10 cool school lunches your kid will actually eat

Ready-made pizza dough, found in the refrigerated section of a grocery store, can speed up preparation for these creative bites. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)When I was little, my mother's inspiration for our school lunches usually revolved around chocolate chips and food coloring. I kid you not. Chocolate chips appeared in normal desserts, but they also found their way into our sandwiches — peanut butter, but even bologna or cheese. And then few drops of food coloring might add color Rice Krispie bars, muffins and cake.

I never had a dull lunch, though I didn't fully appreciate my mom's humor and ingenuity until years later.

For many parents, there's nothing more daunting than packing…