Daily Bento

One of the comments that I received on Facebook a while ago went something like this:

“I’d like to see your grocery bill every week.”

This comment actually came from a friend so there was no ill will intended but I assume that what she was getting at was, since I don’t pack the same thing for lunch for my daughter every day, I must spend an astronomical amount of money.

Actually, it’s quite the opposite. I used to walk into a grocery store and think nothing of blowing most of my paycheck on groceries but that was when I was working full-time and earning a decent living. Now my job is to take care of my home and my family and although it’s the best job I’ve ever had, it doesn’t pay anything. So I’ve had to become a lot more frugal than I used to be.

I don’t like to give my daughter the same thing for lunch every day nor does she want the same lunch every day.

So how do I cater to my daughter’s love of a variety of different foods and still stay within my budget?

Today’s lunch is a great example of how I’m able to do just that. I pack leftovers for lunch whenever possible, I always buy what’s on sale and use coupons whenever possible, and I buy ingredients that I can use in multiple dishes throughout the week.

Pictured above is her lunch from today that contained leftover pasta salad from last night’s dinner which was just veggie pasta, chopped cherry tomatoes, herbs, parmesan, and a simple Italian dressing. Easy peasy.

I also tossed in some seedless watermelon chunks that I got for a crazy good deal because they were in season and on a BOGO (buy one get one) sale last week. The fruit-filled cereal bar was also purchased on sale and with a coupon. Those aren’t something that I normally buy for my daughter but I was able to get them for next to nothing and I know she enjoys finding them in her lunch from time to time.

I’m not sure if that particular friend ever reads this blog but I had suddenly remembered her comment today and this particular lunch is such a great example of a few of the ways that I save money on lunch packing that I figured, why not address it here?

So I did.

Do you have any money-saving tips for lunch packers? Let me know in the comments section below.

Tags: leftovers for lunch, Lunchbox Love, Sugarbooger Good Lunch Box