Photo: Bev Sklar

No more crinkly brown bags for school lunch, kid bento boxes are in this year. Can't blame you for trying to keep your kid away from not-so-stellar hot school lunch -- federal reimbursement for the National School Lunch Program is so pathetic, schools are left with a chicken nugget buck to spend on each lunch. Yes, about $1.

You can do better. Check out these healthy-to-go tools for your back-to-schooler, with a few featured here:

Laptop Lunchboxes. This American-style bento box encourages you to pack portion-right sizes of a variety of foods -- without any baggies landing in the garbage. No phthalates, BPA or lead, and it's reusable, recyclable and dishwasher safe. You can even purchase an extra set of inner containers just in case you left the containers in the sink. My second grader (pictured) loves his new black Laptop Lunchbox with red containers. This earth-friendly invention is forcing me to steer away from single-serve yogurt or applesauce and buy in bulk jars/tubs instead. One major complaint, missing a slot for an ice pack. May have to splurge on the carrying case with velcro mesh pouch and this non-toxic ice pack instead.

A friend of mine is a sushi connoisseur. Every time we go out to eat, I'm tempted to join him. But so far, I've only tasted what I fondly call "wimpy sushi" -- the vegetarian California rolls and fully cooked shrimp sushi. Maybe someday I'll get braver!

As far as sushi's nutritional value, they're pretty much winners across the board when it comes to calories. 12 pieces of California roll have roughly 361 calories and also provide some beneficial monounsaturated fat from avocado. 12 pieces of salmon roll may have up to 500 calories, but they're so loaded with heart-healthy omega-3's it's a good trade off. 12 pieces of tuna roll have around 450 calories. (All calorie counts may change based on ingredients and preparation, of course.) The sticky rice is refined, so it doesn't offer much nutritional value at all. But the nori (seaweed) is rich in nutrients such as iodine, vitamin A, calcium, and vitamin C.

Pair a plate of sushi with some green tea and you've got a healthy meal. I guess my friend is on to something.

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