Back-to-school season is a whirlwind – early starts, packed schedules, and the daily challenge of fuelling little ones with the right nutrition to power them through busy days of learning and play. It’s so important to keep energy levels high and tummies full with food that’s both delicious and nourishing. That’s why I’ve pulled together some of my favourite back to school tips and recipes to see in the new school year – all designed to make your weekly meal planning a breeze!
Annabel Karmel’s Top Lunchbox Hacks & Tips
1. Freeze it forward
Make a batch of muffins, mini pancakes and fritters or savoury scones at the weekend and freeze them. Pop one straight into the lunchbox in the morning – it’ll defrost by lunchtime (and keep everything else cool too!).
2. Keep it interesting
A healthy lunch won’t get their vote if it doesn’t look appealing. Simple touches can make all the difference such as bite-size chunks of fruit threaded onto a straw.
3. Wrap it up
Bored of sandwiches? Try tortilla wraps cut into pinwheels. Add cream cheese, grated carrot and chicken or tuna. Wrap, roll, slice – and they look like lunchbox sushi!
4. DIY dippers
Pack a mini pot of hummus, tzatziki or yoghurt and some veggie sticks or pitta fingers. Dipping = fun, and kids love food they can build or play with. Top Tip! Prepare sticks of carrot, sweet pepper and cucumber, and wrap them in damp kitchen paper to prevent them drying out.
5. Lunchbox leftovers
Got leftover pasta or roast chicken? Repurpose it into a cold pasta salad or chicken wrap. It’s quick, tasty and reduces waste – a win-win.
6. Hidden veg sauce
Blitz roasted veggies into a tomato sauce over the weekend and stir through pasta for a hidden veg hit. Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze in small portions.
7. Prep like a pro
Chop fruits and veggies the night before and store in airtight containers. Keep a ‘lunchbox drawer’ in the fridge with grab-and-go items ready to toss in.
8. Get kids involved
Let them choose one item each day – some fruit, a main, a treat. Mini responsibility = less uneaten food coming home.
9. Healthy treat swap
Swap crisps for breadsticks and dip, or chocolate bars for an oat & raisin cookie or mini energy ball – you can batch bake these with the kids and freeze them.
10. Themed days
Add a bit of magic with themes – “Rainbow Monday” with colourful fruits and veggies, or “Mini Mezze Thursday” with little pots of falafel, crackers, cheese and cherry tomatoes.
"These recipes are bursting with goodness, but just as importantly, they’re meals kids will actually want to eat – quick to prepare, full of flavour, and perfect for growing bodies and minds. Let’s make this school year the tastiest (and healthiest) yet!"
Here’s to a healthy start to the new school year
by Annabel Karmel
Cottage Cheese Berry Muffins
Looking for a healthy way to start the day? Full of antioxidants, vitamins, and slow-release energy, these cottage cheese berry muffins make a power-packed breakfast for the whole family – perfect for on-the-go too!
Ingredients:
3 eggs
100g cottage cheese
100g oats (use gluten-free oats if needed)
50ml maple syrup
50ml milk
1 tsp cinnamon
275g mixed berries, roughly chopped
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C Fan.
Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add the cottage cheese, oats, syrup, milk and cinnamon. Mix well, then stir in the fruits.
Spoon into a 12-hole silicone muffin tray. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden and firm in the centre.
Sushi Wraps
Roll up, roll up! My sushi style wraps will have your little learners longing for the lunch bell to ring! As simple as a sarnie but with WAY more child appeal! With two tasty and nutritious filling options to choose from, these wraps are perfect for adding some excitement to lunchtime.
Hummus, carrot & lettuce wrap
Ingredients
1 wrap
2 tbsp hummus
1 small carrot, peeled and grated
2 lettuce leaves
Chicken, plum sauce & lettuce wrap
Ingredients
1 wrap
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp plum sauce
50g cooked chicken breast, sliced
2 little gem lettuce leaves
50g cucumber, sliced into thin strips
Method
For Hummus, carrot & lettuce wrap:
1. Spread the hummus over the wrap. Put the carrot and lettuce in the centre in neat rows.
2. Fold over one side and roll up to form a tight roll. Slice into 3 pieces.
For Chicken, plum sauce & lettuce wrap:
1. Spread the mayonnaise over the wrap, then the plum sauce.
2. Put the chicken in the centre and arrange the lettuce and cucumber next to the chicken.
3. Fold one side over and roll up to form a tight roll. Slice into 3 pieces.
Triple Veggie Power Tots
Small but mighty! These 4-ingredient veggie tots are the simplest, tastiest way to get little ones eating the good stuff! Great for post-school snacks, lunchboxes or a nutritious dinner addition!
Ingredients
1 sweet potato (approx. 200g)
100g courgette, grated
100g carrot, grated
50g Cheddar, grated
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C Fan. Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper.
Prick the sweet potato with a fork and cook in the microwave for 8-10 minutes until soft. Leave to cool and slice in half.
Put the grated courgette into a clean tea towel. Squeeze out all of the liquid and place in a bowl.
Scoop out the sweet potato from the skins and add to the bowl with the carrot and cheese. Mix well and shape into 12 small tots.
Place on the baking sheet and brush with oil. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden at the edges. Leave for 5 minutes to firm up before removing from the baking sheet.
Alternatively, drizzle with a little oil and cook in an air fryer for 8 minutes at 200C.
Salmon & Spinach Fritters
Children should have a portion of oily fish such as salmon each week as it aids brain development. Fritters are a fantastic finger food for independent eaters and this recipe offers a great new way to serve up salmon and those essential omega 3s! They are also suitable for freezing
Ingredients
1 egg, beaten
20g cornflour
100g raw salmon fillet, finely diced
15g spinach, shredded
25g Parmesan cheese, grated
25g cherry tomatoes, chopped
3 spring onions, sliced
Method
Method
Put the egg and cornflour into a mixing bowl. Add the salmon, spinach, Parmesan, tomatoes and spring onions. Mix well.
Heat a little oil in a large frying pan. Add heaped tablespoons of the mixture to the pan and spread out slightly to make thin fritters.
Fry for 4 minutes on both sides until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly before tucking in.
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