Ahead of children going back to school, Lou Robbie joined Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio 1 to share her tips for keeping kids happy when it comes to their lunchbox. Listen back above.
As a working mum, Robbie says that preparation is key to keeping her house ticking over. Over the past five years, she has implemented an ongoing system that allows her to stay on top of meal times.
"I would set aside a time, usually at the weekend, maybe on a Sunday morning after the chaos of breakfast is over, I might decide on a couple of recipes," she explains.
"A lot of the recipes I make are very similar and that I've been making on repeat for the last couple of years. It might be mini-scones or some muffins, or I make no-bake energy balls - they're very popular, too."
Watching what your kids eat and involving them in the process of choosing their meals is an important part of the process, she says.
With time set aside and recipes at the ready, Robbie will do a shop and "get stuck in".
"I don't like to spend all day doing it, either," she notes. "I encourage people to double up the recipes. If your kids enjoy something, make double. Instead of 12, make 24 with the hope that at least half will go into the freezer."
Once you have a stash built up in your freezer, you can keep it topped up and take some pressure off on busy days.
Robbie has a series of 'Make and Freeze' recipes that she recommends, including courgette and lemon muffins, no-bake treats, and sweet potato and cinnamon pancakes.
While many treats can be placed into a bag and frozen, she recommends laying the pancakes out separately on a sheet of parchment paper and a tray that can be slotted into the freezer.
When you're ready to use these frozen items, simply take them out to defrost the night before and pop them in the lunchbox the following morning.
If at all possible, she recommends prepping lunchboxes the night before to help you through the morning rush.
"It's one to two homemade snacks, a piece of fruit - an apple or banana or orange - a yoghurt, and then I'll add a fresh sandwich the night before or in the morning. That's it. That's what I've been doing on repeat for the last five years."
For more delicious tips, listen back to Lou Robbie's full interview on RTÉ Radio 1 above.
