Challenge- Pack a lunch for less than our school lunch

**imagine** · 08-01-2009, 12:18 PM

Here are the rules:

You have $2.30 to spend

It must include
A protein serving, a dairy serving, a veggie serving, a fruit serving, and two servings of grains?

Bonus points if it is enough to keep a middle school boy full for 3 hours.
Bonus points if you also include a dessert or treat.

Can you do it?

**lisetterenee** · 08-01-2009, 01:25 PM

I just worked really hard to type out a typical lunch with price per unit and serving for my 3.5 year old daughter, and the sweetheart deleted it.

Anyway, it was 6 oz of organic milk, 4oz of frozen peas, 4 oz of black beans, 1/2 cup (before being cooked) of whole wheat pasta and 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries. No dessert because I don't typically send one.The total was $1.43.

This IS a typical lunch for my daughter, and I figured it with ACTUAL prices I have paid within the last 3 weeks or so. She NEVER eats too much food, and even though it's not what a middle school boy would be dying to eat, it might keep him full with the beans and whole wheat pasta! No dessert, because I don't typically send one.

**AspiringToBeFrugal** · 08-01-2009, 06:03 PM

My DS is only 6 months old so I can only imagine what a school lunch will cost when he starts school in 2014.

**shortstack** · 08-01-2009, 06:26 PM

I will be very interested to see what everyone comes up with. It seems that my 8 year old daughter is always hungry. She is asking me for something to eat about every 15 minutes and I can't complain because not only does she eat what she is given but she is also the weight she is supposed to be.

**sunshine** · 08-01-2009, 07:34 PM

Typical meals I pack for my dd (sons when they were home)

1) boiled egg or two - .07 or .14
cheese cubes - (I buy block cheese and cut it myself) .40
crackers - .50
carrot sticks with ranch dressing dip - .30
banana - .25
homemade snickerdoodles (2-3 cookies) .30
water in reusable container

Total - $1.89

2) Lunch meat sandwich (I buy whole meat and slice into lunch meat myself) - sandwich consists of 2 slices bread, 2-3 oz. meat, lettuce, smear of mayo - .75
pea salad - homemade of course - .30
prepackaged fruit cup - .50
milk - .25 (I put in reuseable container)
homemade cupcake with special center (I use Bundt cake recipes in cupcake pans) - .20

Total $2.00

3) sandwich wrap - corn tortilla, 2 oz. sliced or diced chicken, sliced green,red, yellow peppers, onions, shredded lettuce ( send ranch dressing on the side to drizzle or dip when served) .50

pasta salad - .25

pudding - .25

apple - .15

soft drink (store brand , bought on sale) .25

Total $1.35

**dmarie** · 08-01-2009, 07:44 PM

My son will go to middle school and what they offer for 2.5 I can not compete with Just a sample he will get 6in sub with lettuce tomato onions and peppers meat and cheese and milk and all the fruit and veggies he wants if it fits on his tray. I can't send this for under 2.50 but now my youngest i can he eats like a bird and will eat a blt or hot dog for lunch every day with a bottle of water and some fruit he would be very happy. Except on Pizza day he has to eat then.

**imagine** · 08-02-2009, 02:06 AM

Originally Posted by lisetterenee

I just worked really hard to type out a typical lunch with price per unit and serving for my 3.5 year old daughter, and the sweetheart deleted it.

Anyway, it was 6 oz of organic milk, 4oz of frozen peas, 4 oz of black beans, 1/2 cup (before being cooked) of whole wheat pasta and 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries. No dessert because I don't typically send one.The total was $1.43.

This IS a typical lunch for my daughter, and I figured it with ACTUAL prices I have paid within the last 3 weeks or so. She NEVER eats too much food, and even though it's not what a middle school boy would be dying to eat, it might keep him full with the beans and whole wheat pasta! No dessert, because I don't typically send one.

That is a meal my daughter would love ( well except the milk)

points awarded for a good meal under $2.30

My son would love it and your right about it not much of a meal for a middle school boy, he would call it a snack. LOL

**imagine** · 08-02-2009, 02:07 AM

Originally Posted by AspiringToBeFrugal

My DS is only 6 months old so I can only imagine what a school lunch will cost when he starts school in 2014.

You son will be starting school about the time my son is finishing. My son is the class of 2015.

**imagine** · 08-02-2009, 02:10 AM

Originally Posted by shortstack

I will be very interested to see what everyone comes up with. It seems that my 8 year old daughter is always hungry. She is asking me for something to eat about every 15 minutes and I can't complain because not only does she eat what she is given but she is also the weight she is supposed to be.

My 8 old daughter is always hungry too. Do you think it is a standard grow spurt time? Mine is chunking out a bit but she tends to be that before shooting up.

**imagine** · 08-02-2009, 02:13 AM

Originally Posted by sunshine

Typical meals I pack for my dd (sons when they were home)

1) boiled egg or two - .07 or .14
cheese cubes - (I buy block cheese and cut it myself) .40
crackers - .50
carrot sticks with ranch dressing dip - .30
banana - .25
homemade snickerdoodles (2-3 cookies) .30
water in reusable container

Total - $1.89

2) Lunch meat sandwich (I buy whole meat and slice into lunch meat myself) - sandwich consists of 2 slices bread, 2-3 oz. meat, lettuce, smear of mayo - .75
pea salad - homemade of course - .30
prepackaged fruit cup - .50
milk - .25 (I put in reuseable container)
homemade cupcake with special center (I use Bundt cake recipes in cupcake pans) - .20

Total $2.00

3) sandwich wrap - corn tortilla, 2 oz. sliced or diced chicken, sliced green,red, yellow peppers, onions, shredded lettuce ( send ranch dressing on the side to drizzle or dip when served) .50

pasta salad - .25

pudding - .25

apple - .15

soft drink (store brand , bought on sale) .25

Total $1.35

Points awarded

Bonus points awarded for big meals that might fill son up. He would love the first meal you listed

And extra bonus points for providing a treat or dessert

Good job Sunshine!

**imagine** · 08-02-2009, 02:20 AM

Originally Posted by dmarie

My son will go to middle school and what they offer for 2.5 I can not compete with Just a sample he will get 6in sub with lettuce tomato onions and peppers meat and cheese and milk and all the fruit and veggies he wants if it fits on his tray. I can't send this for under 2.50 but now my youngest i can he eats like a bird and will eat a blt or hot dog for lunch every day with a bottle of water and some fruit he would be very happy. Except on Pizza day he has to eat then.

That is a good deal.

I use to not be able to compete with the price as up in until middle school they were allowed extra food from the share box and son always was getting at least an extra milk if not more food. But once in middle school they have ala carte items and $1 for extra lunch so no more share box. Sigh. Now I have to figure how to fill the boy up on my own. After making sack lunches for the park I'm very nervous about them as son was downing a huge lunch then saying he was still hungry.

**dmarie** · 08-02-2009, 01:26 PM

My oldest is always hungry to i will send for mid morning snack apple or bannana and then after school while on long bus ride he can have a powerbar of some sort. Peanuts and pbj sandwiches are great fillers and we might do that to.

**known2him5** · 08-02-2009, 03:41 PM

So many schools are now peanut free, that I didn't even dare suggest PB -- but my kids love flour tortilla's , smeared with peanut butter/honey mixed, and then sliced bananas and rolled up.

**dmarie** · 08-02-2009, 03:58 PM

Our schools are not Peanut free but at lunch time they are not allowed to share lunches for that reason not even a cracker. And sorry if your gonna limit what my kid is bringing for lunch then they should feed them better. Just my thought.