Making sandwiches for work lunch

mm2000

I'm in a position where I can cook my lunches or dinners at work (shift work) Myself and two colleagues, do this and it only costs us about £3.00 a week each and thats a 6 day week too. This includes the odd few slices of toats at tea breaks too.
We invariably have a jacket potato or 2 minute microwave rice, grilled turkey slices, individual chicken pies or chicken breats, baked beans or vegatables warmed in the microwave. Sometimes onions and mushrooms too.
I have a large bowl of porridge every morning with chopped up grapes as well as a few dried cranberries and macadamia nuts. Very filling as well as good for the digestion and cholesteral.
I don't eat crisps, empty unhealthy calories which aren't exactly filling. I try to eat as healthy as my finances will possibly allow. I have been known to have two bowls of porridge a day, one for breakfast and second for tea break or lunch.

QueenB.

On the crisp front have you tried the pound shops? A BOGOF offer is great but the pound shops are also fanastic for finding large bags, just always check the sell by date. They often do juice and other nice things so are a cheap alternative.

Whatabout homemade pizza? Cheap and tasty and can be made with a variety of cheap and interesting bases, of course if you wanted to go really OS you could make your own.

elona

Why not look at some of the "posh" sandwiches and create your own copy e.g. brie and sliced grapes with lettuce on a small baguette or whatever takes your eye - a lot cheaper than £3 a sandwich and you know it is fresh.

cantcope

I've found if i make up Rolls rather than sandwiches i enjoy them more. Fill them with loads of salad to bulk them out.

My fave at the moment is cold cooked sausage and brown sauce. Cheap and filling. For a treat i buy the pasta bowls from asda, 3 for £2.50.

lynzpower

I do the bake your own baguettes ( 2 for about 40p in tescos) OH loves them, nice and big & filling, just wack in the oven for 5 mins in the morning while Im eating my brekkie, fill with filling done the night before, and off!

Annie_Fanny

I always thought it was funny at work with home made lunches because everyone goes 'Oh that smells gorgeous' etc etc. I just used to bring in leftovers, pasta and sauce, couscous, jp with filling etc. Always used to make me laugh and gave me a boost about my cooking abilities!

Kevicho have you got access to a fridge or cooking facilities (microwave/kettle) at work? And you say you don't cook - I am always surprised when people say this but there are a lot of 'non-cookers' out there. I have one friend who has a 'show home kitchen' but she won't cook in it as it gets it dirty! Now am I missing something but is that just really weird?

mm2000 I am with you on the porridge front. Yes it can sound like an old grannies food BUT it is totally filling and gorgeous with raisins or currants! YUM AWARD from me!

Kevicho

I should be going shopping in a bit

Ive set myself a very generous limit of 10 pound (but im aiming more for 5) which both should be doable, but i want to make this enjoyable so i think ill try to ease into it rather than being a shopping nazi, which will probably make me give up in a couple of weeks.

Thanks for some of the hints will definately keep these in mind

Im more intested in meaty type sandwiches (ill fill up on these) with maybe a yougurt or packet of crisps/fruit for pudding

When i had sandwiches for school i tended to eat any chocolate on the bus there so i think ill go without, plus i rarely eat chocolate anyway.

I have access to some ingredients in the house, but i want to do this all myself rather than using my nans stuff, as it will be a good pointer and get me in some practice for shopping when i move next year.

Im not really wanting to go on the cooking track at the moment as i really want to see how this goes first, im thinking over the next month about trying 4 or 5 different stores for the main shop so i have some comparison.

I have done pasta before (which ive done for other people) and they are still breathing, so tuna pasta bakes are doable, and would probably last me a whole week (although that would probably be boring)

At work they have a microwave, but not in the kitchens where i go (i am tempted to heat up then carry with me to the canteen)

charlie007

i make a big pasta salad and have that monday to thursday and then treat myself on a friday, it is still four days less then i was previously doing!

jobbingmusician

Kevicho, I do applaud you planning your sandwiches in this way. I hope you find some delicious ones for the coming week!

However, if it doesn't work out (or if you get bored!) could I just comment that sandwiches don't work particularly well for me. This is because I simply don't have time to make them in advance, whereas while I'm at work there is plenty of time in the lunch break to do lots of creative things!

So what I prefer to do is to take the raw materials to work, or whereever I'm going. A French stick, or some rolls, or a firm home-made loaf (cheap sliced loaves work less well) plus some Brie, tomatoes etc. are easy to throw into a bag and make up at your desk.

Then there is problem 2. I tend to forget to take the stuff to work. So I always have some stuff in a drawer - crispbread keep well, cheese spread or humous in the fridge if you have one. If you have access to a microwave, Netto do delicious tins of Spaghetti Bolognaise for 33p each - they are nice as they are but I buy a packet of grated cheese (99p from Netto) and sprinkle this on top - 1 packet does about 10 lunches! Or I bake a potato (10 mins in microwave) then add baked beans and cheese and give it another 2 minutes.

Hope this helps!

lswwong

A fav salad of mine (inspired by an Italian recipe) to take to work:

Layered spinach, mushroom & cheese salad:

repeat once or twice layers of:

washed baby spinach (mix in some fresh herbs like basil, parsley & coriander if you have some to spare);
sliced ordinary mushrooms; and
grated cheese: use any of parmesan, gruyere, mature cheddar.

Season between layers with salt and/or pepper, if you like.

Make up a simple dressing. Oil & vinegar and/or lemon juice will do. Keep in a separate container.

When ready to eat, just pour the dressing in and mix it up.

Bring some bread with you (HM would be fab) to bulk things up and use for mopping up excess dressing.

If you like meat, add some fried pancetta cubes, shredded chicken etc. A boiled egg could work too.