Struggling to find varieties of cheap cold lunch ideas for school kids? Wondering what are budget-friendly cold lunch ideas for children on your budget?
In my current blog, I’ve come up with delicious and low-budget cold lunch ideas for kids.
27 Cheap Cold Lunch Ideas for School Kids
Try these cheap kid-friendly cold lunches-
1.
Chickpeas Scramble is Cheap Cold Lunch for School Kids
Take 1 cup of canned chickpeas which will cost between 0.50 and 1 USD. You also need 2 cups of chopped spinach which costs anywhere between 1 and 4 USD.
Fry a chopped onion and garlic by using a tablespoon of oil. Add mashed chickpeas, tomato, ground pepper, salt, turmeric powder. After a few minutes add spinach and mix well. School kids will like this budget-friendly cold lunch.
2.
Budget-Friendly Rice Salad for Cold Lunch that Your Kids Love to Eat
Cook a cup of rice. Take a bowl and add canned beans, chopped cherry tomatoes, spring onions, red chili, avocado, lemon juice, salt, 1-2 tablespoons of sunflower oil.
Add cooked rice and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves. Cheap rice salad is ready for kids for lunch.
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3.
Inexpensive Roasted Cabbage Steaks for Kids’ Cold Lunch
You need 2 small cabbage heads which will cost between 1 and 3.5 USD. In addition, it requires other cheap ingredients like 2 tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of garlic powder.
Cut the cabbage stems and have 4 discs of cabbage which are less than one inch in thickness. Apply olive oil coating, salt, garlic powder and paprika to cabbage discs. Bake them and give them to kids for lunch on your budget.
4.
Sweet Potato Hash is a Cost-Effective Cold Meal for Kids
Price: Between 1 and 2.5 USD for 2-3 servings.
You require 2 large sweet potatoes which costs anywhere between 0.50 and 1.20 USD.
Roast sweet potato cube pieces. Also, use cheap ingredients like onion, garlic, salt and pepper. School going kids find it interesting to have this budget-friendly and delicious cold lunch.
5.
Fruit Egg Muffins for Kids’ Lunch on Your Budget
Take 2 ripe bananas and 2 eggs. Bananas cost around 0.30 USD and 2 eggs cost between 0.16 and 0.80 USD. Also, take 1 cup of blueberries or blackberries that will cost less than 2 USD.
Mash the bananas. Add eggs and whisk properly. Add 2-3 berries in a mini muffin tray in each hole and pour the egg-banana mixture. Bake muffins and pack for kids’ lunchboxes. Kids will enjoy the cheapest fruity egg muffins for lunch.
6.
Budget-Friendly Chia Banana Energy Bites is the Best Cold Lunch Choice for School Kids
You need 2 cups of rolled oats which usually costs between 20 and 80 cents. Also, one ripe banana which hardly costs 15 cents and ⅓ cup of peanut butter (100 grams) that costs around 40 cents.
Mash banana and mix all the ingredients along with chia seeds, half cup roasted peanuts, salt, and ground cinnamon. Make balls and bake them. Budget-friendly energy bites are ready for kids’ lunch-boxes. Even vegan kids can have this delicious food.
7.
Cheap and Delicious Roasted Peanut Egg Salad for School Children
You need half cup roasted peanuts which cost between 10 and 50 cents. Take 1 boiled egg (8 to 38 cents).
Mix chopped hard boiled egg, coarsely chopped roasted peanuts, chopped celery, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon mayo and sweet relish. Budget-friendly peanut egg salad is ready.
8.
Cheap Spinach Corn Sandwiches are Cold Lunch Option for School Kids
It requires 1 cup of chopped spinach which will cost anywhere between 0.50 and 2 USD. You can use 100 grams of canned sweet corn which costs between 20 and 40 cents.
Fry finely chopped onion in butter. Add spinach, corn, ground pepper, and salt. Mix well and pour on the slices of bread to make budget-friendly sandwiches for children’s lunch.
