Just a note - not a criticism - but for people who are learning to cook, the roux is the flour and butter mixture. Once you add the milk, it's a cream sauce or a bechamel.
@@kristinatidwell6563 Yes, you're better medium low to low so the flour and butter can blend and gelatinize before you add the milk. Too high and it cooks too fast and can burn or won't thicken as well as it should.
I'd like to point out as the mom of a 14 yo who has pervasive developmental delays (doesn't talk and can do some things on his own..with prompts and some without) that a lot of these (minus cutting veg and fruit) are great for teaching kids of all learning levels to cook. I'm using them with my kiddo.
I like when you say, "I use these pantry Staples". It lets those who are just learning what pantry Staples are and start getting them... These actually looks like delicious meals. I like seeing what everyone does with chicken nuggets besides just eating them as is .. another great job! Thank you.
Thanks, Melinda! I have discovered a few chicken nuggets or tenders can turn into a lot of different things. Salads, wraps, potato bowls, pasta dishes, rice bowls, etc.
I’m so glad you’re sub numbers are growing…..you are terrific. Your subscribers appreciate everything you do and the negative comments are most likely NOT from your subs. So, keep up the great work. It’s very much appreciated.
People really….. stop picking everything apart. This is a suggestion, not gospel. I appreciate the fact that you have taken time out of your busy day to do these videos. I am fortunate that I dont have to tight budget, but I love the ideas and suggestions because quite often I cant really think of anything new. Also loved the Mac and Cheese option, my husband loved it and said I could make that again anytime
These are such good ideas. I am so out of food choices for my girls for lunch and frankly dinner too. Btw...far be it for me to add my 2 cents, BUT...Please don't feel like you have to apologize for using pantry staples in your meal prep. If ppl are that clueless that yes, you have SOME FOOD in your house and can add in to bump up the meal, that's on them.. duh!! I appreciate that you are being kind and feel that you have to apologize, but you really don't. Those of us who are here for the content that we find really helpful, get it and thank you for the inspiration.
I totally enjoy your videos I am a senior citizen who recently lost my husband so basically the meals I just for me You have given me some great ideas and things to bake so I don’t get bored Thank you again and as they would say keep on Truckin
When we were growing up we lived by an A and W and on Tuesday night it was Coney dog night. They were a quarter. So if my dad was working third shift my mother would go and buy dogs A medium order of french fries and a gallon of root beer. We were in heaven!
Great ideas! When my kids were all home I’d put foil-wrapped potatoes in the slow cooker in the morning, kids could have baked potatoes with chopped veggies and cheese for lunches
@@kristinatidwell6563 none, I just scrub them, prick a few times with a fork, wrap each in foil and toss them in the slow cooker on high 4 hrs or low 7-8hrs
My first job was at KFC, I live in KY and we didn't use BBQ sauce on our bowls. It was brown gravy. Maybe you could try that next time. As a family of 8 I appreciate these lunch ideas. I've homeschooled my children for 11 years and it's stressful to come up with lunch ideas in the middle of a school day or when we are busy having fun in the summer. Thanks again for sharing.
I tried that corn dog muffin recipe you did in one of your last videos and my toddler LOVES them. I got some serious snacking street cred in my play date mom group now. 😜😎 Thank you!
I love finding moms that are making more realistic meals. Walmart shopper, healthy but not over the top. ❤ I tend to over think my meals, love the simplicity.
I am an empty nester but I love these videos, too! I'm sorry some people are so snarky, about pantry staples or whatever. They need bigger things to worry about. When you live under a cancer diagnosis like I do, those complaints jusst seem extra silly. Thanks for what you do!
I too am an empty nester & I'm finding it hard to cook for 1! I love these videos because I am on a fixed budget & it's just me! I hope you're doing well, you'll be in my prayers!
@@teresakryvenchuk6205 God bless you. I'm stage 4 and doing well, although the pain has increased a great deal over the last year due to metastasis to the spine. UA-cam is a good distraction.🙂
Hi I went through two years of cancer treatment I've got Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma no cure for it but it's in remission now and I've got three treatments of aftercare left hairs been grown back in for a year now so much different foods I couldn't eat I could not eat bacon or beef at all which I'm glad I got that back because they say sometimes your taste for foods don't come back I did acquire The taste for green bell peppers and beans now so I do all kind of refried beans baked beans I add them to my dishes now because I can eat them now I never liked them before so good luck with your treatment keep fighting and hun as long as you can find something that you can eat with your treatment in that don't worry about what anybody says just do what you can and hang in there hope it goes good for you
Thanks for the ideas. Even us grown ups need quick ideas. Being on disability, its not always easy for me to stand in the kitchen for hours cooking. These easy meals ideas help, and my family likes even simple meals. So thank you!
