My dh and I can't qualify for the low income lunch at our kids school. The everyday cost for lunch is $3 for two. I find it expensive at times. Sometimes we can't pay that amount for two every month. I was wondering if any of you give your kids a brown lunch bag? I sometimes have them take luch but run out of ideas for recipes. I don't wan't my boys to get bored of the same. Any ideas on recipes?

Thats really sad that you dont qualify. You dont even qualify for low cost meals? I havent packed a lunch for my kids in awhile.

which I knew what to offer for ideas.

We don't qualify for anything that has to do with low income, no free lunch or help with bills. He works for the state and even though it seems as if he gets good money it all goes to the payment of the house wich is $3,000 a month not including the bills and food.

Try using soft tortilla shells to make sandwich wraps.  Buy the snack size bag of crackers instead of chips.  Cut apples are easy and to keep them from browning

*take 1 vit. C caplet disolve in a 1/4 c hot water then add to a bowl of ice water.  add cut up apples let sit- dry on paper towel and place in baggie.

Add a small tupperware of peanut buter to dip apple in.

Go through the lunch calendar and have them pick one or two days a week that they would like to buy lunch- or do one week a month.

thankfully brad is picky..hehe he always gets the same thing... Ana I have found that if you do chips and cookies its cheaper to buy the big bags then use snack bag to  put in the luch dont get the prepackagfes lunch size bags..thats too much money.  thermous still makes thermoses i seen them at toys r us recently how about chilli, with a side of tostidos or something. I'd liek that for lunch

Packing a lunch with variety can be difficult - I only have to do it 2x a week right now and find that challenging.

Sandwich wraps are a great idea and there are ton of different flavors - a favorite of mine is: ripe banana, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and chopped apples.  You mash the banana and mix it with the PB and then mix in the chopped apples.  Spread the mixture evenly over a tortilla and wrap it up.  It healthy and tasty!

Yogurt is another lunch goody that can be eaten by itself or used as a dipper for apples or carrot sticks.  My son loves to dip his carrot stick into yogurt.

I hit up a book store (like Barnes & Nobles) in the children's book store and review the children's recipe books for some ideas.  Bring a pad and paper so you can write them down.

I thought my mortage was bad at $1500. EEEK. Im probably gonna have to give up my home and get something else smaller or rent.

i took my lunch to school with me from kindergarten through 8th grade every now and then i would eat the schools food but not very often. the old standby of peanut butter and jelly didnt work for me since i dont like it my sister would eat it though then she switched to peanut butter and butter oh and she loves apple butter sandwiches. i would have little thermos things of soups, theres a ton of variety of lunch meats ham, turkey , pastrami , roast beef theres always tuna too they make little kits that come with crackers, tuna, mayo and relish for lunch boxes. my mom would also make macaroni tuna salad, pasta salad, mini cupcakes (she would make a bunch and freeze them and put them in my lunch box frozen they were thawed by lunch time most the time) carrot bread, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread and theres always sliced carrots and celery with ranch to dip in.

right now you might want to check your local target they had a special section set up with multi packs and large sized packs of all different things and all of it is now on clearance. if that stuff is gone at your target make sure to check the ends of the aisles in the food section alot of times they will have the multi packs of crackers and stuff on clearance there we buy them alot for simon  

Great Thread. My baby starts tomorrow and because we don't eat meat she will need a sack lunch A LOT. Struggling to find good stuff for her to take, most of what we eat is hot. At least she told me "mom, I can't take Subway to school" - otherwise she'd want Subway daily!

There are a ton of books out for lunch recipes! My fav (so far! LOL) is The Ultimate Lunchbox Book by Honey & Larry Zisman. There are some oldies-but-goodies ideas for lunches. As well as some new twists to old ideas and completely unique ideas.

Wow Ladies  Some really wonderfully creative ideas on old   stand-byes made new !!  My kids actually preferred brown baggin at least half the year , tho we did do hot lunches in colder weather ... the wrps woulda been  a hit  w girls .. We did fruits , cut veggies ... soup in thermos  and  various   sandwiches  were our staples ...  the lil snack packs  ... also  packed our own chips or stuff in lil snack baggies , and go gurts  frozen   juices (OR WATER ) frozen to keep stuff cold ..

ps  school lunches have been raised around country  and free  lunches are being threatened to become a thing of the past   because of  hgher grocerytys transport etc... Thats whats in the news   nowadays

I pack lunch often for Sydney. To keep cost down, don't buy snack packs. Use zip lock or small tupper ware. For special occ. I get the snack pack. My daughter likes to get the small wraps, add peanut buttter and grape jelly, cut it in half after you roll it up. For snack, orange wedges, grapes, pineapple or kiwi (Sydney loves star fruit) put in tupper ware. Feeling frisky- add it all together- usually good for two days and especially for more than one kid! Carrots with cucumber slices and ranch dip is always a hit here. For something crunchy- good old fashion cheerios in a zip lock..........for flavor- the cheese (chedd/Mozz) sprinkles used for popcorn taste AWESOME on the cheerios. Sydney also likes it when I cut her ham and cheese in quarters. Drinks- well there is no short cut.....capri-son, sunny d, kool-aid packs....sometimes the Fiji bottles work....the small kid sizes. Good luck. Everyone has great ideas. I am going to use them too!

Oh! If you can, pack it at night before you go to bed. Mornings are NUTS here. ugh!

I came up with a great idea last year for lunches.  I always pack their lunches because I think it's healthier that way. 

So on Sunday night I get everything ready for the week and the girls help.  We pack snack baggies of grapes, little containers of yogurt, containers of peaches, containers of kiwi, snack baggies of carrots and little containers of ranch dressing then for the dry stuff: snack baggies of goldfish, crackers, granola bars, cheez its. That way in the morning, everything is packaged up and all they have to do is grab the things they want, throw them in there lunch boxes and go.  They decide out of all healthy choices what they want, usually one dry thing and two or three fruits and veggies, my older one makes a sandwich also but the little one just eats healthy snacky stuff.  It worked out great last year, they felt like our fridge was a really cool store and it was so quick in the morning! 

Also it's a good time on Sunday night to sit around the kitchen table and talk while we package things up.