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Finding cheap and easy back to school lunch box ideas is on everyone’s to do list this time of year!
Sending the kids to school with a homemade lunch is a great way to stick to the food budget, and make sure your kids are eating the right foods.
Meal planning is one of the best ways to save money on your food budget each month. Don’t stop at planning your weeknight meals!
Your child’s back to school lunch routine can also benefit from a frugal meal plan.
Plan out your kid’s lunch box ideas each week when you make your grocery list, and you will be less likely to impulse buy.
You will also benefit by not having to scramble each morning, and ending up with a lunch box full of various crackers. I’ve done this before…really.
Never struggle to come up with an easy, low cost lunch box idea again! Here are some great ideas to keep your kids lunch box interesting, fun, and frugal all year long!
Related:
- Back to School Shopping Tips
- Back to School Organizing Hacks
- Back to School Budgeting Tips + Printable Planner
- Best School Supplies on Amazon
14 Cheap and Easy Back to School Lunch Box Ideas for Kids
Using cute sandwich shape cutters are a great lunch box idea for picky eaters.
My kids are always more eager to eat their lunch if their sandwich is cut in to cute shapes. Does it taste any different? No, but for some reason kids are much more likely to eat food in the shape of Mickey Mouse or a Unicorn.
DIY Lunchables are a fun way to create a quick and healthy lunch box for kids! When you make it yourself, it is much healthier than the store bought Lunchables. You can use cute packaging like silicone muffin tins, or Bento boxes to make lunchtime a little more fun!
Put a creative spin on the usual sandwich by rolling turkey and cheese in a tortilla, or making peanut butter and jelly sushi rolls!
I love this creative twist on pizza! Melt cheese and pepperoni on to a cracker for an portable version of this Italian treat.
If you need a break from the long weeks of sandwich making, try simply popping in some cereal cups and milk with a side of fruit. Your kids will be sure to thank you!
These kebabs are a fun spin on the traditional sandwich. The possibilities are endless with these creative lunches! Add fruit, meat, cheese, and veggies for an exciting, but healthy lunch box.
I’m pretty sure my kids contributed to this lunch box idea from One Crazy Mom. Chicken nuggets for every meal around here, so why not bring them to school in a thermos?
How fun are these corn dog mini muffins for a school lunch box? I always worry about choking with traditional hot dogs and corn dogs, but would feel much better about sending my kids to school with these easy and fun lunch time treats.
I love that these homemade “uncrustables” are gluten and allergy free. There are often very strict rules against peanut butter at daycare or Mother’s Day Out programs, and you might struggle to find something that your small picky eater will eat. This is a great way to hack the traditional PB&J.
I hope you have found some amazing lunch box ideas for your kids! Whether you are looking for a lunch box idea for your toddler, or getting ready to pack school lunch for your big Kindergartner (me!)…these lunch box ideas will help you plan ahead, so you can save time and money this school year.
Grab my free back to school budget planner below and be ready for the extra expenses that come with back to school:
hi! I'm shannon
I’m a wife, mom of three, doctor, and blogger! In 2018, I decided to turn my mom blog, into a personal finance blog so others could follow along on our journey to pay off over HALF a MILLION dollars in student loan and practice start up debt. I hope you enjoy following along, and maybe even find some inspiration along the way.
