Cheap healthy playground snacks

hum_lovely

Like many schools my sons' school is trying to encourage healthy eating by banning crisps, chocolate, sweets etc at playtime. My sons were taking fruit but complained it was too fiddly and time consuming (wasted playing time!). One morning I ran out of fruit and muesli bars and in desparation gave them two cream crackers with margarine between them. They loved it and now ask for it everyday. At 18p a packet (Tesco own brand) this makes a cheap snack - if they are really good I put a thin (very very thin!) slice of cheese between them! I also find a bumper pack of raisins/sultanas last ages when I give them a handful each per day.

Anyone else got some money saving tips for packed lunches or breaktime?

Penny-Pincher!!

My DD takes either a banana, apple or raisins with grated carrot in a small bag for breaktime.

scuzz

carrot sticks
cucumber sticks
cherry tomatoes
get shops own version of dairilea - much cheaper - and give them a triangle each day

BungleGirl

My daughter always crazes me for those cheese dipper things (a little pot of cheese and some breadsticks) I refuse to buy them because they are a huge rip off and I hate the way the packaging is designed so that every child does the 'I want them for my lunchbox' as you go around the supermarket.

A few times I have bought the philadelphia (not sure how to spell that) pack of four minis and a box of min breadsticks. Exactly the same thing and worth it not to give my money to Dairylea who's marketing I object to. (Can't seem to find mini breadsticks at Tesco - have to go to Asda for them - but that could just in my area).

Apples and pears always come back half eaten - but sliced carrot always getts eaten, so I usually give her those now - same story - she wan't something she can eat quickly so that she can get on and play.

Little pots of mini pasta and sweetcorn go down well for lunch - I make up a bigger tub of it for the fridge and use some each day.

A chunk of cheese - don't bother with the overpriced individually wrapped ones. Although cheese is high in fat - the calcium in cheese is great for kids as they are growing.

It's good that your school is adopting a healthy food policy!

lisadupreez

Small baby tomatoes. They way to get them to even try eating these is messy - but healthy.

Get them to have a competition to see who can burst them between their teeth the best and furthest.

Evenutally they won't be repulsed by fresh fruit & veg and be quite happy to eat them.

Becles

Mine prefer running around at playtime rather than eating, so I stopped bothering putting snacks in

savingmum

I'm find slicing up an apple and putting them in a small container( 3 for a pound from £ shop) good - i use 1 apple between 2 and it always gets eaten as opposed to a whole apple that they said got 1/2 eaten - and these are teenages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nicki_2

This thread is great! DD's school is nut and seed free and although they give them healthy snacks (rice cakes, fruit, carrots) I get stuck for ideas to put in her lunch box. Keep the ideas coming ...I've got my notebook out

Ronankfan

I have given up on giving my DS snacks as he would rather run around with his friends but my DD's are quite good and eat raisins or fruit.

FunkyFairy

I make Flapjacks with added fruit for DD some times i add Apricots others i add raisons.

Added bounus is DD likes making them with me.

frugalfairy_3

It's a long time since mine needed snacks etc but I used to give them small tupperware containers with grapes and tiny cubes of cheese in, or chopped carrot sticks or sometimes just a handful of sultanas and raisins (not sure whether these are acceptable in schools today though cos of choking factor?)

FF