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For those of us who brown-bag it (be it for ourselves or other family members), coming up with ideas for healthy, yet great tasting portable meals can be somewhat of a challenge. If you have a child in school, an extra dose of difficulty is usually added. Nut-free school environments, finicky eaters, socially-conscious kids and no access to hot water or microwaves are just some of the additional factors you’ll have to consider. If you’re like me, you give up and just make the same boring lunches day after day. That is until someone complains.

The day your child becomes bored of that oh-so-easy cheese sandwich is a sad one. What are you going to do now? Peanut-butter is out, tuna has to be limited because of its mercury content, you barely consider processed meat to be food and your toddler thinks egg salad is something to be fed to the dog. You’ve tried sending leftovers, but your daughter says that cold pasta is icky and your son won’t be seen eating tofu and rice. And that’s just the main course. Snacks are an even more contentious issue. The other children at school all have nicer mommies who let them eat chips and lollipops, soda and chocolate bars. What kind of cruel parent sends carrot sticks and apples for snacks?

Even if you aren’t dealing with a child, packing a healthy lunch can be tricky. Sandwiches are easy but may be a bit heavy on the carbs for those who are trying to lose weight. Fillings are also a problem, varying in quality, taste and nutritional content. Getting enough vegetables isn’t always easy, especially if you aren’t into vegetable sticks and leftover dishes don’t always taste good cold. Even if you make it to work with a healthy lunch, you may be left wanting something more (say a chocolate bar) later in the afternoon, and a visit to the vending machine can wreck your healthy eating goals.

The good news though, is that it is possible to improve the quality and taste of your lunch. Here are some tips to get you started and fill free to add more of your own.

1. Be realistic about what you or your child is going to eat. A healthy lunch is only good if it actually gets eaten. If your child won’t touch fresh fruit but will eat applesauce or raisins, send those instead. Get your child’s input and try to follow any reasonable suggestions.

2. When making sandwiches, up the nutritional value by using whole-grain breads and high-quality fillings. Good fillings include salmon, eggs, hummus, nut butters such as almond and cashew, leftover chicken, low-fat cheese and limited amounts of tuna. For variety, try adding lettuce, sliced tomatoes, onions and pickles.

3. Try to plan your dinner menu with lunch in mind, as some leftovers are more portable than others. Having leftovers can make lunch packing easier and will be a pleasant change from sandwiches. Good leftover options include meatloaf, many pasta dishes, chicken, breaded fish, teriyaki salmon, pizza, vegetarian lasagna, tuna or salmon patties and soup in a thermos. If you have access to a microwave and can heat up your lunch, you’ll have even more options.

4. Instead of a sandwich, pack a salad. (This is more appropriate for adults than children.) If packing a green salad, bring the dressing in a separate container and dress the greens right before eating. For protein, add chicken, fish or cheese cubes. Non-green salads can include chickpea salad, pasta salad, bean salad and chicken salad.

5. Homemade snacks are obviously more time-consuming but can add some excellent nutrients to your lunch. Add ground flaxseed, bran and/or wheat germ to muffins and cookies, use oil instead of butter or margarine, reduce sugar, add pureed fruit, throw in nuts and seeds and voila, you’ll have some great-tasting nutritious snacks.

6. Pack water instead of soda or juice boxes.

7. Replace high-fat, high-salt/sugar snacks with healthier alternatives. Crunchy, salty options include salted rice cakes, pretzels, whole-grain crackers (read ingredients carefully to avoid trans-fats and high-fat varieties), small quantities of nuts and flatbreads. Sweet snack ideas include dried fruit (without added sugar), healthy versions of fruit leather, homemade muffins, raisin boxes, melon balls, fresh berries, whole fruit and when really necessary, small quantities of dark chocolate.

8. Keep highly processed foods out of your house so you won’t be swayed by their convenience or your children’s pleas.

9. Vary your packed lunches. Unless you or your child truly likes eating exactly the same thing every day, add a little variety to the snacks and main course so that no one gets bored of any particular food.

10. Ask co-workers or other parents what they send for lunch. This is the best way to pick up new ideas or find out about new food products.

Finally, remember that it can take time for both children and adults to get used to new foods. If at first you don’t succeed, keep on trying until you hit on the right balance of taste and nutrition. Your family will be the healthier for it!

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