It seems like everything costs more these days, which made me wonder: Is it cheaper for my kids to take their own lunch to school? Or is the $3 hot lunch a cheaper option?

I know some schools are still getting free lunches, but our schools are back to charging for lunches. So I set out on a little experiment to see if I could create a cheaper lunch with the groceries I regularly buy at Walmart. And, spoiler alert: I succeeded!

How to Make an Under $2 Lunch: Cost Breakdown

With a little thought and calculating, I was able to create this lunch for about $2. Luckily, it includes some of my kids’ favorite foods!

Here’s how it all broke down:

• Flour tortillas: $0.20 for 1 tortilla
• Cream cheese: $0.11 for 1 oz
• Turkey: $0.47 for 1 oz
• Everything bagel seasoning: $0.03 for 1/4 tsp
• Snack bag: $0.02 for 1 bag
• GoGurt: $0.29 for 1 tube
• Pringles: $0.48 for 1 container
• Applesauce: $0.33 for 1 cup

• Total: $1.93

Not bad, right? Best of all, this has become one of my kids’ favorite lunches!

How to Make Turkey Pinwheels

These turkey pinwheels are always in rotation as a main dish for school lunches. I like to make a big batch, freeze them, and have them on hand for quick morning lunch making.

Here’s how I make the turkey pinwheels:

• Spread 1 oz of cream cheese over the tortilla
• Season with Everything bagel seasoning
• Layer 1 oz of turkey in the tortilla
• Roll and slice the tortilla

Tips for Saving Money on Kids’ Lunches

After doing this little experiment, I came away with a few takeaways. If you’re trying to save money on your kids’ school lunches, here are my tips:

• Shop at Walmart: Walmart+ is something I’m grateful to have every day! I absolutely love the low prices, the selection, the convenience, and the free delivery to your doorstep. I have been using Walmart+ delivery for years and can’t imagine life without it! I’ve tried many other grocery delivery options, and Walmart+ is still my favorite!
• Buy generic brands: Much of the time, generic brands are just as good as name brands — if not better! I bought the generic apple sauce cups for this lunch to save money, and no one could tell a difference.
• Buy in bulk: You can usually save money by buying the bulk size of any groceries at Walmart. I always like to shop for the biggest size I can find so I pay less per item. For example, the GoGurts and Pringles are both cheaper in bulk!

Happy Shopping!

Buying groceries for the whole family can be a little stressful these days, but Walmart+ definitely takes off some of the burden! I whole-heartedly recommend trying their grocery delivery service to save time and money with your weekly grocery shopping.

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This post is sponsored by Walmart+.  Thank you for supporting content that keeps Home & Kind going!

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