The days of June are flying by. If your kids are home on summer vacation, you may have heard the phrase “do we have anything to eat?” more than once already. As grocery store prices rise, your normal snacks may not be in the budget right now. These simple, cheap summer snacks will keep everyone full without breaking the bank.
Keep the Fridge Full of Water
Hydration is key in hot weather. And with busy kids heading to practice, camp, and more, you’ll need plenty of water to keep them healthy. Rather than purchasing water, you can save money by refilling reusable bottles and stocking the fridge. Not only will this mean when you’ll be ready at a moment’s notice, but your refrigerator runs more efficiently when 3/4 full (not overstuffed) so you’ll reduce your energy costs, too. And you’ll keep gunk from growing inside of water bottles put away when they’re not fully dry from the dishwasher.
Skip Prepackaged Snacks
Rather than purchasing prepackaged snacks, you can save money by making your own snack sizes in reusable containers. Think: cookies, veggies, chips, trail mix, granola. If you do have extra money to purchase prepackaged snacks, keep a close eye to unit price. You’re usually better off when you buy in bulk. And don’t feel guilty about buying prepackaged individual units when you need to. You’re still better off with those than hitting the drive through.
Check Out Amazon Subscribe & Save
I’ve found Amazon’s Subscribe & Save prices on some snacks to be really cost effective. Plus, the snacks arrive to me on a regular basis and I skip a trip to the store where I may see all sorts of things I don’t need tempting me to make a purchase. Speaking of Amazon, Prime Days will be here soon (July 12-13) and right now you can earn a FREE $10 credit when you fill out a Prime Stampcard. Learn more here. I thought at first it was for use on Prime Days, but I was able to use mine yesterday after filling it out. Who doesn’t love $10 free on Amazon Prime purchases?
Only Buy in Bulk When You Know You’ll Eat it All
Hitting your favorite warehouse store may seem like a great idea when it comes to summer snacks and buying in bulk can be an effective strategy when it comes to snacks. However, a few words of caution. 1) Only purchase those items you know you’ll use. There’s nothing worse than a variety pack that has one flavor your family won’t eat. Skip it. 2) Avoid purchasing items/flavors for the first time. Stick with the tried and true winners. 3) Avert your eyes when it comes to everything else in the store. It’s way too easy to walk about with too much.
Chop Veggies Immediately
Maybe it’s just me, but if I don’t spend some concerted effort chopping vegetables within a day of bringing them home from the grocery store, they go uneaten and eventually won’t be easily identifiable. Chopped veggies can be easily turned into both healthy convenient snacks, lunch box side dishes, and main courses like veggie wraps, salads, pizza toppings, pasta or fajita add-ins, quick and easy soup, and more. I prefer to buy my veggies from ALDI or Fresh Thyme to stretch my dollars even further. I almost always have carrots, sugar snap peas, cucumber, red/yellow pepper, onions, and mushrooms washed and chopped in the fridge. For more ideas, read How to Keep Fruits and Veggies Fresh For Longer.
I’d love to hear what you do to keep the kids fed without breaking the bank during the summer months! Leave a comment and let me know.
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This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal, learn about a way to save, or maybe even something for free, I may end up making a small commission. All prices are subject to change.
