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7 frugal ways to make school lunches healthier

U.S. News & World Report

September 5, 2016, 1:00 AM

The key to preparing healthy school lunches is to give your kids options. (Thinkstock)
Create do-it-yourself lunch kits. For kids who love variety, putting together their own pizza or sandwich wrap at school can be the highlight of the day. For a simple “pizza” kit, include pita bread, cheese, lettuce, tomato sauce and a side of fruit. At lunch, your child stacks the ingredients however he or she likes. Kits for healthy wraps are just as simple — and just as fun — to put together at lunch time. When planning your kits, choose basic ingredients that are healthy and affordable. You’ll save money over prepackaged foods, and your kids will avoid artificial ingredients and heavily processed foods. (Thinkstock)
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Quinoa baking bars in baking pan and spatula.
Stick with whole foods. Food in its most natural form is usually cheaper and provides more nutrients than processed items. Consider making your own fruit and nut bars using raw ingredients, baking up some homemade granola and even baking your own bread to keep things simple. Remember: You can also buy many of these ingredients in bulk to save on the cost of food. Keep in mind that many foods made with fresh, wholesome ingredients won’t last too long in the fridge or in plastic containers. Make sure you’re buying and preparing these items within a few days to avoid food waste. (Thinkstock)
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You don't have to bust your food budget to help your kids eat well. Here are some easy ways to save money on healthy lunches this school year. (Thinkstock)
Trade sandwich meat for tuna or eggs. Deli meats, rotisserie chicken and other meats you use to put together a tasty lunch can be expensive. Trade sandwich meat for canned tuna or boiled eggs a few days a week to trim costs while keeping lunch healthy and satisfying. (Thinkstock)
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Throw in some seasonal fruits and vegetables. Make your way to the farmers market on the weekend to load up on the freshest produce of the season — and do it on the cheap. You can make those school lunches healthier by adding a homemade fresh fruit cup to the mix or filling sandwiches and wraps with fresh vegetables. You might also be able to find healthier, all-natural granola bars, nuts, seeds and other snacks that are cheaper than grocery store offerings. These are easy add-ons to the usual lunch menu and loaded with nutritious ingredients. (Thinkstock)
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Healthy Packed Lunch with Beef Vegetable Soup, Crackers, Fresh fruit, Orange Juice and Cookies -Photographed on Hasselblad H3D2-39mb Camera
Buy and cook in bulk. Give your kids an insulated lunch pack or thermos, so they can take along a tasty home-cooked meal. You can buy ingredients for some of their favorite recipes in bulk, prepare several lunches at once and then package everything in single-serving containers for the lunchroom. The options here are endless and depend on your child’s palate. You might create a healthy macaroni and cheese, a protein (and veggie) packed homemade chili or a hearty soup. Keeping costs down and nutrition up is the goal, and you’ll keep your kids away from less healthful choices if you give them “lunch-ified” versions of the foods they enjoy. (Thinkstock)
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Pepperoni, tomato, lettuce, harissa and hoummous gently wraped in tortilla.
Go vegetarian a few days a week. Eliminating processed deli meats and cheeses from the daily diet can be tricky, especially if your kids are used to eating sandwiches for school lunch every day. Keep things healthy — and reduce the cost per lunch — by eliminating the meat altogether. Flatbread stuffed with bell peppers, lettuce and flavored tofu can be a welcome change for those sandwich lovers while keeping lunch healthy. Wraps are particularly well-suited to the vegetarian treatment. (Thinkstock)
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National Sandwich Day is Friday, Nov. 3. See what sandwich shops are offering deals and donations to celebrate. (Thinkstock)
Turn leftovers into lunch. If you’re diligent about cooking healthy meals at home, set aside smaller portions or extra servings of those family favorites for lunch the next day. You can put together a healthier lunch with leftovers and a side salad, some fresh fruit or a cup of yogurt to make it a complete meal. Leftover turkey or chicken breast, meatballs, pot roast and even homemade pizza are some of the most versatile and healthy foods you can use to put together a quick school lunch on a budget. (Thinkstock)
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The key to preparing healthy school lunches is to give your kids options. (Thinkstock)
Quinoa baking bars in baking pan and spatula.
You don't have to bust your food budget to help your kids eat well. Here are some easy ways to save money on healthy lunches this school year. (Thinkstock)
Healthy Packed Lunch with Beef Vegetable Soup, Crackers, Fresh fruit, Orange Juice and Cookies -Photographed on Hasselblad H3D2-39mb Camera
Pepperoni, tomato, lettuce, harissa and hoummous gently wraped in tortilla.
National Sandwich Day is Friday, Nov. 3. See what sandwich shops are offering deals and donations to celebrate. (Thinkstock)

If you’re in charge of making school lunches for the family, you probably want to make sure that your kids and teens are eating healthy during busy school days.

Eating healthy often means trading out cheaper, processed foods and snacks for fresher, more wholesome choices. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to bust your food budget to help your kids eat well. Even if you have kids with food allergies requiring special diets, you can still keep the cost of healthy school lunches manageable. Here’s how.

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7 Frugal Ways to Make School Lunches Healthier originally appeared on usnews.com

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