School lunches

Let's talk school lunches.  While sometimes purchasing hot lunches are more convenient they can add up. We've done both hot and cold lunches over the years.  I am not against hot lunches, if you are able to do them go for it.  Or if you qualify for free/reduced lunch then that is more affordable.  However, if you are the in-between and are paying for hot lunches at full price, but want to try and save a little this post is for you. 

     This post includes affiliate links, which means if you click on the link I get a portion of any sales at NO COST to you.  See my disclosure page for more details. 

Recently, we've tried to budget our lunches more and therefore have limited our girls' hot lunches.  So of course, that means that I needed to start thinking about cold lunch ideas.  With subbing, I wanted ones that are quick and easy to make, preferably the night before and with one kiddo gluten free, I needed to make sure that was considered as well.  

Now, I will say, as I stated in the beginning, getting hot lunch is a convenience you pay for, so the times I am subbing long term, we may let there be more hot lunch options.  But otherwise, we will do cold as much as possible. Here are a list of some of our favorite cold meal options that do save money. 

There are a lot of different options when it comes to fruit and veggies.  I do try and use the fruits and veggies that are in season because they are more affordable. 

Fruits: apple slices, applesauce, grapes or mandarin oranges 

Veggies: carrots, celery, frozen peas, green beans (from the garden) or cucumbers 

*Also, for the cheese sticks we don't buy prepackaged cheese sticks, but instead we buy a large block of cheese and cut it up into smaller cheese sticks.  You can check out that post her: Homemade Cheese Sticks. 

1. boiled eggs  + cheese stick* + veggie + fruit 
2. tuna salad on crackers + veggie + fruit 
3. peanut butter cracker sandwiches+ cheese stick* + fruit + veggie 
4. peanut butter on celery + cheese stick* + fruit 
5. peanut butter + jelly sandwich + veggies + cheese stick 

How do I know these are not as expensive as a hot lunch.  Well let's break it down. Bare with me we are going to do some math.  Our current school lunches are around $2.50 so let's see what each cold lunch I've planned adds up to.  Now, I will say prices can vary, especially with the fruits and veggies, but if you shop the sales + what's in season that makes a big difference. The following are Walmart prices because that's what we have close at the moment.  Another way to save, would be if you have a Sams Club or Costco nearby, because some of the things you can get in bulk and then it's cheaper. 

Option 1: boiled eggs + cheese stick + veggie & fruit 

1. eggs = $7.47/60 eggs = .12cents/egg 
2. cheese stick = $7.32/32oz = .25cents/cheese stick 
3. carrots $1.24/1lb bag = .25cents/serving 
4. applesauce $3.52/48oz = .32cents/serving 

SO, if you were to take the first lunch meal your total would be .94 cents.  IF you were to double your egg and cheese stick, it would still only be $1.31. This is also with regular prices of carrots and applesauce, just think if you were to stock up on applesauce when it was on sale. With that, we don't buy the individual applesauce cups/pouches.  Those cost more.  We buy the big applesauce container and pour out in a small cup for the lunch boxes.  You can do this ahead of time the night before, or if you have enough containers and fridge space, you can make ahead what you would need for the week.  Then it's just grab and go in the morning.  Here are some more prices for the rest.  I would encourage you to mix and match your options, but add up the individual prices to make sure.  

1. crackers = $3.88/120 = .03cents/cracker = .26cents/4 sandwiches or .32cents/5 sandwiches 
2. tuna salad = $3.52/4 pack = .44cents/serving (1 day's lunch) 
3. peanut butter = $5.92/40oz = .17cents/serving (1 day's lunch) 
4. bread = $1.78/20 slices = .09cents/slice = .18 cents/sandwich 
5. jelly = $2.92/17oz = .12cents/serving 
6. apple slices = $5.28/3lbs = .66cents/apple = .33cents/serving 
7. grapes = $3.78/bag = .38cents/serving 
8. mandarin oranges 
9. celery = $1.34/stalk (about 8 slices/stalk) = .17cents/slice (2 slices for each serving) 
10. frozen peas $2.28/2lb bag = .21cents/serving 
11. cucumbers $1.97/bag = .28cents/serving 
12. green beans + free from garden 