9.
Cheap Vegetarian Tomato Omelet for Lunch that School Kids will Find Delicious
Indian tomato omelet is a cheap and tasty vegetarian lunch idea. Mix besan (gram flour), chopped tomatoes, onions, green chilies, cumin seeds, salt and spices by adding water.
Spread 1-2 tablespoon oil on a pan and then spread batter. Cook both the sides to make the tomato omelet crispy. Kids like to eat such budget-friendly crispy veg omelets as a cold lunch.
10.
Budget-Friendly Salad with Green Gram Sprouts is a Healthy Choice for Kids’ Cold Lunch
Preparing a budget-friendly salad needs 200 grams of green gram sprouts which costs between 1.5 and 3 USD. In addition, use cost-effective ingredients such as a chopped tomato and onion.
Mix sprouts with all the ingredients by adding salt, lemon juice, and ground pepper. Your kids enjoy eating budget-friendly salad as a cold lunch.
11.
Budget-Friendly Pasta Salad for Kids is Best Suitable Cold Lunch
Combine all budget-friendly chopped vegetables like onion, tomato, cucumber. Add cooked pasta, salt, cheese and seasonal species.
Kids will enjoy eating such tasty and budget-friendly salad.
12.
Cost-Effective Smashed Pinto Bean Tacos for School Kids
You need 200 grams of pinto beans which costs 0.40 and 1 USD. Have 2 tacos shells which cost around 50 cents.
Fry all the budget-friendly ingredients like chopped onion and tomato in a pan. Add pinto beans, garlic powder, chili powder and salt. Cook well and smash the beans. Fill in the tacos and let kids enjoy low-budget lunch.
13.
Banana Pancakes are Cheap and Best Cold Lunch Idea for Children
One banana and two tablespoons of ground chia seeds are enough for making budget-friendly pancakes. The price per banana is around 15 cents and 30 grams of chia seeds (2 tablespoons) costs you around 40 cents.
Mix mashed banana and ground chia seeds properly. Use a teaspoon of budget-friendly coconut oil to fry the pancake. Tasty and cheap pancake is ready to pack for school kids’ lunch-boxes.
14.
Cold Lunch Salad for Kids with Cheapest Green Peas and Peanuts
Preparing crunchy salad needs 200 grams of canned peas which costs less than 50 cents. You will easily get a handful of peanuts in your kitchen.
Just mix green peas, roasted peanuts, chopped onion, salt and ground pepper. Your school going children find it delicious to have budget-friendly green peas for lunch.
15.
Low-Budget Garlic Mushroom Sandwich for School Going Kids to Have for Lunch
For making a budget-friendly sandwich you need French bread that costs around 1 USD for 8-10 slices. You need 150 grams of mushroom which will cost around 1 USD.
Enhance the taste by using cheap ingredients like chopped garlic, onion, tomato and pepper. Make a toast of French bread and and fill the garlic mushroom to make cheapest sandwiches for a kid’s lunch-box.
16.
Soybean Salad for Kids on Your Budget
Soybeans are the cheapest dried beans to make salad. Soak soybeans for about 4 hours and then cook in a pressure cooker.
Take a bowl and mix chopped capsicum, grated carrot, cucumber and add cooked soybeans. Add chili flakes, salt as per taste. Healthy and budget-friendly soybean salad is ready for kids.
17.
Tasty Egg Cheese Bites with Cheap Ingredients for Kids Cold Lunch Pack
Take 8 large eggs which cost between 0.60 and 3 USD. Also, take 1 cup cottage cheese which costs between 0.80 and 1.60 USD.
Blend eggs, cheese, salt and ground pepper. Pour the blended mixture into a muffin pan and bake it. Cheap and cheesy egg bites are ready to serve kids for lunch.
18.
