Lunchbox Power: Stamina-Enhancing Meals And Snacks

Lifestyle has changed for human beings, kids and adults alike, all over the world. No longer do adults have enough time to pursue their pleasures or passions, thanks to the rising cost of living, employment crisis, and sky-high levels of stress. Kids experience a similar crisis, albeit on a smaller scale.

With school, tuition, and co-curricular classes eating up most of their days, school children too heavily feel the burden of a stressful life with little leisure. To make sure that kids can keep up with their current lifestyle, their lunchbox must be filled with stamina-enhancing meals and snacks to keep them going through the day. Here are some of the top energy-boosting food ideas to power up the lunchbox of school kids.

Stamina-Enhancing Meals And Snacks To Include In Kids’ Lunchbox

1. Punjabi Rajma Chawal

Pack a nourishing lunch full of the goodness of kidney beans, yogurt, and Indian spices. Brimming with carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, rajma or kidney beans are a great stamina-enhancing option. Kidney beans contain a high proportion of the full range of essential amino acids required for muscle-building and growth. When paired with yoghurt in Punjabi rajma chawal, the dish gains calcium and metabolism-boosting qualities as well, resulting in a quality lunchbox meal.

2. Bento Box

Bento Boxes are a cute and convenient way of packing lunch and eating on the go. Since bento boxes have beautiful segregations, it allowed parents to include multiple food groups in moderate amounts for a nourishing and appealing lunch. With items ranging from dumplings, to tacos, to mini waffles and sandwiches, the options are endless. Even leftovers work well for a lunch, as long as they are healthy, home food.

3. Rice Noodles

Rice noodles are great for satisfying your noodle craving with a low calorie, filling option that is both healthy and tasty. Rice noodles have high amounts of selenium, an antioxidant that protects our bodies from the risk of cancer, heart diseases, and phosphorus, which helps in healthy kidney function and efficient use of energy. Combine it with some bell peppers, veggies, a little left over protein, and you have restaurant-style, easy-to-make rice noodles at home.

4. Burrito

Burritos are high in carbs, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Though they can become calorie dense, portion control and opting for healthier alternatives can make burritos healthy and energy-building. Swap ordinary tortillas for whole-wheat or multi-grain ones, avoid processed cheese, include lots of fresh veggies, choose grilled proteins, and use brown rice for a stamina-enhancing quick lunchbox fix.

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5. Paneer Steak

Paneer is a filling and nutritious protein option that can be sliced and grilled before layering with a homemade steak sauce of choice. Load the dish with creamy, soft mashed potatoes, and some roasted veggies to create a nourishing and satisfying meal. Since these meals contain almost all major food groups, including vitamins, minerals, carbs, proteins, and fiber, they give a great stamina boost to kids and adults alike at lunch, helping them speed through the rest of the day.

How to Prepare Stamina-Enhancing Meal and Snacks for the lunchbox

1. Easy Bento Box Lunch recipe

Ingredients

• 2 buttered toast
• 1 cup of Egg Salad
• 4 small cubes of cheddar or mozzarella
• 4 crackers
• 6 red grapes, sliced
• 1 apple, sliced
• 2 tablespoons of honey (in a small container separately)
• ½ cup popcorn
• 4 chocolate-covered dates

Directions

• Pair the bread and egg salad, for a simple egg salad sandwich. Cut it in half and put in the bento box.
• Pair the cheese and crackers together, with a little container of honey. Put them in a separate compartment in the bento.
• Put the sliced apples and red grapes in a different compartment next to the cheese and crackers.
• Put the popcorn in a compartment.
• Put the chocolate-covered dates as a sweet treat in the remaining compartment.
• Pack the lunch with water and a sweet note.

2. Rice noodles in peanut butter sauce recipe

Ingredients

• ½ cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons of sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon sriracha, chilli garlic, or any spicy red chinese sauce
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lemon
• ¼ cup water
• 400g rice noodles
• Sesame seeds, for garnishing
• Fresh mint leaves, torn, for garnishing
• Green onions, chopped, for garnishing
• Roasted and salted peanuts, crushed, for garnishing

Directions

• Prepare the sauce first, by adding the peanut butter, sesame oil. Soy sauce, honey, garlic, sriracha, lemon, and water to a blender. Blend till smooth.
• Boil a pot of water on the stove and cook the rice noodles, until done.
• Once done, drain the water.
• Add the blended peanut sauce to the pot and stir until the noodles are full coated with it.
• Serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds, fresh mint leaves, green onions, and roasted peanuts.
• Leftovers can remain in the fridge up to three days.