Using the more expensive fruit and veggie option here are what the totals could be:  

Option 2: tuna on crackers + veggie & fruit 

    

    tuna crackers .76 cents/5 sandwiches + apple slices .33cents + cucumbers .28cents = $1.37 

    tuna crackers .76 cents/5 sandwiches + grapes .38cents + cucumbers .28cents = $1.42 

Option 3: peanut butter on crackers +cheese stick + veggie and fruit 

    peanut butter sandwiches .49cents/5 sandwiches + cheese stick .25cents + grapes .38cents + cucumbers .28cents = $1.40 

Option 4: peanut butter on celery + cheese stick & fruit 

    peanut butter on celery .52cents + cheese stick .25cents + applesauce .32cents = $1.09 

Option 5: peanut butter and jelly sandwich + veggies & cheese stick 

    peanut butter sandwich .47cents + cucumbers .28cents + cheese stick .25cents = $1.00 

Now let's talk drinks.  If you can find a water bottle that will fit in your child's lunch box, that is the best and most affordable option.  However, if you can't there are options for drinks that still will keep your lunch more affordable.  

1. Orange juice packs $4.46/6pk = .74cents/bottle 

2. Apple juice packs $3.96/6pk = .66cents/bottle 

3. Milk at school .35cents 

So one last adding. Again I'm taking the most expensive of each item so there will be times that it will be less.  I also wouldn't plan orange juice for each one, but would rather make sure water or milk were their first options, with the orange juice and apple juice here and there.  But, I wanted to show you how even with the more expensive drinks, the whole lunch is still cheaper.  Some buy 15 cents others more.  

Option 1: boiled egg(2) + cheese stick + veggie + fruit + orange juice = $1.80 

Option 2: tuna on crackers(5 sandwiches) + grapes + cucumbers + orange juice = $2.16

Option 3: peanut butter on crackers + cheese stick + grapes + cucumbers + orange juice = $2.14 

Option 4: peanut butter on celery + cheese stick + applesauce + orange juice = $1.83

Option 5: peanut butter sandwich + cucumbers + cheese stick + orange juice = $1.74 

With that, if you wanted to toss in a homemade cookie here and there, you'd be able to and still stay in budget.  

That was a lot, I hope it gives you some help if you are trying to save some money this school year.  It's definitely something that takes a lot of time to organize, but if you get most of the items ready ahead of time, it won't take long afterwards.  For example with the cheese sticks, we've made them so much now I'm in a rhythm of cutting up the block within the first day or two of buying it from the store.  Then I freeze most of them and have them ready when needed. Pick a couple things to start and do a couple cold lunches if you can, then add more in as you're able. 

Also, don't forget, even if you do hot lunch here and there, the times you are making cold lunches saves you and that adds up over time.  

One more thing before I finish.  Anything you can do ahead of time to help the morning be more efficient the better.  As I said with the apple sauce, if you can make them ahead for the week, then you or your kiddo can just grab one and go. Check out the amazon link below with great options.  

You can also do this with the cheese sticks, throw in what you'll need for the week in the fridge and then they can grab in the morning.  Make a menu for the cold lunches for the week so everyone knows what they are having.  The veggies, fruit, eggs and cheese sticks can all be ready to go for the week.  A little bit more time in prepping saves those busy mornings. 

Don't forget to check out the links below: 

1. The first link are the cups we have and I really like them. We had bought the lunch box containers that they came with and so  they fit in our lunch box well. 

