Children’s Day reminds us to celebrate the little joys that make childhood special, from play and laughter to the comfort of favourite foods. Every parent knows that when it comes to mealtime, kids look for taste first. Parents, on the other hand, want something more, food that feels good and is packed with nutrition, fibre, and protein. But between school runs, work calls, and the daily rush, convenience often becomes the deciding factor.
That is where easy and smart recipes come in. The kind that keeps kids excited to eat and helps parents serve something wholesome without spending hours in the kitchen. It is a win for both sides of the dining table.
Good nutrition is not just about eating right; it is about building habits early. Kids need a mix of protein, fibre, and wholesome ingredients to stay active and healthy. These recipes bring together that balance of taste and nutrition in easy, everyday ways. They are simple ideas that parents can use beyond Children’s Day too, to make meals both fun and fulfilling.
So, here are a few quick recipes by chef Varun Inamdar from the Godrej Millets Cookbook by Godrej Vikhroli Cucina that will help you entice their taste buds. They are not only tasty but also nutritious.
Anjeer Ka Ice-cream
Ingredients
Barnyard millet 50 gm
Kodo millet 50 gm
Foxtail millet 50 gm
Little millet 100 gm
Godrej Jersey milk 500 ml
Jaggery 1 cup
Fresh figs, when in season 1 cup or 1/2 cup dried figs, off-season
Method:
1. Dry roast the millets in a dry pan.
2 Wash once. Then cook it all in a litre of boiling water until they are soft
3. To this, add jaggery, and dissolve completely
4. Then cool and make a smooth paste of this in food processor
5. Cool it down and strain it through a fine muslin
6. To the strained paste, add fig puree (fresh or dried) and Godrej Jersey milk to make it smooth and almost like a milkshake
7. Mix well and transfer to an ice cream tray
8. Freeze overnight
9. Once completely frozen, scoop and serve
9 Millets Granola Bar
Ingredients
Roasted bajra puffs 50 gm
Roasted jowar puffs 50 gm
Roasted nachni puffs 50 gm
Assorted millets flour, use any six of your choice 50 gm
Pumpkin seeds 20 gm
Roasted sesame seeds 20 gm
Flax seeds 20 gm
Dates, deseeded chopped 50 gm
Almonds, chopped 50 gm
Jaggery 200 gm
Fennel seeds, powdered 1 tbsp
Green cardamom, powdered 1/2 tbsp
Godrej Jersey ghee 2 tbsp
Method:
1. Heat a pan and add ghee. Add chopped dates and cook till they become soft and mushy.
2. Add jaggery powder and 1/4 cup water. Make a thick syrup by boiling for 6 minutes. Turn the flame off.
3. Add all the other ingredients one by one and mix thoroughly till everything is well coated with the jaggery syrup.
4. Transfer this to a greased tray or box and press tight so that it sets well.
5. Once cooled, cut into 3” `x 1” long strips and wrap each bar with butter paper and then with aluminium foil.
6. This can be stored and consumed whenever you need that extra boost of energy.
