Five Kid-Friendly Snack Recipes

Check out these yummy Kid-Friendly Snack Recipes for your kids.

1) Sweet Corn & Spinach Tikki

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sweet corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup spinach leaves (washed and finely chopped)
• One medium-sized potato (boiled and mashed)
• 1 small carrot (grated)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 1-2 green chillies (finely chopped, optional for mild spice)
• 2 tablespoons besan (gram flour)
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2-3 tablespoons oil (for shallow frying)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Corn and Spinach:
   • If using fresh corn, boil the corn kernels until tender. If using frozen corn, thaw and drain well.
   • Coarsely grind the boiled/thawed corn in a food processor. It should be slightly mashed but still retain some texture.
   • Finely chop the spinach leaves.
2. Mix the Ingredients:
   • Combine the coarsely ground corn, finely chopped spinach, mashed potato, grated carrot, and chopped onion in a large mixing bowl.
   • Add the green chillies (if using), besan, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt.
   • Add chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice to the mixture.
3. Form the Tikki Mixture:
   • Mix all the ingredients thoroughly until well combined. The besan will help bind the mixture together.
   • If the mixture feels too wet, add more besan or breadcrumbs to achieve the right consistency.
4. Shape the Tikkis:
   • Shape small portions of the mixture into small, flat tikki or patties. Ensure they are thick enough to allow even cooking.
5. Cook the Tikkis:
   • Heat a non-stick skillet or frying pan over medium heat and add a few tablespoons of oil for shallow frying.
   • Place the tikkis on the grill until golden brown and crisp. This usually takes about 3-4 minutes per side.
   • Cook in batches if necessary, adding more oil as needed.
6. Serve:
   • Once cooked, place the tikkis on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
   • For dipping, serve warm with yoghurt, mint chutney, or ketchup.

2) Vegetable Dosa Rolls

Ingredients:

For the Dosa Batter:

• 1 cup rice (preferably parboiled rice)
• 1/2 cup urad dal (split black gram)
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• Salt to taste

For the Filling:

• 1 small carrot (grated)
• 1 small beetroot (grated)
• 1 small capsicum (bell pepper, finely chopped)
• 1/2 cup cabbage (finely shredded)
• 1/2 cup paneer (cottage cheese, crumbled)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves (chopped for garnish)

Additional Ingredients:

• Ghee or oil (for cooking dosas)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Dosa Batter:
   • Wash and soak the rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds in water for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
   • Drain the water and grind the soaked ingredients into a smooth batter using a little water. The batter should be of pouring consistency.
   • Add salt to the batter, mix well, and let it ferment in a warm place for 8-12 hours or until it doubles in volume.
2. Prepare the Vegetable Filling:
   • Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
   • Add grated carrot, beetroot, chopped capsicum, and shredded cabbage to the pan. Sauté the vegetables until they are tender.
   • Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt to the vegetables. Mix well.
   • Add crumbled paneer and cook for another 2-3 minutes until everything is well combined. Turn off the heat and let the filling cool slightly.
   • Garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves.
3. Cook the Dosas:
   • Heat a non-stick tawa or griddle over medium heat. Once hot, lightly grease it with a few drops of oil or ghee.
   • Pour a ladleful of dosa batter onto the tawa and spread it in a circular motion to make a thin dosa.
   • Drizzle a few drops of oil or ghee around the edges of the dosa.
   • Cook until the edges start to lift and the bottom is golden brown. Flip the dosa and cook for another minute. (For softer dosas, you can skip flipping.)
4. Assemble the Dosa Rolls:
   • Place a cooked dosa on a flat surface. Spread a generous amount of the vegetable filling along one side of the dosa.
   • Roll the dosa tightly around the filling to form a cylindrical roll.
   • Repeat with the remaining batter and filling.
5. Serve:
   • Cut the dosa rolls into bite-sized pieces if desired.
   • Serve warm with a side of yoghurt or coconut chutney for dipping.

