Trends and tips to tempt your palate.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

MAKE SURE LUNCH IS PACKED WITH NUTRITION

The food packed into a child's lunchbox will be a primary source of fuel during the busy school day. To meet the challenge of packing a lunch that children will enjoy and that meets their nutritional needs, try these tips:

_ Involve children in making their lunch. Take them grocery shopping and allow them to pick a few of their favorite healthful foods.

_ Talk about good nutrition. Pack lunch with your children, and use the opportunity to talk with them about healthful eating.

_ Make lunch fun. Use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into the shape of stars, hearts or even dinosaurs.

_ Follow the make-it-yourself trends of popular packaged lunches by packing crackers and toppings that kids can put together themselves.

_ Make it fresh. Add new and unexpected foods such as salads made with fun-shaped pasta.