Favorite Healthy Brown Bag Lunches and Snacks; According to My 9-Year-Old Daughter

Summer is almost over and the beginning of the school year will soon be upon us. Once again, we need to come up with new and exciting ideas for our children's lunches. My daughter eats the occasional school lunch, but she and I prefer a healthy lunch made at home with love. I usually let my daughter decide what she wants for lunch.

Here are her favorites:

Tuna fish with crackers: Place tuna in a container and add a little bit of relish (better than mayonnaise and adds a little flavor). Pack approximately 10 crackers. We also do this with salmon, minus the relish.

Whole wheat bagel with light cream cheese or peanut butter: We also enjoy the bagel with a little turkey, lettuce and tomato.

Wrap: Tortilla wrap with lettuce, turkey or chicken, tomatoes

Peanut Butter: Place some peanut butter in a container and its great with crackers, celery or just a spoon.

Pasta Salad: Throw in some veggies, low fat cheese and turkey. You can also mix in a little vinaigrette.

Fruit Salad: Cut up whatever fruits you have available, and you can add some low fat sour cream, yogurt or cottage cheese.

Spinach Salad: Perfect with a little tomato, olive oil and vinegar

For snacks we prefer:

Fuji Apples: Ok any apple, but my daughter is partial to Fuji apples. Any kind of fruit makes a good snack. Grapes, strawberries, peaches, pears, sliced up melons...

Carrots: Crunchy good and so healthy.

Grape Tomatoes: Sweet and small, we eat them like grapes. We also love them with mozzarella cheese.

Apple Sauce: Unsweetened is the healthiest, and we like to add a bit of cinnamon.

Pretzels: Preferably unsalted.

Sun Chips: We take a handful and place in a sandwich bag.

Our beverage of choice is water or skim milk.

It is also nice to find a little surprise. The occasional cookie, sticker or special note can make your child's day.