[CentOS] apache env vars - best practices

I've been setting custom env vars for Apache 1 of 2 ways;

1 - Changing the passwd file so Apache has a shell and loading a  
custom .bashrc file.

2 - Using the SetEnv directive in my httpd.conf file.

I'm crazy about neither one as they both have limitations;

1 - I don't like giving Apache its own shell.

2 - The SetEnv directive only takes 2 args so if I have a var with  
multiple values like a path, it won't work.

What's the cleanest way to set complex env vars for Apache?