All parents know how often children don't want to be distracted from their activities to eat lunch. But a growing body needs a strict routine and proper healthy nutrition. Therefore, we have prepared a selection of 20 delicious and quick recipes for what to cook for a child's lunch, so they definitely won't miss it!
1. Chicken Noodle Soup
Here's how to make the simplest noodle broth truly delicious and aromatic for a child.
You'll need: 1 chicken, 2 onions, 1 carrot, 1 bay leaf, 2 cloves, peppercorns, 150g noodles, 30ml olive oil.
Preparation: Boil the chicken over high heat until it boils, skim off the foam, and reduce the temperature. Add one onion and spices, and simmer for an hour and a half over low heat without a lid to reduce the broth. Sauté the second onion and carrot, diced, and add to the soup. Shred the chicken, add the noodles, and cook until done.
2. Buckwheat Soup with Potato Dumplings
You can add a few mushrooms, but only champignons.
You'll need: 300g chicken, 0.5 cup buckwheat, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 2.5 liters water, 2 potatoes, 1 egg, 3 tbsp flour, spices.
Preparation: Cut the chicken into pieces and boil, then add buckwheat and spices. Separately boil potatoes, mash them, mix with egg, flour, and spices into a thick dough. Form dumplings, add them to the soup, and when they float – add sautéed onions and carrots and cook for another 4 minutes.
3. Diet Fish with Vegetables
Who said that only soups are suitable for a child's lunch?
You'll need: 400g hake (or pollock or other fish), 1 carrot, half an onion, 1 zucchini, 1 tomato, spices.
Preparation: Clean the fish, cut into large pieces, and boil in salted water for 7 minutes. Sauté the onion with carrots with a small amount of water, place the deboned fish on top, and then zucchini half-rings. Blend the tomato with spices and pour over. Simmer the fish under a lid over low heat for about half an hour.
4. Tomato Soup with Meatballs
This is a "triple" soup because it has tomato sauce, puree, and whole tomatoes all at once.
You'll need: 500g chicken, 3 tomatoes, 1 carrot, 2 onions, 70ml tomato sauce, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 green onion stalks, herbs, spices, 2.5 liters broth.
Preparation: Mince the chicken fillet, add 1 grated onion and spices to taste, and refrigerate the minced meat covered with film. Chop and sauté the onion with carrots, chop the herbs and green onions. Slice 1 tomato and blend the rest.
Add tomato sauce and tomato puree to the sautéed vegetables, simmer for 10 minutes. Form meatballs and add them to the boiling broth, and after 5 minutes, add the tomato sauté. Season the soup and cook for another 7 minutes, add fresh tomatoes, leave for another 5 minutes, then sprinkle with herbs.
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5. Lean Pork with Tomatoes
Choose the leanest part of pork if you're preparing lunch for a child.
You'll need: 300g pork, 3 tomatoes, 1 onion, 200g cheese, herbs, 200g yogurt, spices.
Preparation: Rinse the pork, slice it, pound it, season, and place in a baking dish. Top with chopped onion, pour yogurt over, arrange tomato slices, sprinkle with herbs and grated cheese. Bake in the oven for about half an hour at 180 degrees Celsius.
6. Lentil Soup
Lentil soup is very healthy, so if your child likes it – that's real luck!
You'll need: 300g lentils, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 2 liters broth, 50ml olive oil, spices, yogurt.
Preparation: Chop the vegetables and lightly sauté them in olive oil directly in the pot. Add spices and dry lentils, sauté for another 3 minutes, and pour in water. Cook the soup until the lentils are done, blend until smooth, and serve with yogurt.
7. Chicken Soup with Processed Cheese
Processed cheese makes the soup for a child tender, beautiful, and pleasant.
You'll need: 500g chicken, 200g processed cheese, 0.5 cup vermicelli, 4 potatoes, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 bunch of herbs, 2 tbsp butter.
Preparation: Cut the chicken into pieces and boil until done. Sauté chopped onion with grated carrot and dice the potatoes. Add vegetables to the meat, and after 6 minutes, add grated processed cheese. After another 5 minutes, add vermicelli and cook for 5 minutes. Before serving, add chopped herbs.
8. Spicy Carrot Puree Soup
Carrot soup with piquant spices – and your child will surely be delighted by the variety of flavors.
You'll need: 300g carrots, 1 red onion, 2 cm ginger, 0.5 tsp coriander, 300ml broth.
Preparation: Roughly chop the onion and carrots, and sauté them for about 6 minutes with grated ginger. Transfer them to a pot, cover with water, and cook for 20 minutes after boiling. Add spices, drain a little broth for consistency, and blend the soup until smooth.
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9. Carrot and Potato Casserole
For a tender dish, add sour cream or thick yogurt.
You'll need: 2 carrots, 3 potatoes, 200g chicken, 30g butter, 2 tbsp sour cream, 100g cheese.
Preparation: Boil chicken, potatoes, and carrots until done, and chop everything into arbitrary pieces. Grease a baking dish with butter, layer the ingredients, pour sour cream over the top, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
10. Cabbage Soup
Simple ingredients, mild taste, and creamy notes – an ideal recipe for what to cook for a child's lunch.
You'll need: 300g white cabbage, 300g cauliflower, 150g carrots, 150g onions, 100g rice, 100ml 20% cream, 2.5 liters broth, spices.
Preparation: Finely chop the onion and carrots and lightly sauté them, add shredded cabbage and simmer for a couple of minutes. Pour in broth, add spices, and cook for 15 minutes after boiling. Add rice to the soup, after 7 minutes – chopped cauliflower, and after another 7 – cream.
