11+ Frugal Ideas for School Lunches Kids Will Actually Eat

Summer is coming to an end and school is about to start. That of course means it’s time to get back into a school year routine. Part of that routine in many households is packing school lunches. Ideas for school lunches are endlessly available, but I’ve gathered a few favorites here. Plus I’m sharing some tips to help you make the most of lunchtime and your budget!

Packed lunches are a great option when your child isn’t too fond of what the school has to offer or you want a little more control over what your child is eating. Of course, sometimes, the more frugal option is to pay for lunch at school, but that’s not always the case or the healthiest option.

Obviously, if your child has dietary restrictions or food allergies, packing lunches might be a must. Naturally, packing a lunch allows you to include healthy foods your child will actually eat. But, it doesn’t have to cost any more than what you would be paying for lunch at school. 

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What should kids eat for school lunch?

Packing a lunch every day doesn’t do any good if your child doesn’t eat it or ends up trading most of it away for junk food. It’s certainly not good for the budget, either, if your kid is just trading away all the foods you’ve so carefully purchased. The key, then, is to find things that your child loves and enjoys eating. It’s all about the balance, right?

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1. The best place to start is to get your child involved. Depending on the age of your kids, you could even put them in charge of making their own lunches. Not only do you know that they’ll pack something they will eat, being in charge of packing lunch will teach them responsibility.

Get in the habit of making lunches together the night before. Over time you can give the kids more and more responsibility for their lunches. This alone will help make sure they eat what they’ve packed. After all, it’s the lunch they made. Along the way you’re teaching them independence and important life skills. 

As they get older, you could even include them in the buying process, too. Start teaching those life skills early and before you know it, you’ll have capable, self-sufficient adults.

How do you pack a balanced school lunch?

Of course you want to encourage your kids to pack and eat healthy foods. Insisting on all healthy, organic food options all the time may not be your best strategy though. Strike a balance and make compromises. If your kids pack and eat a healthy wrap or salad for example, let them have some cookies for dessert.

2. Teach them to make good choices, but don’t freak out if they decide to pack some Cheetos or a pack of Oreo cookies. Your goal is to get them to eat fairly healthy and make smart food choices, not restrict all access to junk food, causing them to trade with friends for forbidden Twinkies.

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Teaching them to make smart food choices for themselves will have a lasting impact that simply controlling their choices won’t have. Talk to your kids about the nutritional benefits of healthier foods, of course, but allow them to choose on their own, too. Otherwise, they’ll end up getting the unhealthy foods from somewhere else anyway. By giving them the option at home, you can have a little bit more say and teach them the differences between healthy/unhealthy as they’re choosing. We’re in this for the long haul, folks.

How to pack a school lunch?

3. A good way to organize school lunch items, give the kids control, and encourage a healthy balance of foods, is to create bins or baskets of different categories of choices. Then, set a number of items the kids can grab from each category.

By allowing them to choose their own foods, you’re giving them control over their lunch and promoting their independence. But, you’re also allowing for some more unhealthy choices while setting the example that healthier options are the better choice. It’s kind of a win-win.

Plus, setting limits and boundaries around what they can choose will help you save money. Prepackaged items or non-perishable items bought in bulk are great, budget-friendly option to put in the bins or baskets we talked about earlier. For the bulk items, use small, reusable containers with lids that can be used over and over again.

Frugal school lunch ideas

I have yet to meet a child that doesn’t love lunchables. But have you looked at the price of those found at the grocery store lately? Plus I’m not the biggest fan of the food options.

4. Save a ton of money by making your own version instead with fresh ingredients and food you know your child will eat. Start with some sandwich meat and cheese cut into bite-sized pieces. Add some fresh raw veggies like sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and baby carrots. Throw in some fresh or dried fruit and you have a delicious, healthy, homemade version that actually won’t break the bank. 

5. Of course you can turn any of your child’s favorite snack foods including popcorn, trail mix, crackers, cheese, fruits and veggies and the likes into lunch. Grab a container with lots of little dividers (bento boxes are perfect) and fill them up with kid-friendly favorites. Here’s a long list of great ideas for school lunches kids will actually eat that also won’t break the bank.

