As schools across the UK welcome new and returning students for the start of the academic year, many parents are likely panicking about how they’re going to prep their children’s lunches once again.

Yet back-to-school, while undoubtedly a stressful time for families, doesn’t have to see adults spending a disproportionate amount of time in the kitchen just to guarantee their kids have the nutrients they need to get through a busy day.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, two experienced chefs and a nutritionist have shared their top tips, tricks and recipes to ensure school pupils remain well-fed throughout the week – without parents feeling the pressure.

When it comes to packed lunches, chef and plant-based specialist Lisa Marley recommends replacing an uninspiring sandwich with something much more nutritious – but that doesn’t mean meals need to break the bank or take half an hour to prepare. 

‘Bento-style boxes work brilliantly,’ Lisa, who has thousands of fans on Instagram, said. ‘Think chopped fruit, crunchy veg sticks, hummus, cheese cubes and a wholegrain wrap or sandwich. 

‘Children love variety and bite-sized portions, so packing a few different options often helps avoid waste.’

Nutritionist Nishtha Patel agreed, adding: ‘Children eat with their eyes so make vegetables look appealing.’ 

Nishtha, like Lisa, highlighted the importance of prepping as much as possible to make morning and evenings run smoother and minimise stress.  

‘The trick is to think in building blocks: a few proteins, a few grains, roasted vegetables and some sauces,’ she explained. ‘When you have these ready you can mix and match to create quick meals all week long.’ 

And, attuned to the financial pressures that many UK families are facing, award-winning children’s cookery author Annabel Karmel MBE not only revealed her top 10 tips but also shared some handy recipes that make the most of leftovers from the night before.

helpful pointers, hacks and meal ideas from these three experts can be found below. 

Annabel Karmel MBE – UK’s no. 1 children’s cookery author

Mother-of-three and bestselling international author Annabel Karmel has spent the past 30 years creating tasty and nutritious meals for children and babies.  than 1,250 recipes can be found at her award-winning Recipes App.

Here are Annabel’s top 10 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 the children’s 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 equals fun, and kids love food they can build or play with.

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 equates to less uneaten food coming home.

9. Healthy treat swap

Swap crisps for breadsticks and dip, or chocolate bars for an oat and 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.

Nishtha Patel – Nutritionist and inflammatory bowel disease specialist

Nutritionist Nishtha Patel, also known as The Gut Expert, is an award-winning nutritionist with expertise in treating a number of conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which has affected her daughter. 

Conscious that weekday mornings and evenings can be hectic, she makes the case for using part of the weekend to get ahead.

‘The good news is that with a little weekend prep you can have a fridge full of colourful nourishing foods that keep children happy and support the whole family’s gut health,’ she says.

In addition, Nishtha advises: ‘Cook two or three different proteins at the start of the week. 

‘Marinate fish, chicken or tofu in olive oil, lemon and herbs and bake in the oven. Boil a batch of eggs for easy breakfasts or lunch boxes. 

She’s also a huge fan of beans and lentils, which can also be prepped over the weekend and refrigerated. 

‘High in fibre and great for the gut, they can be used in soups, as side dishes or as the base of Mexican and Indian meals,’ she adds.

The expert suggests choosing two to four grain bases that the family enjoys – whether wild rice, brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat or freekeh – cooking them in advance and then storing in containers in the fridge. 

She explains: ‘You can quickly reheat or use them cold in salads. Wholewheat pasta is also a good choice. 

‘Lentil pasta is another option as it is rich in fibre and causes less of a sugar spike, especially when paired with protein.’

Similarly, potatoes can be boiled and kept in the fridge for quick potato salsa while pasta can be cooked and stored plain until it’s required for a speedy dinner.  

Sticking with prep, she says: ‘Chop peppers, courgettes and other vegetables and store them in glass airtight containers.

‘Wrap in a muslin cloth or thin tea towel to keep them fresh. These can be thrown into stir fries or lunch boxes.’

Recognising that ‘children eat with their eyes,’ Nishtha says it’s worth spending a little time to make vegetables look appealing. 

For something a little different, she encourages parents to ‘roast peppers, courgettes, carrots and broccoli in different herbs and spices and store them in separate containers.

‘Try oregano on carrots, cumin on courgettes and paprika on peppers. When vegetables are roasted they become naturally sweeter and more appealing to younger palates.’

Homemade sauces are also easy to make and can really enhance meals, she says. 

‘A simple pesto can be frozen in ice cube trays and stirred into pasta or spread in wraps,’ Nishtha explains. ‘A yoghurt dressing with lemon and garlic is lovely over fish. 

‘A tahini turmeric sauce makes roasted vegetables irresistible. Keep a jar of herby green dressing in the fridge for quick salads.’

And, an advocate of the freezer, reminds amateur cooks that salsas and marinara style sauces can also be made and frozen for a rainy day. 

‘A vegetable rich pasta sauce blended until smooth is a clever way to feed children who are fussy with textures,’ Nishtha says. ‘Choose sauces that fit your family.’ 

For those after Mexican flavours, guacamole and salsa are good options, while a sweet and sour sauce or a Thai curry paste are great for Asian flavours. 

Lisa Marley – Chef, plant-based specialist and nutrition coach

Lisa Marley trained as a pastry chef before becoming a plant-based specialist and nutrition coach.

‘Keep it simple, colourful, and familiar,’ she said. ‘Bento-style boxes work brilliantly -think chopped fruit, crunchy veg sticks, hummus, cheese cubes, and a wholegrain wrap or sandwich.’

Lisa understands that children love variety and find bite-sized portions appealing, and she, too, is convinced that ‘prep is everything’. 

‘Wash and chop fruit and veg the night before, batch-cook items like pasta or rice at the weekend, and use freezer-friendly muffins or frittatas that can be defrosted overnight,’ she says/ 

Another tip that works a treat when it comes to making mornings smoother is having a designated ‘lunchbox shelf’ in the fridge.

While younger children tend to prefer finger foods – small wraps, veggie sticks, or fruit they can eat without peeling, older kids often crave something more substantial, like a pasta salad or a filled pitta, she says.

‘Across all ages, balance is key: aim for a mix of protein, healthy carbs, and fruit/veg to keep energy steady throughout the day.’