11. Chicken Soup with Cheese Balls
Soup with meatballs or croutons – that's understandable. But what about cheese balls for children?
You'll need: 400g chicken, 400g potatoes, 1 carrot, 1 onion, 2.5 liters water, spices, herbs, 100g cheese, 1 egg, 50g butter, 120g flour.
Preparation: Cut the chicken into pieces and boil, meanwhile grate the cheese and chop the herbs. Mix cheese, egg, butter, flour, some of the herbs, and spices into a soft dough and leave it in the refrigerator for half an hour. Add potato cubes to the broth, and after 5 minutes – sautéed onions and carrots. Lastly, roll cheese balls from the dough and add to the soup, cook for another 10 minutes over low heat.
12. Milk Rice Soup
A good variety for a child when vegetable and meat soups get boring.
You'll need: 80g rice, 200ml milk, a pinch of cinnamon, salt, and sugar.
Preparation: Rinse the rice several times until the water runs clear, and cook until half-done. Drain it in a colander and transfer to a pot with boiling milk. Add spices and cook until the rice is done. By the way, this soup can even be served cold.
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13. Corn Soup with Meatballs
Use finely ground corn grits to make the soup hearty and rich.
You'll need: 250g minced meat, 1 tbsp bran, spices, 0.5 tbsp starch, 1 carrot, 1.5 onions, 3 potatoes, 1 bell pepper, 1 tomato, 80g corn grits, 3 tbsp oil, 1.3 liters water.
Preparation: Mix minced meat with bran, starch, and spices, form small meatballs, and briefly put them in the freezer. Sauté chopped onion, carrot, and pepper for 3 minutes, add potatoes and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add corn grits to the vegetables, simmer for 4 minutes, pour in water, and cook for about 13 minutes after boiling. Add spices and meatballs, and finish cooking the soup until they are done.
14. Carrot Cake with Almonds
This cake is very simple, quick, and delicious, and children adore it.
You'll need: 2 carrots, 300g almonds, 200g sugar, 4 eggs, 50g flour, 3 tbsp zest, a pinch of cinnamon, 1 tsp baking powder.
Preparation: Grate carrots on a coarse grater, and blend almonds until finely ground. Whisk egg yolks with sugar, add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and zest, then combine the mixture with carrots and almonds. Separately whisk egg whites, gently fold into the batter, transfer to a baking dish, and bake for 50 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius.
15. Pasta Casserole
Only use high-quality pasta made from durum wheat – that will also be healthy.
You'll need: 250g pasta, 1 tbsp olive oil, 0.5 cup pureed tomatoes, 250g cottage cheese, 2 eggs, 250g cheese, spices.
Preparation: Cook pasta until done and toss with olive oil. Mix tomatoes with cottage cheese, grated cheese, eggs, and spices. Add pasta to this mixture, transfer to a baking dish, and bake for 40 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
16. Creamy Chicken Soup for Children
An interesting recipe for a simple chicken soup with broccoli and spinach for a child's lunch!
You'll need: 100g cauliflower, 200g broccoli, 100g spinach, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 chicken fillet, herbs, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 3 potatoes, spices.
Preparation: Sauté chopped onion with carrots, add spices, cover with water, and add chicken and potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes, add broccoli and cauliflower florets, spinach, and herbs. Cook for another 10 minutes and blend everything until smooth.
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17. Mushroom Soup with Pearl Barley
Do you think a child eating soup with pearl barley is a fantasy? Then try our recipe!
You'll need: 300g mushrooms, 60g pearl barley, 3 potatoes, half a carrot, half a bell pepper, half an onion, 1.5 liters water, spices.
Preparation: Soak pearl barley in water for half an hour, rinse, and cook until done. Prepare a sauté of chopped onion and grated carrot, add chopped pepper. Place mushrooms in a pot, cover with water, and cook for 5 minutes after boiling. Drain the mushrooms, cover with fresh water, add potatoes, and cook for 10 minutes. Add vegetables and spices, cook a little longer, and let the soup steep under a lid for 10 minutes.
18. Veal with Yogurt and Vegetables
A tender, healthy, and diet-friendly dish that is very easy to prepare for a child's lunch.
You'll need: 600g veal, 1 leek stalk, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 20g green onions, 200ml yogurt, 20g butter, 1 tbsp flour, spices.
Preparation: Chop the veal and boil for about half an hour. Then add chopped celery, leek, and carrot, spices, and after another half an hour, strain the broth. Lightly sauté flour in butter, pour in 500ml of broth, yogurt, and simmer. Add meat with vegetables to the sauce and sprinkle with green onions.
19. Chicken Soup with Peas and Egg
You can use frozen or canned peas.
You'll need: 2 chicken thighs, 3 potatoes, 1 carrot, 1 onion, 2 eggs, 250g peas, spices, herbs.
Preparation: Cover the thighs with 2 liters of water, bring to a boil, and cook for 40 minutes, then remove and shred the meat. Sauté chopped onion and grated carrot. Add potato sticks to the broth, after 15 minutes – vegetables and peas, then – chicken, and 3 minutes before the end of cooking – grated boiled eggs.
20. Chicken Cutlets for Children
If you want them to be even softer and juicier, use turkey fillet.
You'll need: 500g chicken fillet, 2 processed cheese, half a bunch of green onions, half a bunch of herbs, 1 egg, 2 tbsp sour cream, breadcrumbs.
Preparation: Mince chicken and processed cheese, add chopped green onions and herbs, egg, and sour cream. Form cutlets, roll in breadcrumbs, and fry or bake for 30 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius.