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The other lunch thread got me thinking. Parents seemed to think that $3 per day for lunch was a lot of money. My two younger kids (boys-11, 14) bring lunch from home every day. They usually get:
A sandwich (turkey, ham, roast beef, pb/j, etc....), Fresh fruit, 2 snacky things (peanut butter crackers, jello, granola bar....), water.
Now peanut butter is cheap. When my kids eat peanut butter I am sure their lunch costs less than $3 that day. But they like variety so they usually get turkey, ham, roast beef also.
Lunch meat costs vary but I can usually get something that is not heavily processed on sale for around $7 per pound. A pound makes 4 meals. So it's around $1.75 for the meat. A loaf of whole wheat bread costs $2.49 and makes 8 sandwiches. That's around 30 cents. When you add fresh fruit or carrot sticks, and 2 snacks it easily adds another dollar to the cost.
What does everyone eat that costs less than $3 per day aside from peanut butter and jelly? My kids like pb/j but they don't like to eat the same thing every day (me neither).
Also-to those who say the kids don't need to eat that much.....Do you have teenaged boys? My guys eat a lot. And so do all of their friends. They just eat.
If they're referring to school lunches, then $3 is a lot of money. Lunch at my son's school is about $1.40. My son takes his lunch, though, as he usually doesn't like the school lunches. Can't say I blame him, school lunches were pretty lousy when I was in school, and I'm sure they haven't gotten any better.
If they're referring to school lunches, then $3 is a lot of money. Lunch at my son's school is about $1.40. My son takes his lunch, though, as he usually doesn't like the school lunches. Can't say I blame him, school lunches were pretty lousy when I was in school, and I'm sure they haven't gotten any better.
Is lunch $1.40 for middle/high school?
People were suggesting that $3 per day was expensive for lunch and that they could save money by bringing lunch from home. I am just wondering what kids are eating for less than $3 per day (besides pb/j).
I don't think it's that people necessarily think that $3 is a lot but that 3 could go a lot further in quelling a teenaged boys hunger if it were stuff packed from home. $3 worth of cafeteria food does not equal $3 worth of food from home. Not in any way. My son usually packs his lunch (he gets no lunch money from me so if he purchases lunch, it's on his own dime - unless I just haven't had a chance to get to the store). There are a lot of ways to make a relatively inexpensive but filling lunch. Just this weekend I was at Walmart and saw a good sized premade sub sandwich - probably at least a foot long with lots of meat in it. It was $6 and I brought it home and my husband, my son and I all split it for lunch and there was several sandwiches worth left. I could probably go get one of those on Sunday, slice it up into several good sized sandwiches, for not much more than $1/serving. Add fruit, chips/snack and fill a water bottle with water and you're good. Alternate that with PB&J or turkey .... there is a whole variety of food items out there and you'd fill those teen boy's stomaches much better on a lunch from home. I'd agree that $3 at the cafeteria will not provide enough for most teen boys.
Also-to those who say the kids don't need to eat that much.....Do you have teenaged boys? My guys eat a lot. And so do all of their friends. They just eat.
Warning! This WILL get worse before it gets better. (Which is when they leave home and are paying for their own groceries.) It is a well known fact that the average teenage boy can digest a roast beef dinner, with soup and salad, and three pieces of pie for dessert in less than 90 minutes. That's from the time it goes in until the time it... you know.
BTW I am TREMENDOUSLY impressed with your budgeting skills!
Warning! This WILL get worse before it gets better. (Which is when they leave home and are paying for their own groceries.) It is a well known fact that the average teenage boy can digest a roast beef dinner, with soup and salad, and three pieces of pie for dessert in less than 90 minutes. That's from the time it goes in until the time it... you know.
BTW I am TREMENDOUSLY impressed with your budgeting skills!
Lol, I remember burger and dog night. Ten hot dogs and 7 or 8 burgers between them. I never knew whether to be disgusted or impressed.
When my eldest daughter was playing basketball she was taking in 7000+ calories a day and still losing weight. Her boyfriend and his best friend (one soccer player, one wrestler) came over for lunch one afternoon and the three of them went through-- I kid you not-- 30 pieces of deli fried chicken, potatoes, beans, and cake. I think between the 3 of them they might have weighed 350.
It boggles the mind. One piece of cheesecake and I may as well apply it directly to my butt.
Warning! This WILL get worse before it gets better. (Which is when they leave home and are paying for their own groceries.) It is a well known fact that the average teenage boy can digest a roast beef dinner, with soup and salad, and three pieces of pie for dessert in less than 90 minutes. That's from the time it goes in until the time it... you know.
BTW I am TREMENDOUSLY impressed with your budgeting skills!
My older boys (16/14) can eat as much as I can cook. They are not overweight, they just eat constantly. There does not seem to be any end to their appetite. I am sure it is because they are busy with football and marching band and growing.
I am LMAO at your last comment. I really don't budget lunch. I buy what my kids like and I don't really worry about how much it costs. I just know that a pound of lunch meat lasts 2 days for 2 kids and that a loaf of bread makes 8 sandwiches because I need to know how much to buy. I had to look at the price sticker to see how much it cost. I don't mind spending more for the things they like but I hate to waste.
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