packing school lunches?

[tiff211]

DD7 informed me yesterday that she no longer wants school lunch. So, starting week after next I will be packing lunch for DD4 and DD7. Just wondering if budget wise that will save me money or add to the budget. School lunch for the 2 is $13.50 a week.

Hopefully, I can find school lunch boxes on clearance.

 

[Ashley Kees]

That depends on what they are expecting in thier lunch. Sometimes kids expect to see uncrustables, lunchables, single serving size bags of chips and cups of fruit, juice boxes, and granola bars. That stuff can really add up, (and is incredibly bad for them, to boot.) If they will be happy with generic snacks and carrot sticks in baggies, healthier and cheaper sandwiches, and a thermos of milk or juice then you'll probably end up better off financially.

 

[HeatherC]

I think you will do better financially.

I have 3 kids who refuse to buy the school lunch since they are so yucky. It's the same junk week after week. Mac and Cheese, Hot Dogs, etc..

The stuff they give the kids is so overprocessed it is really terrible.

Mine take sandwiches on whole wheat bread, fruit, cheese, pretzels, etc.. or even leftovers from dinner the night before which they like.

I will admit, though, that I am sooooo tired of making lunches every day. But I know what they are eating and feel good about it so I guess it's worth it.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

that's less than $2 a day per kid.

Around here given the price of groceries, you'd have a hard time saving money.

 

[4Seasons]

I can count on 1 hand the number of times my kids ever bought school lunches. They've never had a desire to, which is totally fine with me because some of the stuff they serve is so unhealthy.

My daughter especially likes to take salads. She'll also usually take some type of fruit and maybe a pudding cup or granola bar. She takes either bottled water, juice or Lipton Green Tea for her drink.
Sometimes she'll take a baggie of dry cereal for a snack, she likes the Basic 4 cereal, it's almost like a trail mix and pretty healthy (and tastes really good).

Thanksfully my kids are older (12 and 15) so they are at the point where they pack their own lunches.

Even if it costs a little more, I'd rather them take something from home that is healthier and I know they'll eat.

 

[grlpwrd]

School lunches are $1.50 for my 4th grader and $1.65 for my 7th and 11th graders.

The only thing is that most of the foods I put in their lunches are not cheap. They are healthy, but I don't think I am saving a lot of $$$. I give them lots of produce, organic foods, and homemade stuff. They eat low sugar, mostly vegetarian, non packaged, and organic foods so I can't say I am saving... oh, okay, I know I am not saving. lol

I just think of it as an investment in their health. I would rather have them eat really healthy rather than have to eat mystery meat or tater tots, kwim? With me it's a tradeoff, but I am okay with it.

GL!

 

[tiff211]

I think you will do better financially.

I have 3 kids who refuse to buy the school lunch since they are so yucky. It's the same junk week after week. Mac and Cheese, Hot Dogs, etc..

The stuff they give the kids is so overprocessed it is really terrible.

Mine take sandwiches on whole wheat bread, fruit, cheese, pretzels, etc.. or even leftovers from dinner the night before which they like.

I will admit, though, that I am sooooo tired of making lunches every day. But I know what they are eating and feel good about it so I guess it's worth it.

Yeah, my eyes sorta rolled in the back of my head as I thought about another thing to add to my list of things to do at night. But I have started packing my lunch so it may not be too bad. They are easy to please and like fruits and veggies and healthy snacks so I think it will be better in the long run. I don't mind if it costs more, I just was wondering.

 

[CEDmom]

DD8 has never bought lunch as school. Most days she takes leftovers in a wide mouth thermos. I don't really know what the cost of her lunch is but I'd have to say it's not much more than $2 and probably less on most days. Today for example she took tortellini in sauce with some shredded cheese, an apple, a few mini cookies and a bottle of water. I'd guess it cost around $1.50.

I have to say the lunches her school provides sound pretty good. Things like wraps, salads, baked potato bar, pasta bar etc.

 

[Adi12982]

THis thread has some great ideas: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1526761&referrerid=&highlight=healthy+lunch

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

I sometimes bribe my kids to buy lunch. Most days I pack a sandwich ,yogurt, or cheese and crackers. Add some fruit or a snack and a bottle of water. I have no idea what I spend on the 3 of them, but I would think more than buying.

 

[tiff211]

THis thread has some great ideas: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1526761&referrerid=&highlight=healthy+lunch

Thanks there were some great ideas on that thread!

 

[jme829]

Hopefully, I can find school lunch boxes on clearance.

Tiff211,

Check Target...Ours has them clearance for around $2.50!!

 

[Sandi]

We've packed lunches for DD12 since she was in kindergarten. Now that she is in 7th grade, there are more options for buying lunch, but she still wants to bring a home packed lunch because it's better. I think we spend more on her lunches than it would cost at school, but I'm okay with that. She gets yogurt, fresh fruits and veggies, cheese and crackers most days (the kid won't eat a sandwich). She'll buy milk and an occasional dessert.

 

[tiff211]

Tiff211,

Check Target...Ours has them clearance for around $2.50!!

Hopefully, I can run there tonight. DId you see them recently?

 

[Alex&Evan'sMom]

I allowed my child to buy his lunch last year(he was in kindergarten) until I ate lunch with him one day and he hardly ate anything.(no wonder he was starving in the afternoon!) Lunch where we are is $12.50 weekly(including b'fast) and snack is $7.50 for water and snack. I definitely save $ and most importantly he eats! I usually pack a no frills lunch, sandwich, chips and apple sauce etc. and I pack a bottle of water and crackers etc. for snack. He's only in 1st grade and doesn't care much for variety so I usually purchase the same things to make his lunch.(He's been in school for over 2 months and he has asked for a cheese sandwich almost everyday! And I don't know if they're as inexpensive as target but the Disney Store and disneystore.com has their lunchboxes on sale as well.

