The folks at Be Active North Carolina answer monthly questions for us on health and fitness. Here they field a qustion from a mom in a lunch rut.

Q. I'm in a lunch rut. Can you share some healthy lunch box ideas?

We did a quick survey here at Be Active North Carolina, and among our moms and dads, we had a lot of repeat answers that might be worth a try: tortilla roll-ups instead of sandwiches, veggies with ranch dip or hummus, pitas, crackers with cheese, meat, or peanut butter. Use low-fat or fat-free cheese and whole grain tortillas, pitas, or crackers. For other items, consider drinkable yogurt, popcorn in lieu of chips, and a piece of fruit. No matter what, you should try to provide at least one serving of vegetables, at least one serving of fruit, a whole grain, and a serving of dairy. One of our favorite portable lunches is a small whole-wheat pita, cut into wedges, baby carrots, tomatoes, and slices of cucumbers served with store-bought (or homemade) hummus; another favorite is a home-made soup from the night before in a sealed thermos with crackers (if you make a broth-based soup with beans, such as bean and bacon, the soup will thicken overnight and be extra tasty the next day). Here are a few complete lunch ideas, but mix-and-match and let your son or daughter help choose:

• Hummus, veggies, and whole wheat pita wedges to dip; whole apple; milk
• Veggie-filled home-made soup in a thermos and whole grain crackers; orange; cheese stick
• Turkey and reduced-fat cheese on a whole-wheat wrap with veggies such as lettuce, tomato, and cucumber; pineapple cup (in juice, not in syrup)
• Carrots in ranch dip; drinkable yogurt or yogurt in portable tube; apple slices with peanut butter; popcorn

Wondering what the experts are saying on other issues on kids health, fitness and safety? Go to www.trianglemom2mom.com/ask and check back here every Tuesday.