Back to school savings: Part 3
Last week we looked at how to save money on uniforms and stationery.
This week we look at ways to cut costs when it comes to lunches and snacks.
Lunchbox supplies
It’s easy to spend a small fortune on lunchbox supplies. Here are our money saving tips:
Avoid the branded lunch bags for a quality plain insulated bag instead. When cleaned and maintained, they can last much longer (potentially years) and often have more flexibility for holding different types of containers.
Ditch the disposable plastic wrap and have a stash of reusable containers and bottles instead. You don’t have to buy expensive drinkers, branded Tupperware or bento-style lunchboxes - reused takeaway containers can work just as well.
As with uniforms, make sure you label everything to avoid the dreaded lost property dive.
Food options
When it comes to lunches and snacks, it can be a great opportunity to get the kids involved.
Meal plan for the week, month or even term if you’re really keen. This has a number of benefits:
If the kids are involved in deciding what’s in their lunchboxes, then hopefully they’ll be more likely to eat it and this will help cut down on waste.
Having a plan in advance can form the basis of a shopping list as well as take the stress out of the lunchbox packing routine
If everyone knows what’s going in the lunchboxes each day, then everyone can be involved in packing them
Re-purpose dinner leftovers for lunchtime meals. Serve cold or reheat and use a food flask to keep them hot.
Choose seasonal fruit and vegetables for snacks.
When buying packaged foods, you’ll usually save by buying larger bulk packs instead of the packet/snack sizes, especially the ones marketed for lunch boxes. As a rule, the unit price is usually much higher the smaller the packet. For example, you could buy a large bag of popcorn for the week and use it to fill a smaller reusable container for each day. Buying popping corn seeds and making popcorn yourself works out even more cost effective. Likewise, a large tub of yoghurt split into smaller serves works out cheaper than snack-sized tubs.
Find some recipes the kids love, have a big cook-up, and store (pantry/fridge/freezer) for the week ahead. This can work really well for after-school snacks as well.
Use an ice pack or freezer block during warmer months to keep the food cooler and fresher. Alternatively, you could use a frozen yoghurt, fruit juice/slushie or drink bottle.
If your school has a canteen, keep visits as a treat or incentive to do extra jobs at home to earn spending money.Some schools will even allow students to help in the canteen to earn credit.