Saving Money on Your Children’s Lunches
>> May 8, 2012
Paying
for lunch for your children can be expensive and packing them each day can be
time consuming and costly as well. So what are some ways you can save money on
lunches? It can be as simple as what you put in your kid’s drink bottles to planning ahead
for the school week.
● Avoid buying pre-packaged snacks
such as bars and biscuits. They can be expensive – especially when you buy them
regularly – and are usually not as healthy as other lunchbox options.
● Look for sales at the supermarket to
save money and take advantage of any coupons or vouchers you come across.
● Buy food in bulk. It will work out
cheaper if you buy bigger amounts of food or other items when they are on
special. You can even pool your money with other families to make it cheaper.
● Plan ahead. Know what you are going
to give the kids in their lunchbox before the school week starts. It will save
you from rushing at the last minute, which means you won’t be making the most
economical lunch.
● Take advantage of fruit and
vegetables that are in season. Not only will they be fresher but they will be
at their cheapest.
● Cook in bulk. That means you can
cook up a large batch of lunchbox fillers or lunches on the weekend or on a
school night and then divide it up into small containers. Hot food, such as
soup, can be taken to school in a thermos.
● Avoid the school tuck shop. Buying
your lunch every day from the school canteen is not cost effective.
● Don’t send packaged fruit juices or
soft drinks to school. They are expensive and often contain a lot of sugar.
Water is best – fill their drink bottles up the night before and
either put them in the fridge or freezer so they have a better chance of
staying cool throughout the school day.
● Use the leftovers from dinner in
lunches. Leftover roast chicken will be great in sandwiches the next day.
● Pack lunches in a lunchbox or
reusable container. It will save you from having to use paper or plastic bags,
which can add up in cost. It is also better for the environment.
● The same goes for utensils. Rather
than buying disposable knives, forks and spoons, buy cheap metal utensils that
can be brought home and washed each day.
● Most kids love their cute single
service sizes of yoghurt and custard, the ones that usually have a favourite
movie or cartoon character on them. To save money, buy a big tub of yoghurt or
custard and use small plastic containers to make your own delicious single
serves.
● Bake your own cakes and cookies.
Even if you make it from a pre-packed mix, it will work out far cheaper than
buying them already made from the shop.
● Buy a large block of cheese and cut
it into cubes for your child’s lunch rather than buying pre-packaged cheese
sticks.
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