2. The 2nd option I haven't tried yet, but when I was looking at buying more containers this one stood out. I like how they are stackable.  I also like how I could get three different colors, so each of my girls could have a color and know what one to grab in the morning. AND, I could use them for fruit, veggies, the boiled egg and maybe even the crackers with pb.  

3. This option would be nice to pair with one of the other two above options.  Then you have a space for the large meal (sandwich, crackers, etc) and two smaller containers for the veggies, cheese stick or eggs. 

 

Teacher Gifts (Back to School edition)

 School is almost here, what a great time to show those teachers we are so blessed to have them in our kiddos lives.  Gifts don't have to be elaborate or cost a lot, actually most schools don't want gifts for teachers due to maybe leading to favoritism and such.  So with that homemade gifts are really best.  

Here are a few ideas for some homemade beginning of the school year teacher gifts. 

1. Potted plant 

If you've started to have more plants, then you know they often have babies that you need to find homes for.  What better home than in a classroom.  

2. Homemade canned goods 

If you have a garden and can your own produce this is a great homemade gift. Pickles are a favorite of ours to give. Or give a small basket of some of your freshly picked tomatoes, beans, squash etc. 

3. Name plates  

There are so many fun craft ideas out there for your teacher's  name.  I recently, saw one of scrabble letters glued to a scrabble plate that spelled the teacher's name. 

4. Supplies 

How often do teacher's donate their own money to extra supplies for their classroom.  If you followed my last post on ways to save on school supplies (you can check it out here) then you already have some extra supplies on hand.  Make a small package that includes: a folder, a notebook, glue bottle and a box of crayons to give to your child's teacher.  This gift can be a double gift; helping out a student who many not be able to get supplies and the teacher who already supplies a lot of the materials in the classroom.  

5. Flowers

This is one I've mentioned before for Teacher Appreciation week, you can can view that post here with more ideas. But back to flowers, using the flowers from your new flower garden, you can pick a free bouquet to give to your child's teacher. 

These are just a few ideas to get you started.  What are some ways you show your child's teacher you are happy to have them as their teacher this year? 

Back to School!

 

It's back to school time! Time to get all those school supplies ready!  Ok, I have always enjoyed back to school shopping; all through my school years, and as a teacher and even still today.  But, there are many ways to save during school supply shopping time.  Here are just a few ways we save each school year. 

1. Check what we have first 

Every year we go through our box of school supplies that we had from the year before. Yes, we have a box, and after this post you are going to want to start a box too! It's really simple, find a small box and a space where you can keep it.  This will be used for all the extra school supplies I'll talk about later.  So, anyways we check the box to see what we already have that we don't need to buy more of.  For example, erasers, pencils, glue sticks.  

2. Make a list for each kiddo of what they need from their school list (after you've checked off what you already have) 

This is key! Either mark off on their actual list what you already have OR make a new list.  Otherwise when you get to the store, theY are going to want said item you already have or you are going to forget and buy more than you need of something that won't last, you know the fun folders or something like that. Believe me, I've been there! 

3. Buy extra 

Ok, now's the time to buy extra.  Think about the whole year, our teachers always put an extra folder on the list and I add at least one more.  I know one of my kiddos, she is hard on her school supplies.  These weeks when they are on sale is the time to buy them, otherwise mid year I'm going to need to replace a folder at full price! What!? No thank you.  So buy extra, whatever they don't take to school goes in the supply box, when they need more you go there first. At the end of the year whatever you didn't use, save for the next year.  Prices usually go up a bit each year, as we've seen these last couple of years, and guess what buying extra the year before saved you having to pay that increase!! It does add up! 

Some things we buy extra of: 

• notebooks
• folders 
• glue bottles
• glue sticks 
• erasers (I buy the big pack and split it up, then buy another pack for extra)
• pencils   
• pens 
• lined paper 

So as you are preparing to get those school supplies.  Remember to think ahead: 

1. Retake stock of what you have

2. Make a List 

3. Stock-up! 

Happy school shopping!