Cut a bagel into chunks, and add a container filled with cream cheese. Complete the meal with sliced fruit and nuts. Melt some cheese on a tortilla and cut it into triangles.

In the morning, add a side of sliced bell peppers, tortilla chips, and salsa and sour cream for dipping. For the ultimate peanut butter sandwich twist, sub the jelly with bananas in a roll-up with peanut butter. Pretzels, string cheese, and a sweet treat as simple as a handful of chocolate chips complete the lunch.

This breakfast-for-lunch idea uses a divided container to keep the waffle crisp until lunchtime. Put the waffle in one compartment cut into pieces if needed , fruit topping in a smaller compartment, and syrup in another.

Include a cooked sausage link for protein. Use store-bought pizza dough, cut it into individual pizzas, then spread with pizza sauce and cheese. Bake until the cheese melts, and slide the little pizzas into lunchboxes after refrigerating overnight.

If they're allowed at school, use toothpicks or small wooden skewers and fill a few with cheese cubes and a variety of fruit chunks think grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and seasonal fruits. Pack a single-serve yogurt for dipping.

Melt cheese and cooked chicken in a tortilla, then cut into triangles. Pack with sliced veggies, along with salsa and sour cream for dipping. Pack tortilla chips with the kids' favorite nacho toppings: shredded cheese, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, sour cream, salsa, and the like.

Add some beans or taco meat to pack in the protein. This one's easy: Open a can of ravioli, heat it up, and put it in a thermos for best results, fill the thermos with boiling water and let it sit for a few minutes to warm up the inside. Include a fruit side such as apple slices and a sweet treat for a complete lunch.

Divvy up dinner's leftover macaroni and cheese into containers while cleaning up the table. Throw in a single-serve yogurt and fruit in the morning, and lunches are ready. If there's somewhere to heat up the mac 'n' cheese at school, that's probably best. Throw some buttered bread and cheese into the skillet for a quick grilled cheese.

Be sure to refrigerate overnight before cutting it into quarters and placing it in the lunchbox. Send a thermos of tomato soup for dipping, or put some pickles, orange slices, and pretzels on the side for a complete meal. Put down a bed of lettuce in the largest compartment of a divided container and add a scoop of cottage cheese on top.

Chop up tomatoes for another compartment. Include pretzels and a sweet treat and lunch is ready. A hard-boiled egg, peeled and cut in half, is an easy source of protein. Include some string cheese, fruit, veggies, dip, and a sweet treat.

For another protein-packed lunch, spread cream cheese on salami slices. Roll them up, then pinch them together in the middle to make them stick. Make as many as your child will eat.

Add pretzels and some fruit for a sweet finish. Use up some leftover grilled chicken by slicing it and pairing it with brown rice, Greek yogurt, apple slices, and a side of ketchup for dipping the chicken, if that suits your kids' palates.

Put a scoop or two of cottage cheese in a leak-proof container and sprinkle cinnamon on top, then add some fruit that mixes well with cottage cheese. Peaches, pineapple, or mandarin oranges all come in canned versions that are cheap and travel well.

Include some graham crackers with peanut butter for dipping. Cook a pot of noodles, add some butter, and sprinkle cheese over the top for a cheap pasta lunch. Heat up some chicken nuggets while you're at it and include some carrot sticks with ranch dressing, too.

Fill celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins dotted on top. Cheese cubes, yogurt, graham crackers, and fresh fruit round out this easy, inexpensive lunch. Leftovers again? At least it's something the kids will like, and leftovers can make the best lunches. Just add a slice of buttered bread and a container of applesauce for a complete meal.

Cook some penne pasta and pour marinara sauce over top, and add some shredded cheese for flavor. We sure do and are definitely going to be missing the slower mornings. Packing lunches can always be a challenge and here are some healthy lunch ideas to get you started. Most parents struggle with trying to balance nutritious choices with what your child will actually eat.

Staying organized by planning ahead and having a variety of fresh, fun and healthy ideas helps make life easier with school lunches. Looking for more healthy school lunch ideas? Be sure to check out these easy school lunch posts:. Make back to school lunches ahead of time at night and portion off any dried snacks that keep well on Sundays for the rest of the week.

Switch things up and pair different snacks, fruits, carbs and protein. Leftovers like muffins, pasta salads or chilled sesame noodles are some great choices for school lunch ideas for kindergarten and high school.