That broccoli mac & cheese looks really good! Mindy you are seriously mom goals for me. I don’t have kids yet, but you are giving me all kinds of inspiration for affordable and well-balanced meals
@@SeeMindyMom potatoes are just a starch, where rice is a complete protein when it's added to a bowl of beans; I've had this debate with my kids when they were small. I just tried to keep them fed!
@@teresakryvenchuk6205 what foods does he enjoy eating that are high protein? My oldest son got stuck on pizza for every meal when he was in Kinder, i couldn't believe it! I got worried about his weight too, i took him to the doctor who said it had all of the various food groups, let him eat pizza! Then we went thru a taco stage, etc. He still loves enchiladas but I can handle that, at least he's not asking those for breakfast! Lol!
Hi Mindy, my husband and I are older and either need a lite supper or lunch and these are wonderful meal ideas for us. We perfere a lite lunch so we really thank you for these ideas. God Bless you and family!!!
Love your lunches! Tip...go to the Mexican food section of Walmart. Alot of things are cheaper. I got a bag of elbow pasta for 0.28. It will surprise you how much more cheaper it is in that section.
I picked up the $.28 pasta from the Mexican section in the store today. Thanks for the tip. Please, think about not calling your child "wierd" cause he doesn't like potatoes. Instead: he prefers not to eat potatoes. Love your videos . They're super helpful.
People are so quick to point out supposed “mistakes” in these challenges, like they have nothing better to do. I love these videos, no wait, I love all of your videos. Lunch is sometimes difficult, especially during the summer, with activities, schedules, etc. I work tomorrow, and my mom is watching my boy, and she has a dental appointment around the same time that I’m finished working. I’ll be giving her some of these ideas, because she has to get going quickly to make her appointment, and make lunch for herself, my dad, and my boy. In fact, I’ll send my boy with some quick lunch items, that would be easy for her to put together, using some of the principals in this video. You really helped us out! Well done!
Great ideas! 🤩 I know you can buy a pizza dough crust mix for under🍕 50cents at Walmart. Also in the mexican food aisle you can buy 7 oz pkgs of tiny shaped noodles for like 30cents. I buy them to throw in homemade soups. 🍲
Hi Mindy.... You are a God 🙏 send... I have a 4 yr old grandson who is picky.He eats with his eyes. His mom has limited his sugar. So now maybe I will get ideas here. 😊. I am a 62 disabled granny
Instead of broccoli (can't hide it from hubby) I use butternut squash. I get pureed frozen butternut squash, add it to my cheese sauce and voila it is orange cheese sauce yay!! (Sneak in the nutrition where ever you can!!)
I thought about that, but I had done something similar in a previous video so I went with turkey this time. I definitely think it's one of those things that is very versatile and you can make it what you want.
lol, my kids would love this and they're in their 20s. We just recently started placing crescent rolls back on the shopping list, and they've been a great hit.
@@yvonnepalmquist8676 my kids still love crescent rolls or cinnabons! My middle son came by not too long ago and he got up first, when I went to get coffee in the kitchen? He had cinnabons in the oven! Lol! I miss the kids when they were still home. 💁♀️
Hey Mindy! Wow, I never would have thought the slices were cheaper!?!? That's great to know! These lunches look so good! We just tried those gv bagel bites for the first time. We loved them! You had a lot left over. Great ideas! Thanks so much for sharing!😍
Some great meals in here! Those plates are great with all of the little sections. Thank you for putting in the time to film. The only thing I would change out is the ‘mash’. It’s so quick to peel, boil and mash actual potatoes and you can make a lot at once and use leftovers for potato cakes or just eat with your next dinner, heated and adding a little extra butter to make it super creamy. You can also make mash super creamy by adding some sour cream. Also, what a steal for the watermelon!
