Eat Your Way to Debt Relief: Dress Up Plain Toast

We’ve still got one more month of summer, which means the kids will be home for another few weeks. Hungry, bored kids. By now, you’re probably pulling your hair out trying to feed them and keep them entertained without going into credit card debt. Kids can be fickle, and the snacks they want must be tasty and pique their interest. We’ve got a few ideas to help dress up that old affordable standby: toast.

Avoid credit card debt with these affordable toppings!

To keep things delicious but budget friendly, we’ve already come up with a few ways to feed the kids, including healthy nachos, parfaits, and popcorn. You can’t get much cheaper and easier than toast. Even a loaf of whole grain toast costs less than a few dollars, which is great for staying on budget. But it can certainly get boring. Here are a few ways that you can jazz up toast and stretch your dollar to cover a few more snacks.

Sweet Options

Smear cream cheese on toast, then add sliced fruit. You can even make faces using banana slices as eyes and strawberry smiles! The kids can make their own and have fun doing it.
Add a little chunky peanut butter, then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top for a sweet and crunchy treat.
Start with a base of Nutella, then put out lots of berries for the kids to customize their toppings.

Savory Options

Make mini pizzas! Buy jarred pizza sauce or canned tomatoes, then spoon some onto the bread. Sprinkle with cheese and any other toppings, and put it under the broiler until the cheese melts.
Spread with hummus and make faces, using alfalfa sprouts for hair, red peppers for a mouth, and olives for eyes.
Open-faced grilled cheese sandwiches are easy and delicious. Toast the bread, then add fancy cheese (or a slice of good ol’ American), then put under the broiler. Add bacon and tomato to dress it up.
Smear refried beans on top of toast, then sprinkle with cheese and cilantro for a quesadilla-inspired snack. After putting under the broiler, top the whole thing with salsa.