Stop buying sandwiches

natsing

Hi All
Just a quick tip for anone who doesn't have a fridge at work but wants to take in their own packed lunches, get a sturdy lunch box or bag (I've found these are easy to get in most cheap shops, Wilkos is great for stuff like this) and either invest in freezer blocks to put in the bottom of your bag, or if you like small cartons of juice, freeze these the night before pop in you lunch bag on a morning, buy lunch time it will have defrosted but you sandwiches are kept cool, I work in an office where a lot of people have converted to eating packed lunches, and the fridge gets full quickly, so I always take a cool bag and freezer block- good luck all!

clairewop

I supply my children and hubby with lunches school dinners are so expensive especially when your pating for 2 lots, just been looking to see whats here for lunches next week,

I'm going to make some dough in the breadmaker and make some rolls, theres corned beef and tuna here for fillings, if need to towards the end of the week these chicken breasts in the freezer i can cook those for chicken sandwiches.

got beef casserole in slow cooker at the moment (left over from yesterdays roast) gonna have for tea, whats left can be put into tubs and frozen for hubby to take into work

lilian1977

Hi guys

I've been taking my own lunches for years, never been able to justify the cost and I also don't like the added sugar/salt/fat you get in prepacked sandwiches and ready meals, so hopefully I can be of some help here! I don't have a big freezer so can't really freeze for the week, but I do have a fridge and microwave at work.

I don't take sandwiches as I find carbs at lunchtime make me very sleepy, but that's possibly because I don't always go out - if I was to walk off my lunch it might be different. But I do take one of the following:

Leftovers - this is more my OH as again, a big meal makes me sleepy, but he'll take leftover pasta bake, curry etc.
Salads - made with cous cous, pasta, new potatoes or beans/chick peas and plenty of leaves, tomatoes and peppers for colour and vitamins
Stews - I sometimes make a big vat of vegetable stew at the weekend and keep it in the fridge at home in a big tupperware, I then spoon a portion into a large mug sized tupperware daily to take to work.
Kind of Stir fry - keep value noodles, soy sauce, chilli & pepper grinder (you can get these in Quality Save) etc in your desk drawer if you can, then just fry up a few sliced veg at home in the morning. Add these to the noodles at work and season.
Tins of soup kept in your desk drawer can also be a godsend, not necessarily for everyday eating but great if you've forgotten to bring anything.

I also keep sachets of porridge and a box of muesli in my desk and bring in long life soya milk at the start of the week - I don't like normal milk but I also find that if you use soya people are less likely to steal it!


I do hope all of that is helpful - I really recommend bringing your own as you will quickly notice the difference, both health and wallet wise. The only thing I would say is to make sure you take a walk at lunchtime - I'm bad for not doing this.

Good luck! xx

bigbeff

Can I please join. I am awful for organising myself and go back to work on Monday, so I'd like to start the new year by taking my own lunch EVERY day - will prepare it the night before with dinner so it will be fine at work the next day Then I have no excuse when I am running late - its my new healthy eating plan, am running Brighton marathon in April, so need to be healthy

eamon

Don't forget to use your lunch to up you intake of fresh fruit & veg. Bananas, apples for example are relatively inexpensive and you don't usually have storage issues.
Personally I stopped taking sandwiches to work a few years ago. The salad would go limp, the bread soggy and I was eating enormous quantities of cheese (400g plus per week, not good for cholesterol levels. So now over the 5 day working week I will have the following. I usually always have a banana and 2/3 clementines or similar depending on size and 2 slices of bread.
Salad in a plastic tub, comprising 1 tomato, 2/3 scallions, cucumber, avacado, humus, salad leaves and either a tin of fish (sardines/mackeral) or a portion of homemade quiche (lentil or cauliflower & nut)
In the absence of salad then homemade soup from a previously made frozen batch.
In the absence of salad and soup then homemade veg curry (chick peas, lentils etc) or homemade refried beans.
You will notice the absence of meat. I'm not a veggie but I find it easier not to worry about having meat for lunch as I'm more concerned about trying to achieve 5 a day and anyway dinner is normally meat based.
I haven't costed any of this up but my food budget for all the week (me and 2 cats) is less than £30 and that includes fish & chips after the pub on Friday nights.
Many of my colleagues will do as others have said i.e. go out for hot sandwichs for breakfast & cold sandwich for lunch and without fail say that they are still hungry or it wasn't nice or they waited ages to get served and they've spent £5 for the priviledge.
I don't have that problem.

Eamon

Rebekah24

I just dont take my card/cash to work with me, no temptation then

I just take 1 bottle of squash, a box of tea and a box of cuppasoup each week. Cheap n cheerful!

focus888

Im back in work next week and im definitely going to try harder to bring and eat my pack lunches from now on. Problem is there is always alot of drama at work and the girls always want to go out for lunch to cheer themselves up, its kind of hard to say no to them when they are obviously down about something. Will try and not bring money in or anything that might tempt me.

jlynncsf

Like many others I spend far too much on bought lunches - even when I have brought my own in! This year, howwever, I'm starting a low carb diet so can't but sarnies! Pretty much going to be salads/soups & leftovers. Mozzarrella, tomato & avocado salad with a drizzle of olive oil, chicken caesar sald, prawn cocktail & frittata will be my mainstays - luckily low carb stuff is very filling so I hope not to snack in between - and am going to leave my purse at home too - walking to/from work too as only 40 mins away.

longhauladdict

Hi

I work in a regional role so am in my car a LOT! I've invested in a cool bag but I need the blocks and a cheap flask for soup? Any ideas?
I usually find that I stop on the motorway service stations as it difficult to find elsewhere and then that costs about £7 for a sandwich and a drink!!!
Any ideas of things I can take in the car? I try with fruit etc, any other picky bits?

Thanks, I think this should def be started as a challenge??? Anyone up for doing it? I would but not sure how to start the threads etc- being blond is my excuse!! :-)

pavlovs_dog

longhauladditct - how about freezing a carton of fruit juice and using that as a cool pack? it should have defrosted come lunch time, but will kepp your food cool in the process