Hi, Peggy! I'm with you...my kids are the same! No surprise since they're so active and it's summer, but man...I'm gonna need to increase the grocery budget soon! :)
Great ideas, Mindy! I love how you so easily put together well balanced meals in such a cost efficient way. Thank you, and please keep sharing these types of meals!!🙂🙂
Hey, Mindy! Thanks again for a home run video. My nephew will be spending time with me this summer. He is five and a picky eater. I am sure the ideas in this video will be a hit and keep me from making a MCDONALD'S run. THANKS A MILLION.
One of the best videos I've seen of yours! Jotted down these ideas for my family. The familiarity of the items helps bc they're things I already buy. Thanks!
you could have made mini chicken parmi with the nuggets turkey and cheese and sauce :)). Also your Son isnt Odd, HIs just got Different taste buds! Cool ideas .
I love your creativity in the kitchen. I’ll bet your children have a hard time eating school lunches this fall after all the yummy and fun lunches they’ve had at home.
Great job Mindy ! My son had a pimento turkey lettuce sandwich today . We make the TikTok quarter wraps for dinner Friday night , which was fun and delicious , but not sure how well it would hold in a lunchbox . It’s a fun alternative to pizza night, since they can customize the four quadrants with whatever filling they prefer and make their own . Cheese on the the lower right quadrant , meat in the upper right , veggies or fruits on the upper and lower left foe optimal melting of your cheese . 👍
I'm glad to see a frugal meal plan that includes a decent amount of protein! So many make meals for kids and leave out the protein. These meals were a good balance. Thank you!
Hi Mindy! I love your lunch ideas. I would eat these and I'm an adult! That Mac and cheese looked so good! Plus your kids had lots of veggies and fruit everyday! I like the sweet treat too. Thanks for sharing!
My daughter loves lunches like… Sliced apples, celery and carrot sticks, peanut butter with a babybel cheese and/or hard boiled egg Three or four kinds of raw veg with ranch dip and a berry duo or trio
Mindy, not only are these inexpensive great ideas for kids, they work well for seniors also! I am a big proponent of making full recipes and freezing the extra servings. I’m sure these ideas would work for freezing also.
And this is a great way to add variety into a 'cooking for one' budget. The meals maybe a bit repetitious in the beginning, but in a few weeks variety in the freezer has been built-up and cooking frequency has been reduced.
Mine has them for even cheaper on the discount rack. I've seen it as low as 30c, I think! I thought about it, but hit the easy button instead this time. :)
Your videos are filled with great ideas and clear explanations. Thank you! You asked us to comment with other inexpensive lunch ideas. Here’s one my 10-year-old LOVES: Make up one box of Mac and cheese (He loves Annie’s). I don’t add the butter; I just use milk and the cheese powder. Then I add in one drained can of chunk light tuna and give it a good stir to evenly break up the tuna. Finally, I add either taco sauce or salsa. Voila! It’s really delicious and has some vegetables if I can sneak in the salsa. (My son prefers the taco sauce. Sigh…) It also keeps and reheats well.
I tried the chicken nuggets with pasta and sauce. It's almost like a easier version of Chicken Parm. I had a different kind of pasta on hand but it still worked. Been watching your pantry clean outs and meal ideas and this one was perfect! I did have to get the sauce but I've had that pasta that I needed to use up so it was perfect! Thanks for the inspiration to use up what I have!
My kids always love hodgepodge meals! Any time I am cleaning out the refrigerator or just throwing what I have together, those end up being their favorite meals.
You can also make a cheese sauce by just using American cheese and water or pasta water. You can then add other cheeses for more flavor but the American cheese keeps in smooth and creamy.
Great ideas Mindy! Thanks for sharing about only cutting up half of the watermelon and wrapping the other half in plastic wrap. It works! We are going on vacation next week, so we are trying to eat a watermelon up.😉
Pre shredded cheese has anti-caking ingredients on it. In my experience using that to make a cheese sauce results in a gritty texture. More work to shred yourself but it tastes better.
I like to use the breaded chicken to make wraps. I like greens (lettuce, spinach or ehatever), cheese, and ranch along with the chicken, which I often slice up into smaller chunks. By slicing them, you can make a few leftover chicken nuggets or strips go a long way! So good too!
