kids recipe

30 Easy Recipes for Kids: Quick Indian Meals Under 20 Minutes

Dr. Vishal

20 Feb 2026 • 8 min read

Introduction

Busy mornings? Picky eater at home? These 30 easy recipes for kids solve daily meal planning challenges for Indian families.

Every recipe takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish. We've included breakfast options, lunch ideas, after-school snacks, and quick dinners-all tested with real kids who actually ate them.

Categories covered: Breakfast (8) | Lunch (7) | Snacks (9) | Dinner (6)

Breakfast Recipes

1. Ragi Banana Pancakes

Prep: 5 min | Cook: 10 min | Protein: 8g per serving

Mix ragi flour + mashed banana + milk + pinch of salt. Cook on non-stick pan. Naturally sweet-no sugar needed. Boost nutrition by adding 1 scoop Little Joys Nutrimix for extra 9g protein. Detailed recipe click here: ragi banana pancakes for kids.

2. Instant Oats Idli

Mix oats + semolina + curd + water. Let sit 10 minutes. Pour into idli molds, steam 8 minutes. Serve with Little Joys tomato sauce or coconut chutney.

3. Moong Dal Cheela

Grind soaked moong dal with ginger-green chili. Pour like pancakes, cook 3 minutes per side. High protein (10g per serving). Add finely chopped vegetables for extra nutrition from our fiber-rich vegetables list.

4. Nutrimix Chocolate Smoothie Bowl

Blend: 1 banana + 1 scoop Little Joys Nutrimix + 1 cup milk + ice. Pour in bowl. Top with chopped nuts, chia seeds, fresh fruits. Ready in 3 minutes.
More ideas: nutritious milk mixes you can make at home.

5. Poha Upma

Rinse poha, drain. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, peanuts. Add poha, turmeric, salt. Cook 5 minutes. Add vegetables for color and nutrition.

6. Vegetable Upma

Roast semolina 2 minutes. Separately, sauté vegetables. Add water, roasted semolina, cook 8 minutes. Done.

7. Egg Bhurji

Scrambled eggs, Indian style. Heat oil, add onions, tomatoes, spices, beaten eggs. Cook 5 minutes. Serve with toast.

8. Rava Dosa (Instant)

Mix rice flour + semolina + water into thin batter. Pour on hot pan, cook 4 minutes. No fermentation needed-perfect for busy mornings.

Lunch Recipes

9. One-Pot Vegetable Khichdi

Pressure cook: rice + moong dal + mixed vegetables + turmeric + ghee. 2 whistles. Complete meal with protein, fiber, and carbs. Add vegetables from our fiber-rich indian vegetables guide.

10. Paneer Paratha

Knead dough (10 min prep on Sunday). Stuff with mashed paneer + spices. Cook 8 minutes. High protein (12g per paratha). More protein ideas: protein-rich paneer sandwich recipe.

11. Veggie Pasta

Boil pasta. Make quick sauce: sauté vegetables + Little Joys tomato sauce. Mix pasta into sauce. Ready in 12 minutes.

12. Rajma Rice Bowl

Pressure cook rajma with spices (15 min). Serve over rice. High in protein and fiber. Kids love this comfort meal. Recipe variation: rajma tacos for kids

13. Vegetable Fried Rice

Use leftover rice. Heat oil, add mixed vegetables, soy sauce, rice. Toss 5 minutes. One-pan meal.

14. Curd Rice with Tempering

Mix cooked rice + fresh curd. Temper mustard seeds, curry leaves, hing in ghee. Pour over rice. Probiotic-rich, cooling.

15. Stuffed Roti Wraps

Fill roti with: mashed potato masala or paneer bhurji or mixed vegetables. Roll, pack for lunchbox.

Snack Recipes

16. Veggie Tikki

Weekend prep: Make batch, freeze. Weekday: Reheat 5 minutes in pan. High fiber, kids love with ketchup. Recipe: high-fiber veggie tikki.

17. Corn Cheese Sandwich

Boiled corn + grated cheese + black pepper + butter. Grill 4 minutes. Crunchy outside, gooey inside.

18. Sprouts Chaat

Pre-sprouted moong + chopped onion, tomato, cucumber + lemon juice + chaat masala. Toss and serve. Protein-packed.

19. Banana Oats Cookies

Mash banana + oats + dates + nuts. Form cookies, bake 12 minutes at 180°C. No refined sugar.

20. Chocolate Muffins

Use our proven recipe with ragi flour for added nutrition: chocolate muffins for kids.

21. Besan Ladoo

Roast chickpea flour in ghee. Add jaggery powder, cardamom. Shape into balls. Traditional, nutritious.

22. Cucumber Sandwich

Whole wheat bread + mint chutney + cucumber slices + salt. Refreshing, perfect for summer.

23. Roasted Peanuts Chaat

Roasted peanuts + chopped onion, tomato + chaat masala + lemon. Protein snack ready in 2 minutes.

24. Walnut Energy Bites

More healthy dessert options: walnut sheera recipe or blend dates + walnuts + cocoa + Little Joys Chocolate Spread. Roll into balls.

Dinner Recipes

25. High-Protein Dosa

Use fermented dosa batter (store-bought works). Cook on hot pan, serve with sambar and chutney. Complete recipe: tasty healthy dosa for kids.

26. Paneer Butter Masala (Quick)

Sauté onion-tomato paste + spices + cream. Add paneer cubes. Cook 10 minutes. Serve with roti.

27. Vegetable Pulao

One-pot: Rice + mixed vegetables + whole spices. Pressure cook 2 whistles. Aromatic, nutritious.

28. Dal Tadka

Pressure cook toor dal. Prepare tadka: ghee + cumin + garlic + tomatoes. Mix with dal. Pair with rice or roti.

29. Mixed Vegetable Sabzi

Heat oil, add seasonal vegetables, Indian spices. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Simple, everyday curry.

30. Quinoa Vegetable Bowl

Cook quinoa (12 min). Top with sautéed vegetables. Drizzle Little Joys tomato sauce. Modern, nutritious option.

Meal Planning Tips

Weekend prep strategies:

Make dosa/idli batter (lasts 3 days)
Chop vegetables, store in airtight containers
Prepare tikki mix, freeze in portions
Cook rajma/dal in bulk, freeze single servings

Time-saving hacks:

Use pressure cooker (cuts cooking time 50%)
Invest in good non-stick pans
Pre-measure spices in small containers
Keep Little Joys Nutrimix handy for instant protein boost

Involving kids helps:

Let them choose 2-3 recipes weekly
Assign age-appropriate tasks (mixing, arranging)
They eat better when they help prepare

Nutrition Boost Tips

Add Little Joys Nutrimix to:

Smoothies (9g protein per scoop)
Pancake batter (doubles protein content)
Dosa batter (fortified nutrition)
Pasta sauce (hidden protein boost)

Sneak in vegetables:

Puree and add to sauces
Grate and mix into dough
Finely chop and hide in rice dishes

More vegetable ideas read: fiber-rich vegetables in india.

Conclusion

Start with 5 recipes this week. Rotate options to keep kids interested. These easy recipes for kids prove healthy food doesn't have to be time-consuming.

Need nutrition support? Little Joys offers plant-based products designed for Indian kids-fitting seamlessly into these recipes for added nutrition without extra effort.