NORFOLK, Va. — Is it cheaper to pack a lunch or buy at school? A local dietitian breaks it down — with tips for saving time and money.
Let's take a look at how local mother Ashley Rusnic handles her kids meals, as she's always on a mission to make mornings easier. Smoothies help get her and her kids out the door, and prepping nutritious lunches helps sustain them for the day ahead.
Although no matter what your morning looks like, research shows it’s getting more expensive to eat.
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For perspective on this, I talked with Blake Avery, a registered dietitian with Sentara Health.
Starting with a classic nut butter and jelly sandwich, she showed me what a well-balanced lunch looks like — one that she packs for her daughter.
“We might have a cheese stick with it for a little bit of extra protein and calcium. One of the fruits here would be great,” said Avery. “I really love the cuties, the little mandarin oranges, and the bananas, because nature has already pre-packaged those for us. We can throw them in the lunch box. There's no baggies involved."
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According to a new study by Deloitte, the average cost of a bagged lunch is $6.15.
The “classic” — which is a lot like what Avery showed me — is under $5, whereas a more elaborate lunch, which includes a chicken and avocado quesadilla, is over $7.
Week over week, costs will add up — especially as Deloitte reports prices are up 3% from last year.
Avery tells me one place to save is by avoiding individually packaged food."The price difference can be almost double for these pre-packaged snacks [or fruit cups],” she said.
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However, if that saves you time, it may be worth it for your family.
"It's really just picking what's going to work for you and for your kid, who really, at the end of the day, is the one that needs to eat it all, right?" she said.
For families who opt to buy lunch, the cost of a school lunch is around $3. In districts like Norfolk and Suffolk, all meals for all students are free. In other cities like Portsmouth, students need to enroll for free lunch.
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Schools in the National School Lunch Program follow strict nutrition guidelines.
"The meals have to be whole grain, a protein, some fruit, a vegetable and a milk option, and so you know that you're getting a really good, balanced lunch,” she said.
So, whether you choose to send your kid with a lunchbox or they buy from the cafeteria, each day doesn't have to the same, nor will it cost the same.
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"Everything doesn't have to be perfect that first week. Maybe we don't have a fruit in the lunch box that week, but that doesn't mean that we can't continue to improve as we go through the school year,” Avery said.
Avery also said families can save on “branded” foods.
For example, if there's an applesauce, with a cartoon character logo on it, it can cost close to 40% more in some cases. Avery’s advice: Buy the store brand and add your own sticker later.
