Saturday, our family spent practically the entire day out of the house. From outgrown sales to ice skating to errands, we passed at least two meals away from home. Normally, we would have just picked up food and and snacks at wherever we all agreed to go. With five people in our family that could cost us at least $50 for the day, if not more.
Of course, we didn’t want to do that. After all, we are on a budget, and that money could be used for many other more purposeful things. So, we practiced a few strategies for eating on the go and saved some money.
Bring lunch and snacks
Bringing your own food with you is the obvious choice for savings money. If you think ahead, it can even be convenient. Get an insulated lunch box (or for my family, we use an insulated grocery tote bag) and fill it will enough food to get us through meals and snack. Some ideas:
Fresh fruit, crackers, trail mix, granola, yogurt cups, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, ham, turkey or cheese sandwiches and roll ups, muffins, cubes cheese or string cheese, carrot sticks, hard boiled eggs (salt in a snack baggie or small container), and more.
Know where the cheap take out treats are
If you really don’t want to take any food with you, or you find yourself somewhere unexpectedly and kids need to be fed, target the cheap take out treats. This might not be the typical fast food place either. Egg rolls at the neighborhood chinese take out, a bagel with a smear at the sandwich shop, or pizza by the slice may be good places for cheap food. Remember that you don’t necessarily have to have a full meal, but perhaps just something to get you through until you get home.
Shop at the supermarket
When I am really desperate, I’ll stop at a local farmer’s market for a loaf of fresh baked raisin bread. For less than $3, everyone loves this treat and there are even leftovers for later. A nearby supermarket can be a wealth of cheap food, such as a bunch of bananas, a box of store brand cereal, and all of the items that you might have bright anyway had you thought about it. You can even get hot food for a fraction of the cost at your local restaurant or take out.