Public admission: I want to keep things real here. My kids go to school with chicken crimpy crackers, muesli bars, and other items that a dietician might frown on, alongside their salad wrap and fruit. As my kids got older, they started coming home without eating their fruit.
They agreed to eat fruit for breakfast or an after-school snack instead. They are still eating fruit but without the waste. Packing a budget lunch box is just as much about strategy as it is about the food that goes in it.
Early mornings can be as easy as throwing a few packets in the lunch box without actually throwing packets in the lunchbox with a little bit of pre-planning and preparation a very, very little bit, I promise! Keep lunches simple by writing down a selection of ideas that you know your children will like and rotate those ideas.
For example, in a week term, you might start with ham and salad wraps in week one, egg and lettuce sandwiches in week two, beef and slaw rolls in week three, vegemite and avo sandwiches in week four, and salad sandwiches in week five. To each lunch, add a piece or two of seasonal fruit or vegetables and a snack like DIY cheese and crackers, yoghurt, a muesli bar, a muffin, or a handful of popcorn, etc.
Just cook a little extra dinner and put it aside to grab in the morning. I have a secret snack box in our cupboard where I stock up on extra items when they go on half-price or that I pick up cheaply at Aldi. That way, you can have plenty of backup snacks without paying full price.
Single-serve foods and multi-packs tend to be more expensive than bulk packs, and they are more wasteful as far as packaging! To make your own cheese and crackers, you can buy cream cheese and serve it in a small container along with crackers divided out from a share pack.
Alternatively, you can cut a few slices of cheese off a block. I like to use plain yoghurt and add fruit and vanilla or honey.
Just about anything that you can buy in multi-packs can be purchased in larger packs and portioned out to save money and reduce waste. A quick and easy frugal lunch begins at dinner and breakfast if you plan to have leftovers.
A friend of mine is from India, and her kids have leftover dahl or vegetable curry with rice every day. I have lunchbox envy! But my point is that children will eat what they get used to from a young age.
Children are more likely to eat it i f you cut everything into bite-sized portions. Choose vegetables you know your child will eat: carrots, capsicum, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, celery and snow peas all work well.
Massachusetts mom Jennifer Weedon Palazzo, of MomCave TV , suggests always purchasing the "big option" when it comes to food your children like beyond merely dry snacks.
Doing so will almost always pay off financially. For instance, if your kid loves yogurt, buy the ounce size instead of the individual Go-Gurts," Palazzo, mother to a 6-year-old and an year-old, tells Parents.
Just spoon some into a small container and put it in the lunch box. For some kids, a PB and J simply won't cut it. If this sounds like your brood, save money on high-end meal prep by sending leftovers from home-cooked meals, suggests Michelle Keldgord, mother of two school-aged kids and co-founder of Baking How.
They don't want sandwiches in their lunch pails, and that's fine with me. I always send leftovers to school, and I know they will have a full belly of nutritious foods. Plus, it saves me money from having to make a separate lunch," Keldgord tells Parents. Palazzo often relies on this approach as well, packing her children's lunches immediately after dinner each night.
In addition to the leftovers hack, you can also save money on school lunches by batch-cooking and freezing food, advises Rima Kleiner, a registered dietitian and for Dish on Fish.
However, it's just as easy to batch cook lunch items and freeze them for lunch," Kleiner tells Parents. They're not just for breakfast, and they make it easy to help your kiddo meet the recommended two to three seafood meals each week. You might also try making and freezing some bean and cheese burritos, or turkey meatballs, says Kleiner.
After cooking them, let the food cool, and then wrap, label, and freeze. When you need it, reheat the food for your children's lunchbox. This is a tip every household should adopt for so many reasons: Ditch the plastic baggies and other single-use plastic storage items that you buy over and over.
Instead, invest in bento boxes or other reusable lunch containers. Doing so will save you money and cut down on environmentally harmful plastic waste.
There are countless options these days that are kid-friendly. The boxes are percent plastic-free, reusable, and leak-proof. Better Basics also offers their own line of reusable back-to-school food containers, including an insulated stainless steel option designed to keep lunch foods think: soups or chicken nuggets warm or cool.
While these lunch boxes may require an up-front investment, they'll be a money saver in the long run. What kid doesn't love pasta?
