I don't have kids or live in the USA. Most of the tips are difficult to follow for us Europeans but I don't care because I love this channel! I still find it motivating.
Very likely not the intended effect, but an interesting revelation in my house. I never thought to price each lunch serving until I saw this video. I realized I was killing myself EVERY morning to make lunches coming in at or just above your $2 mark whenever my kids school lunch is $2.45. Giving myself that grace to know that while my ingredients are definitely better than the school lunch, that I can take a few days off now and again too.
Great lunch ideas and nice to see you can get a filling, balanced meal on a budget. We’ve been making a version of quesadillas since my son was a toddler. Smash some white bean (home cooked or canned), mix in a sprinkle on some taco seasoning and spread thinly on the tortilla …add a little sprinkle of diced chicken then a sprinkle of grated cheese. More filling and they can be cooked, cooled then cut into wedges and frozen in individual servings. We defrost, warm gently…like 15 seconds so barely warm then pop them on a dry pan for a few seconds each side to re-crisp. Straight into a preheated thermos. Favourite lunch. This works with “pizzadillas” too. A little sauce, pepperoni cut into quarter bits, a little mozzarella and easy, no mess pizza. Freezes and reheats the same way.
I’m going back to a temp job soon. Thinking that I can use some of these ideas. I’ll be working from home but having lunches prepared will be a good idea to avoid just snacking all day.
Can you do a video on budget meals and snacks for a swimmer? My kids are the same age as yours and if I remember, you have a swimmer? My 9 and 11 yr old are elite swimmers and they EAT!!
Great ideas! I'm curious if you would be able to make a video on meals you can eat with one hand "tractor meals." Harvest season is approaching fast and our farmers love good food thats easy to eat one handed while still driving the combine and the tractor on the go. (And the farmers wife would like them to be fairly healthy) 😊 id love to see what your ideas are, you always come up with creative ideas! Thanks!
Thank you!! I so appreciate you. Planning & Cooking is so hard for me. Feeding a house full of boys on a budget makes it more challenging. I've been using your $100 week meal plans and for the first time in a long time I feel more in control of our budget and diet. So excited to see this to help with lunches. Thank you so much!! God bless
2 muffin mix, 1 stick of butter, and 1 egg and you get amazing crumbl type cookies ( let it chill 2 hrs if you can) cake mix is twice the size as the little Martha whites
Yes, that’s why I cut the egg and oil mixture in half compared to what I use for cake mix cookies. I also could have purchased a box of cake mix for the same price as the muffins, but that makes way more cookies than I needed! 😂
I got the idea to use honey mustard dressing instead of cream cheese with turkey breast when I was out of cream cheese. So good and a different flavor. Been making lunch for my partner now that they work further away. Just sandwich, apple sauce and granola bars, but it saves a Subway visit.
I made turkey cream cheese roll ups at my baby shower bc I was eating them the whole pregnancy, and it was about all I could eat bc I was so sick all the time. Lol
Mindy, I've suggested a friend of mine from work watch these lunch ideas videos. She's is just overwhelmed at the idea of shopping & cooking. It has caused problems for her. Your videos would really help her! Thank you for doing this.
Dissolving the soap in a container is an unnecessary step when it dissolves in the washer yes I have a top loading washer as well save yourself a step and just throw it in
I am just curious, when you send the cheese quesadillas in the kids’ lunches, do they eat them cold and like them cold? I’m only asking as I wouldn’t think a school would have a microwave available for students to heat it up. Of course, it’s been awhile since I worked at the school, so I am sure some things have probably changed by now, lol.
Love your videos. My husband and I had a chuckle think out about your three kids and possible one doesn’t get a lunch during the week. Of course we know they do but ten meals for three kids. 😅(?). ❤❤😂😂
I mentioned in the video I plan these 10 for $20 lunchbox videos with 2 elementary age kids in mind. All of my children know how to pack their own lunch, but I make content to share ideas, not just for my own family.
I'm curious about the "lunch boxes" or "Bento boxes" Do the foods get "soggy" mixed with each other in the boxes? I would think that the moisture of the veggies would get absorbed by the other foods?? I know that we are all trying to reduce our dependence on plastic, but I'm curious about soggy foods. Thanks!