Inexpensive Homemade Waffles for Kids to Have for Lunch
Making crunchy waffles requires 2 cups of rolled oats (160 grams) which costs between 20 and 80 cents. You also need 2 bananas which costs around 30 cents and 1 cup (240 ml) soy milk that costs around 60 cents.
Blend oats to make fine flour. Blend again by adding bananas and budget-friendly soy milk. Mix a teaspoon of baking powder. Use waffle iron to prepare crispy waffles. Kids will enjoy eating budget-friendly waffles with jam and seasonal fruits.
19.
Apple Quinoa is a Perfect Choice for Cold Lunch for Kids on Your Budget
Two large apples cost between 0.80 and 1.5 USD. Also, you need half a cup of quinoa (85 grams) which will cost you around 65 cents.
Cook bite-sized apple pieces along with quinoa in boiling water and stir in cinnamon. Kids will like these low-budget tasty apple bites for lunch.
20.
Cheap 2 Ingredient Banana Egg Pancake Lunch Idea for Kids
One banana and 2 eggs are enough to make the cheapest pancake. 1 banana costs around 0.15 USD and 2 eggs costs between 0.16 and 0.80 USD.
Mash a banana properly. Whisk eggs and add to banana paste. Add half teaspoon of coconut oil or butter and fry it. Delicious and budget-friendly egg banana pancake is ready to give your kids for an afternoon meal.
21.
Mushroom Pasta is Budget-Friendly and Delicious Meal for Kids’ Lunch-Box
You need 200 grams of mushrooms which will cost you around 1.5 USD. You can choose your favourite pasta which generally costs around 20 cents for 1 cup.
Cook pasta and mushrooms, you can add other cheap ingredients like onion, garlic and tomato sauce to make a mouth-watering lunch for school kids on your budget.
22.
Budget-Friendly Salad Wraps for School Kids Which Do Not Need Reheating
Have 2 tacos shells which cost around 50 cents. 200 grams of green gram sprouts which cost between 1.5 and 3 USD. In addition, use cost-effective ingredients such as a chopped tomato and onion.
Mix sprouts with all the ingredients by adding salt, lemon juice, and ground pepper. Make budget-friendly green gram salad wraps for kid’s lunch by using tacos or tortillas.
23.
Low-Budget Boiled Egg Salad for School Kids
Take 4 eggs which will cost anywhere between 0.30 and 1.5 USD. In addition, you need ¼ cup of mayonnaise which costs around 1 USD.
Chop boiled eggs and add mayonnaise, chopped green onion, ½ teaspoon of mustard and salt as per the need. Kids like this tasty cold salad.
24.
Budget-Friendly Mushroom Egg Salad for School Kids
You need 4 eggs which will cost between 0.30 and 1.5 USD. Also, get 1 pound mushrooms that cost 3 to 4 USD. Fry chopped mushrooms with 2-3 tablespoons of oil.
Quickly fry chopped onion separately. Take a mixing bowl and pour mushroom, chopped boiled eggs, onion, ½ teaspoon of mustard, salt and ground pepper as per taste. Add mayonnaise for dressing and pack salad for kids’ lunch.
25.
Cheap and Tasty Carrot Salad for School Kids to Have for Cold Lunch
Mix all the budget friendly ingredients in a bowl such as 2 teaspoons of dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey to taste, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt and pepper.
Add a pound of grated carrot and mix well. Healthy and cheap vegetable salad for kids is ready.
26.
Tasty and Cheap Egg Potato Salad for Kids
Mix yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, and salt. Add pieces of boiled eggs and boiled potatoes.
Kids enjoy having this creamy egg potato salad for lunch.
27.
Cheap Chickpeas Salad for School Kids on Budget
Mix overnight soaked and drained chickpeas with chopped onion, tomatoes, salt, lemon juice, and ground pepper.
Budget-friendly chickpeas salad is ready to pack for a kid’s lunchbox.
Try all these cheap easy cold lunch ideas and let me know which idea you liked the most. Also, feel free to share cold lunch ideas that you often make on budget.