Description of lunch box recipe:
Bagels come in little bitty sizes now, and the more tender types can be excellent sandwich buns. Pita pockets are a good change, and available in white bread or whole wheat. Cheese and crackers are also a good change of pace from sandwiches.

Other suggestions and comments:
I think what some kids like about some foods is being able to customize it themselves, by assembling it to their liking from pre-cut components. (That also makes "trading" easier, but that's just part of the school experience.) Anything that can make the lunch resemble those overpriced Lunch-A-Bulls seems to be a hit. I don't understand the attraction of cold pizza sauce on a slab of pizza "crust" with unmelted mozzarella on it, but if that's what kids like, couldn't the same stuff be made with a bagel, cheese shreds, and a tub o' sauce?