Allow your child to put together their own DIY pizzas or wraps with dips and sauces to make things interesting. Many items will keep at room temperature but be aware of which will require an ice pack to stay cool.

Also make sure that you are aware of any peanut or other food restrictions that the school might have in place. PlanetBox — 5 Compartments. LunchBot — Trio and Duo. The lunchboxes , silicone muffin liners and condiment cups can all be purchased from Amazon.

Healthy School Lunches for the New Year. Healthier Than Takeout Meal Prep. Be sure to check the blog post for the full list of lunch options plus more vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, low carb, keto options and links.

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Snacks: Whole apple, banana, grapes, pudding, chocolate bar, cookies, nuts, granola bar, popcorn, carrots sticks, celery sticks, etc Missing Mini Cucumbers, cut into coins or sticks · Baby corn (from a can) · Baby carrots · Pickles or cornichons · Cherry tomatoes · Bell pepper strips

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10 Cheap School Lunch Ideas · 1. Lunchbox Kebabs · 2. Cool Apple Quesadillas · 3. Polka-Dot Pizza Dippers · 4. No-Bake Banana Burritos · 5. The Sweet potato and bacon slice. A yummy slice that the whole family will enjoy. Great for kids lunch boxes, or just something small to nibble on when the worms Budget-friendly 2-week school lunch menu · Pasta with sides, $ per serving · Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, $ per serving · Tofu and: Affordable school lunch items

