Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
Planning your shopping around the calendar is one of the most enlightened strategies a shopper can employ for their family. We're in the midst of a great savings opportunity: food that will pack in a school lunch. The sales and coupon matches have been and will be extraordinary this year.
Perhaps you may have decided already that you are going the hot lunch route. Buying the hot lunch may provide convenience. You might be satisfied with your children's school lunch program choices, and you may qualify for free or discount lunches ““ and I'm grateful we have this resource for those who truly need it.
Packing a school lunch can be wildly affordable, however, if you are stacking your manufacturer coupons on top of great local sales. Each week we find around 400 grocery deals at 50% or better employing this strategy at SavingsAngel.com.
Packing a lunch will also give you greater control over your child's food choices (particularly to ensure good nutrition). I'm a big believer in making sure that my kids get great nutrition. (I don't consider french fries a “˜veggie' and ketchup a “˜fruit'). By packing a lunch with your kids, a little bit of effort can pay off financially for your family.
You can regularly get lunch meat for better than 50% off with a coupon ““ particularly in late August and early September. I've been stocking up the freezer to ensure my kids are set for sandwiches until Christmas break. Better to pay $1.50 than $3.39 for a package of lunch meat, right?
If you buy whole wheat store brand bread or Aunt Millie bread when it's on sale at Meijer with a coupon, you should be able get it for under $1 (My stock up price). Load on the veggies and some condiments and you've got a great looking sandwich for about 30 cents.
My kids love grapes ““ which is an inexpensive fruit to pack; or, you might choose apples ““ which come into season very soon! Add in some carrot slices (which is a much-better value than buying packaged baby carrots) or broccoli and a tablespoon of ranch dressing. Top it off with pudding you've made and packed and some lowfat milk in a thermos (which I recently bought for .50 a half gallon) and you should be able to hit the 50 cents mark.
For adult lunches, you can pack and build upon the kids lunch illustrated. For the days you need an easy option, through SavingsAngel, we commonly find healthier, premium frozen lunches for a dollar or under. Add in some veggies, fruit and a water bottle and you should be able to hit an average of a dollar.
This is, of course, is just one example. (And a simple one at that). You may find even greater savings by making and packing soups, crockpot meals, yummy leftovers, and much more creative dishes. Our online community is a great place to gather and exchange ideas.
Whether you pack a lunch this year for the financial savings or better control of what foods your kids are exposed to, the time spent (especially if you involve your kids) will pay you back many times over and can help you save for and achieve some goals for next summer.
The easiest way to cut your grocery bill in half is through using manufacturers coupons combined with the best sales at local stores. Normally, this takes a lot of work to create a winning shopping list for your family. Each week, SavingsAngel.com combines over 2,000 products on sale at local grocery and drug stores with their enormous database of manufacturer coupons ““ which are found in your Sunday paper and throughout the Internet. This combination results in access to over 300 products each week for 50% off or better. Here are a few examples of deals that are available until Saturday at midnight. Please look in Tuesday's Grand Rapids Press each week for tips on how you can easily start cutting your grocery bill!