I got some flour tortillas to make fajitas this week, so thanks for the nudge about how I can use them for lunches too. My wife and I won't eat 20 of them with fajitas. 😀 And I really like the yogurt parfait idea!
I worked for a lady that her son was obsessed with D roll ups except he used bologna he didn’t like turkey so he would take the cream cheese and bologna and make bologna roll ups
Why are sweets and crackers/chips part of lunches in the USA? I have seen various videos and it is widespread. In my country it is not considered part of a meal but a snack for special occasions (celebrations, family gatherings...)
Every culture eats differently. There's nothing wrong with that. We don't all have to eat or like the same things. I'm sure there's things that you eat in your country that others would think is odd/not good or whatever.
Schools need to focus on teaching and not what's in a child's lunch box. There are more issues in schools today than to worry what parents put in there. Their own kids lunches !
I don’t recommend using those laundry sheets. They contain PVA which is a plastic polymer that needs very specific conditions to biodegrade. Those conditions are not met in most waste water treatment plants, but it allows companies to market their products as biodegradable even though the PVA enters the environment. There are other low packaging options for laundry that don’t have that ingredient. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I love your channel! 💜✨💜
Thanks for these ideas -- sometimes I just don't think about something as simple as mini-muffins which are a nice treat without over indulging my kiddo's sweet tooth! I honestly like these ideas for lunch option for me as a stay at home Mom.
My kids and I loved the tortilla rollups with honey mustard, turkey or ham slices, and shredded cheese. I'd still eat them this way, maybe with dijon mustard!
My four year old eats like a man lol he definitely requires a good sized lunch, but he eats so healthy and loves veggies. I have two boys and I'm due with another baby in January. If we end up having another boy I think I'm gonna need a bigger garden and maybe a small orchard lol
I don't have kids or live in the USA. Most of the tips are difficult to follow for us Europeans but I don't care because I love this channel! I still find it motivating.
Remember, you can always find substitutes to create your own. Using Mindy’s recipes as a base. Love watching her videos also ❤❤❤
Very likely not the intended effect, but an interesting revelation in my house. I never thought to price each lunch serving until I saw this video. I realized I was killing myself EVERY morning to make lunches coming in at or just above your $2 mark whenever my kids school lunch is $2.45.
Giving myself that grace to know that while my ingredients are definitely better than the school lunch, that I can take a few days off now and again too.
Great lunch ideas and nice to see you can get a filling, balanced meal on a budget. We’ve been making a version of quesadillas since my son was a toddler. Smash some white bean (home cooked or canned), mix in a sprinkle on some taco seasoning and spread thinly on the tortilla …add a little sprinkle of diced chicken then a sprinkle of grated cheese. More filling and they can be cooked, cooled then cut into wedges and frozen in individual servings. We defrost, warm gently…like 15 seconds so barely warm then pop them on a dry pan for a few seconds each side to re-crisp. Straight into a preheated thermos. Favourite lunch. This works with “pizzadillas” too. A little sauce, pepperoni cut into quarter bits, a little mozzarella and easy, no mess pizza. Freezes and reheats the same way.
These look fantastic! The parfait idea is 🤯
I’d take these lunches to work! I’m always looking for suggestions to change up the regular rotation. Spectacular ideas, Mindy!
🤩🤩🤩
Thanks so much!
I mainly watch these for myself. It usually is stuff that I will like. Also my three year old granddaughter when I have her.
I’m going back to a temp job soon. Thinking that I can use some of these ideas. I’ll be working from home but having lunches prepared will be a good idea to avoid just snacking all day.
Great lunches even for adults. In Ottawa, Ontario, it would cost about $40 Cad but it's still cheaper than eating out
Can you do a video on budget meals and snacks for a swimmer? My kids are the same age as yours and if I remember, you have a swimmer? My 9 and 11 yr old are elite swimmers and they EAT!!
You not only share the best dinner ideas but lunch too. I look forward to every video.
Thank you, Alma. You always have kind and encouraging things to say. I appreciate it.
@@SeeMindyMom you're so very welcome, sweet friend. That's who I am. I love to share encouragement with others.