This post may contain affiliate links. Cheap grocery steals winter Affordwble. They ifems want sandwiches in their lunch pails, and that's fine with me. I'd love Affogdable see! Early mornings can Free craft paint as easy as throwing a few packets in the lunch box without actually throwing packets in the lunchbox with a little bit of pre-planning and preparation a very, very little bit, I promise! One smart option, for example, would be to buy just fruits or veggies instead of the many I used here, and switch those out.	Back to Reviews Best non-alcoholic beer Best non-alcoholic spirits Best non-alcoholic fizz Best hot chocolate Best coffee beans. Put a scoop or two of cottage cheese in a leak-proof container and sprinkle cinnamon on top, then add some fruit that mixes well with cottage cheese. Thanks for all these amazing ideas! Mix it up with mayonnaise, dried cranberries, salt, and pepper. Back to Recipes Quick pasta recipes Carbonara recipes Lasagne recipes Bolognese recipes.	Snacks: Whole apple, banana, grapes, pudding, chocolate bar, cookies, nuts, granola bar, popcorn, carrots sticks, celery sticks, etc Missing Mini Cucumbers, cut into coins or sticks · Baby corn (from a can) · Baby carrots · Pickles or cornichons · Cherry tomatoes · Bell pepper strips	Sweet potato and bacon slice. A yummy slice that the whole family will enjoy. Great for kids lunch boxes, or just something small to nibble on when the worms Duration Snacks: Whole apple, banana, grapes, pudding, chocolate bar, cookies, nuts, granola bar, popcorn, carrots sticks, celery sticks, etc	School Lunch Ideas That Kids LOVE for Less Than A Dollar! · 1. Spaghetti with sides – $ per serving. · 2. Toothpick Kebabs – $ per Budget-friendly 2-week school lunch menu · Pasta with sides, $ per serving · Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, $ per serving · Tofu and 2. Turkey and Cheese Roll-ups · Turkey slices, swiss and cheddar cheese slices. · Raw almonds (leave out for nut free version) · Raw veggies
These faux sushi Cheap grocery steals are a simple and Value for money food deals Cheap grocery steals your kids will love! Affordablee Than Takeout Affordxble Prep. This information Affordable school lunch items not itemms used for luncj purpose other than enabling you to post a comment. Add whole-grain bread for extra fibre to help with digestion, and add vegetables like chopped celery to the egg salad to introduce additional nutrients and a satisfying crunch. Include some graham crackers with peanut butter for dipping. Made with lunch meat and fresh vegetables, then rolled up to look like sushi. What I Buy at Costco to Pack in School Lunches We only pack sandwiches and chips for a Fun Friday lunch.	To make those school lunches even more fun, be sure to check out some of our favorite lunchbox printables: Back to School Lunchbox Notes , Star Wars Lunchbox Jokes , and Uplifting Printable Lunch Notes. Back to Budget Slow cooker budget recipes Budget vegetarian recipes Healthy budget dinners Budget friendly meals for two. Mix one part mustard to one part honey for a simple honey mustard dipping sauce. I came up with some favorite make-ahead school lunches that you can make once a week or once a month that you can refrigerate or freeze as individual servings for some super quick lunch packing. I love hearing from you!	Snacks: Whole apple, banana, grapes, pudding, chocolate bar, cookies, nuts, granola bar, popcorn, carrots sticks, celery sticks, etc Missing Mini Cucumbers, cut into coins or sticks · Baby corn (from a can) · Baby carrots · Pickles or cornichons · Cherry tomatoes · Bell pepper strips	10 budget ideas for kids' lunchboxes · 1. Fresh fruit hacks · 2. Pack your own yogurt · 3. Sandwiches · 4. Homemade snacks · 5. Italian-inspired ideas · 6 Baby carrots and cucumbers are great lunchbox options. Brayden discovered this summer that he LOVES cucumbers.:) Kiya isn't a fan of cucumbers Sweet potato and bacon slice. A yummy slice that the whole family will enjoy. Great for kids lunch boxes, or just something small to nibble on when the worms	Snacks: Whole apple, banana, grapes, pudding, chocolate bar, cookies, nuts, granola bar, popcorn, carrots sticks, celery sticks, etc Missing Mini Cucumbers, cut into coins or sticks · Baby corn (from a can) · Baby carrots · Pickles or cornichons · Cherry tomatoes · Bell pepper strips
She also Affordable to be a teacher and loves sharing the things that Cheap grocery steals ietms learned and helping others Affordable school lunch items achieve their goals. I used sliced Affordable breast, and I cut some cheddar cheese into hearts using a mini cookie cutter. Back to Recipes Family lunch recipes Quick lunch recipes Healthy packed lunch recipes Budget Sunday lunch recipes. Share this. Your email address will not be published. We make a different one every day — such yummy lunch ideas.	I used sliced turkey breast, and I cut some cheddar cheese into hearts using a mini cookie cutter. A friend of mine is from India, and her kids have leftover dahl or vegetable curry with rice every day. Disney Bucket List: 18 Things You Don't Want to Miss. By submitting this comment you agree to share your name, email address, website and IP address with Life Made Sweeter. I love this DIY version. Cherry Tomatoes g. Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Linkedin Pinterest.	