Pixie's Packed Lunch Challenge

pixie1

Having spent the last few hours reading the many threads about packed lunches and my need to cut back on what I'm spending, I thought it would be a good idea to start a mini challenge.

Someone wrote on a previous post that making a packed lunch everyday for work is the first step to becoming frugal.

So, after many failed attempts at once s month cooking, menu planning for three meals a day a week at a time. I'm going to try a baby step towards becoming more os, money saving and organized.

So if anyone, newbies and the great os-ers here would like to join me, I'm going to make packed lunches all week for myself and hubs. Also I won't be spending any money on extra food or drinks during work.

Anyone fancy joining me?

My lunchbox menu for next week is -

Monday - reheated BBQ pork quesadillas
Tuesday - salad with crackers and cream cheese
Wednesday - reheated pasta in a basic tomato sauce
Thursday - salad with crackers and cream cheese
Friday - reheated chicken, chili and tomato risotto

pixie1

Forgot to add and I'm having trouble editing my post, I plan to cook and freeze extra of all my warm food so I can have the same kind of good next week too. I'm going to try and make enough for four weeks lunches.

I'm also going to take s box of cereal to work for my breakfast.

Hope people will join in, the support is much needed and appreciated.

dropscone

I'm making bread rolls at the moment for next week's lunches. Will keep some out and freeze some

I live close to work so often come home, but if I'm not doing that I'll definitely be taking a packed lunch, there's no other way to beat the September spending limit I've set myself.

Good luck

Aesop

DH has always had a packed lunch for work, the last 11 years!

However, I used to just make Sandwiches, packet of crisps, fruit and some chocolate. If we had something nice for dinner night before like shepherd's pie, etc, and he had a microwave, where he was working, he would take leftovers and heat them up.

He has recently told me he hates sandwiches! He is sick of them and I don't blame him. I can't eat sandwiches for lunch everyday and pre DS, I would have jacket potato, burger and chips, rolls, sandwiches, fried rice, etc. Ok, was spending a lot of money in those days but had a great job and we were managing.

Sooooooo, I found this wonderful thread, thanks to another thread on MSE where someone was asking for help to live on a tight budget until payday.

They have this, which is full of fab ideas! Thanks weezel, artybear and Allegra.

so I am going to try and make some of these for DH's lunchbox and hopefully he will be a happier and less bored of sandwiches DH

funkymonkey849

I take packed lunch to work every day without fail, I'd be completely skint if I didn't!

However I am soooo unbelievably bored with cheese or hummus sandwiches, or pesto pasta salad. Ugh

So my challenge is to make my packed lunches more interesting! This may involve the purchase of a bento box

bramble1

I've been planning my pack lunches!

M - Homemade chicken and veg soup
T - Left over spag bol
W - Fajita left overs
T- Chicken and veg soup
F - Left over spag bol

I'm going to make some scones and fruit load today for a cheeky little snack. and also have carrot sticks too.

Aesop

It's thanks to Bramble1 up above that I found Weezel's thread Thanks again Bramble.

never heard of a bento box, googled it and they even have recipes for it

But we have sandwich boxes, so DH will have to live with them

bramble1

aureol212 wrote: »

It's thanks to Bramble1 up above that I found Weezel's thread Thanks again Bramble.

never heard of a bento box, googled it and they even have recipes for it

But we have sandwich boxes, so DH will have to live with them

Glad to have been of some help! well...Weezels the real help!

Aesop

bramble1 wrote: »

Glad to have been of some help! well...Weezels the real help!

digressing a bit on this thread, but Bramble, if you hadn't posted your question and I hadn't stopped to read as it sort of applied to me... I wouldn't have so much information! So thank you! And I probably would have taken another year before I came across Weezel's thread!

I so wish I had read much more on MSE when I was on maternity leave, we could have saved so much more money and I might not have got into debt

nuttybabe

Hi

I always do packed lunches for dh and the kids. Infact, I have just made mackeral pate (thanks to the receipe suggestions on here!) for my lunch all week and weezels bean pate for ds1 as he has asked for it. Dd will have ham and dh will have ham or cheese. The mackeral was off my neighbour, the philly was left from my sisters holiday (they came straight here) as was some cheese and ham, baked beans were bought on offer and ham whoopsied and frozen. And rolls were bought for bbq we didnt have by a friend who visited. I have done well this week!!!

bramble1

Can i cook my left overs staright from frozen? I made the spag bols last week and froze 2 portions, can i just take em out the feezer in the morning and heat up at lunch or should i take them out the night before?