(HealthDay News) -- If your kids are easily bored with the lunches you pack for school, try adding a little pizzazz (and nutrition) to the boring brown bag.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests how to make packed lunches more exciting for your kids:

Have a meeting when you plan out the week's lunches together.
Include special treats to celebrate special days; for example, pack red foods for Valentine's Day.
Pack new foods that your kids seem interested in.
Pack extras to share with friends, which could encourage a picky eater.
Buy some fun storage gear that will keep foods insulated.

-- Diana Kohnle