Foolproof lunch ideas for kids have to satisfy two often-contradictory goals: a kid’s taste test and his parent’s “good food” definition. Adding to the difficult mix are websites and magazines with ridiculously ornate foods that more closely resemble artistic sculptures than the basis of a child’s lunch. No one but a Stepford wife would spend hours creating two-story decorative cupcakes that will hardly survive the trip out the door, much less the timeframe between arriving at school and lunchtime. The best advice for any parent is to take the workable ideas and modify them according to the home pantry contents and available lunch preparation time.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion’s January 2012 Cost of Food Survey, an average family of four living on a moderate spending budget accumulates a monthly grocery shopping bill of approximately $861 – $1,024. Those numbers are only expected to rise as inflation and fuel prices continue to escalate – leaving many families to wonder how they will afford such high register check-out prices. Fortunately, there are some grocery shopping tips you can use to trim back your grocery bill each month without sacrificing too many of the foods you enjoy most.