I love all your ideas! I have to cook for my two grandsons as their mom works nights. They are 14 and 10 and extremity picky. No left overs, and the 10 y/o will only eat corn dogs. Chicken nuggets or pizza he will eat breakfast sandwiches too. I am frustrated trying to prepare healthy meals.
You are so amazing. What stores do you usually do your grocery shopping at? Do you ever stock up on water? Can you possibly do some in store grocery shopping videos? It would be awesome if you could show how you do your full shopping trip
Missing the gravy on the KFC bowls (they don’t come with BBQ sauce). We like making those with popcorn chicken. The ham roll ups are a common lunch around here.
thats all she wrote is so common in our area. These lunches look spectacular. Honestly I don't like a thick pasta so I would not use Penne but other than that, wow if I was a kid, I would want you to byou to my mom. Thanks Bev from BA, Ok
I hope these provide a few ideas or a little inspiration. Make them your own by substituting or adjusting to fit your needs and tastes! :)
Just a note - not a criticism - but for people who are learning to cook, the roux is the flour and butter mixture. Once you add the milk, it's a cream sauce or a bechamel.
Everytime I try to make a roux? I tend to burn it, I guess I need to turn down the heat.
@@kristinatidwell6563 Yes, you're better medium low to low so the flour and butter can blend and gelatinize before you add the milk. Too high and it cooks too fast and can burn or won't thicken as well as it should.
@@kristinatidwell6563 it just needs to be enough to melt the butter. It doesn’t need to cook much.
Thanks!
@@kristinatidwell6563 What everybody else said, and also that you really need to stir the mixture the entire time.☺
I'd like to point out as the mom of a 14 yo who has pervasive developmental delays (doesn't talk and can do some things on his own..with prompts and some without) that a lot of these (minus cutting veg and fruit) are great for teaching kids of all learning levels to cook. I'm using them with my kiddo.
I like when you say, "I use these pantry Staples". It lets those who are just learning what pantry Staples are and start getting them... These actually looks like delicious meals. I like seeing what everyone does with chicken nuggets besides just eating them as is .. another great job! Thank you.
Thanks, Melinda! I have discovered a few chicken nuggets or tenders can turn into a lot of different things. Salads, wraps, potato bowls, pasta dishes, rice bowls, etc.
I'm on a tight budget and I always have those "extra" items on hand. Don't let others make you feel bad about that. You are amazing!!
Thanks Mindy! My hubby is like a big kid fickle! So these ideas are really great! That Mac and cheese with Broc is a winner!
I’m so glad you’re sub numbers are growing…..you are terrific. Your subscribers appreciate everything you do and the negative comments are most likely NOT from your subs. So, keep up the great work. It’s very much appreciated.
Super ideas for lunch for adults and children. Awesome!
People really….. stop picking everything apart. This is a suggestion, not gospel. I appreciate the fact that you have taken time out of your busy day to do these videos. I am fortunate that I dont have to tight budget, but I love the ideas and suggestions because quite often I cant really think of anything new. Also loved the Mac and Cheese option, my husband loved it and said I could make that again anytime
These are such good ideas. I am so out of food choices for my girls for lunch and frankly dinner too.
Btw...far be it for me to add my 2 cents, BUT...Please don't feel like you have to apologize for using pantry staples in your meal prep. If ppl are that clueless that yes, you have SOME FOOD in your house and can add in to bump up the meal, that's on them.. duh!!
I appreciate that you are being kind and feel that you have to apologize, but you really don't. Those of us who are here for the content that we find really helpful, get it and thank you for the inspiration.
Thank you! I appreciate that! :)
Exactly my thoughts - little by little ppl can build up their pantry😊😊
Thank you I appreciate these easy meals!!! I always struggle with feeding my kids during the summer and was tried of spending money.
Anytime I do a hodgepodge lunch and think “ oh wow, this is weird” my kids end up looooooooving it!! 🤣
yep, mine, too!
Same at our house.
Great Ideas, I provide weekend childcare for my great-niece. It's nice to have a variety of meals for her to try, me as well. Thank you.
I totally enjoy your videos I am a senior citizen who recently lost my husband so basically the meals I just for me
You have given me some great ideas and things to bake so I don’t get bored
Thank you again and as they would say keep on Truckin
The brocolli mac and cheese looks sooo good
Pizza and corn are a tradition at my kids school.
