My kids usually have a sandwich with high-fiber bread, a carrot or fruit, some 1% milk (unflavored) and nuts, V8, applesauce or something like that.

If the editor is looking for things to analyze from the grocery stores in the future, how about innovative sandwich fillings?

We're all bored of PB&J, tuna, and cheese. Sandwiches are easy for school, but different fillings would be ideal. I have a lunchbox recipe book, but the kids think most of the recipes are too weird. I think what I really need is a magic wand!

my kids will have to endure another year of ham, turkey and PB & J when I don't have time to get the other two. Then there are the days they get two fruits, because the dog ate the loaf of bread again, since the teenager did not put it away and left it on the counter again. They generally get a bottle of water. My son is already distraught that coffee is no longer allowed in the high school. He was advised to get his sorry butt out of bed earlier, so he could drink it at home, or at least make it at home and drink it in the car on his way in to school. I was surprised to learn they allow kids to bring drinks to class. And food, too. That didn't happen during my school days.

Wow, with all the 'challenges' over at WA I was not aware that the administration was not allowing a high school student to a buy a watery cup of coffee in the cafe anymore. Seems there are bigger fish to fry than going after a little caffeine but ummm ok..

We need to think outside the bread and get past defining lunch as a sandwich. Lots of things can be tossed with whole wheat pasta and a little Italian dressing for a pasta salad. We like to do the same with rice. Add a rolled up cold cuts in foil on the side if you like. My kids also like left overs from dinner, like cold chicken and spaghetti with meat sauce. I order extra when we get pizza to have some for school.

I heard the biggest eater of Brownies, cupcakes, and cookies is the Super himself, go figure

Lunchables and pbj's with fruit2o are the staples here

As far as I know, there is a microwave at the high school that students can use, so I will occasionally send leftovers to be warmed up.

I highly recommend a good stainless steel thermos! They seem expensive, but are worth every penny. My older daughter has used hers from pre-school to 5th grade and it still looks great! As to what to put in it for lunch, at our house it's often Saturday dinner for Monday lunch, Sunday dinner for Tuesday lunch, Monday's leftovers on Wednesday etc.
Whole grain roll ups are also recommended. You can fill them with almost anything. PB & J is getting a bad wrap (pun intended :) ) in these comments. To "freshen" it up try PB & sliced banana, PB & berries and PB & apple (slice the apple like a tomato and it stays in the bread nicely). All of these have less sugar, more fiber and more FLAVOR than PB & J.
I second Dee's pasta salad idea. We also do that with various grains at our house. As she said the centerpiece need not be a sandwich. Kids love to pop chick-peas as finger food. What's faster than opening a can and rinsing with water?
Finally, a time saving tip for those rushed mornings. On Sunday night cut carrot, celery, cucumber & sweet pepper sticks. Put them in a container (I re-use quart size soup take out from Bamboo) just covered with cold water; add a couple of handfuls of ice, and not only do the veggies last in the fridge for the whole week's worth of lunches, they get crispier by the day!

PS What would people change about school lunch if you had the chance?

I find it interesting that more people just don't buy lunch tickets. The schools lunches are healthier and better than some of the items you pack in your kids lunch bags, not to mention the time and money you save at the grocery store. WA has great options, main line, a la carte, salad and sandwiches, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, vegetables and fruit, even the desserts have changed. I know because I have one that graduated in 2012 and I have one as a freshman this year.

I do have one problem though, Chocolate milk. I feel that the schools should still carry choc milk, not all students like white milk and sometimes don't always offer apple juice. My youngest in third grade will not buy lunch because he cannot buy choc. milk and will not drink white milk. So I have to worry each week about what I am going to pack in his lunch bag, this to me is very frustraiting.