Where to draw the line
Nicki Watts, mother of two, doesn't struggle with what to pack her two boys for lunch each day. She knows what they like and dislike and packs accordingly. A typical lunch for Caelen, 7, and Craig, 10; a sandwich, two snacks and a drink. "The snacks usually consists of a combination of either a fruit cup and a bag of chips or a bag of fruit snacks with chips," she says. "Basically it's usually one sweet and one salty snack."

Watts isn't alone in packing lunch according to the salty-sweet variation. She also has her boys buy hot lunch from school at least two to three times a week based on their favorite food days, usually Pizza Friday and Nuggets Wednesday. All is peaceful in the Watts household, but is Mom sacrificing a balanced, nutritious lunch to keep the morning drama to a minimum?

According to Emily Moeller, a Registered Dietician at Temple University Hospital and University Children's Medical Center, Watts' approach is typical, and though not entirely unbalanced could use some refining to ensure her boys are getting the maximum nutrients.

"It's very important to pack a lunch you know they'll eat," Moeller says in support of Watts' lunch-packing approach. "But if you know they are going to have a sweet for lunch, then plan healthier meals for breakfast and dinner. "

Fueling your child's engine
If you can count on one hand how many veggies or fruit servings your child ate throughout the entire week, you don't need a dietician to tell you their diet is unbalanced. But knowing what's good for your kids and having them eat a nutritious meal are on two different ends of the spectrum.

Moeller points out, for example, that although hot lunches are served with vegetables and fruit, most kids don't bother to eat them. So even when they're exposed to a balanced meal, there's no guarantee they'll take advantage of it. So what's a parent to do? "It's important to look at the whole day's worth [of eating] before you look at lunch specifically. Try to have whole grain, fruits, veggies and a meat or protein source within the meals you eat throughout the day starting with breakfast."

But for many of us, the nutrition battle begins with breakfast, if there's time for it at all.

"My kids only eat breakfast on weekends," Watts admits. "I try to keep bagels and Pop-Tarts in the house for them to grab on their way out. But if we get out of the house early enough they can buy breakfast at school and they love that."

Bagels and pop-tarts aren't necessarily bad things, but in order to set the tone for the rest of the day, breakfast should be more substantial. Moeller suggests cereal and milk, either hot or cold, because the protein and fat from the combo helps to slow down the digestion process. Another good combination is eggs and toast with jelly and butter. "If you have eggs a lot, try egg whites," Moeller recommends. "Three to four eggs per week is good."

If like most your morning resembles the qualifying lap for the Indy 500, try any of the following to add a little substance to quickie meals:

• Add peanut butter, an excellent protein source, on top of that bagel, English muffin or toast
• Toast a low-fat waffle and top with fruit, yogurt or cottage cheese
• Keep OJ or milk key parts of breakfast versus fruit drinks

Don't be a diet dictator
You've used that line, "Because I'm the Mommy/Daddy and I said so," to explain your actions so many times your kids probably mimic along. It may work as rationale for why it's bedtime but it's not a very convincing argument to get a child to eat something they dislike. The truth is, you can pack whatever you want in your child's lunch but if they aren't eating it, no one wins.

Key to avoiding a food standoff is to involve your child in the lunch packing process. "Talk to them about what they like and don't like and work around that," Moeller suggests. "Bring them with you to go grocery shopping so they'll pick out fruit and veggies they do like to eat."

The Temple University dietician also urges parents to remember that there is a certain element of peer pressure involved in school lunch and kids will often ask for what they see their friends eating. "Talk to your child about it to avoid having them trade off their food or not eat at all," she continues. "Come up with a plan that you both agree on and be willing to compromise based on what they'll have for breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack."

For those who would rather dole out a few dollars each week so their children can purchase a hot lunch, keep these points in mind; the government regulates most school lunches so they have the required nutrition components, but most kids will skip the veggie and fruit serving. Also, school lunches often contain more starch and preservatives than the average home-packed lunch. The best bet is to pack a lunch for your kids, but if they insist on buying, keep school lunch purchases to no more than two per week.

It's lunch, not brain surgery -- keep it simple
Trying to manage a household, maintain a family and for some, juggle a career as well can be downright hard, but compared to those things, making sure your children eat a healthy meal should be child's play. Remember, don't focus on one meal, what's important is making sure they eat balanced throughout the day. That gives you three meals and at least one snack to pack in a full day's of nutrients.

Still not certain exactly what to do? Follow these tips to keep your meal planning on track:

Mix it up -- Try not to have the same thing every day. Keep a variety of fruits and snacks on hand.

Switch it up -- Try different types of breads for sandwiches, switching between wheat, rye, raisin bread, English muffins, rolls, bagels etc.

Get creative -- Cut sandwiches differently. For younger kids, use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into different shapes.

Milk vs. fruit juice -- Even if you pack a lunch every day, let your child buy milk for lunch. Encourage them to choose 1 percent or 2 percent, even if it's chocolate milk. Milk is always a better choice because most fruit drinks contain very little actual fruit.

Lunch meat -- Lunch meats tend to contain lots of sodium, so have the deli cut your meat slices thin and limit the portion to 2 to 3 ounces (i.e. about two to three thin slices).

Moderation, moderation, moderation -- Chips and cookies are OK in moderation, but if your child is going to have them for lunch, make sure their afternoon snack is a fruit or veggie.

Afternoon snacks -- It's OK to have the same type of snacks you'd pack for lunch, but remember to balance and provide snacks low in sugar. Cookies for lunch should equal grapes for a snack. Snack ideas: Yogurt, fruit, cheese and crackers, peanut butter and crackers.

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About the author: Paula Chase-Hyman, mother of one, is a freelance writer based in Maryland. She has also contributed to Girls Life, Black Elegance and Upscale magazines. Contact her at paulahy@msn.com.