School is starting soon so it's a great time to start thinking about lunches for your children. A healthy lunch is important in keeping your child's mind sharp and ready to learn. This year how about trying a lunch makeover? The key to healthful lunches is planning. It only takes about five minutes to add lunch ideas to your shopping list.

The American Dietetic Association offers some ideas for creative lunches:

• Ready-to-eat foods are more likely to be eaten: a peeled and segmented orange instead of a whole orange.

• Kids like small things. Use cookie cutters to cut up sandwiches into fun shapes.

• Dips: use small containers, Try hummus instead of high fat chip dips.

• Crunch textures: provide crackers and raw veggies

• A variety of fruits and veggies will provide a colorful rainbow of nutrients.

• Fruits are "nature's candy" and make a great dessert.

• Have the kids help make a shopping list, buy the food and prepare it. It's a great family activity.

• Let kids plan a lunch, but provide supervision.

• Remember food safety. Use insulated bags to keep hot food hot and cold foods cold.

• Wraps: search the fridge for leftover meat and the cupboard for beans and you have a healthy wrap.

• Try whole wheat or corn wraps to add whole grains.

• Chicken salad: combine 1 small can chicken (drained), low fat mayo or plain yogurt, halved grapes, 2 Tbsp pecans, 2 Tbsp dried cranberries.

• Tuna salad: combine 1 small can of tuna, small amount of low fat mayo or plain yogurt, celery, shredded carrots and 2 Tbsp nuts.

• String cheese, pudding cups, fresh fruit, granola bars make great fillers for the lunch box.

Research suggests that children who eat healthy foods will be more likely to make better food and nutrition choices as adults. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. Children with poor diets grow up to be adults with poor diets. Here are some tips to help teach your children about making healthful choices:

• Ask your kids to look at the Food Guide Pyramid and pick out some favorite foods from each group. Add these to your shopping list.

• Have them help you plan a lunch that includes a serving of protein, a vegetable or two, and a fruit for dessert.

• For younger children keep a chart on the refrigerator that tracks all the fruits and vegetables they eat. You can use cute fruit and veggie stickers. (We need at least five servings of fruits and veggies every day.)

• Try preparing new recipes with them.

Teaching your children how to make healthy lunches will have a bigger impact if you set a good example. Eat right, exercise daily and make a healthy lifestyle a family affair.