Make Your Own Snacks for School

Regular snacks are expensive, but the cost of pre-packaged snacks for school lunches is astronomical and it is not necessary. You can easily make your own individually packaged snacks for your kid's lunches without spending hundreds of dollars a month.

Pick up a set of miniature food containers. The half-cup size works great for storing homemade pudding and Jell-O cups or fruit. Snack containers with space available for condiments are perfect for storing vegetables, snack mix or fruit with dip.

Fruit Cups

Slice or chop a variety of fruit and place them into small containers with lids. Mix the fruit to create fruit salad or place them individually into the containers instead.

Mini Muffins

Pour prepared muffin mix into miniature muffin pans instead of using large pans. Pick up a package of mini paper liners at the grocery store. Store the miniature muffins in small plastic containers or snack sized zipper bags.

Snack Mix

Mix up a variety of your children's favorite snacks. Use nuts, dried fruit (such as cranberries, apples or strawberries), pretzels, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, M & M's or gummy bears.

Veggie and Dip Platter

Slice a variety of vegetables like carrots, celery, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms and cucumbers. Store the vegetables in a snack container along with a favorite dip like ranch dressing or spinach dip.

Jell-O or Pudding Cups

Prepare Jell-O or pudding as directed on the packaging for the basic directions. Pour the prepared mixture into small containers. Place the lids on the containers and refrigerate the Jell-O or pudding as directed.

Mini Cookies

Pick up a package of pre-made cookie dough at the grocery store. Use any kind you or your children like, including chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin or sugar cookie dough. Preheat the oven as directed on the package. Scoop the cookie dough into miniature balls using a 1/2 tablespoon measuring spoon, onto a cookie sheet. Bake the mini cookies for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Store the mini cookies in small plastic containers or snack sized zipper bags.