We assembled a bunch of food brains?cookbook authors and recipe developers, a food journalist and a chef?who also happen to be regular parents who pack lunches and do the dinner hustle every damn day. We’ll totally have what they’re having.
Illustrations: Justine Wong
1. Embrace the bento

“I love bento boxes,? Marsh says. ?Visually, they help you hit those food groups and give you a bit of a template to follow. Plus, they protect the lunch, so things don?t get squished or mixed together too much?seriously, how did we used to do it with paper bags" If the containers or dividers swap in and out, you can adjust to different eaters?use the bigger compartment if you have one kid that wants a sandwich or a bunch of smaller ones if you have a grazer.? They?re also easy to wash and make most schools? litterless lunch standards easy to follow. 2. Or…think outside the bento

?Bento boxes are Instagram propaganda at its worst! Sometimes we sleep in, and I put two lunches together in two minutes: a package of seaweed, an organic fruit pouch and a granola bar.? ?Bowers

3. Never peel just one carrot

Always prep a handful of carrot sticks at once, then store in a container of water in the fridge?instant snack. Same goes when you?re roasting a tray of vegetables. ?If I have cauliflower, I cook the whole head, because then I can use the pieces of cooked cauliflower to assemble other things tomorrow and the next day,? says Elton. ?And t...