heat and add the brown rice to the tofu scramble.
7. Dish out the tofu scramble into bowls and top with avocado. Ready to eat!

3. Toasted Sweet Potato with Peanut Butter & Jam

Ingredients

• 4 slices of sweet potato (approximately 1/4″ thick and long enough to fit in toaster)
• 4 tbsp of natural peanut butter
• 1 cup of organic raspberries
• 1 whole banana, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp of chia seeds
• 2 tbsp of hemp hearts
• 2 tbsp of flaxseed
• Dash of cinnamon
• Maple syrup or agave nectar (optional)

Instructions

1. Cut a sweet potato lengthwise into approximately 1/4″ thick slices. Length should be long enough to just fit inside your toaster.
2. Toast for a total of 12 to 15 minutes until the sweet potato is soft. This will require multiple toastings. We usually set the toasting time for 5 minutes and repeat 3 times.
3. Allow slices to cool for 5 minutes after toasting.
4. While the sweet potato is toasting, prepare a homemade jam with the raspberries, chia seeds, flaxseed, and hemp hearts by blending them together. Add a splash of plant milk if necessary.
5. Transfer the blended mixture to a pan and heat over medium heat for 5 until it forms a sticky jam texture. Remove from heat.
6. Spread the peanut butter and jam on the cooled potato slices.
7. Top with sliced banana and cinnamon. Drizzle on maple syrup or agave nectar for some added sweetness!

4. Mashed Cauliflower and Potato with Roasted Chickpeas

Ingredients

• ½ of one large cauliflower head, chopped
• 6 whole russet potatoes, skinned and halved
• ½ cup of carrots, chopped and steamed
• ½ cup frozen corn or green peas
• 1 cup of organic, no-salt-added, or low sodium canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 2 tbsp of unsweetened organic soy milk
• 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast
• ½ tsp of roasted garlic & red pepper seasoning
• Sea salt to taste
• Dash of black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas. Pat them dry with paper towel then add to a mixing bowl.
2. Season chickpeas with roasted garlic & red pepper seasoning and sea salt. Combine well then transfer to baking sheet.
3. Cook chickpeas in the oven for 30 minutes.
4. While chickpeas are cooking, chop the carrots and steam them for 5 to 10 minutes until soft. Fill a large pot half full with water and bring to a boil. While water is boiling, chop the cauliflower head and russet potatoes then add to the boiling water. Reduce to medium heat and cook covered for 15 to 20 minutes until the cauliflower and potatoes are soft.
5. Once cauliflower and potatoes are cooked, mash them with a masher or large fork if you don’t have a masher.
6. Add the steamed carrots, unsweetened organic soy milk, nutritional yeast, sea salt and black pepper to the mashed cauliflower and potato. Combine all ingredients well.
7. Remove roasted chickpeas from often and add to the mash.
8. Serve in bowls for kids to eat with spoons. Just make sure it’s cooled first!

5. Epic Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 cup of unsweetened organic plant milk of choice (soy, almond, oat, cashew)
• 1 cup of frozen mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries)
• ½ cup of frozen mango
• ½ cup of frozen kale or spinach
• ¼ cup of frozen green peas
• ¼ cup of frozen riced cauliflower
• ¼ cup of frozen sliced beets
• 1 whole banana
• 1 medjool date, pitted
• 2 tbsp of hemp hearts
• 2 tbsp of flaxseed
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• ¼ tsp of ground turmeric
• Dash of black pepper
• 1 tbsp of raw, unsalted walnuts
• 1 tbsp of raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbsp of cacao nibs
• 2 tbsp of organic raisins

Instructions

1. Add the ingredients to a large high-power blender in the order listed above.
2. Blend thoroughly until ingredients are combined into a nice, thick ice cream consistency. Add water as required to achieve desired consistency.
3. Scrape out into a bowl. Be sure to get everything from the sides of the blender!
4. Add toppings as listed. Feel free to add whatever toppings you like, or omit them entirely!

Bottom Line: Making plant-based meals your kids will love is easier than you think.