With inflation hitting every American, it's probably going to be expensive to make lunch for kids this school year .
Meghan Burch, a mother of her five children from Illinois and her YouTuber, attended "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday to share her back-to-school groceries. We shared her best tips and tricks for reducing teens. Stay organized and efficient.
Birch's first tip for today's parents is to plan lunch ingredients in advance — before going to the supermarket.
Mother gave an example of a grocery list divided into tables separating each food item, such as fruits, vegetables, and snacks.
Second, she recommended involving children in the shopping process. This encourages parents and guardians to spend money on food that is not wasted.
"Ask them what they like so they buy what they actually eat," she said.
Birch also suggested that parents invest in reusable items such as lunch boxes, plastic containers and thermoses.
"You don't have to buy throwaway plastic bags," she said.
"It can really add up over time, especially if you have multiple kids."
Tip No. Third, consider buying food in bulk. Bulk items cost less per ounce or per serving, says Birch.
Another way to save money, according to Birch — her fourth tip — is to buy store-branded products instead of name-brand products. This saves consumers money.
"The other day she bought a bag of pretzels nearly $2 cheaper than the big name brand next door," she said.
Birch's fifth hint is the It's about skipping convenience foods such as packaged foods. snack pack.
"You will get more. You will save more," she said.
For her sixth tip, her mother encouraged her parents to think outside the box when packing her lunch.
This can be done by packing leftovers into a thermos to keep food warm, adding healthy combinations such as apples and peanut butter or carrots and hummus, or freezing baked goods for school.
Any other easy way to save money?
Send children to school with water in reusable bottles instead of juice or other beverages.
"It's very cost effective and you don't have to worry about spilling milk or juice," she said.
Her final tip for Birch is to review what your child is and isn't eating to avoid wasting food in the future.
"Waste of food is always waste of money," she said.
