Now, I realize that this varies from area to area in the country and that kids are often picky. I am going to assume for this article that your child does not received free and reduced lunch. If you qualify for this program, I strongly encourage you to contact your child’s school. I hate to say it, but many schools receive federal funding based on their % of students with free and reduced lunch. I say, if you qualify and it doesn’t bother your conscience, please take advantage.
Saving on Lunches Bought at School:
- Many school lunches are based on a fixed base price, so unless they are really hungry, request that your child does not buy an extra entree or side. I had a young man at school buy 3 entrees and barely finish 1 1/2 of them.
- Many cafeterias still sell snack type items and even ice cream at lunch. At my school, a parent can actually block the child’s account for them to not purchase these items. I know it may seem mean, but many times the kids eat an ice cream bar and a cookie instead of their lunch. And they pay for it all.
- Pack an extra treat, even if they are buying school lunch. If you feel bad about your son or daughter not being able to buy extras, many schools will allow students to bring food into the cafeteria. (At least if you send the treat, you know what is in it, what you paid for it, and that your child likes it.)
Saving on Packed Lunches:
- Don’t buy individually wrapped items, unless they are free. It is usually cheaper to buy a whole bag of chips, pretzels, cookies, etc. than to buy individually wrapped ones. The same goes for fruit and veggies. Check out Snack Taxi’s or Lunch Skins to save on the price of plastice baggies and the waste.
- Use leftovers, if your child likes them. I can still picture one of my students this year loving every bite of some of her mom’s leftovers. Just be aware that many schools won’t allow students to reheat things.
- Don’t over pack. Send only what your child might normally eat at home. I can’t tell you how much food I see wasted every day, and most of it is the healthy stuff.
- Pack unconventionally. If you child hates sandwiches, don’t force them on him or her. Think about other sources of energy like healthy crackers, yogurt, fruit, nuts, etc.
- Invest in a good thermos that doesn’t leak. It will save a ton of money on drinks/juice boxes.
Are you a lunch packer? Or does your child eat school lunch? What are your tips for saving?
Do you have a Thrifty idea? Did you save a ton of money this week? Do you have a Thrifty deal you want to share?
If so, please leave a comment or link up below!
If possible, please leave a link back to Coupon Teacher so that we can all share ideas.
This is linked to Life as Mom and Madame Deals.
I disclose: There may be affiliate links in this post.
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Your posts are always so timely! I have been thinking a lot about this myself in recent weeks, trying to decide which costs more, the school lunch or packed.
I’ll have 5 kids having lunch at school this year. None of them are leftover eaters, unless at home.
I buy everything in bulk, but I still feel as though we fly through a lot of food. Maybe that’s just the way it is with 9 kids????:)
All of your suggestions are ‘right on’!
We definitely pack lunches and don’t buy from the cafeteria anymore. It’s a big money saver for us. It can be a challenge, however, to think of different foods so the kids don’t get tired of it. I’m still looking into ideas for creative lunches…. !
Also, my kids are in high school now and it’s not “cool” to bring a lunch bag so they use the brown bags (we double bag to make them sturdier). I’ve learned to freeze the yogurt so it stays cold throughout the morning and is not warm at lunch time.
Ha! Well, at least our posts are very different! You wrote from a teacher’s perspective and I wrote from a mom’s perspective.
Thanks for the linky Shelly.
When my children did attend Public school we would look at the monthly menu calendar and highlight the days when they would eat at school and then plan meals for the days that they wouldn’t. All of the pork meal and fast food days were crossed of because of our choice to eat healthy.
We did allow (1) cheese pizza day per month
)
On the day when they bought lunch I was always sure to make it nutritious and fun. We did a variety of wraps including cold chicken and salad and PB&J with bananas.
I was not a huge fan of the lunch choice because they are very unhealthy if left up to a young child to make the choices. If given the choice of fruit or cookie, they will most likely choose cookies. Between baked and fired chicken, they’ll probably choose fired. At least that was the case for my children. Packing lunch is more time consuming but it pays off because you know what your children are eating (if they actually eat it and not trade) and you are giving them what they need to have energy throughout the day.
Final note: My children’s teachers loved to give out candy for good behavior but I requested that she not give my children candy EVERYDAY! Instead she gave them stickers. They probably hated it but their teeth will thank me. PLUS..I don’t like sugar induced kids coming home at 3 p.m.
Shelly, how do you reward your students?
)
I mostly reward with praise when it is deserved. I try to do food or candy rewards less than once a week.
I don’t have school age kids yet but it is good to know that you can “block” kids from buying certain items! I know I always bought chocolate donuts for a snack. Not healthy at all!
I hope you can at your school too!
Thanks for the tips. My son will only eat cold lunch. I’m surfing the net for lunch ideas.
I did buy a pack of lunch trays from EasyLunchboxes.com recently. My husband and I are using them now and love them. Our lunches seem healthier and no more baggies. I plan to use them for my son’s school lunch.
Bonnie I was a big fan of the Bento style lunch’s like these (http://lunchinabox.net/page/90/) and these (http://bentolunch.blogspot.com/). If nothing else…you can get tons of ideas from sites like these.
I remember when my mom stopped giving my lunch money. Which forced me to take my lunch in middle school.
I would my lunch the night before, except for fruit, which I would prepare the morning of. I found tortias make great sandwiches! I remember people asking me what I was eating. I used a toothpick to hold the ends together.
I reused a water bottle to keep my food cold till lunch and then I had a drink for and after lunch.
I wasn’t a left over person. I was when I started working the night shift at a hotel my first year in college. Man I loved that job.
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