Summer Meal Ideas on a Budget!

Have you ever noticed that children eat more when they are home on summer vacation?

It’s almost as if they have built up more appetite because of the long hours spent indoors which is where some children spend their summer.

If they are active children and spend a lot of time outside they also become eager for various different types of menu options.

The unfortunate fact is that at this time of the year, parents are struggling to buy food that will satisfy their children as well as keep within their budget.

Meal Ideas on a Budget

It might be a difficult task at first but there are some good ideas for meals that won’t kill your budget!

Here are a few tips to consider:

Buy in bulk – Instead of buying a few snacks at a time, try to buy several bags of their favourite snacks. That would prevent you from making repeated visits to the store.

Make use of leftovers – A good idea is to reinvent left overs by creating new meals.  For example you can revitalize minced meat by inserting it between two taco shells or in sandwiches.

Make your own snacks – Instead of purchasing expensive snacks for your children, you can try to make your own.

Healthy snacks made of fruit can be a sweet treat. You can try freezing a favourite fruit drink in ice cub trays. Your children will enjoy the ‘snack’ of flavoured ice and the juice can be made with what ever your children like to drink.

Get the children involved – Too often children are not involved in the daily meal planning process.  They usually have limited skills in the kitchen and so do not understand that the dinner takes time and effort.

If children, depending on their ages, are allowed to be a part of the process then they will appreciate the meal much more than if they were not active participants.

The meals can be simple and children can be allowed to create their own menus based on their parents’ budget.  My children enjoy creating home made pizza (using items found in the fridge) as well as dumpling stuffed with corned beef.

The main thing is to ensure that the increased demand on the budget is offset by the desire to ensure that your children maintain a healthy diet while on summer holiday!

So what summer meals are you making while staying on budget?

Drop me a note below! Have a happy summer!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner online writer

Tags: summer budget