The new school year is a great time for parents to start thinking about the importance of good nutrition. Providing healthy lunches and snacks for our kids is a critical way to give them the healthy foundation they need to achieve their goals both in and out of the classroom.

Here are some useful tips to keep your menus fresh and packed with nutrients for little Einstein:

Jazz it up. Don’t be shy about trying new fruits, vegetables and other healthy options. Remember not to get discouraged if your child doesn’t like a new food at first. Keep introducing new things – it can take more than 10 tries before they acquire a taste for it.

Have container sense. Packing fresh produce in your child’s lunch doesn’t have to cost more. Try buying in bulk, and packaging food in reusable containers.

Not sure what to put in those containers? A few ideas include frozen berries, melon or banana slices, half a hard-boiled egg, snack kebobs (raw veggies or fruit on a pretzel stick) or rice cakes topped with peanut butter or hummus.

Beat sandwich boredom. Kids can get tired of the same old PB&J sandwich every day. Instead of bread, try the whole-grain version with crackers, pitas or bagels. Other ideas for yummy healthful spreads include apple butter, hummus or pizza sauce with mozzarella.

Wrap it up. Kids love anything in a wrap! Try a whole-grain tortilla, flatbread or spring roll wrapper (rice paper) filled with chicken, tuna, egg salad or sliced veggies with cheese.

Embrace the thermos. Think outside the sandwich and throw some tortellini, spaghetti or chili into a thermos for a hot lunch. Cold options include pasta salad or couscous.

Go for the school lunch. For some busy families, packing daily lunches may be unrealistic. But choosing the provided school lunch is okay, too. School lunches have really improved in recent years, and they must meet nutrition guidelines set by the USDA. These guidelines include providing one-third of the recommended daily allowances of protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium and calories.

Keep in mind schools average their meal nutrition throughout an entire week to meet these requirements. So, a less-than-stellar lunch on Monday may mean more healthy options on Tuesday. Review the school menu weekly with your child, and plan together accordingly. Looking for more ways to keep your kids healthy and feeling great? Be sure to check out our blog where we have lots of regularly updated content for families.