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A tighter budget may mean having to skimp on what is good for you, but here are a few tips on quick changes for brown bag lunches that are simple, delicious, and nutritious.
First, take a classic peanut butter and jelly, every child’s nightmare; for example, could be made fun by letting them help you cut out cookie cutter shapes into the bread. Trade white bread for wheat bread. For less calories and sugar intake try sugar free jelly and peanut butter (the peanut butter may be more expensive but will last you a lot longer than normal peanut butter.
Next, in replacement of fruit snacks, fruit rollups, or even candy snacks, swap them out for a small cut up apple and sugar free caramel dip. Or there could be any number of variations to this by just substituting actual fruit (you know bananas, oranges, grapes!) or even vegetables, which include but are certainly not limited to: celery, cucumber or even carrots; these are all good lunch pals.
Finally, instead of juices that are high in sugars and calories, try water– or even milk (I know in a brown bag lunch may not be feasible, but try to put it in a stay cool cup or just give them the money to buy a pouch of milk at school) . If your child insists on juice, buy an 100% juice container; NOT a juice cocktail(juices made from cocktail tend to have less fruit juice in them and more preservatives along with more sugar). Then, water it down with about 10-25% of water, this will lessen the amount of sugar as well as save you a bit of money by retaining the juice you have!
Here is the proof that you can have fun and eat it too! Happy lunch packing!