Having your child bring lunch to school -- or brown-bagging it yourself at work -- benefits both your budget and your health. But when you look at all those plastic bags and juice boxes, it becomes clear that it's probably not so good for the planet. Add in concerns about BPA and phthalates in plastic containers and lead in lunchboxes, and going green starts to look very appealing.

Luckily, it's easier than ever to pack your lunch in reusable, safe, eco-friendly containers. And these options are considerably more stylish than a brown paper bag!

Here are some tips on how to pack a "green" lunch for your child to take to school:

The words "picky eaters" and "kids" are almost synonymous, don't you think? One day, your kiddo loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as much as they adore Selena Gomez, and the next, they wouldn't touch any sandwich with a 10-foot pole. Understandably, a predicament like this may make it pretty tough now that school's back in session. Why would your little one actually WANT to eat the easiest, quickest thing you could make them in the morning? That would make things just a little too simple right?

Not to worry, mis amigas. There are plenty of alternatives out there. Take a look at these 5 great lunch suggestions for kids who hate sandwiches:

Tell me I'm not the only one who's had this experience: It's five minutes past the time everyone needs to be out the door, one parent is taking out the dog or organizing their work bag, and the other is frantically throwing lunches together while commanding the kids to get their coats and shoes on right this second or else. Everybody's stress level is super high, which doesn't make for a great start to the day.

Luckily the solution to at least one of those is simple: Pack lunches the night before. Not only that, but have things that can be prepped and ready for the weekday rush well ahead of Panic Time. Here's how:

When your child walks in the door at the end of the school day, grabbing a snack is likely the first thing he or she does after tossing the backpack on the floor. Schools often schedule lunch early for no apparent reason -- my kid eats at 11:30 and doesn't get out until 3:15. And then there's homework and after-school activities to fire up for, and dinner isn't for a few hours.

That means kids need snacks that will boost their brain power, give them an energy kick, and provide some nutrition. What to serve? Well, the cookies and milk we grew up on aren't the best option ...

Instead, try these six "super foods" that have been shown to improve memory and concentration:

When my son was small, I couldn't wait to start packing his lunch. Ideas of beautiful Bento boxes, creatively themed sandwiches, and new and nutritious selections daily filled my disillusioned head. How much fun this would be!

Then, after a couple of weeks, I learned the harsh reality of just what a treacherous chore I was stuck with for the next 13 years. I now dread making lunches with every fiber of my being. Every night after the dinner dishes are cleaned up, and I'm ready to finally let out a sigh that the day's chores have at least been done, I see the empty lunch boxes sitting there waiting to be filled with new and interesting choices ... and I want to throw them.

Instead, I've found a better solution -- I get my kids to make their own lunches. Here are seven tips and tricks that may help you do the same.

School lunches have been a hot topic lately. Everyone from Michelle Obama to Jamie Oliver has been calling out the often horrible stuff served to schoolkids under the guise of a healthy lunch and trying to help schools make better lunchtime choices.

That leaves health-conscious parents, not to mention budget-conscious ones, with a dilemma: Let your child buy the school lunch or have them bring it and set yourself up for the hassle of packing lunch daily.

It's a tougher decision than you might think.

Now that the school year is starting, you and your child are probably having a little separation anxiety -- no matter how desperately you wished summer vacation were over already back in, say, July.

One sweet way to connect with your little one during the school day is to send a lunch note. These little bits of love can be as simple as a smiley face drawn on a napkin with the words "I love you!" or as creative as a "kiss in your pocket" flip book.

Here are some other super cute lunch note ideas:

For many kids, the lunch line in the school cafeteria may be the very first time they are deciding for themselves what to eat. That may be a frightening thought for some parents, especially knowing that many schools, in addition to healthy options, also offer junk food with tons of fat, sugar, and calories including chicken nuggets, pizza, French fries, and mac 'n' cheese to name but a few.

Of course you don't want your child loading up on those empty calories every day, but you won't be there to okay everything he or she puts on the tray. Here's how to help your child to make good choices in the cafeteria.