cheap store bought class snacks help

[kransden]

I have put my dd in one of the charter schools close to our house. It has turned out so far. One of the big (non)issues is socio-economics. Lots of the families are just not making it - I think we can all relate on one level or another - and can't really provide snack. I don't mind doing more, but I have a limited budget too.

Any suggestions on low cost, hopefully snacks for the kids? I already buy goldfish, and TJ's cat cookies were huge sucess!
TIA

[Wife_and_mommy]

How many kids are you needing to feed? I think the frugality of the snack would depend on if you're feeding 10 or 30. :)

Also are there rules that it must be store bought and/or sealed?

Off-hand:
apples
bananas
cheese
yogurt
pretzels
baby carrots/dip
deli meat rolled up?

[kransden]

It is about 25 kids. The snack must be store bought and easy. Bulk is ok, there is a food handler available. We have paper towels - no spoons etc.

Carrots and dip - no, too messy
plain carrots - yes, but too boring.
bananas - yes, but too expensive unless in season
chips or cookies - yes, but any healthful choices?
deli meat - no fridge for that really

A few of the kids are very hungry. It broke my heart. On the plus side, the school lunches are very tasty and healthful too. I was shocked.

[shilo]

do you have a costco membership? i know they have a whole aisle of large container snack foods at mine. the kirkland brand stuff is pretty good and the price is nice too for the kind of thing you're talking about. teddy graham knockoffs, pretzels, and their trail mix (if it's not a nut free classroom) are all good, and there are several others which aren't candy.

also, keep your eye out in your local grocer's produce section. whatever is in season is often available cheaply, especially in bulk. i know here we get big boxes of clementines all winter, as well as big 10lb bags of apples - usually fuji or gala most of the year. my safeway runs 10/$10 sales about once every 2 months or so on the mini-box bags of raisins.

another idea might be the bags of generic cereal - something like O's would be fortified and pretty nutritious to boot, and if you catch the BOGO sales at your grocery store, that would be a good one. i'd imagine the teacher would serve it the same way as the goldfish crackers - on a paper towel or in a little cup?

hth, lori

[kijip]

Another thought: Call the managers of local stores and ask them for donations. Target, WalMart, Fred Meyers and similar are periodically good for at least $100 gift card towards stuff like this. Emphasize that you are requesting the donations on behalf of a cash strapped charter school with a primarily lower income population. Sometimes you just have to keep calling, but they usually come through at least once every 12 months for me. If you get a good Costco manager in a good mood, you might be able to get a short letter application for a grant to spend with them. That is usually for a lot more than $100 and limited to childrens and education items. I find most people I ask go out of their way to say yes as often as they are allowed to. And yet another thought- wait till something you want like crackers or snack bars or cereal goes on super dooper sale. Then call the store, tell them what you are buying for and they will often let you buy more than the limit...just have to talk to the manager...I have purchased markers, snacks, 500 backpacks and notebook paper all this way in the last week. So then you can stock up.

[elizabethkott]

I was able to get a HUGE supply of yogurt covered raisins at Target last week. The individual boxes - the big ones, not the mini ones. J loves them, and they're a tasty alternative to those "juice" treats.

[Bean606]

I know Costco sells the big boxes of individual bags of Teddy Grahams, as well as boxes of individual size bags of freeze-dried fruit. The freeze-dried fruit is the All-Natural Brothers brand, and I believe you can buy them in bulk on the web. What about little mini cheeses and crackers - either Babybel or Laughing Cow or the Cracker Barrel single-serves. All of those are available in bulk at Costco, and you can get tons of saltines for pretty cheap, too. I am also a big fan of hummus and crackers for my son, since I am always afraid he isn't eating enough protein. I think it is really nice that you are doing this for the other children. My son also really likes the fruit and cereal bars that TJ's sells, but I know Costco sells Nutri-Grain bars or some other brands.

[belovedgandp]

A favorite of ours is the mixed bag of dried cereal - regular Cheerios, fruity Cheerios, Kix, whatever we have on hand.

How far into the day is it? We have a fridge, so I tend to send a lot of cheese and yogurt tubes. String cheese that was chilled would be fine in an insulated lunch bag.

Didn't send to 3 year old pre-school class, but air-popped popcorn in a dry mix is always good too.

[egoldber]

If it were me, I would much prefer my kid to have something like Cheerios or Rice Chex than I would animal crackers or Teddy Grahams.