Back to school means parents will begin facing the dreaded dilemma of what to give their children for lunch.

Creating a nutritious lunch that your child will want to devour can be a formidable task -- but here are a couple of tips to help make it easier.

Parents can spice-up traditional lunch-time favourites by simply using different types of bread or substituting fattening spreads like mayonnaise with a reduced-fat version or use mustard.

And home-made snacks can be given a healthy spin by replacing eggs with cholesterol-free egg products and regular milk with skim milk.

Here are a few recipes that put those healthy tips into practice -- enjoy! TUNA SALAD SANDWICHES 2 small tins tuna flakes (drained) 1 green onion (chopped fine) 1 stalk celery (chopped fine) 1 green pepper (chopped fine) 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped) 1 teaspoon seasoning salt 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon white pepper Light mayonnaise DRAIN tuna flakes of oil. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Spread onto buttered bread.

HOT HAM SANDWICHES Ham (thinly sliced) Butter Bread Hot mustard REMOVE crusts from day old bread. Butter bread. Place thin slice of ham on bread and spread with a thin layer of hot mustard. Cut in triangles.

Recipes from the Bermuda Cookbook.

PUMPKIN-FRUIT BREAD Makes 1 loaf (24 slices) 1 cup canned pumpkin 2 cup packed brown sugar 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup fat-free cholesterol-free egg product or 3 egg whites 1 1 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup diced dried fruit and raisin mixture 2 teaspoons baking powder 3 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cloves HEAT oven to 350 degree. Spray loaf pan, 9x5x3 or 8 1 x 4 1 x 2 1 inches, with nonstick cooking spray. Mix pumpkin, brown sugar, oil, vanilla and egg product in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients just until moistened. Pour into pan.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes. Loosen sides of load from pan; remove from pan to wire rack.

Cool completely before slicing. Store tightly wrapped in refrigerator up to 1 week.

ZUCCHINI-APRICOT BREAD Makes 1 loaf (24 slices) 1 1 cups shredded zucchini (1 medium) 3 cup sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup fat-free cholesterol-free egg product or 3 egg whites 1 1 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons vanilla 3 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 cup finely chopped dried apricots HEAT oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan, 8 1 x 4 1 x2 1 or 9x5x3 inches, with nonstick cooking spray. Mix zucchini, sugar, oil and egg product in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except apricots. Stir in apricots. Pour into pan.

Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan to wire rack.

Cool completely before slicing. Store tightly wrapped in refrigerator up to 1 week.

CRANBERRY BREAD Makes 2 loaves (24 slices each) Unsweetened applesauce replaces the fat for a very cranberry seasonal favourite.

3 cups fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) cranberries 1 2 cups sugar 2 cup unsweetened applesauce 1 cup milk 2 teaspoons grated lemon or orange peel 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup fat-free cholesterol-free egg product or 2 eggs plus 4 egg whites 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder MOVE oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in centre of oven.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1 x 4 1 x2 1 or 9x5x3 inches, with shortening. Mix cranberries, sugar, applesauce, milk, lemon peel, vanilla and egg product in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pans.

Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES Makes about 2 1 dozen cookies This cookie has half the fat and half the chips of ordinary chocolate chop cookies, but you won't miss them. Miniature chips give the illusion of more chocolate because they distribute so well.

1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup margarine or spread, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 egg white or 2 tablespoons fat-free cholesterol-free egg product 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips HEAT oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugars, margarine, vanilla and egg white in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda and slat. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

PEPPERMINT BROWNIES Makes 16 brownies Don't like peppermint? No problem; leave out the peppermint extract and you have traditional brownies -- without the extra fat.

1 cup sugar 1 cup margarine or spread, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon peppermint extract 3 egg whites or 1 cup fat-free cholesterol-free egg product 2 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup baking cocoa 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt Chocolate Glaze (see below) 2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candy HEAT oven to 350 degree. Spray square pan, 8x8x2 inches, with nonstick cooking spray. Mix sugar, margarine, vanilla, peppermint extract and egg whites in medium bowl. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Spread in pan.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean; cool. Spread Chocolate Glaze evenly over brownies. Sprinkle with candy. Cut into about 2-inch squares.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE 2 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons baking cocoa 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 to 4 teaspoons hot water Mix all ingredients until smooth and spreadable.

FROSTED BANANA BARS Makes 24 bars 2 cup sugar 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream 2 teaspoons margarine or spread, softened 2 egg whites or 14 cup fat-free cholesterol-free egg product 3 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 medium) 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts Frosting (see below) HEAT oven to 375 degrees. Spray square pan, 9x9x2 inches, with nonstick cooking spray. Beat sugar, sour cream, margarine and egg whites in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl occasionally.

Beat in bananas and vanilla on low speed 30 seconds. Beat in flour, salt and baking soda on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in nuts. Spread in pan.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely. Spread with Frosting. Cut into 2 1 x 1 1 -inch bars.

FROSTING 1 1 cups powdered sugar 1 tablespoon margarine or spread, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 to 2 tablespoons skim milk MIX all ingredients until smooth and spreadable.

Recipes from Betty Crocker's New Low-Fat Low-Cholesterol Cookbook