Imperial Valley News

To encourage even more parents to pack a healthy, affordable and satisfying lunch for themselves and their families, the Grain Foods Foundation has teamed up with Kate Gosselin of TLC's "Jon & Kate Plus Eight."

"Managing expenses is a priority not just in my family but with many others across the country right now," said Gosselin. "Making sandwiches and packing healthy lunches is a relatively easy way to save money and manage your diet."

Brown bagging can save hundreds-even thousands-of dollars per year, a top concern for many families. In fact, women with school-age children at home are more likely (71 percent) than those without children (59 percent) to pack a lunch, according to a recent Harris Interactive survey conducted on behalf of the Grain Foods Foundation.

While many parents look to the brown bag lunch to trim their families' expenses, they may also see the added benefit of slimmer waistlines. In general, brown bag lunches tend to be smaller in portion size and lower in calories. Nearly 40 percent of U.S. women cited nutrition as a reason for packing a lunch. As for what's going into those brown bags-sandwiches are the No. 1 choice across the board.

"Grains are an ideal choice at lunch since they provide much-needed energy and sustenance to make it through the day," explained Judi Adams, MS, RD and president of the Grain Foods Foundation. "Plus grain foods such as sandwiches, pretzels, crackers and granola bars are convenient, delicious and portable, making them brown-bag friendly."

To demonstrate just what kind of effect parents might see on their wallets and their waistlines, the Grain Foods Foundation has created an online savings tool for consumers to track the financial and caloric savings of packing a lunch. By visiting grainpower.org, consumers can calculate their savings, download coupons, get delicious sandwich recipes and register to win a year's worth of free groceries.