George Georgievski has been dubbed the most inspiring lunchbox creator in the world. With more than 149,000 followers on Instagram and 80,000 on Facebook, his book Lunchbox Express is considered a bible among the bento crowd.
By day he's a father of two daughters, Anela and Kiki, responsible for preparing their school lunches.
I'd love to say he's just like the rest of us, but Georgievski takes the humble lunch box to a whole new level. It all started about five years ago when he was home sick one day and saw what his wife Marina had to do to get the girls out the door.
"She asked me to help out by making the lunches, I did it that day but I realised I had no idea what it took to get it done every day," he says.
He started looking online for inspiration but found things were either too complicated - "like panda bear sandwiches with tropical seaweed for eyes" - or too caught up in meeting nutritional guidelines.
"I just wanted to find a way to make it taste good, look good and for there to be a bit of fun about it," he says.
For as much as his lunchbox creations look complicated and detailed, Georgievski is like the rest of us in that he realises we don't have too much time to be faffing about of a morning.
He suggests getting a bit done the night before, perhaps even prep for the week on a weekend.
But his latest trick is using an air fryer. These appliances are like a small benchtop convection oven with powerful fans. They can bake, roast and fry, without the need for a whole lot of oil.
"It was a revelation when I discovered how much time I could save in the morning using the air fryer," he says.
"When you're a busy parent or carer, time is of the essence. The air fryer gave me the opportunity to recreate some classics dishes that would usually take hours in a regular oven."
His latest cookbook Air Fryer Express is full of recipes for dinners, snacks and school lunches.
"While this book is largely focused on the air fryer, I also wanted to include some tips on packing delicious, healthy and colourful lunches," he says.
"I am asked so many questions on social media and at events, so I thought I'd share my answers to some of the most common ones. I hope they help to make creating school lunches easy and fun."
- Air Fryer Express: 60 delicious recipes for dinners, snacks and school lunches, by George Georgievski. Plum, $26.99.
LUNCHBOX TIPS
I'm nervous about putting cold meat, eggs and dairy into my child's lunchbox. How can I make sure these foods will stay at a safe temperature?
This is one of the most common questions I'm asked and it really is super simple. Just get yourself a cooler bag and an ice pack. You can use any type of cooler bag as long as it seals properly and fits the lunchbox and an ice pack. You can find both of these in most supermarkets.
Won't yoghurts, sauces and dips leak into my child's school bag?
Not if you use a really good-quality bento-style lunchbox. These are designed to be air- and liquid-tight, to keep food fresh and bags clean.
I bought a bento-style lunchbox and I'm struggling to find things to fit in the small compartments.
Use your mad knife skills and get creative with your cutting. You can make anything fit if you really want it to. Also, you can make your own bite-sized versions of your kids' favourite foods.
How do you find the time to pack such interesting and colourful lunches every single morning?
I know mornings can be hectic, so I give myself a head start on the day and get up an hour before my girls do to make a coffee and get myself ready. Then I'm free to make my girls' lunches while they have breakfast and get ready for school. Being organised is key to an easy morning. I really enjoy getting creative and deciding each morning what to put in their lunchboxes, but I still do some prep in advance to make life easier. I make sure that the lunchboxes are clean and dry, and that all my fruit and veggies are washed. Then it's just a quick chop and assemble and we're good to go.
How do I create a balanced and healthy lunchbox?
Don't get too caught up thinking you have to pack all sorts of fancy things. In each lunchbox, I make sure there is a portion of protein, some veggies, dairy, fruit and a healthy treat. Keep it simple and packet free, and you can't go wrong.
Do you have any tips on how to get the kids excited to try new things?
Getting the kids involved can boost enthusiasm levels. Try taking them shopping with you to choose the fresh ingredients and get them to help with preparing or assembling their own lunches - even if it's just one day a week to start with. My girls love coming up with fun names for my different lunchbox creations, too. Anything that makes the process fun can help!
When I pack veggies in my child's lunchbox, they inevitably come home uneaten. How do I get my kids to eat their veggies?
Both of my kids are picky in different ways, and sometimes one of the six bento box compartments will come home untouched. I call the uneaten item - which is usually a new veggie - the 'risk taker'. I'll try the risk taker again the following week and then again the week after. Getting kids used to new foods is a gradual process. The key is to keep trying. Picky eaters are more likely to try something new if it looks cool. And if you change up the presentation they never get bored. Rainbows make my girls happy, so I put a rainbow of veggies in their lunchboxes every day. Making their lunches look appealing is a great way to encourage your kids to actually eat them.
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