When we were growing up we lived by an A and W and on Tuesday night it was Coney dog night. They were a quarter. So if my dad was working third shift my mother would go and buy dogs A medium order of french fries and a gallon of root beer. We were in heaven!
I've purchased the slices often for the same reason. Shredding isn't necessary, ripped pieces works and melts just fine in a roux.
Good point!
I looked last week at the slices vs. the blocks and they were definitely more like .20 more, maybe 3 months ago they were less
Love all your videos thanks ❤😊 your meals are great family loves them all thanks ❤😊
As a school cook, I love to see your kiddos getting fruits and vegetables 😋 I love that your using lunch trays, keep putting up great videos.
These are some good meal ideas! Thanks for sharing 😊
I absolutely love your channel! I don’t have children but I’m on a debt free journey and gosh you’re SO helpful!!!!
Great ideas! When my kids were all home I’d put foil-wrapped potatoes in the slow cooker in the morning, kids could have baked potatoes with chopped veggies and cheese for lunches
That is a great idea!
@Robin S:
How much water did you put in the crock pot to cook the potatoes?
@@kristinatidwell6563 none, I just scrub them, prick a few times with a fork, wrap each in foil and toss them in the slow cooker on high 4 hrs or low 7-8hrs
My first job was at KFC, I live in KY and we didn't use BBQ sauce on our bowls. It was brown gravy. Maybe you could try that next time.
As a family of 8 I appreciate these lunch ideas. I've homeschooled my children for 11 years and it's stressful to come up with lunch ideas in the middle of a school day or when we are busy having fun in the summer. Thanks again for sharing.
Glad I could give some ideas, Ashley! :)
Also from Ky the brown gravy is good but so is bbq😋
I tried that corn dog muffin recipe you did in one of your last videos and my toddler LOVES them. I got some serious snacking street cred in my play date mom group now. 😜😎 Thank you!
That is great! Thank you for letting me know, I'm so glad! :)
Love all these ideas. I try to pack my lunch for work every day. I treat myself now and then but I save so much money by bringing it from home!
I love finding moms that are making more realistic meals.
Walmart shopper, healthy but not over the top. ❤
I tend to over think my meals, love the simplicity.
I am an empty nester but I love these videos, too! I'm sorry some people are so snarky, about pantry staples or whatever. They need bigger things to worry about. When you live under a cancer diagnosis like I do, those complaints jusst seem extra silly. Thanks for what you do!
I too am an empty nester & I'm finding it hard to cook for 1! I love these videos because I am on a fixed budget & it's just me! I hope you're doing well, you'll be in my prayers!
@@lindseybsmith thank you! You are so kind. I
Hi H. Meerdink.... I am a 3 Yr. survivor. No one knows until you go thru it and fight to live. You will be in my prayers....fight to beat this
@@teresakryvenchuk6205 God bless you. I'm stage 4 and doing well, although the pain has increased a great deal over the last year due to metastasis to the spine. UA-cam is a good distraction.🙂
Hi I went through two years of cancer treatment I've got Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma no cure for it but it's in remission now and I've got three treatments of aftercare left hairs been grown back in for a year now so much different foods I couldn't eat I could not eat bacon or beef at all which I'm glad I got that back because they say sometimes your taste for foods don't come back I did acquire The taste for green bell peppers and beans now so I do all kind of refried beans baked beans I add them to my dishes now because I can eat them now I never liked them before so good luck with your treatment keep fighting and hun as long as you can find something that you can eat with your treatment in that don't worry about what anybody says just do what you can and hang in there hope it goes good for you
Thanks for the ideas. Even us grown ups need quick ideas. Being on disability, its not always easy for me to stand in the kitchen for hours cooking. These easy meals ideas help, and my family likes even simple meals. So thank you!
That broccoli mac & cheese looks really good! Mindy you are seriously mom goals for me. I don’t have kids yet, but you are giving me all kinds of inspiration for affordable and well-balanced meals
My four year old doesn’t eat potatoes in any form! Even French fries don’t appeal to him, whereas I have yet to meet a potato I don’t like 😆
Lauren, same here! Brick won't eat french fries either.
@@SeeMindyMom potatoes are just a starch, where rice is a complete protein when it's added to a bowl of beans; I've had this debate with my kids when they were small. I just tried to keep them fed!
