Noodles and Pasta Varieties
Noodles and pasta have become a favourite among kids in the past few decades. In China and Japan, noodles are freshly made. Similarly, in Italy where pasta originated, it is freshly made. In India however it is sold in dry form in supermarkets. People love to cook it and mix it up with their favorite sauces and spices. Here are some tasty ideas.
Upma, Kichadi and Pongal Varieties
These are the simplest tiffin items to make during week days which is not only tasty but very filling. It doesn't need any planning ahead and lot of preparation. Most of them don't even need a side dish.
Traditional Tiffin Varieties (Naatupura Samayal)
Traditional recipes that were made for breakfast by our ancestors used to be healthier and simpler. All of them were made with easily available native ingredients. Most of these dishes were steamed or boiled. Our great grandparents never faced health issues like obesity, high cholestrol etc. with the regular intake of such healthy food. It is important to develop a taste for such dishes for a very young age itself.
Porridge Varieties (Koozh, Congee)
In olden days, people had to toil hard to earn their bread. In fact they did not spend so much time in cooking as we do today. Most of their meals included dishes which were quite filling and healthy. It should also be easy to prepare for the entire family. Porridges are one such option. It was usually made in the morning and each family member had a big bowl of it whenever he/she was hungry. It was packed with nutrition. Porridges are made with different grains in different places but all of them are tasty.
Indian Dumplings (Kozhukattai, Modak, Modagam, Kudumu, Kadubu)
Dumplings are made in so many different ways in Indian cuisine. Each state has different dumplings, most of which are steamed. Dumplings are steamed as such or stuffed in fresh leaves before steaming. Commonly used leaves are banana leaves, therali ilai, coconut leaf, turmeric leaf, jack leaf etc. The leaf imparts unique flavour to the dumplings. Our ancestors in India served these as a breakfast dish or as an evening snack with tea.
Exotic Tiffin Varieties
Regular breakfast at homes must be quick and simple. However, you should always treat yourself on special days and week ends with some exotic tiffin varieties. These fancy looking breakfast options may take a little extra time to prepare but you don't have to depend on restaurants to enjoy them. They can be made easily at home.
International Breakfast & Tiffin Ideas
Our Indian cuisine has numerous tiffin options to make for breakfast, snack or dinner. However we cannot deny the fact that today's generation is attracted towards western food. It is a good idea to include such dishes once in a while to the menu. This will not only add to the variety but also keep up the interest in eating. Most International tiffin options can be easily made in our Indian kitchen easily. Also the ingredients are widely available these days.