Guest post from Katey of Having Fun At Home
My husband and I noticed recently that a big drain on our budget comes from quick trips through the drive-thru.
Maybe you know the kind of trips I'm talking about. It's those mornings or late afternoons when you are running errands, and you find they take longer than you were hoping. The kids are grumpy, and quite frankly, so are you. So you think it's worth the extra dollars to make everyone happy again. You even restrict yourself to the value menu, and don't spend very much money.
But over time, these little trips add up.
When our AC system broke this spring, costing us an arm and leg, we realized that we would have to get serious about culling these little extra expenses from our budget.
Here are three things we have done to get rid of drive-thru meals:
1. Pack a lunch.
Even if I think we are probably going to be back to the house in time for lunch, we try to go ahead and pack one anyway. That way, if we get done in time, we can stop to have the lunch at a park as a picnic.
Peanut butter and honey sandwiches, of course, hold up well in the car, but investing in small cooler that can be kept in the front seat opens up a lot of other possibilities.
Tip: Try these Freezer-Friendly Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches.
2. Keep an emergency stash in the car.
Sometimes there just isn't time to pack a lunch ahead of time. Nonperishable foods are not always the healthiest, but many of them are at least healthier than fast food.
Here are some of the items we keep handy:
One key for making the "emergency stash" option work for us involves adding some extra treats. Along with the healthier food, I also include some fun foods that are less healthy and that we don't normally eat. That makes the fast food option less tempting.
Things like:
3. Run into the grocery store for a few things.
When all else fails, have in mind a short list of things you could pick up at the grocery store to eat in the car. It's not fun to haul all the kids inside the store, but if you already know what you are going to buy, it helps a lot.
Some easy combinations that my kids like for a grocery store lunch are:
- Hummus and baby carrots
- Cherry tomatoes and string cheese
- Greek yogurt and crackers
- Pretzels, peanut butter, and apples
Keep a permanent stash of plastic spoons, forks, napkins, and small paper plates in the car in anticipation of this kind of situation.
The Bottom Line
Ultimately for our family, a realistic plan to stop using the drive thru had to compete with fast food in both convenience and taste. We've come up with these helpful alternatives and are pleased with how they are helping our budget and our diet.
This is what works well for our family… I’d love to hear what works for you!
Katey is a former teacher, now homeschooling mom to four adventurous (and often muddy) children. She loves reading and discovering new ethnic food. She hates to do the laundry. You can read about all the activity ideas she tries out with her kids (to put off doing the laundry) at HavingFunAtHome.com.
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