Lauren, I have a 4 yr.oldgrandson. He is picky.he is a little under weight. How do you feed a picky eater
@@teresakryvenchuk6205 what foods does he enjoy eating that are high protein? My oldest son got stuck on pizza for every meal when he was in Kinder, i couldn't believe it! I got worried about his weight too, i took him to the doctor who said it had all of the various food groups, let him eat pizza! Then we went thru a taco stage, etc. He still loves enchiladas but I can handle that, at least he's not asking those for breakfast! Lol!
Hi Mindy, my husband and I are older and either need a lite supper or lunch and these are wonderful meal ideas for us. We perfere a lite lunch so we really thank you for these ideas. God Bless you and family!!!
Thanks, Melody! Glad they work for you guys! :)
I never thought to do anything other than just eat chicken nuggets. Those are some good ideas to mix them up with other foods.
Love your lunches! Tip...go to the Mexican food section of Walmart. Alot of things are cheaper. I got a bag of elbow pasta for 0.28. It will surprise you how much more cheaper it is in that section.
Yes, I have used that pasta many times in extreme budget challenge videos. :)
I picked up the $.28 pasta from the Mexican section in the store today. Thanks for the tip. Please, think about not calling your child "wierd" cause he doesn't like potatoes. Instead: he prefers not to eat potatoes. Love your videos . They're super helpful.
@@judyanderson8782 weird isn't a negative unless you make it into one.
That Mac n cheese looked so good. I really like how you always incorporate fruits and veg into your meals.
People are so quick to point out supposed “mistakes” in these challenges, like they have nothing better to do. I love these videos, no wait, I love all of your videos. Lunch is sometimes difficult, especially during the summer, with activities, schedules, etc. I work tomorrow, and my mom is watching my boy, and she has a dental appointment around the same time that I’m finished working. I’ll be giving her some of these ideas, because she has to get going quickly to make her appointment, and make lunch for herself, my dad, and my boy. In fact, I’ll send my boy with some quick lunch items, that would be easy for her to put together, using some of the principals in this video. You really helped us out! Well done!
Thanks, Maria!
Great ideas! 🤩
I know you can buy a pizza dough crust mix for under🍕 50cents at Walmart.
Also in the mexican food aisle you can buy 7 oz pkgs of tiny shaped noodles for like 30cents. I buy them to throw in homemade soups. 🍲
Awsome, hearty fun lunches! What you call hodge podge, I call variety! Who says cheap AND healthy can't happen together?
I LOVE those kid plates. I have all of the colors!
Hi Mindy.... You are a God 🙏 send... I have a 4 yr old grandson who is picky.He eats with his eyes. His mom has limited his sugar. So now maybe I will get ideas here. 😊. I am a 62 disabled granny
I always appreciate how creative you are with your kid’s lunches!
Instead of broccoli (can't hide it from hubby) I use butternut squash. I get pureed frozen butternut squash, add it to my cheese sauce and voila it is orange cheese sauce yay!! (Sneak in the nutrition where ever you can!!)
I absolutely love all your videos!!! Real mom making real food for your family!! ❤️❤️❤️keep the videos coming pleeease.😊🙌🏻
Great ideas! I make crescent roll ups with pepperoni and cheese then we dip them in marinara sauce.
I thought about that, but I had done something similar in a previous video so I went with turkey this time. I definitely think it's one of those things that is very versatile and you can make it what you want.
lol, my kids would love this and they're in their 20s. We just recently started placing crescent rolls back on the shopping list, and they've been a great hit.
@@yvonnepalmquist8676 my kids still love crescent rolls or cinnabons! My middle son came by not too long ago and he got up first, when I went to get coffee in the kitchen? He had cinnabons in the oven! Lol! I miss the kids when they were still home. 💁♀️
Hey Mindy! Wow, I never would have thought the slices were cheaper!?!? That's great to know! These lunches look so good! We just tried those gv bagel bites for the first time. We loved them! You had a lot left over. Great ideas! Thanks so much for sharing!😍
Some great meals in here! Those plates are great with all of the little sections. Thank you for putting in the time to film. The only thing I would change out is the ‘mash’. It’s so quick to peel, boil and mash actual potatoes and you can make a lot at once and use leftovers for potato cakes or just eat with your next dinner, heated and adding a little extra butter to make it super creamy. You can also make mash super creamy by adding some sour cream. Also, what a steal for the watermelon!
