School day dinners

Lean minced lamb works a treat here, and gives us a bumper hit of vitamin B12, keeping our immune and nervous systems healthy and preventing a drop in our energy levels.

Chickpeas – the star ingredient in houmous – are incredibly good for you. High in protein and fibre and more than ten micronutrients, including a hefty amount of the mineral copper, keeping our hair and skin nice and healthy, this is a great, nutritious snack. Serve it with crunchy veg for dipping, breadsticks or lovely warm flatbreads.

There are three great things about this recipe. First up, it’s great for embracing whatever veg you’ve got to hand – fresh, frozen or tinned, it’s all good. Secondly, tomato sauce is so versatile – you can use it for lasagne, curry, pasta sauce, chilli, on pizza, in a soup, you name it. Finally, it makes a big batch, so portion it up and freeze it, so you’re prepped for future meals. I’ve used two tins of tomatoes here, but feel free to chuck more in (if you’ve got them) to make the sauce go…

I think spaghetti carbonara is what Meryl Streep cooks for Jack Nicholson in the film version of one of my favourite books.

With juicy steak, crunchy greens and sticky soy, this beef stir-fry recipe is a real winner.

Using creamy almonds in this pesto gives us protein, as well as lots of other lovely nutrients, including a big hit of vitamin E, which we need to protect our cells from damage.

Sticking to super-lean chicken breasts is the key to making super-food fajitas, and also provides us with a great source of protein, ensuring our muscles stay strong and healthy. I’m bigging up the veg with peppers, aubergine and avocado, helping you embrace the good stuff, plus it’s a really fun one to serve up at the table, letting everyone dig in and build their own.

The benefit of skirt steak is that it’s leaner than many other cuts of beef, plus it’s high in the mineral zinc, which we need to keep our hair, skin and nails nice and healthy – triple win!

Carrot Cake Flapjack Cookies - all the yummy flavours of carrot cake and perfect for satisfying that sweet tooth with this healthier recipe.

Find all of Jamie Oliver's breakfast recipes in one place, these are the perfect way to get the entire family off to a wonderfully healthy start every day!