You spend a lot of time planning and preparing the lunch that your kids take to school each day, so they'll eat a healthy, balanced meal. All that effort can go right down the drain when your kids get to the black market of bartering known as the lunch table.

The key to making sure your little negotiators don't trade away the healthy food you pack is to give them food they'll want to keep for themselves. First, don't give them something they've never tried before. If they're unfamiliar with a food, they may be reluctant to try it out in front of their friends. Always introduce new foods at home, where you have a direct influence in the matter. Also, make sure your kids have a hand in selecting their snacks, so they won't want to pawn them off.

You can also up the "cool quotient" in your kids' lunch by thinking of fun presentations for healthy food. Cut out a sandwich with a cookie cutter so it has a fun shape, or prepare healthy "ants on a log" (celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins). It will be hard for your kids to give up the coolest thing in the cafeteria!