Great ideas!! I loved all the different meals. I will be making some of them for my 4 boys who never seem to stop eating!
Hi, Peggy! I'm with you...my kids are the same! No surprise since they're so active and it's summer, but man...I'm gonna need to increase the grocery budget soon! :)
Can’t go wrong with having a frozen pizza on hand! Thank you for the ideas 😀
Agreed. I bought 2 in my last grocery haul. We live an average "real" life around here, and frozen pizza is just a lifesaver sometimes. LOL
When I buy slice cheese and plan to shred it, I stack them and freeze slightly and it will crumble when you shred
Thanks for the ideas! With the neighbor kids here sometimes I need all the inspiration I can get. 😊
Great ideas, Mindy! I love how you so easily put together well balanced meals in such a cost efficient way. Thank you, and please keep sharing these types of meals!!🙂🙂
Hey, Mindy! Thanks again for a home run video. My nephew will be spending time with me this summer. He is five and a picky eater. I am sure the ideas in this video will be a hit and keep me from making a MCDONALD'S run. THANKS A MILLION.
You rock!! You are a very creative mom!! Love all your great ideas!! Wish you were on you tube 15 yrs ago!!
One of the best videos I've seen of yours! Jotted down these ideas for my family. The familiarity of the items helps bc they're things I already buy. Thanks!
you could have made mini chicken parmi with the nuggets turkey and cheese and sauce :)). Also your Son isnt Odd, HIs just got Different taste buds! Cool ideas .
Love!!! These recipes are so easy to make vegetarian/vegan too!!! Thank you for these awesome "template" style of videos you create. ☺
I love your creativity in the kitchen. I’ll bet your children have a hard time eating school lunches this fall after all the yummy and fun lunches they’ve had at home.
I made “chicken parm” bowls the other night for dinner lol
Great ideas! I’m always looking for different lunches for myself
Salad, veggie wok, smoked salmon, halloumi cheese, boiled eggs, croutons, tuna fish, hummus, then mix and match for variety.
Great, well-balanced and simple ideas that are also fairly quick and easy 🙂
Great job Mindy !
My son had a pimento turkey lettuce sandwich today . We make the TikTok quarter wraps for dinner Friday night , which was fun and delicious , but not sure how well it would hold in a lunchbox . It’s a fun alternative to pizza night, since they can customize the four quadrants with whatever filling they prefer and make their own . Cheese on the the lower right quadrant , meat in the upper right , veggies or fruits on the upper and lower left foe optimal melting of your cheese . 👍
I'm glad to see a frugal meal plan that includes a decent amount of protein! So many make meals for kids and leave out the protein. These meals were a good balance. Thank you!
The last meal is great. Options are always a winner. We do no-cook/leftover nights for dinners, why not lunches, too?
Hi Mindy! I love your lunch ideas. I would eat these and I'm an adult! That Mac and cheese looked so good! Plus your kids had lots of veggies and fruit everyday! I like the sweet treat too. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Ann! I appreciate the kind words!
Your hair looks really nice! Great lunch ideas as always
Thank you!! 😊
Thank you for all your great ideas. Please keep making budget video ideas.
This is great! My kids are big eaters so just nuggets or just a sandwich is never enough - this gives us great ideas.
My daughter loves lunches like…
Sliced apples, celery and carrot sticks, peanut butter with a babybel cheese and/or hard boiled egg
Three or four kinds of raw veg with ranch dip and a berry duo or trio
Hodgepodge meals are also a great way to reduce food waste! Kids always love them.
Mindy, not only are these inexpensive great ideas for kids, they work well for seniors also! I am a big proponent of making full recipes and freezing the extra servings. I’m sure these ideas would work for freezing also.
And this is a great way to add variety into a 'cooking for one' budget. The meals maybe a bit repetitious in the beginning, but in a few weeks variety in the freezer has been built-up and cooking frequency has been reduced.
Great video! Walmart sells loaves of French bread for $1.00, that’s a really delicious start to pizza!
Mine has them for even cheaper on the discount rack. I've seen it as low as 30c, I think! I thought about it, but hit the easy button instead this time. :)
Pizza and corn combo was totally a thing in Ohio!
