Now that the kids have gone back to school, you’re going to have to get back into the swing of packing school lunches. A good lunch will re-energize your children during their long day of learning. But how do you know what to include? And how do you control the costs of these all-too important meals? Don’t worry; it’s easier than you think!
Start with the traditional sandwich. There’s a reason why sandwiches are considered a lunchtime staple. A sandwich travels well and leaves plenty of room for variety. Look for sales on lunchmeat and cheese to keep the cost of your sandwiches low. Try to avoid a lot of condiments on your sandwiches to keep them from getting soggy before your kids break for lunch.
Go for variety. Although your kids will appreciate seeing something new in their lunches everyday, in this case, I literally meant for you to use the “Variety Packs” that are available at your supermarket. You’ll get a box full of miniature bags of chips in all different types. If you belong to a wholesale club, you can probably find a great price on snack-sized bags of chips. You can ask your little ones each day which bag of chips they’d like in their lunches if you want to get them involved in lunch preparation.
Shop seasonally. Fruit is a great way to add something sweet to your kids’ lunches. Shop the sales at your supermarket to decide if this week’s lunches will include bananas, grapes, apples, or oranges. You can even use sales as an excuse to introduce new types of fruit into your kids’ diets. Peaches, plums, pears, and apricots are other great options.
Use fruit substitutes. Sometimes the fruit that is available is expensive and unappealing. Maybe your little guy loves oranges. Oranges are a great addition to lunches, but during their off-season, they can be ridiculously expensive. Now how will you add fruit into your little ones’ lunches? Skip fresh fruit during these times and put fruit snacks or fruit roll-ups in your kids’ lunches. You can get a great price on these by visiting your wholesale club, too.
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