3) Mini Uttapam Pizza

Ingredients:

For the Uttapam Batter:

• 1 cup rice (preferably parboiled rice)
• 1/2 cup urad dal (split black gram)
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• Salt to taste

For the Toppings:

• 1 small tomato (finely chopped)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 1 small capsicum (bell pepper, finely chopped)
• 1 small carrot (grated)
• 1/2 cup corn kernels (boiled)
• 1/2 cup grated cheese (mozzarella or cheddar)
• Fresh coriander leaves (chopped for garnish)

Additional Ingredients:

• Ghee or oil (for cooking uttapams)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Uttapam Batter:
   • Wash and soak the rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds in water for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
   • Drain the water and grind the soaked ingredients into a smooth batter using a little water. The batter should be of pouring consistency.
   • Add salt to the batter, mix well, and let it ferment in a warm place for 8-12 hours or until it doubles in volume.
2. Prepare the Toppings:
   • Finely chop the tomatoes, onions, and capsicum.
   • Grate the carrot and boil the corn kernels if not using canned corn.
   • Mix all the chopped vegetables in a bowl.
3. Cook the Mini Uttapams:
   • Heat a non-stick tawa or griddle over medium heat. Once hot, lightly grease it with a few drops of oil or ghee.
   • Pour a small ladleful of batter onto the tawa to make mini uttapams, about 3-4 inches in diameter.
   • Immediately sprinkle a portion of the mixed vegetables on top of each mini uttapam.
   • Drizzle a few drops of oil or ghee around the edges.
   • Cook on medium heat until the bottom is golden brown and the vegetables are slightly cooked.
   • Flip the uttapams carefully and cook for another minute on the other side.
   • Flip back to the original side and sprinkle grated cheese on top. Cover the tawa with a lid to allow the cheese to melt.
4. Serve:
   • Once the cheese is melted and bubbly, remove the mini uttapam pizzas from the tawa.
   • Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves.
   • Serve warm with a side of yoghurt, chutney, or ketchup.

4) Chickpea and Carrot Dip with Veggie Sticks

Ingredients:

For the Chickpea & Carrot Dip:

• 1 cup cooked chickpeas (or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
• 1 medium carrot (peeled and grated)
• 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt to taste
• Water (as needed for desired consistency)

For the Veggie Sticks:

• 1 cucumber
• 1 carrot
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 celery stalk

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Chickpeas:
   • If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them thoroughly under cold water.
   • If using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight and cook until tender. Drain and let cool.
2. Prepare the Carrots:
   • Peel and grate the carrot.
3. Blend the Dip:
   • Combine the cooked chickpeas, grated carrot, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, and salt in a food processor.
   • Blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add water until you reach the desired consistency.
   • Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. You can add more lemon juice for tanginess, more garlic for a more robust flavour, or more salt to taste.
4. Prepare the Veggie Sticks:
   • Wash and peel the cucumber and carrot.
   • Cut the cucumber, carrot, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and celery into thin sticks about 3-4 inches long.
5. Serve:
   • Transfer the chickpea and carrot dip to a serving bowl.
   • Arrange the veggie sticks around the dip on a platter for an attractive presentation.
   • Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate the dip for up to 2 days.

5) Oats and Banana Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional; use walnuts or almonds)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat the Oven:
   • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
2. Prepare the Bananas:
   • Peel the ripe bananas and place them in a large mixing bowl.
   • Mash the bananas thoroughly with a fork or a potato masher until smooth.
3. Mix the Ingredients:
   • Add the rolled oats to the mashed bananas and mix well.
   • Add the raisins, chopped nuts, cinnamon powder, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
4. Form the Cookies:
   • Drop small mounds of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet using a spoon or a cookie scoop. Flatten them slightly with the back of the spoon or your fingers to form cookie shapes.
   • Ensure space between each cookie, though these cookies won’t spread much while baking.
5. Bake the Cookies:
   • Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown around the edges.
   • Keep an eye on them to avoid over-baking, as this can make the cookies too dry.
6. Cool and Serve:
   • Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes.
   • Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
   • Serve the cookies to your toddler once they are completely cooled.