Great ideas!
I'm curious if you would be able to make a video on meals you can eat with one hand "tractor meals." Harvest season is approaching fast and our farmers love good food thats easy to eat one handed while still driving the combine and the tractor on the go. (And the farmers wife would like them to be fairly healthy) 😊 id love to see what your ideas are, you always come up with creative ideas! Thanks!
Thank you!! I so appreciate you. Planning & Cooking is so hard for me. Feeding a house full of boys on a budget makes it more challenging. I've been using your $100 week meal plans and for the first time in a long time I feel more in control of our budget and diet.
So excited to see this to help with lunches.
Thank you so much!! God bless
2 muffin mix, 1 stick of butter, and 1 egg and you get amazing crumbl type cookies ( let it chill 2 hrs if you can) cake mix is twice the size as the little Martha whites
Yes, that’s why I cut the egg and oil mixture in half compared to what I use for cake mix cookies. I also could have purchased a box of cake mix for the same price as the muffins, but that makes way more cookies than I needed! 😂
Those are great lunches Mindy! Variety each day....I like that!. Not just a sandwich and chips.
That’s my idea. Nothing wrong with the standard sandwich lunch either, but sometimes people want different ideas to change it up. :)
I love the idea of washer sheets but I worry about the lint clogging my filter. I would probably use powder instead.
Thanks for the Earth Breeze Rec.
My pleasure.
Such great ideas Mindy! I’m hooked! And I agree that adults would eat these as well! 😋
Loving these budget friendly lunch idea videos!!!! Mu girls get so tired of the same stuff all the time!
These are great, Mindy. Thank you!! I’d love to see a video of budget dinners on the go for those busy sports nights someday.
I got the idea to use honey mustard dressing instead of cream cheese with turkey breast when I was out of cream cheese. So good and a different flavor. Been making lunch for my partner now that they work further away. Just sandwich, apple sauce and granola bars, but it saves a Subway visit.
So true! Subway is kinda pricey now!
We do the same with french onion dip or mayo.
I’m loving these $2 lunches! It also gives me some great ideas for after school snacks. Thanks Mindy!😁
Wonderful ideas! Thx
You are so welcome!
Such creative ideas, Mindy! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much for watching!
I've been eating fruit yogurt parfaits with granola for 2 weeks now. Can't get enough. Love your ideas as always ❤️
I will make some of these for work ! Looks delish !
I made turkey cream cheese roll ups at my baby shower bc I was eating them the whole pregnancy, and it was about all I could eat bc I was so sick all the time. Lol
Great lunch ideas, thank you!
Glad you like them!
I use that also 😊
Mindy, I've suggested a friend of mine from work watch these lunch ideas videos. She's is just overwhelmed at the idea of shopping & cooking. It has caused problems for her. Your videos would really help her! Thank you for doing this.
My pleasure. Thanks for recommending them!
Dissolving the soap in a container is an unnecessary step when it dissolves in the washer yes I have a top loading washer as well save yourself a step and just throw it in
I love these lunch videos
Love this!
thanks!
I am just curious, when you send the cheese quesadillas in the kids’ lunches, do they eat them cold and like them cold? I’m only asking as I wouldn’t think a school would have a microwave available for students to heat it up. Of course, it’s been awhile since I worked at the school, so I am sure some things have probably changed by now, lol.
I was wondering the same thing?
I send chicken nuggets, pizza my kids eat them cold, they couldn’t care less I do heat them up the night before but they love it
Keep these videos coming! They're so helpful for figuring out what to pack and stick to a budget!
I’m trying to put out several in the first month of school. :)
@@SeeMindyMom awesome!!
Love muffin mix what a good idea
Thank you for the video!
Thanks so much for watching and for always leaving a comment. It’s a great way to support content creators. It helps us out a lot!
Great ideas!!!
Love your videos. My husband and I had a chuckle think out about your three kids and possible one doesn’t get a lunch during the week. Of course we know they do but ten meals for three kids. 😅(?). ❤❤😂😂
Love these ideas and reminders!
