We've all got needs. Your kids need an exciting, tasty lunch. You need them to have a nutritious one. Let's face it- if it isn't appealing to the eyes and the mouth, it won't get eaten. Here's some ideas for middle-ground lunches in the health versus fun lunch war.

Make opening every lunch box an exciting adventure. By creating lunches that look fun and different every day, your kids will naturally be enthusiastic about trying what they find. Use kabob skewers to make lunch kabobs. Layer veggies like carrot slices, cucumber wheels, and mini tomatoes. Between the veggies add mini hot dogs, small rolled-up pieces of low-fat lunch meat, or grilled chicken. Everything tastes better on a stick!

Speaking of roll-ups, ditch the sandwiches (and the unnecessary extra carbs) by creating lunch roll-ups. Place a slice or two of turkey, ham, or another favorite meat on a cutting board, with a slice of cheese or a smear of cream cheese on top. Now roll these up to create lunch roll-ups. If you slice them into sections you can have pretty pinwheels.

Stuck in the Lunchable rut? Make your own, cheaper and healthier than the real thing. Buy sectioned lunch boxes online or at a local Asian store. Fill each section Lunchable style- lowfat cracker here, slices of low fat meat and cheese there, with mini oatmeal cookies or mini 100-calorie cupcakes from Hostess for dessert. Cucumber, carrot, and length-wise cut apples also make great additions.

Craving crunch? Forget greasy and fattening potato chips, great kid-friendly alternatives are found at any supermarket. Apple chips, freeze-dried pea pods (often marketed as "Snapea Crisps"), Asian wasabi peas, and similar goodies provide the crunch without the calories. They taste great and have the extra bonus of sneaking vegetables into your child's diet.

From perfecting presentation to broadening the palate, there are hundreds of easy, creative ways to pack your child's lunch, without breaking the bank or spending extra time preparing food in the morning. By swapping unhealthy foods with healthier ones that still preserve taste and feel, you promote the chances of the foods being accepted by your child. The best way to get your kids on board with healthier lunches is to get them involved in preparing them. Not only will they have fun, they will be more interested in trying their creations, and they'll learn valuable healthy cooking skills for life. Why not try out some of the suggestions above and make this fall a return to both school and health?

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