5 healthy back-to-school lunch ideas

The secret to packing healthy school lunches your kids will enjoy comes down to three important things: variety, freshness and presentation. Here are 5 back-to-school lunch ideas your kids won't be able to resist.

Look for the freshest ingredients by heading to a farmer's market to pick up seasonal and local produce.

• In the early fall, look for late tomatoes, basil, apples and celery.
• In the winter, farmers may offer preserves and root vegetables.

Choosing local and seasonal foods means that ingredients are at the peak of freshness and flavour, giving you delicious lunch options.

Lunches need to stay fresh, even if they're stored in a locker for hours.

• Invest in good-quality, reusable storage containers, and pack ingredients separately.
• Bread will stay fresher, for example, if it's kept separate from spreads, dips and vegetables.
• Assembling a sandwich at lunch means that it is delicious, not soggy.
• Pop in a cold drink to keep cold ingredients cold, and pack hot lunches in a thermos to keep them piping hot.

Think beyond basic white bread to make lunches creative and interesting. If you're making sandwiches, you can use:

• Buns or croissants
• Nori wraps
• Salad leaves as wraps
• Flat breads or tortillas
• Whole grain bread
• Corn bread
• Pumpernickel bread

Stuff your sandwiches with unique and varied ingredients, such as:

• Shredded carrots
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Hummus
• Artichokes
• Cilantro and fresh herbs

Don't just stick with butter or mayonnaise as a spread!

• Use baba ghanoush, avocado spread or spinach dip, or make your own dip by combining mayo with roasted garlic, fresh herbs or other ingredients.
• Experiment with your favourite flavours to create a selection of sandwich fillings and spreads.

Pour soups, stews, or chili in a thermos for cold winter days or pack up leftover pizza, cold pasta, potato salad or a fresh green salad.

• By using supper leftovers for lunch, you not only save time in the mornings, but lunch will always be new and fresh.

Although you may not be creating works of art for school lunches, you can make eating at school more appealing by packing food in bright and colourful thermoses, lunch boxes or lunch bags.

•  Novelty napkins and bright forks and spoons can add to the visual appeal, too.

Packing a creative, healthy lunch doesn't have to mean a more chaotic morning rush. With some simple tips and a little planning, you'll create delicious lunches everyone in your family wants to eat.