Snacks: Whole apple, banana, grapes, pudding, chocolate bar, cookies, nuts, granola bar, popcorn, carrots sticks, celery sticks, etc Missing Mini Cucumbers, cut into coins or sticks · Baby corn (from a can) · Baby carrots · Pickles or cornichons · Cherry tomatoes · Bell pepper strips	Duration Cheap school lunches · Lunch Containers for sale | eBay · Lunch Landing Page — What Lisa Cooks · Roasted Brussels Sprouts · FGA: Pizza Puffs · Bean & Cheese Burritos 5 Affordable and Healthy School Lunch Box Ideas ; Egg salad sandwich; Cucumber slices; Apple ; 2 hard-boiled eggs; Sliced carrots, cucumbers and	Fruits and Veggies · Apple (Red) · Apple (Green) · Applesauce · Avocado half · Bananan half (☐With peanut butter or other nut butter) · Bell peppers Ahead of the Pack · English Muffin Pizza · Chicken Fried Rice · Pancakes for Lunch · BLT Pita · Vegetable Pasta Salad · Bagel Sandwich · Taco Leftovers 10 Cheap School Lunch Ideas · 1. Lunchbox Kebabs · 2. Cool Apple Quesadillas · 3. Polka-Dot Pizza Dippers · 4. No-Bake Banana Burritos · 5. The
Side salad. Itemx to Lnch menu Discounted meal promotions Back Cheap grocery steals Inspiration Lemon Affordaable cake recipes Red Cheap grocery steals cake recipe Chocolate cake recipe Itemw free cake recipes. Tons of back to school lunches for nut-free, dairy-free, grain-free, sugar free, Whole30, paleo, low carb, keto and gluten free substitutions. They don't want sandwiches in their lunch pails, and that's fine with me. A friend of mine is from India, and her kids have leftover dahl or vegetable curry with rice every day.	They love any kind of kebab or skewer! Yogurt cup. Mix one part mustard to one part honey for a simple honey mustard dipping sauce. Doing so will save you money and cut down on environmentally harmful plastic waste. For another protein-packed lunch, spread cream cheese on salami slices. Bake until the cheese melts, and slide the little pizzas into lunchboxes after refrigerating overnight. For a hot lunch option , I buy cases of mac and cheese at Costco.	Snacks: Whole apple, banana, grapes, pudding, chocolate bar, cookies, nuts, granola bar, popcorn, carrots sticks, celery sticks, etc Missing Mini Cucumbers, cut into coins or sticks · Baby corn (from a can) · Baby carrots · Pickles or cornichons · Cherry tomatoes · Bell pepper strips	Budget Friendly School Lunch Ideas Under $1 · Eggs and toast · Pancakes with peanut butter · Tuna and crackers · Cheese, crackers, and lunchmeat · Quesadilla Mini Cucumbers, cut into coins or sticks · Baby corn (from a can) · Baby carrots · Pickles or cornichons · Cherry tomatoes · Bell pepper strips School Lunch Ideas That Kids LOVE for Less Than A Dollar! · 1. Spaghetti with sides – $ per serving. · 2. Toothpick Kebabs – $ per	10 Easy and Cheap School Lunch Ideas Your Kids Will Love · 1. Kebabs – Infinite Possibilities · 2. DIY Lunchables · 3. Homemade Pizza · 4. Chicken Quesadilla Non-Sandwich Budget Lunch Box Ideas · Hard-boiled eggs. · Pizza scrolls (can be made ahead). · Mini Quiches. · Rice paper rolls. · Pasta salad Quick School Lunch Ideas · 1. Cracker Stacks · 2. Pizza Cupcakes · 3. Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels · 4. Homemade Mac and Cheese · 5. Turkey Club Sandwich Skewers · 6
And when paired with a luncg nut and seed Affordable school lunch items, these foods can be Car accessories discounts major health boost, Affofdable Naido. While these lunch Cheap grocery steals may require an up-front investment, they'll be Affordable school lunch items money saver sdhool the long run. Back to Recipes Low-calorie chicken recipes Low-calorie vegetarian recipes calorie meal recipes Low-carb family meals. Check your email for a confirmation link. Do your kids eat them all without heating? This one's easy: Open a can of ravioli, heat it up, and put it in a thermos for best results, fill the thermos with boiling water and let it sit for a few minutes to warm up the inside. Delicious and healthier recipes to sweeten up your life.	It does, in fact, save money. Instructions Slice the turkey and cheese. Sliced Veggies. Combine the first 3 ingredients to make a sandwich — I included a sunflower seed butter option for kids whose schools are nut-free. Here are dozens of easy and cheap school lunches — and a few for lunches at home as well. Either cook in batches for the freezer, make a ladle or two extra at dinnertime to siphon off into flasks for the next day, or raid the fridge for wilting ingredients and leftovers to repurpose into something lovely.	Snacks: Whole apple, banana, grapes, pudding, chocolate bar, cookies, nuts, granola bar, popcorn, carrots sticks, celery sticks, etc Missing Mini Cucumbers, cut into coins or sticks · Baby corn (from a can) · Baby carrots · Pickles or cornichons · Cherry tomatoes · Bell pepper strips	Baby carrots and cucumbers are great lunchbox options. Brayden discovered this summer that he LOVES cucumbers.:) Kiya isn't a fan of cucumbers Non-Sandwich Budget Lunch Box Ideas · Hard-boiled eggs. · Pizza scrolls (can be made ahead). · Mini Quiches. · Rice paper rolls. · Pasta salad 10 budget ideas for kids' lunchboxes · 1. Fresh fruit hacks · 2. Pack your own yogurt · 3. Sandwiches · 4. Homemade snacks · 5. Italian-inspired ideas · 6	Baby carrots and cucumbers are great lunchbox options. Brayden discovered this summer that he LOVES cucumbers.:) Kiya isn't a fan of cucumbers Budget Friendly School Lunch Ideas Under $1 · Eggs and toast · Pancakes with peanut butter · Tuna and crackers · Cheese, crackers, and lunchmeat · Quesadilla 10 budget ideas for kids' lunchboxes · 1. Fresh fruit hacks · 2. Pack your own yogurt · 3. Sandwiches · 4. Homemade snacks · 5. Italian-inspired ideas · 6

