Is your family ready for back to school? September marks the start of school for many kids, which inevitably means children need new school supplies, easy lunch choices, and new fall outfits. Our simple tips can help maximize your back to school budget, make packing lunches easier and get your kids excited about starting school!
This post is sponsored by Welch’s® Fruit Snacks. I am being compensated for this post. All comments and opinions are my own.
Tip 1: Shop the Sales & Buy in Bulk
Save money on school supplies by checking the store ads for back to school sales. You can also purchase items such as notebooks, pens, mechanical pencils, and scissors in bulk from a warehouse supply store and divide them among several children or families. Once school begins, you can even score extra savings as stores begin discounting school supplies to clear space for holiday merchandise.
Tip 2: Plan a School Supply Swap Day
Make stocking up for school fun! Schedule a day with a few friends to bring gently used or extra school supplies and swap them. After buying school supplies you’ll probably have some extra items laying around, so why not trade those excess erasers for something else your kids can use this year?
Tip 3: Stock Up On Easy Lunch Items
Packing lunches for several kids is much easier if you can include go-to lunch items you know your kids will enjoy. For kids’ lunches, I generally pack a sandwich, bag of chips or pretzels, fruit, cheese slices or yogurt, Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Snacks and a drink. I like to cover multiple food groups and give my kids foods that I know they will find easy and fun to eat. Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Snacks are a fun lunch addition made with real fruit. They are tasty and easy to pack in a lunch or backpack. Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Snacks come in strawberry, blueberry or cherry varieties and are available in 0.8 oz. pouches in a 8 count box.
My kids love Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Snacks because, what’s not to love? Fruit snacks are easily packable in a purse or backpack and portioned in small bags that are the perfect size for kids’ lunches! Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Snacks are the go-to choice for on-the-go moms.
Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Snacks even have 100% daily value of Vitamin C and 25% daily value of Vitamins A & D. My kids love the flavor of these snacks because they are made with real fruit and surrounded by creamy yogurt which creates a flavorful combination. Save a packet for yourself because moms and dads enjoy Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Snacks too! You can get a coupon for Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Snacks here.
Tip 4: Decorate Your Own Binders & Notebooks
My kids love decorating their own school supplies to get ready for school. If you buy blank notebooks your kids can decorate them with magazine clippings, stickers, drawings, or comics. For multiple subjects, kids can easily customize several binders to reflect each school subject they are used for.
Tip 5: Make DIY Pencil Cups
Organize your kids pens and pencils with a homemade pencil cup. Easily cover a re-purposed can with paper or washi tape, glue on trim with a hot glue gun, and decorate with stickers. A homemade pencil cup will keep a desk much more organized and your child will never have to search for a pencil again!
Are you home schooling? Homeschool families also need school supplies and snack breaks. I’m teaching my kids at home this year and we organized our school corner so the kids can find everything they need to do a craft or work in their workbooks. My kids’ favorite part of our school morning is snack time and they are always excited to enjoy a bag of Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Snacks!
What’s your favorite part about going back to school? Kids will love school much more if you can make their first impressions of the school year fun!
Hi, I’m Katie! I live with my husband and 3 kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I love Jesus, coffee, creative projects, taking photos and traveling. I’ve previously worked as a web designer, journalist and barista. I hope you enjoy our creative projects and family adventures!
Growing up, my mom always bought my school supplies in bulk. The sales made it so much cheaper.
I love these snacks. No way I would buy them in bulk because the family and I would eat them in almost two sittings. AND I would find empty bags under the bed!
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This is such a great tips. I really like Welch’s products. It’s so healthy and tasty. I will definitelty recommend this to my mom friend.
Tip #1 is a must!! My parents always shopped in Sams and Costco for our back to school snacks.
Great tips! My daughter got all plain stuff just so she could decorate herself.
Cool and very manageable ideas for a busy mama! I buy in bulk to save money, but hopefully I don’t forget where I stashed it all, ?
I loved Welch’s as a kid! And those pencil cups are CUTE. I might have to use that for work!
This is an amazing list for family people. I’m not a mum yet but will pass this post to my friend’s whose kids are starting school soon. I specifically liked the DIY pensin idea. Thanks for sharing.
My kid absolutely love those Fruit ‘n Yogurt snacks, they taste so good. Thanks for sharing!
Those fruit n Yogurt snacks seems so tasty, I need to try them! Thanks for sharing.
Nice. I love this and i bet the kids would love this too. I will share this with my friends with children.
A school supply swap day with friends is genius! You are right, we always do have an extra expo marker or pack of paper. If we could help another friend out while getting some things we might be missing, this would be great. I will remember this for next year.… Read more »
Aww.. Remembering my school days.. these(colors , pencils) MISSING A LOT..Thanks
My kids would love these! I will have to get some 🙂