Watch my Talk of the Town video from the June 19, 2012 show: Healthy & Affordable Kids’ Lunches:

Today on Talk of the Town I talked about how kids’ lunches can be healthy and still be easy on your budget!
It’s summertime, so why not get more creative with lunches that will be healthy and affordable for both you AND your kids?

Keep in mind – presentation and familiarity is key with kids! So if you’re going to try something new with kids, make sure you serve it on a colorful plate, creative container or put it next to something they already like. In case you missed any of my tips, here they are:

Tip #1: Instead of buying pre-packaged lunches that can be very expensive, buy larger or bulk portions of cheese, lunchmeat and crackers, then portion them out yourself each day. You’ll save up to 75% with this method.

Tip #2: Deconstruct more complicated meals. For instance my 6 year old would never eat a chopped salad, but he will eat chopped turkey, cheese cubes, edamame, cucumber strips and sunflower seeds when they’re each on their own. Which leads me to tip #3…

Tip #3: Invest in a Bento Box or another creative container: a Bento Box is a traditional Japanese serving vessel that has been around for YEARS, but now you can find many American versions for kids. Essentially, a Bento Box contains many little, individual compartments where you can separate your food, like mentioned in tips 1 & 2. It keeps eating more interesting while also helping to control portion size.

Tip #4: Eat with the rainbow. Try to steer clear of monotone meals (mac & cheese with potatoes and peeled apples, for instance). Instead, try to incorporate at least 3 different colors into each meal. During the summer, this is even easier because their are so many fresh fruits and vegetables in season, which make them not only taste better, but is great for your budget too! There are portion plates to help you teach this to your kids too

For more ways to save, join me on June 20 for my first Savings Nation Grocery Coupon workshop!