Packed lunches

Hope all you tightwads (takes one to know one ;) ) can help me out.

I take my own lunch to work to avoid takeaway lunch prices (obviously). I have access to a microwave at work and until now have been using ready meals, bought from Tesco/Sainsburys when reduced to clear on their sell-by date and kept in the freezer until required. This can cost between 40p and £1.50 a day.

However I am TIRED of ready meals. I want to make my own stuff for the same price or less - mainly so that I know what's in my food! I'm also trying to lose approx. 2 stone in weight. and I need some serious ideas for cheap healthy recipes that will work for packed lunches - preferably stuff that can be prepared a few days in advance on "cooking day". I'd rather have a proper meal (pasta/noodles/bean salad etc) than a sandwich.

Anybody got any brilliant ideas?
:)Operation Get in Shape :)
MURPHY'S NO MORE PIES CLUB MEMBER #124
«13

Comments

  • Poppy9
    Poppy9 Posts: 18,833
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    We have a fridge in the office so I take in a tub of grated cheese and coleslaw. I use these on jacket potatos I take in. Even buying Tesco's overpriced pack of 4 jacket spuds (76p) this works out a cheap meal. You can also take in left over spag bol sauce, chilli or just some beans.
    :) ~Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone.~:)
  • debbym
    debbym Posts: 460 Forumite
    You could take in 'standard' spag bol, chilli, can be frozen in individual portions in advance and then they defrost by lunchtime at average room temp.
    If you are making this kind of thing and leaving in the fridge before use it can go kinda dry - add a splodge of boiling water (maybe with some tomato puree) and mix in before heating up (could even be done first thing in the morning).

    How about homemade soup? Again can be frozen in advance so your not having the same thing again and again.

    Try the slowcooker threads for similar casseroles...

    ;)
  • Sarahsaver
    Sarahsaver Posts: 8,390
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    When I had a full time job I used to take the 'value' type chinese noodles which come with a sachet of flavouring. You just pour boiling water on them, and after 2 minutes they are ready to eat. Add a piece of fruit and you will be full and lose weight, there are about 200 cals in the noodles;) And I think they are either 8 or 9p in Tescos.
    Either that or bung a load of raw veg in a box and munch through it, or cook extra and bring it with you, or even cook the same as you would normally than halve it, one for now one for work, then you will be cutting your portions down and saving money. Good luck with the weight loss.
    Member no.1 of the 'I'm not in a clique' group :rotfl:
    I have done reading too!
    To avoid all evil, to do good,
    to purify the mind- that is the
    teaching of the Buddhas.
  • fazer6
    fazer6 Posts: 185 Forumite
    My boyfriend likes hot food at work so I have loads of portions of soup in the freezer. Whenever I make a pizza I now do double the dough quantity and also do some smaller single portion ones. These use up any old veg or whatever you have in your fridge so you don't have to actually buy anything especially.

    Soup's also really healthy and should also count for a few of your portions of fruit and veg for the day. I sometimes put the tesco value 8p noodles in it to make it a bit more filling too.
  • Galtizz
    Galtizz Posts: 1,016 Forumite
    Soup - today I have got red pepper soup, 1 & 1/2 points on Weight Watchers. Serves 4.

    2 red peppers
    2 sticks celery
    1 onion
    1 carrot
    all chopped up small

    Saute in a bit of butter for 5 mins
    Add 1 litre veg stock and simmer for 20mins
    Add 1 pack of low fat soft cheese and blend either in a blender or with a stick blender in the saucepan.

    I make soup on a Sunday, keep 1 or 2 portions in the fridge for Monday/ Tuesday and put the rest in individual portions in freezer bags in the freezer to make sure they stay fresh for the rest of the week.

    You can make soup very cheaply just using left over bits of veg. and they must be quite healthy.

    Have a look at the Soup recipes thread for more ideas.
    When life hands you a lemon, make sure you ask for tequilla and salt ;)
  • firrybabe
    firrybabe Posts: 122 Forumite
    There's some good sample recipes on the gi diet website, here's the link http://www.gidiet.com/en-gb/recipes.php Some look quite straightforward to prepare

    Have you tried using wholewheat pasta in dishes ? It is quite tasty and is a healthy option for lunches or dinner. I usually chuck in loads of vegetables, some turkey or chicken and use a low fat/ healthy pasta sauce with it. I use a griddle to cook the meat on, which is very quick and healthy, and the pasta and veg takes mins to prepare. I tend to make enough so can either freeze a portion, or keep a portion in the fridge for later that week.

    You could cook up/ prepare a filling and take some pitta bread to work, heat both up and voila a nice lunch, and a twist on a standard sandwich.
  • stellagypsy
    stellagypsy Posts: 416 Forumite
    I buy those huge packs of frozen chicken thighs, defrost about 8 or 10, remove the skins and cook them overnight in the slow cooker with a Schwartz sauce mix - Cajun Chicken is nice, also I use the Morroccan Lamb one witht he chicken as this is also nice. I then take 2 a day with either brown rice, pasta, barley (very low GI!!) or a spud.
  • Bargain_Rzl
    Bargain_Rzl Posts: 6,254 Forumite
    Thanks everybody so far for your suggestions!

    The slow cooker suggestion (more useful for evening meals than lunches) is one I will return to in a few weeks' time. Having lived on ready meals for 5 years I want to have a "trial period" to make sure I am committed to making my own food before buying a piece of kit that I may otherwise never use :o

    Meanwhile there's still one soup in the freezer (a New Covent Garden Food Co one, so delicious.... reduced to 30p on its sell by date at Sainsburys) so that's my lunch for tomorrow with a bread roll! I'm hoping to start on a bit of a meal-planning extravaganza over Easter weekend.

    Cheers everyone!
    :)Operation Get in Shape :)
    MURPHY'S NO MORE PIES CLUB MEMBER #124
  • debbym
    debbym Posts: 460 Forumite
    Don't forget that anything cooked in a slowcooker could cooked in a casserole in the oven or on the top of the stove in a saucepan. Just add a little more liquid though as it doesn't evaporate in a slowcooker ;)
  • greenlogo
    greenlogo Posts: 231 Forumite
    I'm in much the same boat - and I never feel as full if I "just" have sandwiches for lunch as I do with a "proper" meal :D

    I tend to use couscous rather than rice or pasta as it refrigerates and reheats a bit better - and it also only takes 10 minutes from packet to box ready to refrigerate the night before, so it doesn't matter how short of time I am for getting my lunch together.

    What I've been doing is making larger quantities of stew, bolognaise etc. and then portioning it up into smaller portions than I would generally have for dinner (although it does frequently end up being my main meal) and freezing them.

    When I then get in from work I make up the couscous and sit it n my lunch box to cool, get a portion of something out the freezer and stick both inthe fridge overnight. Come the morning I combine them and take them to work. :D
    Pre O/S: what's a vitamin? Does it begin with the letter e?Now: I'm not eating any of that pre-made rubbish...
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