Planning school lunches may be easy for some but for the rest of us, we tend to run out of ideas. Ideally, a school lunch will include well-balanced portions of food- healthy with a little bit of treats to enjoy. I am passionate about packing a healthy and processed food-free (as much as we can) school lunch but I also pack my girl's some sweets or desserts that are store-bought. Notice that I said, "as much as we can". This is because I am still a frugal mama and I truly believe that moderation is the key (with the exception of food allergies). 

 I also believe in flexibility. There are just a variety of factors to consider when shopping and prepping school lunches: budget, your family dynamic, your busy schedule, and so on. Sometimes, it's okay to use convenience foods because the situation calls for it. 

 There are also picky eaters. I can say that both of my girls go through phases. There was a time when they can not have enough apple sauce pouches. Now, it is still a hit and miss. They use to love ants on a log. Not anymore. For my family, variety and choices work well. I shop at different stores and have a rotation: Aldi, Walmart, Sam's Club, Costco. Trader Joe, and Grocery Outlet.  Stay awhile and I will be sharing several school lunch ideas as well as breakfast that I have shared on previous posts so it will be a one-stop resource for busy parents. Do not forget to print the SCHOOL LUNCH MENU PLANNER to make your planning a breeze!