Parents can spend far more than they need to on packed lunches without realising it. At MoneyMagpie, we compared the online price of a typical child’s lunchbox across major UK supermarkets to see where the cheapest lunch can be built, where the costs creep up, and which items make the biggest difference to the total.
The result is clear: while bread and fruit do not vary wildly, ham and crisps can quickly push up the price of a simple lunch. Over a full school year, the gap between the cheapest and priciest supermarkets in this comparison adds up to a noticeable amount.
At a glance
- Cheapest in this comparison: Aldi at around 59p per lunch
- Close behind: Asda and Tesco at just over 63p per lunch
- Mid-range: Morrisons and Sainsbury’s at around 68p per lunch
- Pricier: Waitrose at around 97p per lunch
- Highest in this basket: M&S at about £1.45 per lunch
What we compared
To keep this fair, we used a simple and realistic lunchbox made from standard own-brand products rather than mixing budget lines in one shop with premium lines in another. The basket was:
- a ham sandwich made with two slices of standard white bread
- a 20g ham portion
- one packet of ready salted crisps
- one apple
- water from home
This is not meant to be the perfect lunchbox. It is meant to be a clear and honest like-for-like comparison of a very typical one.
How the maths worked: Bread was priced as one-tenth of an 800g loaf, ham as a 20g sandwich portion, crisps as one bag from a multipack, and apples as one fruit from a standard pack. That allowed different pack sizes to be compared fairly.
Kids’ packed lunch supermarket comparison
| Supermarket | Bread | Ham | Crisps | Apple | Total per lunch | 5-day week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aldi | 8.9p | 9.5p | 14.2p | 26.5p | 59.0p | £2.95 |
| Asda | 7.4p | 11.2p | 16.7p | 27.8p | 63.1p | £3.16 |
| Tesco | 7.4p | 11.0p | 18.3p | 26.5p | 63.2p | £3.16 |
| Morrisons | 7.4p | 12.5p | 16.7p | 31.5p | 68.1p | £3.40 |
| Sainsbury’s | 7.4p | 12.5p | 18.3p | 30.0p | 68.2p | £3.41 |
| Waitrose | 7.5p | 37.5p | 20.0p | 31.7p | 96.7p | £4.83 |
| M&S | 7.5p | 66.4p | 37.5p | 33.3p | £1.45 | £7.23 |
What the costs look like over a week and school year
Aldi comes out cheapest in this basket at roughly £2.95 for a five-day week. Asda and Tesco both come in at around £3.16, while Morrisons and Sainsbury’s sit just over £3.40.
Waitrose reaches around £4.83 a week, and M&S rises to around £7.23. Over a 39-week school year, that works out at roughly:
- Aldi: £115.05
- Asda: £123.24
- Tesco: £123.24
- Morrisons: £132.60
- Sainsbury’s: £132.99
- Waitrose: £188.37
- M&S: £281.97
What the difference means
Compared with Aldi, the same style of lunch works out at about £73 more over the school year at Waitrose. Against M&S, the difference is much larger because ham and crisps are significantly more expensive in this basket.
Why the totals vary so much
The bread line is not where the really big differences appear. Most supermarkets stay fairly close once the loaf is broken down into a per-sandwich cost. Apples are also not wildly different, although some stores are a little higher than others.
The real price swings come from ham and crisps. That matters because those are exactly the sort of lunchbox items parents buy on autopilot. A few extra pence on each item does not look dramatic, but over five days a week and then a full school year, it adds up quickly.
Why Lidl, Nisa and One Stop are not in the main table
Lidl, Nisa and One Stop were part of the original comparison list, but they are much harder to rank fairly in a national online piece. Lidl often shows products without a clear live grocery price online, Nisa prices can vary by local store, and One Stop pricing is often tied to convenience shopping and delivery platforms, which makes exact like-for-like national ranking much less reliable.
That does not mean they are never good value. It means a clean online comparison is harder to stand up with confidence, so it is more honest not to present a hard ranking for those stores here.
How to make packed lunches even cheaper
Portion things yourself
One of the easiest wins is to avoid products sold purely as lunchbox items. A larger pack of ham, a bigger snack bag portioned at home, and ordinary fruit rather than small pre-packed lunchbox versions can all bring the cost down.
Use cheaper fillings through the week
Ham is popular, but it is not always the cheapest option. Egg mayo, grated cheese from a block, hummus, soft cheese, tuna mayo and leftovers such as cooked chicken can all cut the daily cost.
Make your own bread if you will genuinely use it
A homemade loaf using supermarket flour, yeast, salt and water can still be low-cost, especially if you already bake regularly. It can help beat pricier supermarket loaves, but the saving compared with the very cheapest shop-bought bread is smaller than many people think once energy costs are considered.
Cheapest homemade bread route: Use strong white bread flour, fast-action yeast, salt and water for a plain sandwich loaf. It is cheapest when you bake regularly, avoid waste, and slice it yourself for the week.
Swap crisps out a few days a week
Crisps are convenient, but they are not always the cheapest lunchbox side (and some schools don’t even allow them). Carrot sticks, cucumber, popcorn split from a larger bag, bananas, satsumas and raisins can all work out cheaper.
Think beyond sandwiches
Pasta salad, wraps, couscous, mini savoury muffins and simple leftover-based lunches can all be cheap, filling and easy to pack. They can also fit better with many schools’ packed lunch preferences than a highly processed lunchbox full of snack packs.
Cheap foods that usually fit school lunchbox rules
Every school can set its own packed lunch policy, so parents should always check local rules. In general though, the safest and cheapest options are usually simple staples such as:
- ham, cheese or egg sandwiches
- wraps with soft cheese or leftover chicken
- pasta salad with sweetcorn or peas
- apples, bananas, satsumas or pears
- carrot sticks, cucumber or pepper strips
- plain yoghurt in a reusable pot
- home-portioned popcorn or raisins
- water from home
The bottom line
Packed lunches can feel cheap because each ingredient looks small on its own. But once those items are repeated every day, the total can become a real drag on the family budget. This comparison shows that supermarket choice alone can make a noticeable difference.
If the priority is the cheapest simple lunchbox, Aldi comes out best in this comparison, with Asda and Tesco close behind. And if parents want to bring the cost down further, the biggest wins usually come from switching where they shop, rotating fillings, portioning more at home and relying more on lower-cost staples.
Prices were checked online on 30 March 2026 and may change. Promotions, local availability and substitutions can all affect final basket totals.