We usually send some sort of san., either pb&j, ham, bologna/cheese, yogurt or prepacked pudding, a capri sun, sometimes fruit or cheese crackers. We aren't necessarily doing this to be frugal, my dd just hates school lunch. I can't say I blame her, it's the same menu every month just mixed around a different way. Her school lunch is $1.50 milk included. My question is; I've heard it's cheaper to send lunch from home, but has anyone ever set down and figured up what your actually spending on the lunches from home. I've thought about doing it myself, but I've never actually set down and done it.

My DD loves cream cheese with jelly rolled up in a pita/tortilla. Also, Hummus with veggies to dip or you could spread that on a pita as well, with some apple slices.

My DS school lunch is $1.60/day. He eats on days he likes the food and takes his lunch other days. I can easily pack a lunch for him for less than $1 but it TOTALLY depends on how much prepackaged food/drinks you include. We do all of the above ideas - buying big container of pretzels, chips, canned fruit, applesause and then transferring to single serving sizes for lunches. I also take my lunch to work most of the time so I pack the same kind of stuff for me! We also use his thermos for milk or juice instead of using juice boxes or other single serving drinks which are VERY expensive. Last year we were on reduced price lunches so it was cheaper for him to eat lunch at school but he still took one a lot because he's a more picky eater.

Anyway - back to the original question - other ideas my DS likes not listed above include:

cheese sandwich
animal crackers
cheese/crackers
jello
carrots/other cut up veggies
fresh fruit (most expensive thing I put in lunches but worth it nutritionally!)
dry cereal - my DS likes cereal but not ever with milk

__________________
Better to give your kids the values you have
than the valuables you can't afford.

I have to confess, if it was an option for us to buy lunch for $1.50 a kid, I would do it just to save myself the trouble. Here in Canada we don't have cafeterias in grade schools (only for grades 9-12) so all kids have to pack their lunches.

__________________

My son is only in preschool, but I will have to remember all these ideas. Myabe this should be in another thread and I know some people have already answered this. But, I am wondering why everyone sends lunch. Is it because it is cheaper, or your kids don't eat the lunch, or the lunch is not nutritious? I know I have a long time to worry about this, but my biggest concern is how processed school lunches are.

My kids like a cheese melted in a tortilla, english muffin pizzas, and pbj. Will your child eat cream cheese and jelly? I know a lot of people think it is gross but I like it!:D I buy all my bread only at our Entennmann's outlet store, and even then only when it is black lined, buy one get one, or otherwise reduced. I get any kind of flavor bread, hoagie rolls, hot dog/hamburger buns, mini bagels, english muffins, whatever is cheapest that day. Then I can kind of keep it interesting for the kids b/c they always get a different bread even if the filling is the same.

I used to send the parmalat milk boxes but it got too expensive. I got really lucky with a pack of 35!!! Juicy Juice 100% juiceboxes coupons that are for a FREE pack. So I have not paid for juiceboxes all year. YAY!:D

I did calculate the cost of home vs school lunches and I figured that I spend 0.65 on each child's lunch each day. DS1 school lunch charges $1.75 and DS2 preschool charges $3.00 per day for lunch. I still occasionally buy prepackaged snacks but only when they are super cheap and with coupons. Usually I give sandwich, piece of fruit, cookie or dry cereal, and some wheat thins/triscuits/pretzels (store brands, dollar store).

HTH

our schools here are all nut free. its a pain in the butt, but oh well. i send cheese sandwiches, honey sandwiches, cold pizza(dd loves it), hard boiled eggs, pudding, homemade granola bars (i have a great recipe if anyone wants it), cheese and crackers, or bnreadsticks, homemade cookies, i will also roll up a slice of ham in a tortilla shell and send that with her. also i will put chips into a baggie for her, or any type of that sort of thing. the fruit breakfast bars are relatively cheap as well.dd absolutely loves pancake sandwiches, i will take 2 leftover pancakes and put jam or honey on one side and just sandwich it together with the other pancake. she loves them!! veggies and dip, yogurt. apples with chocolate sauce. thats all i have rightnow for ideas. i will post more when i think of em.

__________________
Kimberley

"there is nothing to worry about, just plenty to think about" from an episode of Extreme Makeover House edition

check out my blog:
http://mommysavers.com/boards/journa...owjournal&j=21

We usually pack a pb&j, a piece of fruit and a cheesestick or gogurt. I'm kind of surprised to see how inexpensive everyone's school lunches are! Ours is $2.25!!! She usually takes lunch but they have pizza and ice cream on Friday's so that's usually her day to eat at school...unless I'm running behind in the morning! :D

__________________
Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you. ~Oscar Wilde

The school my kids go to do not have a full kitchen, so the options are like fast food...hot dogs..corn dogs, etc. I send our left-overs, cold chicken, cold pizza, soup in thermos. I send sandwiches, but husband and kids like when I send it with lettuce they can add. For snacks I send in ziplock bags, I buy 50 for $1 at Dollar General or Dollar Tree, and in these I put crackers, chips, etc. When I send fresh fruit I put lemon juice on the apples to help keep them fresh. My son calls them sour apples. Sometimes I will send Go-gurt. For drinks mainly send water. For a treat I let them buy lunch when it is more homecooked like lasagna or spagetti, but only offered every once in a while. They like the Gardettos. ALso for snacks, breakfast bars. The really like Texas Toast with their meals. They like beef jerky or slim jims. If we go out to eat, I send the left-overs to school. My husband is a teacher at their school, so they can put their lunches in the warmer, so I have a few more options. I find they function better on real food, that I have cooked. I also try to make sure they all get breakfast at home. When they are in a rush, fruit and juice for breakfast. My youngest son makes himself oatmeal for breakfast. I will have to think of sending cereal for lunch. They would enjoy that, might make a mess. I am still trying to look for better food items.

This isn't a food suggestion but how about using Tupperware or the other plastic products to send to school with their food in them. I was going through tons of baggies until I realized I might as well use the hard plastic. I put their name on the bottom and knock on wood haven't had a single problem with lost pieces.

__________________
~ Jessica