Or at least macaroni and cheese? Baby carrots and cucumbers are great lunchbox options. Brayden discovered this summer that he LOVES cucumbers.
These huge bags from Costco are our favorite. They are a great price and go a long way, even for our large family. These Kirkland brand varieties of ham and turkey are our favorite.
And yep, even though they are a convenience item, the overall cost is still lower than paying for a school lunch. For a hot lunch option , I buy cases of mac and cheese at Costco. See how I send hot lunches to school here. Remember how I figured out that buying Costco Frozen Pizza is a great frugal meal option?
They are also a great school lunchbox option! So easy and they love it! But Costco offers big boxes of pre-made treats like this that are nice to add to a lunch box. Nice article!
Very helpful! In addition to the above we also buy pistachios, cashews, olives, hard boiled eggs, pickled green bean, carrot, egg fritatas, and yogurt tubes at Costco for lunches.
We have really hard time getting veggies in but I will say that changing to a bento style lunch box has helped.
Snacks: Whole apple, banana, grapes, pudding, chocolate bar, cookies, nuts, granola bar, popcorn, carrots sticks, celery sticks, etc Missing Mini Cucumbers, cut into coins or sticks · Baby corn (from a can) · Baby carrots · Pickles or cornichons · Cherry tomatoes · Bell pepper strips
Affordable school lunch items - 2. Turkey and Cheese Roll-ups · Turkey slices, swiss and cheddar cheese slices. · Raw almonds (leave out for nut free version) · Raw veggies Snacks: Whole apple, banana, grapes, pudding, chocolate bar, cookies, nuts, granola bar, popcorn, carrots sticks, celery sticks, etc Missing Mini Cucumbers, cut into coins or sticks · Baby corn (from a can) · Baby carrots · Pickles or cornichons · Cherry tomatoes · Bell pepper strips
These easy make-ahead school lunches are sure to please even the pickiest of eaters, and they make packing school lunches a breeze! To make those school lunches even more fun, be sure to check out some of our favorite lunchbox printables: Back to School Lunchbox Notes , Star Wars Lunchbox Jokes , and Uplifting Printable Lunch Notes.
I came up with some favorite make-ahead school lunches that you can make once a week or once a month that you can refrigerate or freeze as individual servings for some super quick lunch packing.
Put a layer between the bread and condiments. I love being able to make my own version, which is way healthier and tastes better too.
I used sliced turkey breast, and I cut some cheddar cheese into hearts using a mini cookie cutter. I added crackers, fresh berries, celery, and a few chocolate almonds to round everything out. So easy, and so fun! We make Pizza Cupcakes for dinner all the time!
Just place the pizza cupcakes in a ziplock bag and refrigerate until ready to eat! Just spread a wrap with cream cheese and cranberry sauce, then layer on roasted turkey breast and baby spinach.
Add some fresh cherries, grape tomatoes, and a few of their favorite snacks, and you are all set! A big pot of 20 Minute Macaroni and Cheese for dinner goes a long way! Take your leftovers out of the fridge in the morning and heat up in the microwave before school. I made a simple sandwich on whole wheat bread using turkey breast and cheddar cheese.
I then cut the sandwich into eight pieces and threaded them onto lollipop sticks to make skewers. Just for fun, I added a tomato at one end, and a pickle at the other end to make it more like a club sandwich. The perfect school lunch for cold and flu season!
Swapping in honey in this classic sandwich is a no-brainer and a favorite with kids everywhere. To make things extra fun, cut your sandwich with a cute sandwich cutter or cookie cutter. Breakfast Cupcakes are a fun twist to a traditional omelet that can be customized so everyone is happy!
They refrigerate and reheat well in the microwave. After reheated, simply wrap them in foil and put them in an insulated sandwich sack to keep them warm for lunch! My kids love these tiny sandwiches, especially because I let them assemble them on their own. Just take two crackers of your choice, then spread one side with cream cheese and drizzle with honey.
I like to serve these with snap peas or baby carrots, fruit, and a little cup of trail mix. Easy to make and fun to devour, peanut butter and jelly pinwheel sandwiches make the perfect lunch or snack!
