Cooking, Packing Lunch, Saving Money

Overall, there are some things we can't go cheaper on. I have found that my Coca-Cola is not Big K cola by any means! I have also found my oldest son is allergic to most clothes detergents, including some dye free ones, etc. So I have found that Arm &Hammer seems to do the job. Not the cheapest, but not too expensive. Generic SpaghettiOs suck, words from three of my boys, who will eat the generic ravioli tho!
Overall I think people get confused at how to feed themselves and their family without depriving them of taste. A common fear! Kids can be picky, but you have to have a happy medium, or you will go broke fixing several meals, or going out to eat in excess. I'm not saying going out to eat ever so often is a bad thing, but you have to consider the overall ramifications too.
Let us look at a typical day here, foodwise.
For breakfast the boys had cereal, they go through a box easy, but believe it or not they sell boxes for a dollar now. Raisen Brand, Sugar flakes, fruit loops, and so on. Milk seems to be on sale consistanly lately. If not we have poptarts, oatmeal, pancakes, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, fruit bowl, bananas, french toast. With milk or juice in the mornings.
Lets talk Lunch. Today they had Bologna sandwiches, chips, fruit... with koolaid to drink.
If not we have Ramen noodles, Chicken Noodle soup, tomato soup, grilled cheese, leftovers, spaghetti, spaghettiOs, Ravioli, PBJ, fries, Fish sticks. They either drink koolaid or milk with lunch.
OK, Snacks, all kids needs snacks. We're under the impression tho, it has to be consistanly healthy, everything does, right? No, there is a happy medium! For example, who says the boys can't have a candybar for snack, or cookies, or brownies? Is this everyday, Not by a long shot, but two or three days a week, yea! Fact being, you make sure your kids eat what they need, right? Well, they are like little people in the fact, they like to have something sweet sometimes! (OK, all the time if you let them). Of course there is, Apples, Bananas, raisins! Fruit Bowl, Cheese and crackers, peanut butter crackers, peanut butter sandich, jelly toast, PB and apples, Oranges. You will find yourself getting pretty creative here!
Dinner (My favorite meal of the day!) That can get so creative, and you don't have to constantly stand over the stove. Save that for Thanksgiving! Tonight we are having a pasta dish consisting of Pasta, Macaroni, but you could get fancier! potatoes, and garlic salt, Italian seasoning, diced tomatoes, green onions, and italian dressing! Topped with cheese and served with garlic bread! (Takes 20 minutes to cook). If not that there is roasted Chicken, with sides such as mashed potatoes, or mac n cheese, and a vege... (Corn or carrots, or both!) Of course the old favorite of Spaghetti! Potato soup, which could be done in a crock pot all day, or just pitch it in with potatoes already boiled. There is so many things!
Lets move onto Packing Lunch! Thos who work, It's cheaper, and overall easier to pack lunch the night before. You may say, I have no place to heat anything up! Ah HA! For 50 bucks, which you will save alot more, there are these little coolers at Walmarts. You plug them in and set them for hot or cold. They will keep your food warm, or keep those cokes cold, so you don't have to keep buying them at the vending machines! It also has a car hookup! You can trave with this thing, it's awesome!