Pack a Healthful Budget-friendly Lunch

Back-to-class or back-to-work spells back to lunch box planning amid news of rising food prices.  Here are some tips for a home-made lunch to save money, reduce waste and boost nutrition:
 

• Choose local, seasonal produce. Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, grape tomatoes, apples, pears and plums are nutritious, economical and pack well. Check Foodland Ontario for availability: http://www.ontario.ca/foodland/availability-guide
  
• Pack ‘extra’ fruits and veggies for the larger appetite or to satisfy hunger on the bus ride home
  
• Pick the less-than-perfectly shaped fruits or veggies. They can be fun and less expensive
  
• Homemade savoury scones, muffins or oatmeal cookies are inexpensive and a more healthful choice than pre-packaged crackers, chips and cookies. Sneak some veggies or beans into your baking for extra nutrition
  
• Cook large batches of soups, stews or ragouts for dinner and plan for leftovers to go directly into reusable containers for a portable meal the next day or freeze for another occasion to avoid waste
  
• Use an insulated container to keep food safe. (Hot food must stay hot / cold food must stay cold)
  
• Wrap newspaper around an insulated container to help maintain temperature. The coloured comics are fun
  
• Hard-cooked eggs, cheese, meat, fish, poultry, yogurt, mayo and milk require a cold pack
  
• A frozen reusable bottle of water or 100% juice doubles as a cold pack that’s drinkable by lunch time
  
• Reuse glass jars to carry food. They are wide-mouthed to accommodate a spoon, easy to clean in the dishwasher and can be microwaved safely with metal lid removed; but are not safe for kids
  
• Use a new pencil case to carry reusable cutlery and a fabric napkin to reduce waste
  
• Make your own lunch box. Repurpose a medium-sized cookie tin or gift bag or sew your own lunch bag
  
• Use fun shaped cookie cutters to make cheese slices and sandwiches in fun shapes for the kids
  
• Prepare snacks the night before when possible, and label the food in the fridge that needs to be packed into lunch boxes in the morning to save time.
  
  

 
Maria Depenweiller, P.H.Ec. is a Milton-based Professional Home Economist and member of the Ontario Home Economics Association.