For whatever reason, my kids will eat pretty much anything if I serve it to them on a stick. They love any kind of kebab or skewer! These fruit skewers are so fun, and a great way to get kids to eat fruit. I love to serve them with a simple dipping sauce of plain yogurt drizzled with honey.
I add crackers or pretzels on the side, along with a few chunks of cheese. My kids love these! Sandwich Sushi Rolls are a fun twist on a classic lunch. Made with lunch meat and fresh vegetables, then rolled up to look like sushi. These faux sushi rolls are a simple and healthy lunch your kids will love!
My kids tend to get overwhelmed if I serve them too much food, but they love it when I create kid-sized versions of their favorites. Slider-size buns are perfect for sandwiches and easy to fit in lunch boxes.
Crispy on the outside, soft and delicious on the inside, pigs in blankets are easy to make and they make great leftovers, too! A bagel and cream cheese with some fresh fruit on top is a fun idea that is healthy, too! If you have a reluctant eater, they may be more likely to actually eat their lunch if you present it in a fun way.
Try cutting food into different shapes with cookie cutters, or arranging it in a fun design. My kids always love it when I make little skewers for them with turkey and cheese, or fresh fruit. But my point is that children will eat what they get used to from a young age.
Children are more likely to eat it i f you cut everything into bite-sized portions. Choose vegetables you know your child will eat: carrots, capsicum, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, celery and snow peas all work well.
Home-baked goodies like muffins , slices and muesli bars make great additions to the lunchbox. I like muffins because they can be in the oven in about five minutes and done in under thirty. You can make baking a fun learning experience by baking with the kids.
That way, you can enjoy family time and prepare for the week ahead at the same time. My daughter loves baking, and she makes muffins and other baked goods for lunches by herself now, saving me a job!
Many muffins, slices and bread like banana bread can be frozen, so you can freeze it in portions, ready for the lunchbox each morning. Sandwiches are convenient, easy, portable, inexpensive and taste good. Switch things up by using wraps or bread rolls as well as regular bread.
There are a lot of cheap alternatives see leftovers above for ideas! The great thing is that frugal lunchbox options are also healthy and environmentally friendly as well.
Before writing about frugal living, Mel worked as an accountant. As well as a diploma in accounting, Mel has an honours degree in humanities, including writing and research. She also studied to be a teacher and loves sharing the things that she has learned and helping others to achieve their goals.
Using tortillas or flat bread and cooking these under the grill or even in a sandwich press makes these pizzas super quick and easy. Use up leftovers for a cheap, quick yet tasty meal. Looking for ideas on how to use leftover cooked vegetables?
Great for lunch or have with an egg for breakfast to get in your five serves of veg a day! Vegetable fritters are quick, inexpensive, quick and tasty — adults and children alike love to eat these. Everyone will love these easy to make pizza scrolls.
Made from puff pastry for minimal fuss. Making your own healthy DIY trail mix will save you money on snacks and you can mix and match ingredients to suit your tastes.
Here are some ideas. Your email address will not be published. This is not so much a comment on your post as on marmite. I have never tried it nor seen it for sale here in Canada. I have heard of it as well as Vegemite, which I think was mentioned in a song. Just last week I read an article mentioning various foods that are illegal to import or sell here.
One of them was marmite. The agency said the products were not a health hazard. Hmm, I think Marmite is English and Vegemite is Australian although now owned by Kraft US and as far as I know they taste slightly different. Skip to content. Save time and stress on school mornings by having a lunchbox planner and doing a little prep work 10 minutes only!
on the weekend. Facebook Pinterest WhatsApp Email Save Tips and tricks to help you save money on school lunches.
There was an error submitting Affordable frozen food options subscription. Hmm, I think Marmite is English and Vegemite schoil Australian although now Cheap Cheese and Crackers by Cheap Cheese and Crackers Affogdable and as Affordable school lunch items as I luncy they taste slightly different. Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Linkedin Pinterest. Pack tortilla chips with the kids' favorite nacho toppings: shredded cheese, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, sour cream, salsa, and the like. My daughter loves baking, and she makes muffins and other baked goods for lunches by herself now, saving me a job! To make your own cheese and crackers, you can buy cream cheese and serve it in a small container along with crackers divided out from a share pack.
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