Inside Scoop: Lunch ideas for busy moms that are simple, healthy and delicious too!

This post was submitted by Shruti, mom of a toddler and blogger at Kids Healthy Daily Tips.

Being a mom is a challenging task for all of us. We have to look after our kids, family, and job as well as manage our household and office work too! Even in this hectic daily routine, we always try different recipes for our kids and family so that they can get all the essential nutrients and remain healthy, but we sometimes end up ignoring our health and wellbeing while taking care of others.

So, busy mamas, in this article I am going to share with you some healthy lunch recipes that are easy to make and are healthy at the same time. These recipes and ideas will help you fuel up for the whole day.

Lunch Ideas for Busy Moms

Here are some of my favourite lunch ideas for busy moms that you can easily make in a short span of time.

Crackers

Crackers are very easy to make and save a lot of time. You can make your own using whole grain bread or opt for store bought whole grain or rice crackers. All you have to do is add your favourite toppings, a few carrots and 1/2 an avocado on the side and voila!

Combination of Topping Ideas to Save Your Time On Thinking:

• Boiled Egg and Avocado (they taste delicious mashed)
• Cheese, Tomato and Cucumber
• Radish, Cucumber and Cottage Cheese
• Banana and Peanut or Almond Butter
• Tuna and Avocado
• Tomato, Avocado, and Turkey
• Smoked Salmon, Red Onion and Cream Cheese

Mason Jar Salad

This one is easy among other salad recipes that you can carry anywhere. The best part about this recipe is that it can be eaten even a few days after preparation and it remains fresh as it was at the time of the preparation. It is not made traditionally as we make other salads.

There is a unique way of preparing it. You can use your favorite ingredients in it, but layer it in a pattern mentioned below that is from wet to dry to make it remain fresh for 2-3 days. You can carry the dressing in a separate container.

Layer 1: Add your favorite ingredients that contain water or are more wet. (e.g. tomatoes, cucumber). You can also add the dressing here if you wish.

Layer 2: Add harder veggies such as grated carrots, celery, broccoli, and bell peppers.

Layer 3: Add any beans, grains or protein here.

Layer 4: Add leafy greens.

Layer 5: Add dry ingredients and toppings at the top (e.g. croutons, nuts, cheese, olives or dried fruits).

Yippie! Your salad is now ready. Whenever you want to eat add some dressing on it and shake the jar to mix the ingredients.

*Image Source: https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/mason-jar-salad

Toast or Pita Pizzas

This is one of the simple recipes which can be made in 10 minutes and is a great alternative to pizza. For making this simple recipe you will need whole grain toast or pita, pizza sauce, cheese, vegetables of your choice and you can even add protein such as chicken, beans or tofu.

Bake the toast or pita for 1-2 mins until it becomes a little soft. Now apply some pizza sauce on top and place your favorite veggies on it. Spread the grated cheese on it and bake it in the oven until the cheese melts. Enjoy your simple toast pizza.

Roasted Vegetable Wrap

If you are getting bored of eating the vegetables in a simple way like salads, then try this method of wraps. It’s very easy to make and saves a lot of time if you are in a hurry.

You can buy a flatbread made especially for wraps. It is soft but still, it’s strong to hold the vegetables firmly. You can also use rice paper, seaweed, collard greens or lettuce if you want to keep it grain free.

Take a pan, put some olive oil, salt, pepper and toss the vegetables of your choice in it. Roast them till they are soft and lightly browned.

Take another bowl and make your favourite dip such as a pesto mix or hummus and spread it on the wrap evenly leaving the borders. Now place the roasted vegetables in the middle of the wrap and roll the wrap tightly. Your delicious and healthy wrap is ready.

To save time, you can batch prep vegetables on the weekend to have ready for the week ahead.

Fusilli Pasta

Pasta is the all-time favorite for most people. It’s very easy to make and very healthy as well especially when you add veggies to it. For making this you will need fusilli pasta, veggies, herbs and spices of choice, and parsley or basil for garnishing.

Initially boil the pasta in a vessel with little oil in it. Boil till it is al dente, then drain it and pour some cold water on it.

Take another pan pour some oil in it, then put your favourite veggies and sauté for a few minutes. Add back the pasta and mix. For additional taste and flavour, you can add chili powder, coriander powder, oregano and mix it well. After the pasta is ready, turn off the flame and garnish the pasta with parsley or basil.

Additional Time Saving Tips

In this busy daily schedule, you may hardly get time in the morning to prepare a healthy lunch for yourself. So, I have come up with some tips for you that will save you additional time.

• Plan what you will be cooking for lunch including your weekly meal plan and buy all the ingredients if they’re not available in your pantry. Planning helps to save your time when in a hurry.
• If you are pasta, burger or a sandwich lover then you can cut extra vegetables at night, so that it saves you time the next day.
• Prepare a bigger dinner at night so that you can have leftovers for next day’s lunch.
• You can pack your lunch at night and can heat and take it to the office the next day. Use a microwave if that’s easier to reheat the food rather than the oven or stove.
• Buy food items that can be frozen for a long time so that you can easily have frozen fruits and vegetables ready when you have some time to prep.

These were some of the easiest lunch ideas for busy moms, so that you can take care of yourselves while taking care of your family. Which of those lunch ideas for busy moms are your favourite? Let us know below.

Shruti

Hi! I’m Shruti, a mom of a toddler. I like to spend my whole day around my baby and helping other moms through my blogs. I love to write on topics like Baby Skin Care Routine, Parenting and pregnancy diet chart month by month that are helpful to other mommas to nurture their child appropriately.