Healthy drinks are just as important as smart food choices, so resist the convenient pull of the juice box. Instead, pack a small, reusable water bottle filled with naturally flavored water, real fruit juice and seltzer water or chocolate soy milk.

Fun School Lunch Ideas

Once you've gotten into a groove of experimenting with new flavor combinations and school lunch alternatives, you can up the creative ante by occasionally putting together a themed lunch, such as "The Lunch Round-up" with round foods (Ritz crackers, a bagel sandwich and fruits and veggies cut into circles) or alphabet themed meals (cold cuts, cheese, crackers, carrot sticks, cucumbers and a cookie for "C" day).

A little creativity-cheese cut into hearts and stars, or sandwiches cut out with cookie cutters-goes a long way in putting together a great school lunch that is good for your kids and won't put them to sleep.