I have a set meal plan that I provide the parents once a month with. This allows me to plan the daily snacks and lunches well in advance. It also allows the parents a good idea on what they will plan ahead for their dinners as well as myself. For example if I am making Shepherds Pie for dinner on a Monday night I will make sure there are leftovers for Tuesday's lunch. I find I can really budget well for groceries doing this. I make lots of muffins and baked goods well in advance and can freeze them and just pull them out the day of, based on what the daily meal plan is.