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Much like your typical grocery shopping, the best frugal ideas for school lunches involves buying in bulk. Try to buy snack items and other non-perishable foods in bulk to save money. Shop the fresh produce items based on what’s in season and be sure to watch for sales or clearance items, also. Typical school lunch foods will likely go on sale during the back to school season, so try to stock up on your kids’ favorites while you can.

6. Make ahead. Again, similar to traditional grocery shopping for at home meals, you can make many of the pre-made items you see in the store for much cheaper. Sandwiches, burritos, pancakes or waffles, muffins, granola bars, etc. They can all be made at home much cheaper than you can buy them in store.

However, remember that frugality is all about making your money work for you. So be sure to consider the convenience or packaging when considering cost. The best ideas for school lunches are those you actually have time to make. Sometimes, it’s just not worth it to take the extra time to make things yourself and that’s perfectly okay.

How can I make my kids lunch more fun?

Go beyond the sandwich and mix it up with different lunch foods. When you think about different ideas for school lunches, PB&J or ham and cheese sandwiches probably come to mind. While sandwiches certainly make for a nice school lunch, they are not your only option. Mix it up by fixing something different for your kids this school year. 

Non-sandwich ideas for school lunches

7. A quick and easy alternative to a sandwich is a wrap. We LOVE wraps at my house because they’re like sandwiches, only better. Grab some tortillas and fix your child’s favorite sandwich as a wrap. Wraps are also great for adding lots of lettuce and extra veggies. Hummus and cucumbers make a delicious vegetarian lunch option. 

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How do you keep school lunch fresh?

A good quality lunch box that’s well insulated is the key to keeping school lunch fresh. Using frozen gel or ice packs for the cold foods in a well insulated lunch box will ensure lunch is as fresh as it was when it was packed. Pack as much of the lunch as you can the night before, then store the entire thing in the fridge to ensure it’s extra cold.

The containers are another key to keeping foods fresh until lunchtime. However, containers for the lunchbox don’t have to cost a ton. Even some Dollar Tree containers seal tightly and would make excellent lunch box additions. Just get a container with a tight fitting lid to ensure your kiddo’s lunch stays fresh and separate until lunchtime. Be sure to watch sales on lunch boxes and containers around the back to school season so you can get more bang for your buck.

Related: How To Save Money on School Supplies

Consider purchasing reusable containers to save money over time. But, if you’re worried about those reusable containers not coming home, you could also wash and reuse a bit higher quality disposable items as well. That way, if it get’s lost or accidentally thrown away, it’s not such a big deal. However, if it makes it home, it can be washed and used a few more times. Again, it’s all about whatever works best for your family.

Fresh Ideas for School Lunches

8. Salads are another great lunch option, particularly for older children. Grab your tight fitting container, add all your child’s favorite salad ingredients minus the dressing in there. Start with a bed of lettuce greens, add raw veggies, croutons, bacon bits, nuts and seeds or whatever your child prefers. Top it with a source of protein like cheese, hard-boiled egg, ham or turkey, or even some grilled chicken. 

9. Coming up with other fresh ideas for school lunches is easy. Purchase your child’s favorite fresh produce and wash and prep it ahead of time. That way, when it’s time to pack a lunch, they can just grab it, put it in a container of some sort, and they’re good to go. You could jazz it up by making kabobs with the fruits or veggies or make a quick and easy fruit or veggie salad for some variety.

Washed and cut produce is one of my very favorite side dish ideas for school lunches or really any meal. Add some dressing or arrange the foods in a fun way and you can instantly change up the entire meal. It’s a super easy, affordable, healthy, and delicious addition to any meal.

How To Pack A Hot School Lunch?

Similar to packing a fresh lunch, the container is the key. Use thermoses to keep hot items hot until lunchtime. Also include airtight containers to keep other items fresh until lunchtime. Obviously, keep things like breads and cracker separate from anything wet to prevent soggy foods.

What are your best ideas for school lunches? Have you used any of these tips? We’ve covered a little bit of everything here, but I’m always curious to know more. I’d love to hear about your lunch system in the comments below! Now, go make some frugal, amazing lunches your kids will actually eat this year!

Until next time,
Stay courageous!