School is officially out and lots of parents are panicking over keeping their kids entertained, and fed, throughout the summer. How do we feed kids frugally over the next few weeks? Should we stockpile more food? How will I feed them 3 whole meals AND snacks?
These are all great questions! The best part is that feeding your kids in the summer won’t be as daunting as it sounds. Here are some tips that will show you how to feed kids frugally in summer, without going insane.
Focus on Good Breakfast
It’s so easy to phone in breakfast during the summer. A bowl of cereal tends to be the biggest culprit, but it just might be the worst breakfast to serve in the summer. The cereal may be too sugary for little bodies, and then you add in milk which has it’s own natural sugars.
Plan wholesome but cheap breakfasts, like breakfast burritos, overnight oatmeal or even hard boiled eggs with sliced fruit. Starting the day with a cheap but hearty meal will set the tone for the rest of the day.
{Related: 10 Frugal Make-Ahead Breakfasts}
Plan It All
Yes, meal planning is great, but in the summer you’ll have to extend that into lunch and snacks. Even if all you can afford for lunch is cheese and crackers or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, write it down.
Most parents find themselves using dinner leftovers for lunch, but that’s out of lack of options. Instead, plan to use part of dinner for the next day’s lunch. Take it one step further and write out your family’s lunches on a dry erase board each week.
The kids will be excited about having “homemade lunchables” on Wednesday, and may ask to help prepare them. They’ll also respect the fact that those special meals have special days, and most likely won’t sneak and eat them before the assigned day.
Serve Simple Snacks
Snacks are key to keeping kids happy, healthy, and out of your kitchen. Set a time when they can have a snack, and always keep those snacks as simple as possible.
Remember how I said cereal would be a bad breakfast? Well, it’s the best way to feed kids frugally when it’s snack time! One bowl of cereal with milk is great for kids running inside from playing to have a quick bite.
Other simple snacks are sliced fruit with yogurt dip, cheese and crackers, peanut butter and crackers, carrot sticks and celery with salad dressing, or no bake granola bars or bites.
{Related: Oatmeal Banana Bites}
Look For Free Lunch
Did you know that some counties offer free lunch for children in the summer? This is still one of my favorite memories of summer spent at my grandmother’s house.
My cousins and I would walk down the street to the local elementary school and enjoy a free lunch every weekday once school was out. We had sandwiches, snacks, and milk cartons at each meal.
It was so much fun, and it got us out of my grandmother’s hair for at least an hour. Some counties even offer a discounted lunch for adults, if you would like to have lunch with your kids.
To find out if your county offers free lunch, google your county’s name and “free lunch in summer.”
