Health officials are giving many parents a failing grade when it comes to preparing their children's lunchboxes.

The Journal of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that 25 percent of packed lunches don't meet three out of five school lunch standards, meaning that not all kids are getting proper nutrition to keep them healthy.

According to the report, desserts were almost as common as whole fruit in home-packed meals, and sugar-sweetened drinks were found just as often as bottled water.

Health officials say a trend they are seeing is food coming in larger packaging because buying in bulk tends to be cheaper. They recommend not giving in to this type of shopping because it means that your child will eat more than they really have to.

Nutritionist Maria Pari-Keener, from New York Methodist Hospital in Park Slope, recognizes that it can be difficult to keep kids' lunches healthy, especially with picky eaters. She recommends compromising with students on which healthy foods they eat and says to take kids along when grocery shopping.