Beat the Heat, Not the Budget: Easy & Affordable Summer Eats for Kids
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The phrases "I'm bored" and "I'm hungry" become a daily soundtrack when you have kids, and not just during the summer break. Homeschooling brought the revelation that these challenges aren't limited to any season—they're a constant. With the cost of groceries on the rise, managing meals and snacks for kids at home during summer or throughout the homeschooling year can be daunting. However, I've learned some clever strategies to keep the kids well-fed without draining the wallet and to address those constant cravings for snacks. These tips have been a lifesaver for our family, and I hope they can do the same for yours!
Lunch and Snack Boards for Kids
Charcuterie Boards may be the adult party favorite, but they are also a perfect solution for kids' lunch and snack time. I simply load up a couple of trays with veggies, fruits, meats and cheese. Then, I pop it in the refrigerator for them to snack on all day long. It's unbelievably easy and ideal for kids who like to graze. A lunch and snack all rolled into one - this is definitely one of my favorites.
Lunch & Snack Board Grocery List (Prices will vary based on your location):
Member’s Mark Cheese Cubes - $9.94
Members Mark Honey Ham - $6.98
Member’s Mark Turkey - $8.48
Fruits & Veggies - Aldi, Kroger or Publix depending on weekly sales
Clancy Everything Pretzel Slims - $2.09
Friendly Farms Sour Cream for veggie dip - $1.89
Kroger Ranch Dip Mix - .69
Kroger Cream Cheese 2 ct. for fruit dip - $3.79
Kroger Marshmallow Creme for fruit dip - $2.79
Cute Snack Tray with Lid -$15.79 on sale
2. Meal Prep Hack
Another hack I really like to do is to spend one day preparing breakfast and lunch for the week. I purchased these Bentgo boxes that work perfectly for organizing our prepared meals. The kids can just grab a box, heat it up if needed and enjoy! Here are some of my favorite quick and easy meal prep meals:
For Breakfast
Hard boiled eggs, sausage and mini pancakes
Breakfast sandwiches, yogurt and fruit salad
Breakfast burritos
Muffins and oatmeal
For Lunch
DIY Lunchables
Lunchmeat wraps, veggies, fruit and chips
Chicken salad with crackers, fruit and chips
BLT salad, fruit salad and a dessert bar (brownie, blondie, lemon bar, etc.)
Mac and cheese, apple sauce/ slices and a dessert bar (brownie, blondie, lemon bar, etc.)
3. On the Go Snacks/ Lunches
Enjoying fun activities or traveling doesn't have to mean a blown budget, especially with the high cost of food at these venues. To keep expenses low, packing food is a smart move. Here are some handy tips for on-the-go snacks and lunches that let you savor the experience without spending a fortune.
Consider eating an early lunch before you arrive at the water park or whatever fun place you are visiting.
Pack your lunches and plenty of snacks to take with you that way you aren’t splurging on food. I have a bag in my pantry that is filled with snacks so it’s ready to grab and take with us at any time!
We always road trip with our coolers. We stock them with lunchmeat, drinks and sandwich spreads that way food is just an arm’s reach away.
Pack popsicles in a thermos to enjoy at the beach, park or wherever you are. I can’t take credit for this one, I saw this hack on a Facebook post last year.
Do your kids want ice cream while you’re out having fun, but you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on it? Make your own in a baggie and learn a little food science. All of the ingredients can be packed in your lunch bag and cooler. Here’s what you need:
Gallon & quart size Ziploc bags
Ice
Measuring cups
Vanilla
Sugar
Salt
Half &half
Milk
Fill the quart size bag with 1 cup of half & half and 1 cup of milk. Then add a teaspoon of vanilla and 1/2 cup of sugar. Fill the gallon size bag about halfway with ice and pour about a 1/2 cup or so of salt over the ice. The salt makes the ice colder by lowering the temperature at which water freezes🤯. Put the quart size bag inside the gallon size bag with ice, make sure both bags are fully sealed and shake it for 5 minutes straight. This is really fun if you take turns shaking the bag up. Check it after five minutes, it should be frozen and ready to enjoy! You can do this with a sandwich size bag and quart size bag too just make sure to reduce the recipe.
4. Food Bar
For quick and easy lunch or dinner options, I often turn to these meal ideas that are perfect for kids elementary age and up. Here are my favorites:
Taco Bar: I cook chicken in the crockpot or brown ground beef on the stove and keep it warm in the crockpot. I warm tortillas and lay them out, then arrange diced onions, cheese, tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream, lettuce, and salsa in a snack tray with tortilla chips. Sometimes, I'll include lime cilantro rice and black beans. My family can then assemble tacos, nachos, or a taco salad for their meal.
Baked Potato Bar: I bake all the potatoes and warm chili in the crockpot. Then, I set out shredded cheese, bacon bits, chopped chives, and sour cream for toppings.
Sub Bar: This might be the simplest option. I buy or make sub rolls, various lunch meats, cheeses, chopped vegetables, and an assortment of dressings and spreads. Everyone builds their own sub to their liking, and we keep the oven warm for those who prefer their subs toasted.
Salad Bar: A salad bar is an effortless lunch that also works for dinner. I start with a bowl of lettuce and set out all sorts of toppings: cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, onions, bacon bits, sliced chicken, fruits, dressings, olives, and shredded cheese. To complement the salad, I sometimes make a quick soup in the crockpot.
Stay tuned this summer for meal plans with a cost breakdown that will include these meal ideas!
5. Snack Tray
Load up your storage with a week’s worth of snacks. Kids can eat what they want, but when it’s gone, it’s gone. It turned into a valuable lesson for my kids. They counted the snacks and worked together to decide the daily snack limit. This helped them think if they were truly hungry or just bored. The constant snack requests reduced as they managed their own snack time.
