Lunch Lady Magazine

Fran: I’m twenty-seven and Shay is twenty-nine. We had our first kid when I was turning seventeen and she was eighteen. We were pretty much children when we met. But as soon as we had our first child, we moved from Virginia to Tennessee, and everythi

I’m the Creative Director at Future Women—a business supporting Australian women to connect, learn and lead. Recently, we’ve been working hard to help women get back into the workforce after the pandemic. A rewarding project I worked on for them rece

I started working as an early-childhood educator in the early ’90s, and within a decade, it was clear to me that kids didn’t seem very resilient. And not long into my career, I had some changes in my personal life that got me thinking a lot about the

Gluten free, VegetarianFeeds a family of four, orthree adults2 garlic cloves, diced1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil1 carrot, grated1 red capsicum, diced1 zucchini, grated1 tsp of each ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika2 tins of tomatoes, dic

Gluten free, Vegetarian Feeds a family of four, or three adults 500g /17.6oz gluten-free dried spaghetti1/2 cup pasta water1/4 cup raw cashews2 bunches of broccolini (approx. 400g /14.1oz)1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil2 garlic cloves, diced parmes

Gluten free, Vegetarian Feeds a family of four, or three adults 2 cups short grain or sushi rice 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 200g / 7oz firm tofu, grated 1/4 cup gluten-free soy sauce, extra to serve 1 tsp honey 1/2 tbsp grated ginger 1 tsp sesame

Gluten free, Vegetarian Makes 8 fritters 450g /15oz corn kernels (approx. 3 cobs)25g / 0.8oz coriander leaves, finely chopped1/2 cup milk3/4 cup gluten-freeself-raising flour2 eggs, whisked1/2 cup Colby cheese, grated peanut oil To serve:slices

Gluten free Feeds a family of four, or three adults For the nuggies:1kg / 35.3oz chicken thigh, skin off, deboned1/4 cup pickle juice (see pink pickles)1 1/2 cups gluten-free self-raising flour peanut oil 1. Heat your oven to 200°C /400°F / Gas

wooden blocks* sandpaper, if required pencil acrylic paint paintbrushes eraser wood varnish Use sandpaper to smooth off the blocks or to remove any existing varnish, if necessary. If the blocks and varnish are quite old you may be able

All three of my children were prolific drawers. One still is. She is a tattoo artist known for her detailed fine-line work. She is never without some kind of drawing implement in her hand! The other two followed very different career paths, but I not

I am an executive and personal coach, a professional speaker and an author. I am the mother of two teenagers—one son and one non-binary person—and I’m married to a man. I’m also an aspirational flower farmer. I’ve had many careers. I worked as a chef

I live in London with my husband, John, my son, Dylan (six), and I’m currently pregnant but will have given birth by the time you are reading this. I am part of a big close family, and my sister and brother live around the corner. I am a cook and foc

When I have the time and the inclination, I make my own kimchi, but mostly I buy it. Most health food shops will have a decent one. This dish is a good introduction to kimchi if you have found it a bit intense in the past; once mixed with the rice, i

Serves 4 2 tsp fennel seeds2 tsp coriander seeds2 tsp black mustard seeds coconut or groundnut oil2 leeks, washed and roughly shredded4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped1 green chilli, roughly chopped1 x 400ml / 3.5 fl oz tin coconut milk2 tbsp tamar

Serves 4 2 x 400g / 14oz tins chickpeas, or 1 x 700g / 24.7oz jar, drained1 heaped tsp ras el hanout1 unwaxed orange olive oil200g / 7oz block of halloumi cheese or vegan halloumi-style cheese (sometimes called ‘Mediterranean style’)3 tbsp tahini250g

I am always chasing a melon as perfectly sweet as the ones I remember from markets on French and Spanish holidays. But when a melon is a little less than perfect, I have ways to soften the blow. This salad with roast feta and new potatoes makes a m

Play on your own or with friends, or siblings, or Mum, or Dad! Simply draw a card, and start painting. Set a timer and paint under pressure or paint in your own time. Only real rule is to have fun and find your inner awesome painter! Paint a portra

My sister Laura loves tiffin. And I am with her. Growing up, she ate it wherever she could get her hands on it. It’s that combination of biscuit, nuts and dried fruit, giving crunch, snap and chew. All the textures. This one is an upgrade from those

I’m Kindah, and I’m an artist based in California. I live here with my husband, one-year-old daughter, four-year-old son and two dogs. I’ve been making art since I was little and made it a full-time career about nine years ago. Growing up, I always f

It takes me six months to get to know my new neighbourhood. Not just the street names or where to get the best coffee, but each laneway, every shortcut, all the unmaintained bluestone paths. Which houses are home to hoarders, which businesses ignore