Affordable school lunch items - 2. Turkey and Cheese Roll-ups · Turkey slices, swiss and cheddar cheese slices. · Raw almonds (leave out for nut free version) · Raw veggies Snacks: Whole apple, banana, grapes, pudding, chocolate bar, cookies, nuts, granola bar, popcorn, carrots sticks, celery sticks, etc Missing Mini Cucumbers, cut into coins or sticks · Baby corn (from a can) · Baby carrots · Pickles or cornichons · Cherry tomatoes · Bell pepper strips

You get a ton of snacks for a great price. Massachusetts mom Jennifer Weedon Palazzo, of MomCave TV , suggests always purchasing the "big option" when it comes to food your children like beyond merely dry snacks.

Doing so will almost always pay off financially. For instance, if your kid loves yogurt, buy the ounce size instead of the individual Go-Gurts," Palazzo, mother to a 6-year-old and an year-old, tells Parents.

Just spoon some into a small container and put it in the lunch box. For some kids, a PB and J simply won't cut it. If this sounds like your brood, save money on high-end meal prep by sending leftovers from home-cooked meals, suggests Michelle Keldgord, mother of two school-aged kids and co-founder of Baking How.

They don't want sandwiches in their lunch pails, and that's fine with me. I always send leftovers to school, and I know they will have a full belly of nutritious foods. Plus, it saves me money from having to make a separate lunch," Keldgord tells Parents.

Palazzo often relies on this approach as well, packing her children's lunches immediately after dinner each night. In addition to the leftovers hack, you can also save money on school lunches by batch-cooking and freezing food, advises Rima Kleiner, a registered dietitian and for Dish on Fish.

However, it's just as easy to batch cook lunch items and freeze them for lunch," Kleiner tells Parents. They're not just for breakfast, and they make it easy to help your kiddo meet the recommended two to three seafood meals each week.

You might also try making and freezing some bean and cheese burritos, or turkey meatballs, says Kleiner. After cooking them, let the food cool, and then wrap, label, and freeze. When you need it, reheat the food for your children's lunchbox. This is a tip every household should adopt for so many reasons: Ditch the plastic baggies and other single-use plastic storage items that you buy over and over.

Instead, invest in bento boxes or other reusable lunch containers. Doing so will save you money and cut down on environmentally harmful plastic waste. There are countless options these days that are kid-friendly. The boxes are percent plastic-free, reusable, and leak-proof.

Better Basics also offers their own line of reusable back-to-school food containers, including an insulated stainless steel option designed to keep lunch foods think: soups or chicken nuggets warm or cool.

While these lunch boxes may require an up-front investment, they'll be a money saver in the long run. What kid doesn't love pasta? Or at least macaroni and cheese? Don't overlook this type of food as a lunch option, says McMordie. Juice boxes for school lunches are another cost you can easily eliminate with a little advance planning.

To get started, purchase a reusable water bottle, says Keldgord, of Baking How. Add the powder and water to the reusable product. You have a homemade 'juice box' that is super cheap," says Keldgord. Want to eliminate even more costs? Use natural flavor enhancers such as lemon, strawberry, cucumber, or anything your kids like, instead of the powder.

Rather than constantly relying on brain- and energy-draining processed and ultra-processed snacks, try making your own healthier snack mixes, which can also be far cheaper, says Uma Naidoo, a Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist, professional chef, and author of the book This is Your Brain on Food.

Purchasing frozen berries can often be more financially savvy than buying fresh, suggests Naido. Wild blueberries have twice the amount of brain-boosting antioxidants than regular berries, too," Naido explains.

Carrot and celery sticks are among the few vegetables some fussier kids will eat. And when paired with a natural nut and seed butter, these foods can be a major health boost, says Naido. Just mix mayonnaise, diced hard-boiled eggs, salt, and pepper to taste.

Pack it on a bed of lettuce, with pita chips for dipping and scooping. Roll together lunch meat and cheese slices in whole-wheat tortilla shells, and lunch is good to go.

Use a toothpick to keep the roll-ups together, and add mustard or ranch in a leak-proof container for dipping. A twist on the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, this variation puts banana slices in place of the jelly.

Add some sides and lunch is packed. Pita bread, pepperoni, shredded mozzarella cheese, and pizza sauce sealed in a leak-proof container make for an easy, build-it-yourself lunch idea kids will love. Applesauce makes a good side.

Use up the last of that hummus before it expires: Fill part of a divided container with hummus and the other compartments with dip-worthy fare such as pita chips, pretzel sticks, veggie slices, and apple slices.

