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First it was peanut butter on the endangered sandwich list. Then tinned albacore tuna. Now it's cold cuts, benched by the continuing listeriosis crisis.

On the eve of the first day of school, many parents will be giving up cafeteria staples including salami, turkey breast and pastrami, and not just those made by Maple Leaf Foods Inc., because of a heightened awareness of the potential risks of meat processing.

"Parents are saying, 'What do I do with school lunch time?' " says Rosie Schwartz, a consulting dietitian and the author of The Enlightened Eater's Whole Foods Guide.

Cold cuts have become one of our culture's favourite convenience foods. They seem to stay fresh forever in the fridge. Slap them on some bread, add mustard and maybe a sliver of lettuce and you're done. But this food-safety crisis may be an opportunity for families to switch not only to safer, but to healthier options, dietitians say. "[Deli meats] shouldn't be the mainstay of a child's lunch," Ms. Schwartz says.

While there are organic, nitrate-free alternatives being produced by artisanal, organic butchers across Canada, some dietitians think losing our taste for cold cuts may be a better goal.

"I'm a big believer in eating whole foods as much as possible," says Brenda Bradshaw, a Vancouver-based teacher and co-author of The Good Food Book for Families.

If parents want to substitute home-cooked meat in sandwiches, a simple option is

to cook more servings of chicken, beef or pork at

dinner.

Cooked meat and fish is safe in the fridge for two to three days for a child's consumption, according to food-safety expert Linda Corso of the University of Guelph. She adds that it's best to use up leftovers the next day.

If you want to be more cautious, Ms. Schwartz suggests cooking large quantities to freeze and thaw as needed.

It doesn't take much effort to cook several chicken breasts and freeze them for later use, she says.

Stew, soup and pasta leftovers are also perfect for the thermos or to freeze for later lunches.

"Think about it at dinner," Ms. Bradshaw says. "If your kids like pasta or a fried rice, make a little extra. Heat and toss it up in the morning. It doesn't take long to put leftovers in a thermos."

Accompanied by whole-grain bread, fruit and a yogurt, "that's a very healthy lunch," she says.

Other outside-the-sandwich ideas include dips, such as hummus, served with pita bread and veggie sticks. Beyond that, parents can revisit the joys of hard-boiled eggs, which can last a week in the fridge.

While peanut butter remains off limits to many families due to school allergy policies, canned salmon and tuna also remain good options - just read the labels carefully, experts say.

Canned salmon is generally considered safe for kids to eat daily. Due to its mercury content, Health Canada recommends only one serving a week of canned albacore tuna for children aged 1 to 4. Older children may have two servings a week.

There is no limit for canned light tuna, which has lower levels of mercury.

Of course, packing it for them and getting them to eat it are two different things. If your kid is a five-day-a-week salami addict, involving him in lunch preparation and planning may head off a revolt next week. For starters, try not to get stuck on a single replacement item, Ms. Bradshaw suggests.

A healthy diet is a varied diet, she says. She suggests asking finicky eaters to pick up to four lunch ideas.

Parents can also use the recall of deli meats as a chance to teach their children about Canada's Food Guide.

"Encourage them to choose a food from each of the food groups and incorporate that into their lunch," Ms. Bradshaw says.

And keep in mind that just because there are no processed meats in their lunch, it doesn't mean kids are in the clear, safety-wise.

"Lunchboxes are a perfect breeding ground for bacteria," Ms. Bradshaw says.

As a general rule, any lunch that comes out of the fridge needs an ice pack, she says. Frozen juice boxes can do the trick, and a thermal lunch box will help food stay chilled.

With a file from Carly Weeks