Are you looking for some budget friendly recipes for the school year? Believe it or not, the change in routine can actually be a plus when it comes to your food costs. Here are some top notch back to school tips designed to keep kids happy while going easy on the food budget:

• Invest in re-usable containers to pack lunches and snacks in. This will cut the amount of money you spend on disposables such as plastic bags or tin foil. Write your child's name on the containers in permanent marker so that they are sure to come home.
• Go with an old classic: the lunch box. Another super way to reduce packaging costs.
• Get large bags of vegetables or other snacks and separate out into containers for kids. You pay more for the individualized portion sizes. The same goes for juice boxes and other items.
• Rotate your breakfast recipes so that you aren't buying too many varieties of food each week. Try cereal one week and scrambled eggs with toast the next. It will can help cut down on the amount of food you throw away. You can do this with snacks as well.
• For foods you go through a lot of, buy a larger container. Popular items such as peanut butter and applesauce are less expensive that way.
• Plan dinners that require less ingredients. If you buy less products, you'll spend less at the store. Hunt for easy recipes that only require a few basics to prepare.

Fall can be a great time to cut your food costs. When kids return to school, it gives you the opportunity to use menu planning and packaging in a way that will lower your bill at the grocery store.

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