Open up a pita pocket and spread peanut butter on one side, then add a fruit filling to the other side. Use whatever is on hand, whether it's banana slices, jelly, or sliced strawberries. Cut a bagel into chunks, and add a container filled with cream cheese.

Complete the meal with sliced fruit and nuts. Melt some cheese on a tortilla and cut it into triangles. In the morning, add a side of sliced bell peppers, tortilla chips, and salsa and sour cream for dipping.

For the ultimate peanut butter sandwich twist, sub the jelly with bananas in a roll-up with peanut butter. Pretzels, string cheese, and a sweet treat as simple as a handful of chocolate chips complete the lunch.

This breakfast-for-lunch idea uses a divided container to keep the waffle crisp until lunchtime. Put the waffle in one compartment cut into pieces if needed , fruit topping in a smaller compartment, and syrup in another. Include a cooked sausage link for protein.

Use store-bought pizza dough, cut it into individual pizzas, then spread with pizza sauce and cheese. Bake until the cheese melts, and slide the little pizzas into lunchboxes after refrigerating overnight. If they're allowed at school, use toothpicks or small wooden skewers and fill a few with cheese cubes and a variety of fruit chunks think grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and seasonal fruits.

Pack a single-serve yogurt for dipping. Melt cheese and cooked chicken in a tortilla, then cut into triangles. Pack with sliced veggies, along with salsa and sour cream for dipping.

Pack tortilla chips with the kids' favorite nacho toppings: shredded cheese, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, sour cream, salsa, and the like. Add some beans or taco meat to pack in the protein.

This one's easy: Open a can of ravioli, heat it up, and put it in a thermos for best results, fill the thermos with boiling water and let it sit for a few minutes to warm up the inside.

Include a fruit side such as apple slices and a sweet treat for a complete lunch. Divvy up dinner's leftover macaroni and cheese into containers while cleaning up the table. Throw in a single-serve yogurt and fruit in the morning, and lunches are ready. If there's somewhere to heat up the mac 'n' cheese at school, that's probably best.

Throw some buttered bread and cheese into the skillet for a quick grilled cheese. Be sure to refrigerate overnight before cutting it into quarters and placing it in the lunchbox.

Send a thermos of tomato soup for dipping, or put some pickles, orange slices, and pretzels on the side for a complete meal. Put down a bed of lettuce in the largest compartment of a divided container and add a scoop of cottage cheese on top. Chop up tomatoes for another compartment.

Include pretzels and a sweet treat and lunch is ready. A hard-boiled egg, peeled and cut in half, is an easy source of protein.

Include some string cheese, fruit, veggies, dip, and a sweet treat. For another protein-packed lunch, spread cream cheese on salami slices. Roll them up, then pinch them together in the middle to make them stick. Make as many as your child will eat.

Add pretzels and some fruit for a sweet finish. Use up some leftover grilled chicken by slicing it and pairing it with brown rice, Greek yogurt, apple slices, and a side of ketchup for dipping the chicken, if that suits your kids' palates.

Put a scoop or two of cottage cheese in a leak-proof container and sprinkle cinnamon on top, then add some fruit that mixes well with cottage cheese. Peaches, pineapple, or mandarin oranges all come in canned versions that are cheap and travel well.

Include some graham crackers with peanut butter for dipping. Cook a pot of noodles, add some butter, and sprinkle cheese over the top for a cheap pasta lunch. Heat up some chicken nuggets while you're at it and include some carrot sticks with ranch dressing, too.

Fill celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins dotted on top. Cheese cubes, yogurt, graham crackers, and fresh fruit round out this easy, inexpensive lunch.

Leftovers again? At least it's something the kids will like, and leftovers can make the best lunches. Just add a slice of buttered bread and a container of applesauce for a complete meal.

Cook some penne pasta and pour marinara sauce over top, and add some shredded cheese for flavor. Include a side of Greek yogurt for protein and some grapes.

Cook a hot dog and put it on a bun or slice it up and forget the bun, depending on what your child prefers. Include ketchup and mustard in a leak-proof container. Add some fresh sugar snap peas, ranch for dipping, a side of chips or pretzels, and a sweet treat such as chocolate chips.

Cook one or two frozen pretzels. Mix one part mustard to one part honey for a simple honey mustard dipping sauce. Include sliced fruit and some shelled almonds or peanuts for added protein.

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