Your videos are filled with great ideas and clear explanations. Thank you!
You asked us to comment with other inexpensive lunch ideas. Here’s one my 10-year-old LOVES: Make up one box of Mac and cheese (He loves Annie’s). I don’t add the butter; I just use milk and the cheese powder. Then I add in one drained can of chunk light tuna and give it a good stir to evenly break up the tuna. Finally, I add either taco sauce or salsa. Voila! It’s really delicious and has some vegetables if I can sneak in the salsa. (My son prefers the taco sauce. Sigh…) It also keeps and reheats well.
Everything looks really good, my son is super picky but I feel like he would eat these meals, thanks for all of these great meal ideas! :)
Thank you, very yummy lunches, good ideas even for us older folks on a limited budget, enjoyed your video, God bless
I tried the chicken nuggets with pasta and sauce. It's almost like a easier version of Chicken Parm. I had a different kind of pasta on hand but it still worked. Been watching your pantry clean outs and meal ideas and this one was perfect! I did have to get the sauce but I've had that pasta that I needed to use up so it was perfect! Thanks for the inspiration to use up what I have!
thanks for the great ideas. I don't have kids but my husband and I eat like kids LOL. Great Vid.🙏🏼🌻🍉
My kids always love hodgepodge meals! Any time I am cleaning out the refrigerator or just throwing what I have together, those end up being their favorite meals.
Great ideas, Mindy! Thanks for the video!
Wow your kids are eating well. I love the cafeteria trays you use. I make puff pasty pizzas a lot, great for kids and adults!
My son has been liking hot ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch.
You can also make a cheese sauce by just using American cheese and water or pasta water. You can then add other cheeses for more flavor but the American cheese keeps in smooth and creamy.
Thank you for creating such inspiring videos! I Love all your content and So relatable!! Hi from Houston TX!! 👋❤️💯
Hi, Samantha! Thanks for the kind words!
You have some good ideas .I would eat all of these lunches and be very happy with them.
Great ideas Mindy! Thanks for sharing about only cutting up half of the watermelon and wrapping the other half in plastic wrap. It works! We are going on vacation next week, so we are trying to eat a watermelon up.😉
I loved these ideas! Thanks for sharing!
Pre shredded cheese has anti-caking ingredients on it. In my experience using that to make a cheese sauce results in a gritty texture. More work to shred yourself but it tastes better.
I like to use the breaded chicken to make wraps. I like greens (lettuce, spinach or ehatever), cheese, and ranch along with the chicken, which I often slice up into smaller chunks. By slicing them, you can make a few leftover chicken nuggets or strips go a long way! So good too!
I love the last meal! We call that a picky platter. Last week ours had an egg roll, some taquitos, cheese, meat, crackers, and cucumbers!
Yep! It feels good to use some things up, too. :)
One of my kiddos favorite is wraps I buy a bag of Buffalo or bbq chicken add some cheese lettuce ranch easy lunch they all love
I love all your ideas! I have to cook for my two grandsons as their mom works nights. They are 14 and 10 and extremity picky. No left overs, and the 10 y/o will only eat corn dogs. Chicken nuggets or pizza he will eat breakfast sandwiches too. I am frustrated trying to prepare healthy meals.
You are so amazing. What stores do you usually do your grocery shopping at? Do you ever stock up on water? Can you possibly do some in store grocery shopping videos? It would be awesome if you could show how you do your full shopping trip
Im a vegetarian but I still love your videos so much. Looking into veganizing these ideas hehe Awesome job.
Another great video...always giving me good ideas! Thanks for sharing!
Hodgepodge lunches are the best! I often take what I call adult lunchables to work, some babybels, some chicken, vegetables and fruit.
I went shopping yesterday, thought of you, i stayed in my budget😀
Thought the donut holes were meatballs... you see what you want to see! Lol Great lunch ideas...yum!
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haha!
Missing the gravy on the KFC bowls (they don’t come with BBQ sauce). We like making those with popcorn chicken. The ham roll ups are a common lunch around here.
thats all she wrote is so common in our area. These lunches look spectacular. Honestly I don't like a thick pasta so I would not use Penne but other than that, wow if I was a kid, I would want you to byou to my mom. Thanks Bev from BA, Ok
Love watching your vidoes and getting ideas. My kids are dairy-free but I still get some ideas!