There is no such thing as a relaxed school morning for working parents. In all the mayhem, who has time and energy to make school lunches? Pre-packaged items and lunch cash are so much easier, right? But by taking a little time to plan and prepare in less stressful moments, you can effortlessly make them much healthier lunches, and save money, too.


The price of school lunches



Over one school year, an individual could end up paying $450 per kid on school lunches. Lunches are generally around $2.50 a day, which does not seem like much until added up. Clearly, the cost differs by region.



Nutrition is out of your hands when the school is in charge of feeding your kid, and sometimes, the lunch cash you give to your child never makes it to the lunch room. Children know they can save that money and buy something else they like better.



If you prepare the food at home for your child, it will be much better for them and much less expensive.



Be sure you Stock up



Make sure you always go shopping with a list of healthy items your kids will really eat. You want to vary their lunches so they are willing to eat. Make sure you are well-stocked with the things your kids like.



Always easier to cut it up



Fruit and vegetable treats can be cut up on the weekend and kept in the refrigerator in Ziploc bags. The same goes for any vegetables for sandwich use, like lettuce or sliced tomatoes. If you get ambitious, you can even divide them into lunch-sized portions so that you just have to toss one in each lunch bag every day.



Try a hard-boiled egg



Hard boiled eggs are a fantastic staple for lunches. They store and travel easily, and they are chock full of nutrients. Boil up a dozen over the weekend and have them ready.



Make sure you prepare snack foods



A lot of healthy snacks are accessible out there, and you may want to stock up on them. Keep your children interested in healthy things by getting yogurt, string cheese or even granola.



Do not get nervous



Always put together your lunches the night before, after the kids are sleeping, and store them ready in the fridge. You have enough to deal with tomorrow morning.



Lunch surfing



In case you are worried about running out of lunch tips, there are plenty of ideas on the internet. If Pinterest is not enough to help you, you can try Another Lunch, AllRecipes.com, Kaboose.com, Homecooking.about.com or Melissa Sharp’s blog, according to the Motley Fool.