By: Iris Robin

The average cost of school lunches are only getting more expensive. Last year alone the price jumped almost 10% due to the school districts not wanting to compromise nutritional integrity. I figured it was time to take the nutritional integrity into my own hands, and save myself upwards of $10 a week. Here are some of the great recipes and ideas that help break up the monotony of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Monkey Mix

Yields 18 Servings

• 9 cups of Chex™ cereal (any variety)


• 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips


• 1/2 cup of peanut butter


• 1/4 cup of butter or margarine


• 1 teaspoon of vanilla


• 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

In a large bowl, measure cereal; set aside. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, stir together chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Microwave uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth.

Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Pasta Fagioli – Thermos Style

A great meal for a cold fall day. Delicious, hot Italian soup, in a thermos!

• 1 tablespoon of olive or vegetable oil


• 1 medium onion (chopped)


• 1 stalk of celery (diced)


• 1 carrot (diced)


• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)


• 1 can of diced tomatoes (with juice)


• 2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth


• 1 tablespoon of dried basil (or 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil)


• 1 teaspoon of crumbled dried oregano


• 2 cups of water


• 1 can of white kidney beans (drained and rinsed)


• 1 cup of small dried pasta shells (or other small-shaped pasta)


• salt and pepper to taste

Start off by heating the oil in a large saucepan or over medium heat. Next, add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Let this cook, stirring, for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the onion is soft. Then add the tomatoes, broth, basil and oregano. Bring all of this to a boil over high heat, then cover it, lower the heat to low and let this simmer for about 30 minutes.

Stir in the water, beans and pasta, then return to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring once or twice, for about 5 minutes or until pasta is almost tender. It will continue to soften in the liquid, so you should undercook it slightly just so that it doesn’t turn mushy. Taste and add salt and pepper, if necessary.

Ladle into thermos and pack a small container of grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle in at lunchtime. The soup will thicken when refrigerated, so you may have to stir in additional broth or water when you reheat it.

Peanut Butter Rice Snacks

Yields 16 servings

• 1/2 Cup of light or dark Corn syrup


• 1/3 Cup of firmly packed light brown sugar


• 1/2 Cup of chunky peanut butter


• 3 Cups of Rice Crispies™ (or the generic brand) cereal

Grease an 8 by 8 by 2 inch baking pan. In a 3-quart saucepan, stir together the corn syrup and brown sugar until the mixture becomes smooth. Stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in the peanut butter until it is well blended. Stir in the cereal until it’s well coated. Press into a prepared pan. Cut into 2-inch squares. Store tightly in a covered container.

Ants Hiding in a Log

• 2 slices of enriched white or whole wheat bread


• 4 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese


• 1/4 cup raisins, unpacked (ants)

Remove crusts from the bread. Spread half the cream cheese on each slice. Cut each slice into 3 strips (logs). Place 15 to 20 raisins in a line on two strips. Stack the two strips together, cheese and “ants” side up. Place the third strip on top to form a triple-decker. You now have ants hiding in a log from the anteater. Feed them to your little “anteaters.”

Mini Sub Sandwiches

A very easy recipe, that is fun to eat as it is to make. All you need for this one is a hot dog bun, some deli meats, cheese slices and lettuce. Add all of the ingredients together for a delicious little mini-sub. Don’t forget to pack some dressing to pour on the sub! Goes great with chips, fruit slices or crackers.

Great ideas from around the web

And last, but certainly not least, here is some great advice I found on this topic from juju_mommy over at the Dollar Stretcher Forums:

Sandwiches (about the cheapest option)

Cold Fried Chicken (for example, if you have leftovers)

Salad (not always the cheapest option but it’s healthy and something “different”)

Tortilla Wraps (make your own: one example is fried chicken strips w/ lettuce and Ranch dressing)

For snacks/sides: opt to make your own servings in baggies rather than purchase all those single-serve (and expensive) options. Make your own trail mix (nuts, cereal, M&Ms, pretzels, etc.) and use whatever items you can find on sale to pick your ingredients. Make your own granola bars or often you can find them on sale for pretty cheap. Another cheap snack is jello or pudding.

Drinks: use a water bottle to fill up with their favorite drink (milk, water, koolaid, etc.).