Writing Resources: Adding Meta Data

/**
 * Transform the resource into an array.
 *
 * @param  \Illuminate\Http\Request  $request
 * @return array
 */
public function toArray($request)
{
    return [
        'data' => $this->collection,
        'links' => [
            'self' => 'link-value',
        ],
    ];
}

<?php

namespace App\Http\Resources;

use Illuminate\Http\Resources\Json\ResourceCollection;

class UserCollection extends ResourceCollection
{
    /**
     * Transform the resource collection into an array.
     *
     * @param  \Illuminate\Http\Request  $request
     * @return array
     */
    public function toArray($request)
    {
        return parent::toArray($request);
    }

    /**
     * Get additional data that should be returned with the resource array.
     *
     * @param  \Illuminate\Http\Request  $request
     * @return array
     */
    public function with($request)
    {
        return [
            'meta' => [
                'key' => 'value',
            ],
        ];
    }
}

Return (new UserCollection(User::all()->load('roles')))
                ->additional(['meta' => [
                    'key' => 'value',
                ] ]);