Tips for preparing school lunches that are healthful, economical and environmentally friendly.

Packing a healthy, earth-friendly lunch for your pre-school or school-age child doesn't have to take a lot of time, effort or money. In fact, a little preparation and the right supplies can help you send your youngsters off to school with a meal that's good for both them and the environment.

So forget about Lunchables, Uncrustables, fast food and all the other unhealthy, unsustainable lunch choices too many kids are eating these days. Follow these tips to start packing school lunches that are less expensive, healthier and kinder to the Earth than the usual options:

• First, avoid pre-packaged lunches and snack packs: they're not only highly processed but heavy on wasteful packaging. Instead, invest in a reusable lunch box or bento box (a traditional Japanese lunch box) with separate compartments for a sandwich, fruits, vegetables and a drink. They're available in lots of fun colors and designs, so kids are more likely to value them and be careful not to lose them.
• Second, stock up on healthful, kid-friendly foods: apples, carrots, cheeses, crackers, raisins, peanut butter and so on. Again, don't bother with pre-cut or individual-serving-size versions of these foods: they're costly and often come with unnecessary packaging. Instead, buy in bulk (from a local farmer's market or food co-op, if possible) and take just a few minutes in the morning or the evening before school to cut, slice and assemble your child's meal.
• Finally, pack your child's lunch with a cloth napkin or washable sandwich wrap to avoid paper napkin waste. Let your kids pick a pattern or color they really like (so they're less likely to "forget" or "lose" the napkin or wrap at school), and be sure to write their names on all their lunch gear ... just in case.

Following are some resources to help you start packing green and healthful lunches for your little ones:

• Laptoplunches.com offers kid-friendly bento box lunch sets, stainless steel drinking bottles, non-toxic ice packs, utensils and book and DVD guides to preparing healthy on-the-go lunches.
• Looking for an authentic Japanese bento box? Japanese pop culture site JBOX.com features a variety of choices in child-appealing designs: black cat, panda, frog, bear and smiling red bean.
• BuiltNY recently teamed up with children's book illustrator Stephen Savage (Polar Bear Night) to design zoo-themed, eco-friendly lunch totes for kids. The insulated "Munchlers" come in two styles – the classic bag or the wearable lunch pack – and are made from recycled materials. When unzipped, the totes also turn into instant placemats.

If you're simply looking for a green alternative to the paper lunch bag, check out Eco-Bags' "plain and simple" lunch sacks, available in natural, organic or recycled cotton.