Are you struggling to get your little one to eat their tiffin?
Every day, do you find yourself wrestling with ideas for healthy tiffin options, yet still can’t seem to win your child’s approval?
As a mother myself, I understand the daily challenges of meal preparation. I’ve been through that journey and am still learning along the way. Striking a balance between taste, health, and time during the early morning rush can feel harder than making an Excel sheet or presentation!
Still, learning never truly ends—nor does the quest to figure out what your child will happily eat. Over time, I’ve discovered a few things that have worked for me, and I want to share them with fellow parents navigating the same phase. I’m not a wonder-mom churning out fancy recipes, just a regular mom trying her best each day.
Here are a few tips and tricks that have helped me encourage my child to open their tiffin and actually enjoy what’s inside.
Look and Feel of the Tiffin Box:
As silly as it may sound to adults, it matters a lot to the kids. Picking the tiffin in their favourite colour and anime character can get these little wonders excited to remember to open their boxes at school. Like we have our discussions about which series or what happened at work. Trust me, our kids have a great deal of discussions around these things.
Between their choices, which are hard to budge, as a mother, you have to figure out whether the tiffin is a healthy option, safe for the child, easy to carry and leak-proof. Unlike earlier times, we have been spoilt for choices, so finalising a product isn’t as easy as it was during our times 🙂
After spending considerable time researching online, I chose the Bento tiffin from Basil. It comes in a variety of prints kids love, and as a lightweight steel tiffin, it’s a healthier and easier-to-maintain option from my perspective.
Quantity of the Food:
As mothers, we want the strongest child with all the superpowers. For us, food isn’t just for nutrition; it’s our way of showing love. Considering this, we feel that although the child had a small-sized tummy, he/she can eat food like us.
Another trick I learnt is more food options but less quantity. If we give them more than they can eat, we will never get empty tiffins back home. Small quantities do work better. It helps the child to feel they can eat it in the available time. Remember, breaks aren’t hours its just a few minutes where these kids have to manage multiple things.
Variety or Not?
As I’ve shared before, I’m not a “wonder mom”—I keep things simple when it comes to food. I don’t make anything fancy, and I avoid experimenting too much because my child doesn’t appreciate it.
The key is understanding your child’s preferences. If they like the same food with just a little variation, that’s perfectly fine. Gradually introduce new options, but offer multiple foods you know they’ll eat. It’s okay to be repetitive—every child is different.
The Bento tiffin from Basil has been a big help for me. With its multiple sections, I can pack a variety of foods in just the right quantities, all in one box—no need for your child to carry several containers.
Adding a Personal Touch:
When my child first started taking tiffin to school, I used to write little notes for her. You can choose anything personal—whatever feels right to you. She would open her tiffin just to read the note before eating, and soon she looked forward to it every day. On days I forgot, she would mention it when she got home!
I don’t do it every day now, but those notes really helped her in the early days. A personal touch always goes a long way.
Food Options:
My child prefers simple, healthy food. The mantra is to balance nutrition with variety—multiple choices that are both healthy and liked by your child. For example, serve the usual roti, but pair it with nuts and fruits they enjoy, or add healthy snacks.
You don’t need to struggle or experiment endlessly—just choose smarter options. It’s okay to include occasional junk food, but keep the frequency and quantity in check, or opt for healthier alternatives.
Hope these tips and tricks are of help to you. I am always looking forward to hearing from you 🙂
Image: Pexels & Self Shot Images
Disclaimer: This content was created as a part of a collaboration, however, it has been made sure that the content is helpful and provides value to the reader.
I can totally relate to this post. My child is very fussy about eating. He feels good when i buy new things for him . This pink lunchbox is so cute. I’ll buy this type of lunch for reyansh as well. Thank u for the tricks.