Flag as not acceptable?
We review flagged content and enforce our Terms of Use, in which content must never be:
- Profane or sexually explicit
- Disrespectful or abusive
- Infringing of copyright
- Daughters: Ages 34 & 32
- Grandsons: Ages 2, 2 & 17 months
- Work at home
- Group Leader
- Money-smart lunchbox ideas!
-
When I walk up and down the snack food isles of the local warehouse store, I am amazed at how high the unit price is compared to what it would cost to make the same item from scratch. Being budget-minded, I make everything I possibly can, instead of purchasing it. We make bread, desserts, crackers, puddings, granola bars and just about anything else that can be prepared at home and would be suitable for a lunchbox. The first day of school everyone is getting tuna sandwiches, sweet potato chips (if they don't eat them all beforehand), homemade pickles and fruit smoothies. Each lunch should cost under $1.00 if I've planned correctly.
What types of money smart lunchbox foods will you be packing this year? Let's share our recipes and ideas!
Not acceptable?
-
Go Green! Eat Lean! Live Clean! - Belle
-
- Not acceptable?
Showing
1-10 of 15
Replies to This Topic (15)
- Sort by:
- Newest first
- Newest last
- Daughters: Ages 34 & 32
- Grandsons: Ages 2, 2 & 17 months
- Work at home
- Group Leader
- FamilyHost_Annabelle - September 04, 2009
-
Ive never froze muffins but you can slice them thin and make muffin biscotti bake them to make them crunchy and dip half in dark chocolate or use them in a sweet bread pudding just add raisins or apricots
- By willnjenpeasncarrots
-
Those sound like yummy ideas! Thank you for sharing them with us. :)
I'm going to try the biscotti idea shortly! I have one apple cinnamon muffin and I also have about an ounce of white chocolate chips and a few walnuts, which I think will go together nicely.
Not acceptable?
-
Go Green! Eat Lean! Live Clean! - Belle
-
- Not acceptable?
- Sons: Ages 9 & 5
- Stay at home
- willnjenpeasncarrots - September 02, 2009
-
Ive never froze muffins but you can slice them thin and make muffin biscotti bake them to make them crunchy and dip half in dark chocolate or use them in a sweet bread pudding just add raisins or apricots
Not acceptable?
-
"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most"
-
- Not acceptable?
Show Replies
(1)
- Daughters: Ages 34 & 32
- Grandsons: Ages 2, 2 & 17 months
- Work at home
- Group Leader
- FamilyHost_Annabelle - September 02, 2009
-
Once the weather cools down, I'll do a baking day once in a while, too. I like to make mini muffins to pack in my son's lunch and to pack for me and the toddlers as we're about town (saves money over stopping at a coffee shop or wherever). I also save money on my son's lunch by being really boring--he eats the same thing all the time! He doesn't mind. We do tuna one day, sandwiches most of the time, sometimes crackers and hummus for a change. I use fruit that's in season, plus for "dessert" I give him fruit snacks or whatever junk food I get cheap/free with coupons.
- By CouponsCoach
-
My granddaughter just packed her lunch for the first day of school. She has hummus and tabouli with flatbread, homemade cinnamon apples/pear sauce, celery with peanut butter and sunflower seeds, and chocolate milk. She's a vegetarian and is always looking for new ideas for lunch. She doesn't know it yet, but I just made a batch of meatless taco dip (I used TVP instead of ground beef) which she'll have tomorrow with homemade tortilla chips. She loves it! Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
2 cups of beef-style TVP
1 can refried beans
8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 pint sour cream
2 cups salsa
1 large tomato, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
8 scallions, chopped
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 cups shredded cheddar cheeseDirections
In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning, TVP and refried beans. Spread into a serving dish (we use a trifle bowl). Mix the sour cream and cream cheese together and spread over the refried beans. Add salsa and place a layer of tomato, green bell pepper, scallions and lettuce over the salsa. Top with cheddar cheese and garnish with black olives.
Not acceptable?
-
Go Green! Eat Lean! Live Clean! - Belle
-
- Not acceptable?
- Son: Age 6
- Daughters: Ages 3 & 3
- Stay at home
- CouponsCoach - August 31, 2009
-
Once the weather cools down, I'll do a baking day once in a while, too. I like to make mini muffins to pack in my son's lunch and to pack for me and the toddlers as we're about town (saves money over stopping at a coffee shop or wherever). I also save money on my son's lunch by being really boring--he eats the same thing all the time! He doesn't mind. We do tuna one day, sandwiches most of the time, sometimes crackers and hummus for a change. I use fruit that's in season, plus for "dessert" I give him fruit snacks or whatever junk food I get cheap/free with coupons.
