Save time and money with easy packable lunches. Grab our budget-friendly lunch grocery list and the easy lunch recipes to go with!
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This back to school season hits a little different for me. My youngest starts college! After 24 years of homeschooling and 29 years as a full-time mom, my daze looks different.
But, packed lunches are still de rigeur at our house. Bryan takes freezer burritos to work every week.
In fact, my girls have now joined forces and spend time each weekend planning their menus and cooking together so that they’ve got meal prepped breakfast and lunch to take to work on campus. Once classes resume, they’ll be packing dinners some nights as well.
While not quite so orchestrated, their brothers will also be doing meal prep and packing lunches when they get back from their summer hurrah in Spain. They’ll be leaning toward dude meals.
We know all to well that cooking at home, even if we don’t eat here, will save us money!
Why Pack Lunch?
My kids aren’t strangers to packed lunch, even though they were homeschooled. I prepped lunch in advance for years so that the day would go smoother.
- It’s convenient. Whether you are working at home or away, having a packed lunch allows you to eat, enjoy a break, and get on with your day without a lot of hassle. Who wants to do a lot of prep and clean up in the middle of the day?
- It’s more restful. Not having to stand in a line for your food is worth the price of admission, whether you’re an adult or a kid. Just grab your lunch and a book and head to a quiet corner for some quiet nourishment for body and soul.
- It costs less. Packing lunch saves our family 1000s of dollars every year.
- It can be a healthier option. Home cooking can be a healthy option if you play your cards right.
Ideas for Packed Lunches
There’s no end to the things you can make for a cold lunch. Packing it well can make anything work.
Check out these easy and affordable packed lunch ideas:
- sandwiches, meat and veggie as well as tuna, chicken salad, or egg salad
- salads, such as Black Bean Taco Salad or Greek salad in addition to your standard meal prep salad
- bento boxes or snacky lunches, like a portable charcuterie board
- wraps filled with veggies or shredded chicken
- Greek yogurt bowls topped with granola or muesli and fresh fruit
We’ve got loads of recipes for lunch to beat fast food.
5 Packable Lunch Ideas & a Shopping List
This menu of 5 packable lunch ideas is easy to make in advance.
Since prepped food is good for up to 4 days, I recommend saving the snack boxes for Friday since they are the least perishable and can be assembled the night before pretty easily.
We’ve made it easy for you to cook up this packable lunch plan this week!
- Click “print recipes” to send all five recipes to your printer.
- Click “shopping list”, adjust the number of servings, and then “generate shopping list” to see what you’ll need
- Be sure to shop your kitchen before you head to the store so you can maximize your savings!
Hungry for more lunch packing inspo?
Grab the Ultimate Guide to Packing Lunches, including printable lunch box love notes and a budget snacks cheat sheet.
It’s on sale for just $3!
What do you think?
Let’s chat in the comments!
This post was originally published on September 2, 2013. It has been updated for content and clarity.
shonna
last year we purchased a freeze drier so I could make lightweight backpack meals for a trip to Alaska. the food has great flavor so I find that I am making extra servings so I can put away single serve, easy to make lunches or dinners. all they need is a little hot water and in five minutes we have a home cooked meal. It has been fun to come up with different recipes too. There isn’t much that you can’t freeze dry. fresh fruit and veggies are awesome!
deborah
Oh and salad pitas – I loved salad stuffed in pita bread with ranch dressing yum! I also loved sprouts so your tuna in a pita brought back memories only mine was salad – I really like vegetarian food back then although I eat meat now.
deborah
My childhood was the same years – pretty much all over the west coast – socal, seattle, phoenix, denver… my favorite lunch in california was either a bean burrito slathered in yellow mustard or a swiss cheese sandwich slathered in mustard with a side of guacamole and tortilla chips. Still some of my favorite lunches to this day LOL!
Teresa
I have struggled with packed lunch for 10 years. I make six sack lunches, five days a week. You would think I would have it down my now! The hardest part is keeping the kids and the Hubby from eating the items that are to go in the lunch. This year I think I finally got it down. I go shopping on Saturday night and Sunday evening I fill bags. I pack 30 brown bags with a verity of dry items. I fold down the top and put a color sticker on each to know what 6 are alike. Then I place them them in a box in the pantry. In the morning kids make a sandwich from what we had for dinner and add a fruit. So Far So good. I very happy and there is less stress.
Jessica Fisher
THAT is brilliant. Go, Mom!
Christine A
It makes me smile when you write about childhood memories – especially this time with a big shout out to Rosedell!!!! I was not fortunate to have Mrs. Marcy as a teacher but now, I do remember warm fuzzies! My 1st grade teacher, Miss Watson (later she married and moved up north) also gave out these little “Pom poms” …as does my daughter’s 1st grade teacher!!!! The Weepuls just may be making a comeback!!!!!!
Jessica Fisher
I had Miss Watson for 1st grade, too. Were we in the same class? Or were there two Miss Watsons? I’m not sure where all my school pics are.
Christine A.
Yes!!!! We were in the same class!!!!! I thought we were in second grade together but it was first!!! 😉
Jessica Fisher
Ha! I was a nervous wreck that year since I didn’t do kinder at Rosedell. I’ve blocked most of it out.
JoannaTopaz
I do indeed remember the warm fuzzies. I believe I still have some … somewhere.