Ha … she mentioned she likes to make her own lunch and doesn’t like to be called a kid anymore
Ruthie makes her own lunch. She's got this! 😀
I mentioned in the video I plan these 10 for $20 lunchbox videos with 2 elementary age kids in mind. All of my children know how to pack their own lunch, but I make content to share ideas, not just for my own family.
Lunch look great thanks ❤😊
I'm curious about the "lunch boxes" or "Bento boxes" Do the foods get "soggy" mixed with each other in the boxes? I would think that the moisture of the veggies would get absorbed by the other foods?? I know that we are all trying to reduce our dependence on plastic, but I'm curious about soggy foods. Thanks!
Great tips as always Mindy 😊❤
Thank you!
Tortillas here in HI is about $6 and more... i miss rhe mainland prices for sure
how does earth breeze work for hand washing like sweaters
Good video
Thanks for the visit
cool
I got some flour tortillas to make fajitas this week, so thanks for the nudge about how I can use them for lunches too. My wife and I won't eat 20 of them with fajitas. 😀
And I really like the yogurt parfait idea!
Glad I could help! Have a great week! I really appreciate your kind comments. 😊
When needed I throw a can of tomato sauce or tomato soup, a can of corn, and a can of green beans together and call it soup
I have a child that is allergic to dairy. I would LOVE to see one of these that is dairy free. Thanks!
Just sub in dairy free milk, really not too hard
Your lunches look very balanced. Great job.🥪
Thank you!
Ugh I wish I had your prices. Our cheese is almost 2.50 at walmart
These videos are what I need! Thank you for the school lunch inspiration! ❤
Glad I could help!
I worked for a lady that her son was obsessed with D roll ups except he used bologna he didn’t like turkey so he would take the cream cheese and bologna and make bologna roll ups
Loving these lunch videos! 🥰
$16 i made mince beef vegie bonaise seven portiins
Why are sweets and crackers/chips part of lunches in the USA? I have seen various videos and it is widespread. In my country it is not considered part of a meal but a snack for special occasions (celebrations, family gatherings...)
Why ? Desserts and crackers in lunches... because they can. It's their house, their rules. It's that simple.
Food culture varies from county to country.
Every culture eats differently. There's nothing wrong with that. We don't all have to eat or like the same things. I'm sure there's things that you eat in your country that others would think is odd/not good or whatever.
I’ve noticed that too. In Australia, lunches like this would result in a note from the school sent home to the parent saying “not suitable”.
Schools need to focus on teaching and not what's in a child's lunch box. There are more issues in schools today than to worry what parents put in there. Their own kids lunches !
I don’t recommend using those laundry sheets. They contain PVA which is a plastic polymer that needs very specific conditions to biodegrade. Those conditions are not met in most waste water treatment plants, but it allows companies to market their products as biodegradable even though the PVA enters the environment. There are other low packaging options for laundry that don’t have that ingredient. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I love your channel! 💜✨💜
Thanks for these ideas -- sometimes I just don't think about something as simple as mini-muffins which are a nice treat without over indulging my kiddo's sweet tooth! I honestly like these ideas for lunch option for me as a stay at home Mom.
My kids and I loved the tortilla rollups with honey mustard, turkey or ham slices, and shredded cheese. I'd still eat them this way, maybe with dijon mustard!
💜💜💜💜💜
My four year old eats like a man lol he definitely requires a good sized lunch, but he eats so healthy and loves veggies. I have two boys and I'm due with another baby in January. If we end up having another boy I think I'm gonna need a bigger garden and maybe a small orchard lol
haha! I hear ya. My boy definitely eats more than my girls at his age.
You needed eggs but didn't count them. Same w oil
What happened to a peace of homemade cake a peace if fruit and a sandwich
She's providing other options and ideas. Most people know about typical lunchbox sandwiches, fruit etc.
@@eyestoseeearstohear9030 shes an amazing mum
That is a lot carb wise
With $12 i made seven ham cheese sandwiches
We're dairy free. No way these would be $20 😢
You can still make it happen, get creative
@natalieeubank4533 yes I know. I'm only saying that these exact meals for my family would not be $20.
When needed I throw a can of tomato sauce or tomato soup, a can of corn, and a can of green beans together and call it soup