Not acceptable?
-
Join me in the Coupon Clippers group to learn how to save big!
-
- Not acceptable?
Show Replies
(1)
- Daughters: Ages 34 & 32
- Grandsons: Ages 2, 2 & 17 months
- Work at home
- Group Leader
- FamilyHost_Annabelle - August 31, 2009
-
How can you tell which main dish recipes are going to freeze well before you make them and freeze them?
- By kayceecat
-
I know that some things freeze well and some done. Cream sauces don't do well, but most grains, proteins and cooked veggies do. For example, meatloaf, tomato sauce, lasagna and taco mixture (cooked ground beef, onions spices) do very well in the freezer. Creamed onions and beef stroganoff don't do that well because the sauce separates and gets watery. There's a way to keep it smooth, but it involved standing there and stirring as it thaws. I'd rather make a fresh batch.
I'll see if I can dig up some recipes and instructions.
Not acceptable?
-
Go Green! Eat Lean! Live Clean! - Belle
-
- Not acceptable?
- Work part-time outside home
- kayceecat - August 30, 2009
-
It used to take me days to get it all done, but with practice, after a few of years of doing this, I can get all the baking done for the week in less than three hours, plus I can do other things while the baked goods are cooking. Another thing that's related to this is that we do once a month cooking and keep meals in the freezer. We save a lot of money that way. We seldom do once a month cooking in the summer though, because it's too hot to cook (no air conditioning). We usually grill outdoors. :)
- By FamilyHost_Annabelle
-
How can you tell which main dish recipes are going to freeze well before you make them and freeze them?
Not acceptable?
Show Replies
(1)
- Giggles_all_day - August 29, 2009
-
It used to take me days to get it all done, but with practice, after a few of years of doing this, I can get all the baking done for the week in less than three hours, plus I can do other things while the baked goods are cooking. Another thing that's related to this is that we do once a month cooking and keep meals in the freezer. We save a lot of money that way. We seldom do once a month cooking in the summer though, because it's too hot to cook (no air conditioning). We usually grill outdoors. :)
- By FamilyHost_Annabelle
-
I guess I just need to get started! I used to take Saturdays and cook for the week ahead. It sure was nice not to have to worry about what to cook and how to make time to cook! You got me motivated, thank you! :)
Not acceptable?
- Daughters: Ages 34 & 32
- Grandsons: Ages 2, 2 & 17 months
- Work at home
- Group Leader
- FamilyHost_Annabelle - August 29, 2009
-
Every Friday my mom would pack my favorite lunch. It was homemade pumpkin bread with chunky peanut butter and chocolate chips, apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon, and carrot "sandwiches" (take two thinly sliced carrot circles, put a dab of mustard on each one, and add a little circle of cheese, stacked to make a tiny sandwich). If I made that today, it would probably cost around $1. I still love making carrot sandwiches for a snack. No cooking!
- By Mom2SammyW
-
That sounds like a delicious and nutritious lunch. The cheesy carrot sandwiches is a cute idea! Thanks for sharing. :)
Not acceptable?
-
Go Green! Eat Lean! Live Clean! - Belle
-
- Not acceptable?
- Sons: Ages 3 & 5 months
- Work at home
- Mom2SammyW - August 29, 2009
-
Every Friday my mom would pack my favorite lunch. It was homemade pumpkin bread with chunky peanut butter and chocolate chips, apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon, and carrot "sandwiches" (take two thinly sliced carrot circles, put a dab of mustard on each one, and add a little circle of cheese, stacked to make a tiny sandwich). If I made that today, it would probably cost around $1. I still love making carrot sandwiches for a snack. No cooking!
Not acceptable?
-
Carpe Nap!
-
- Not acceptable?
Show Replies
(1)
- Daughters: Ages 34 & 32
- Grandsons: Ages 2, 2 & 17 months
- Work at home
- Group Leader
- FamilyHost_Annabelle - August 28, 2009
-
That sounds really good, makes me hungry right now!!!
- By BroncosDad
-
Frozen grapes are yummy. They're like jelly beans but without the damage.
Not acceptable?
-
Go Green! Eat Lean! Live Clean! - Belle
-
- Not acceptable?
