The good news is that school is back in session; the bad news is we have to make bag lunches.

I’ve got it down to a science and have managed to place a lot of the responsibility on my children. They assemble parts of their lunches in the evening and I make the sandwich or main attraction in the morning before school.

Sabrina, 16, and Jared, 14, like to eat a homemade lunch but don’t want it to appear weird to their friends. You know how important peer pressure can be. When they were young, they didn’t mind a stuffed avocado or premade chef’s salad in a plastic container with dressing on the side. But that’s changed.

With fast-food chains in many of our schools, the children want to dine on burgers and tacos but they still want to eat healthier.

I always give them a semi-frozen drink such as juice or water, which keeps the rest of the lunch cold during the morning.

I add something crunchy. Baked chips or tortilla chips work, but good alternatives are nuts, dried fruit or nut trail mix. Most natural food stores carry dozens of these combinations in the bulk section. Some fruit and nut mixes contain chocolate so read labels.

I include fresh seasonal fruit with their lunch. I select something that will hold up and not get mushy. Grapes and apples are favorites. Sometimes I make fruit salad and put it in a small disposable plastic container with a toothpick or fork.

The lunches also have something usually a sweet to be saved for a pick-me-up. The selections are endless ranging from a Power Bar to a brownie to homemade cookies.

All of these components can be stuffed into a bag and refrigerated overnight. That makes the morning rush easier.

That’s when I make an unusual sandwich or wrap.

Here are a few tips for making your own wraps:

Use 9- to 10-inch wraps. They’re a good size for rolling and hold fillings well. They come in flavors such as spinach, tomato or whole wheat.

Have all your ingredients ready and cut. I like to use shredded carrots, thin-sliced red bell peppers, field greens and thin-sliced cheese. Favorite cheeses are monterey jack, Swiss, cheddar and muenster.

Don’t put anything moist in the sandwich or it will be mushy by lunchtime. Once you’ve rolled the wrap, cut it in half so it holds together well and wrap it tightly in foil.

Before you roll the sandwich, heat the wrapper on a damp paper towel 30-45 seconds in the microwave. This makes the wrapper more pliable.

Here are some favorite filling recipes.

‘Eggless’ Egg Salad

1 pound firm tofu, drained well and crumbled
1 rib celery, chopped
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise or soy-based Nayonaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper

If you want this to look just like egg salad, add a pinch of turmeric. This yellow spice is used to give mustard its color.

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and blend well. Makes enough filling for 6 sandwiches or wraps.

Per serving of filling: 87 calories, 57 percent calories from fat, 8 grams protein, 3 grams carbohydrates, .97 gram total fiber, 5 grams total fat, no cholesterol, 104 milligrams sodium.

Hummus With Lemon and Parsley

1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons tahini
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1 lemon (2 tablespoons)
Pinch ground cumin
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste
Water, as needed

Combine all ingredients except water in a food processor fitted with the metal blade or blender. Process or puree 2 minutes until smooth and creamy. You can add a drizzle of water if it appears too thick. Keeps 5 days refrigerated. Makes enough filling for 6 sandwiches or wraps.

Per serving of filling: 166 calories, 47 percent calories from fat, 6 grams protein, 17 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams total fiber, 9 grams total fat, no cholesterol, 8 milligrams sodium.