 

[tiff211]

I allowed my child to buy his lunch last year(he was in kindergarten) until I ate lunch with him one day and he hardly ate anything.(no wonder he was starving in the afternoon!) Lunch where we are is $12.50 weekly(including b'fast) and snack is $7.50 for water and snack. I definitely save $ and most importantly he eats! I usually pack a no frills lunch, sandwich, chips and apple sauce etc. and I pack a bottle of water and crackers etc. for snack. He's only in 1st grade and doesn't care much for variety so I usually purchase the same things to make his lunch.(He's been in school for over 2 months and he has asked for a cheese sandwich almost everyday! And I don't know if they're as inexpensive as target but the Disney Store and disneystore.com has their lunchboxes on sale as well.

Yeah, I saw those but with shipping, not cheaper. I don't want to buy $80 worth of stuff to get the free shipping.

 

[timzagain]

I chose to pack the kids' lunches for a variety of reasons, but my primary concerns are quality and quantity of the lunches. Our kids are involved in competitive swimming and water polo after school - both of which are very demanding! They need to eat properly to fuel that exercise. On the rare occasions when they do buy lunches at school, they are always ravenous at the end of the day. In addition, one DD is ADHD and I am better able to limit her consumption of additives & sugars with lunches I pack.

Although I pack the occasional sandwich, I prefer to pack dinner leftovers. The Thermos food jars I bought have paid for themselves several times over. I also pack snacks, juices/ homemade lemonade and fruit.

My kids HATE to buy lunches - waiting in line for food at school eats into valuable free time!

Over the years, packed lunches have saved us quite a bit of money and strees. Not only are packed lunches cheaper in the short term, but the healthier options reduce the frequency of illness.

 

[Alex&Evan'sMom]

Yeah, I saw those but with shipping, not cheaper. I don't want to buy $80 worth of stuff to get the free shipping.

That's true. If you don't live close to a disney store you are at the mercy of shipping costs.

 

[mjantz]

I pack at least 1 lunch every day for school. Here are my tips:

-Buy some containers & real silverware. You don't have to get Tupperware. I use Gladware or whatever they have in the Target Dollar Spot. Same with the silverware. I figure its cheaper than buying baggies & plastic tableware all the time & if they throw away one of the spoons or forks, I haven't lost one of my 'good' pieces.
-Pack the night before. I cannot stress this enough. I didn't do this for a few years & once I started doing it I kicked myself that I didn't do it before. It saves so much time. I pack while fixing dinner.
-You may not save money by packing but your kids will get a better quality lunch. I'm willing to pay a bit more for my kids to get something healthy.
-Your oldest 2 are probably old enough to help. They can put crackers, pretzels or chips into baggies, help mix up Jello to put in containers, make assembly line PB&Js to freeze (put PB on both sides & jelly in the middle & its all good), maybe even pack their own lunches.

AFA stuff my kids love (variety is always a challenge at our house):

-cold bacon (Yes, I'm serious. Its one of their favorite things for me to send)
-fruit skewers
-meat & cheese skewers
-green salad (put the dressing in a different container or the salad gets gross)
-cold pizza
-chicken nuggets (I keep packets of ketchup from restaurants to send with them)
-soup
-PB&Js from the freezer (assembly line is the way to go!!)


Hope this helps.

 

[ajk912]

These are some good tips. I know for me, on grocery shopping day it takes a little longer because I pull out the stuff IMMEDIATELY after buying it and repackage everything so I am ready to go for school lunches- it only takes a minute to throw a lunch together in the morning. I take the grapes I JUST bought and pull them apart and put them in ziplock baggies in the freezer-bam-their fruit is done for the week, I just pull a baggie out and toss it in the lunchbox. Each week I will buy them one junkie thing for the lunchbox- chips, pretzels...so after I buy the bag, I reportion it immediately so they are ready to go. Throw in a few hershey kisses for love and a sandwich and a drink box, and you have a quick lunch that my 3rd grader and 1st grader love!

I pack at least 1 lunch every day for school. Here are my tips:

-Buy some containers & real silverware. You don't have to get Tupperware. I use Gladware or whatever they have in the Target Dollar Spot. Same with the silverware. I figure its cheaper than buying baggies & plastic tableware all the time & if they throw away one of the spoons or forks, I haven't lost one of my 'good' pieces.
-Pack the night before. I cannot stress this enough. I didn't do this for a few years & once I started doing it I kicked myself that I didn't do it before. It saves so much time. I pack while fixing dinner.
-You may not save money by packing but your kids will get a better quality lunch. I'm willing to pay a bit more for my kids to get something healthy.
-Your oldest 2 are probably old enough to help. They can put crackers, pretzels or chips into baggies, help mix up Jello to put in containers, make assembly line PB&Js to freeze (put PB on both sides & jelly in the middle & its all good), maybe even pack their own lunches.

AFA stuff my kids love (variety is always a challenge at our house):

-cold bacon (Yes, I'm serious. Its one of their favorite things for me to send)
-fruit skewers
-meat & cheese skewers
-green salad (put the dressing in a different container or the salad gets gross)
-cold pizza
-chicken nuggets (I keep packets of ketchup from restaurants to send with them)
-soup
-PB&Js from the freezer (assembly line is the way to go!!)


Hope this helps.