Heat it up

Invest in a quality thermos to send hot items in place of a sandwich. Thermoses have revolutionized our lunches because my son doesn’t like sandwiches, but even kids who do like sandwiches will appreciate a change of menu. Try sending hearty soup, pasta with cheese or marinara sauce, or rice and black beans. For an extra fiber boost, send whole wheat pasta or brown rice.

Tips: The shorter, squattier thermos shape is easier for spooning up lunch. Confirm that your child can open the thermos before you commit him to a hot lunch.

Skip the sandwich bread

For variety, switch it up and try flat bread, rice cakes, whole grain crackers, or bagels. With any of these items, you can pack hummus, cream cheese, cheese slices, or string cheese. Rice cakes and crackers do better as separates, but flat bread holds up well with a spread on it. Greek pita bread is a favorite in our household.

Crunch it up

Change out potato chips for a different kind of crunch: pita chips, low-salt nuts, popcorn, or whole wheat crackers.

Wrap it up

Try wrapping cream cheese and a turkey slice or ground beef and grated cheddar cheese in a tortilla. I also send quesadillas containing refried beans and cheddar cheese, and my son doesn’t mind that it’s cold by lunchtime.

Packin’ fruit

Browned apple slices may not be your child’s cup of tea. Try my new trick of slicing and coring an apple, putting it back together, and wrapping it standing up in wax paper. The slices don’t brown, and my kids eat a whole apple or pear. Alternatively, send a banana, orange slices, kiwi slices or frozen berries. For extra protein, include a container of nut butter for that banana (before sending peanut butter, check on current allergy policies in your school).

Try dipping

Pack vegetables, such as carrot sticks, celery, cherry tomatoes, or sliced green pepper, and include a little container of favorite salad dressing or hummus for dipping. Kids love veggies they can dip.

Box it up – simply

Some folks love Bento boxes, but I find that any lunch box able to accommodate a thermos serves us just fine (plus I get frustrated fitting puzzle-like containers all together). Invest in a stack of tiny plastic containers to cut down on throwing out plastic bags, and you’ll avoid spending more than you intended on a fancy lunch kit.

Worried about plastic? Our family has also moved to wax paper and wax paper bags to cut down on plastic. Wax paper bags can be difficult to find – try your local natural food store for the popular brand, Nature Value, that’s not coated in petroleum-based wax. The natural bags are biodegradable and can be composted.