Snacking in the evening is quite common, especially for growing kids. So, instead of them hogging on a packet of chips, chocolates, and biscuits, wouldn’t it be great if they could have homemade food in the evening too? The daily routine of lentils, vegetables and chapatis can get mundane throughout the day and kids are likely to get attracted to the ‘unhealthy food’. However, if those can be replaced with some yummy evening snacks like a cheese sandwich, the little ones are more likely to love homemade food.
From mini samosas to bread pizza, there are plenty of dishes that can be made at home. Ingredients like cheese, sauce, and more when added to a snack, amp up the taste and result in delicious evening snacks. For kids to not be too full in the evening and have dinner on time, it is best to give them small portions of these snacks or make bite-sized foods like potato balls and cheese fritters, etc. This helps to satiate their hunger at that time such that they are hungry by dinner time and can have a balanced meal too. Here’re a few recipes that can be perfect for your child’s evening meal.
1. Naan Pizza
Instead of the regular pizza base, use naan bread as the base for your quick pizza. Naan, for the unversed, is a type of Indian flatbread that is made with all-purpose flour. The dough of naan is fermented and stretchy. This elastic dough is then rolled into a naan that can be baked in an oven. Once the naan is baked and cooled down, spread the pizza sauce and add your choice of toppings on it. From sliced bell peppers and onions to tomatoes and corn, load it with colourful veggies and finish off with a generous amount of grated cheese.
2. Cheese Burst Dosa
Quick and easy-to-make, dosa bites can be a perfect evening snack. You can either make mini dosas or slice them into smaller pieces. This dosa is loaded with cheese and lots of vegetables. Spruced up with spices and schezwan sauce, this cheese burst dosa is filled with chopped onions, capsicum and tomatoes. Apart from grated cheese inside, the dosa can be garnished with some more cheese on top too.
3. Masala Sweet Potato Chips
Once your kid tries these homemade potato chips, the packaged ones will be totally forgotten. The sweet potatoes are mashed and mixed with red chilli powder, chaat masala and salt. This is then flattened to give shape to chips. Baked in an oven, with oil slathered on the tray, the chips turn out crispy and crunchy. Toss them in some chaat masala at the end and serve right away.
4. Cheesy Corn Toast
The subtle sweetness of corn with oodles of cheese is what makes a perfect evening snack. This combination is slathered on a toast and serves a filling snack. The corn is boiled, mixed with grated cheese, milk, flour and a dash of lemon juice, after which the creamy mixture is spread on a slice of bread. You can either bake it or toast the bread before adding the mixture.
5. Mini Macaroni Samosa
Pasta and pizza are often liked by most kids. If pasta is one of their favourites, they would love this macaroni samosa too. Replace the spicy potato filling with a macaroni mixture. Add chopped carrots, capsicum and other such veggies to the macaroni and fill in the mini samosa dough. Deep-fry the samosas in hot oil and serve with tomato ketchup.
