Here are some quick lunchbox tips to help your kids eat healthier at school.

• Small children often don’t eat very much at one sitting. Think about packing appetizers instead of a large sandwich and whole banana.
• Small foods are not only easier for children to handle, but they are more fun to eat. To create mini foods, try cutting sandwiches into smaller pieces, using tiny tortillas for wraps and cutting fruit into smaller pieces.
• Think about different types of bread for sandwiches and dippers. Try crackers, rice cakes, pita bread, small bagels, tortillas, or focaccia bread.
• Did you know that it takes 10 to 12 introductions to a new food before a child is usually willing to even taste it? So keep introducing those new foods.
• Take some time to look at the prepackaged lunches in your grocer's refrigerated section. These appeal to kids, but aren't very nutritious. You can pack the same types of snack foods, but use healthier choices.
• Salsa, hummus, bean dips, or fruit dips with baked chips plus fruits or veggies are good lunchbox choices, since these foods contain more vitamins and fiber.
• Use an insulated thermos for both hot foods like soups and stews and cold foods like salads. For best results, heat the thermos by rinsing it with hot water before adding hot soups. Chill the thermos by rinsing it with cold water before adding cold soups.
• Instead of making sandwiches, consider packing individual sandwich ingredients. This lets your child make his or her own sandwich at lunch, or eat the ingredients separately. Many children don't like to eat more than one food at a time, since their sense of taste is very intense.
• Try to include something fun in the lunchbox – try a sticker, sandwiches cut into playful shapes, or finger foods (like meats, cheeses or fruits) threaded on a child safe skewer.