Brown Bagging It For Lunch Time

We are a brown bagging family. It is a nightly ritual to get everyone's lunch ready for the next day. While the chore of putting together lunches sometimes is time consuming when I consider all the benefits for our family it is a no brainer.

Brown bagging saves you money. This savings can be further multiplied if you are an astute coupon clipper and make use of stockpiling techniques. Many people scoff at clipping coupons but the bargains are plentiful and little effort is truly required if you use clipping services to obtain coupons. Our home had no less than half a year's supply of applesauce, juice boxes, puddings, fruit snacks, and other necessities (spoons, napkins, baggies) already on the shelves before the start of the school year. All of these were purchased at huge discounts or free with coupons during the "off season" or summer. If you do this just be sure to check expiration dates!

Consider for a moment the cost over a school year for one parent and one child buying lunch everyday. The average fast food meal for one adult costs about $5 and a school lunch averages $1.25. Given 180 days of school per year this daily spending of $6.25 would equates to $1125.00 alone! The cost of packing a lunch can be under a dollar and for two people the savings could be as much as $765 per school year. For our family that is money we would rather put towards a super family vacation.

Brown bagging is better for your waistline. It is possible to put together limitless healthy and tasty meals that appeal to even the pickiest eaters in your home. You control the calories and ingredients that are served. Most Moms and Dads know full well that their child when the opportunity to choose their child, especially the young ones, would steer straight for the less healthy cafeteria options over fruits and veggies. Adults consider the calories count of your fast food meals. A burger, fries, and drink can top out at 1,000 calories alone, If you shave even 100 calories per day off your intake by packing your lunch that would equate to 10 less pounds you would carry around at the end of the year! (One pound is equivalent to 3500 calories)

Brown bagging saves you time. If you consider the time involved in leaving your desk, traveling to your lunch destination, and waiting for it to be served your entire lunch hour can be consumed in the process. You scarcely have the time to actually taste your food and get back to the office. The convenience of brown bagging is a clear cut time saver. Spend your hour reading a good book, sitting a park, or (if you must) getting a jump on that workload that you usually take home with you.

That little brown bag takes on a whole new light when you consider going home at the end of the day with more money in your pocket, a thinner waistline, and a refreshed spirit.