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Fast & Frugal Moment Monday

I am always looking out for a bargain or a way to do something faster and easier!  This afternoon we were in the supermarket when my son came up to me asking for a lunchable.  I looked at it long and hard, and then resoundingly said "no".  Sure, they are convenient and fast, but, at $1.50+ each, they are NOT budget friendly.
   But that got my mind going...

I have two super snackers in my house. They graze constantly especially when they are in a growth spurt.  So the idea sprung; "what about making my own?" 

So I set about the chore.  I bought a single package of bologna (.98 cents), a 12 pack of string cheese ($3.50 on sale), and two smaller bags of goldfish crackers ($1.00 each) and a box of store brand small snack bags ($1.98).  Total: $8.46 (plus tax)

I got it all home and got out the bologna.  I stripped the paper from the outside and then cut the whole package into 4 little triangles.  I pulled out the string cheese and cut the cheeses in half and separated them at their serrated edges.


I pulled out the goldfish crackers, a large tablespoon, and the snack sized baggies.  Into each bag went 3 triangle slices of bologna and 1/2 of a string cheese.  I then placed them in the baggie and got out another.  In it I placed approximately 3 tablespoons of goldfish crackers (I separated them so the crackers wouldn't get soggy) and then put it all together, zipped locked it shut (as I squeezed the air out of them) and started the process over again.

Ta-da! Little snack packs - tailor made to be easy, quick and affordable!




My kids also love dill pickles so I decided to do that as a snack baggie too.  In that I placed another 1/2 piece of string cheese, and 2 small dill pickles. The kids were delighted!!!






The dill pickles were $1.98 so all in all, I paid $10.44 spent in money, and about 7 minutes of my time.

The whole thing made 31 mini snack baggies, plus some left over cheese and crackers.  Break that down... it cost me $.34 cents (!) to make our own lunchables!!!  

Of course, you could customize this up or down... using turkey or ham... adding a mini treat or candy bar, using trail mix... the sky is really the limit! 

Quick, fun, and oh so easy!!

2 comments:

Susan said...

I need to consider this, it would might help with the other problem I have: getting them to eat a healthy snack instead of inhaling the first bag of goldfish the open (or whatever it happens to be).

A cheaper cheese option: buy a couple of bricks of cheese when they are sale for BOGOF and cut them into cubes.

Anonymous said...

Great idea!! I think I will give that a try next time

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