Catch me tomorrow morning on WTHR Weekend Sunrise at 7:45 AM! Here’s a sneak peek of some of the money saving tips I’ll share.
If it hasn’t started already for you, chances are next week your little scholar will climb on the big yellow bus. It’s a crazy time of the year filled with unexpected expenses, readjusted sleep/wake schedules, and a new rhythm for a new season. To be intentional with every penny we spend, everyone in our family rocks the “brown bag.” Ok, so it’s rarely brown bag but you get the idea, we daily pack lunches to to maximize our dollars and eat healthfully. Check out these frugal tips for packing a lunch that your family will love.
1) Find Reliable Reusable Containers. From your box to the water bottle, you want to find a bag and reusable containers that will stand the test of time. Always check to see if they are dishwasher safe (many less expensive options are not) and that your children can open and close them with ease. Do a test run in the store aisles just to make sure. You also want to give any containers the once over to check if it looks like they might leak, too. If you haven’t purchased your lunch box or containers yet, fear not! It’s actually a great item to wait on purchasing so that you can pick it up in the clearance aisle a month or so after school begins. Odds are your child can begin the year with the last year’s lunch box and get a new one sometime in early September. Use a “middle of the road” theory when it comes to how much you pay for lunch boxes and the items that store foods. Skip the dollar section but stay out of the high end items, too. Cheap containers often fall apart after a few months and will need replaced. Stick with items that will last the whole year long without biting off more than you can chew financially.
2) Skip the Pre-Packaged Lunch Box Sized Items. If you purchase these items, you might get a minute or two of extra time but you’ll be paying over double the price per oz. With reusable containers or plastic bags, you can easily create your own pre-portioned sizes and save a bundle.
3) Spend Time Preparing Items on Sunday Evening. It’s easy to fall into a pattern of fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants morning rush lunch box preparations. Peel, cut, and bag carrots. Divide up your big bag of chips into smaller bags. You can even make your own PB&J sandwiches, remove the crust with a kitchen tool and then bag and freeze them (check out the links below for some of the sealers). Kids can even put together their own lunch box on busy mornings quickly & effectively. Require them to drop in 1 protein, 1 fruit, 1 veggie, & 1 treat. 30 minutes on a Sunday evening will buy you more time to drink coffee and get ready on a busy school weekday morning.
4) Go With a Reusable Bottle. Ditch the juice box and water bottle and invest in a bottle to be used throughout the entire year. You’ll recoup your upfront cost in about a week’s time and be offering a healthier alternative to soda, juice boxes, or sugary drinks. Even if you want to send something like lemonade or juice, you’ll save plenty by using your own bottle. Again, be sure to have your little ones try to open and close the bottle on their own to make sure it won’t end up being a soppy mess in their backpack at the end of the day.
5) Add Inspiration! Whether it’s “I love you” on a post-it note, a free printable quote or joke, or an index card, your kids and spouse will appreciate the extra thought and honestly it doesn’t have to cost you a dime. You can even write a special message on their napkin. 🙂 After all, the greatest investment you can make on this planet is in the lives of others.
Whether it’s leftovers from the night before, classics like PB&J, homemade popcorn, or your best chocolate chip cookies, taking your lunch on a regular basis can make you very wealthy – provided that you do something with the money you save.
Here are some of the great lunchbox items I found on Amazon that might help you!
- Wonder Sandwich Sealer N Decruster $4.23
- The Pampered Chef Cut N Seal $18.77
- Kotobuki Panda Sandwich Mold, Green Clover
$12.37
- Thermos Tritan Hydration Bottle, Superman Man of Steel, 12-Ounce
$9.99
- EasyLunchboxes Insulated Lunch Box Cooler Bag, Black
$7.95
- Fit & Fresh Kid’s Smart Portion Chill Container, Assorted, 2 Cup
$3.99
- Zak! Disney Toy Story Sammy Sak (Sandwich Sack)
$4.49
- Indianapolis Colts NFL Football Big Logo Velcro Close Lunch Bag
$11.55
- Thermos Novelty Lunch Kit, Star Wars R2D2 with Lights and Sound
$10.07
- LEGO Mini Box 4, Black
$4.99
- LEGO Drinking Bottle, Blue
$14.99 (Cheaper options in other colors)
- Smart Planet EC-34 Large 3-Compartment Eco Silicone Collapsible Lunch Box, Green
$11.54
How do you keep lunches affordable, healthy, & something your family will love?
This post contains affiliate links. So while you get a great deal on Amazon or a deal site, you also help the Royal Family begin the debt slaying journey of paying off their mortgage. And for that, we royally thank you!
