I thought I would share a few more of my money saving ideas since there has been an interest lately. I like to trim the budget and the first place I trim is snacks.
"But kids NEED snacks in their lunches!" you say.
I agree.
Even though we do not have to pack school lunches I still like to offer my brood a variety of fun lunch options. While those little packs -that are all the rage now- are so convenient, they are murder on the budget. Packaging everything up individually jacks up the price.
Making lunches everyday while stopping to fill the little baggies takes up a lot of time. So when i buy a bag of trail mix or crackers or what not I open it right away and portion it out by serving size. That way we have lots of quick-to-grab-on-the-go packs and they are also a nice portion. I know if I do not portion them, little sticky fingers will sneak in the cupboard and eat too many right from the box.
Since Gabby is diabetic, the controlled portion size is perfect. I write the carb count on the baggie with a sharpie and she can just grab on and know what she needs to bolus right there.
Another money saver and quick and easy snack is Jello.
They do sell those individual Jello cups that come 6 to a pack but they are very pricey, I think over 3 dollars a pack. I always use the same tubs I use for the baby purees and make a whole bunch of them that the kids can have with meals or for a snack. I make Sugar Free ones and it is something Gabby can have without having to worry about whether it will bother her blood sugar. They travel really well too.
My last tip is a time saver. When I do my big shopping I come home and dice up a whole celery and a couple of onions and put them in air tight containers. This way when I am going to make a dish I can just grab out a container and save time on chopping. A lot of time it is chaotic and I am rushed at dinner and this little time saver is really nice. Plus the celery does not go limp in the drawer!
That is it for today!
Not a comment on saving money, but yes, she said nucular. That drives me batty!
Posted by: Jen | October 03, 2008 at 02:56 PM
That`s smart!
Posted by: Maddy | November 07, 2008 at 07:35 PM
just found your site and it is great. one question, where did you get your wallet? it looks wonderful.
Beth
Posted by: Beth | March 04, 2012 at 10:49 PM