WHEN THE CHILDREN GO BACK TO SCHOOL,

I GO BACK TO WORK. IT’S A CRAZY TIME! HERE’S HOW I SURVIVE THE FIRST FEW WEEKS.

1. Start planning early

I give myself a big head start. In November I’d already bought the school uniforms and books! In the last week of the holidays I wake the kids at the normal time for school, so they’re not crying and complaining when it’s time to get up when term starts. I have to get three little people out of bed, so I give myself time – otherwise it’s painful!

2. Don’t fight over breakfast

What’s my breakfast plan? It’s more like what’s their breakfast plan! I just try to make it as healthy as possible. They hate cereal and want cooked porridge. I always advocate for oats, but they will tell me “Enough oats now! We want papa” – maize meal porridge – that’s their favourite. I try different ways of cooking it – in coconut milk or cream, I sometimes add turmeric – they love that because it’s yellow. They also love it with peanut butter and they like coconut oil instead of butter. I do whatever I can to extend their palates. At home we also have Tasty Wheat and Maltabella – which is made from sorghum and is grainier, so that’s not their favourite.

3. Eat breakfast yourself

It’s the mother thing – the energy really goes to the children and I grab whatever I can. I make home-made goji berry muesli on Sundays and I take some to work in a jar with yoghurt. Or I’ll make a smoothie and put it in a flask.

4. For dinner, get creative with your empty fridge

The most amazing recipes come when I’m busiest and I’ve got nothing in the fridge. I use those moments to draw out my creativity. Once, I just had green beans, mushrooms and ginger. I sautéed the mushrooms with garlic, ginger and soya sauce, added the green beans and cooked them for 7 minutes. It’s now a staple side dish at home. I serve it with marinated roast chicken and couscous.

5. Meal prep like a mom

What really works well is my take on lasagne, which is an entire meal in one. There are layers of mince, creamed spinach and butternut. I find that the kids really love it because the veg is not on the side – we sneak it in! I make it on the weekend, cut it into portions and freeze them. I also make Bolognese and pump it up with veggies. Puréed butternut or greens work well.

6. Keep your pantry stocked

I always have garlic and ginger, and

I love canned food. I’m never without a supply of beans – red kidney beans for salads, baked beans and cannellini beans, and a selection of canned fish – lots of tuna, salmon and pilchards. I still make my mother’s recipe for fish cakes using pilchards. And then of course tomato paste, canned tomatoes, pasta, rice and grains. You can make a meal from the pantry, even when there’s nothing in the fridge.

7. Invest in lunchbox fillers

My children love peanut butter but for safety reasons for kids with nut allergies, their school doesn’t allow them to bring anything containing nuts – not even macadamia or Brazil nuts. So we do cheese spread on sandwiches, fish or chicken goujons, or I use leftover Woolies rotisserie chicken. I know I could make it, but I just don’t have the time! It’s so convenient – I use it for lunchboxes, or when the kids come back from school they’ll have chicken with some carrots or cucumber. For veggies, I give them cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks – my son Lonwabo likes thicker ones so he can crunch on them. I don’t bother with what I know they won’t eat because it goes to waste. But we have lots of conversations around vegetables and why they’re good for them. @sibamtongana