May work lunches challenge

Nottoobadyet

Oh look at you all with your lunches! I just had another awful lunch of Ugandan food and wish I was within a thousand miles of a muller corner....

ElmerFudd

I have brought in a packed lunch today. Coffee and creamer are available so no spend there either. Should all be fine today as I am not expecting to spend anything.

415SanFran

Hi can I join again I have been pretty good though, just not to good at reporting back.

I have been having some strange stuff lately, got a book out of the library about frugal recipes, the one that really cought my eye and is lovely is a cold salad made up with barley.
Cook the barley as on the pack then let it go cold, add some plain yogurt, and a tspn of mint sauce, cut up cherry toms, cucumber, and if you like some red/green yellow peppers. mix it all together and leave overnight. It is really filling.
Also the lentil pate off the cheap family meals with some pitta bread has been nice, I add spinach to it sometimes if I have some looking a bit sad in the fridge.

The big expense I find is the drinks, crisps. Treat stuff if you like. So for the last year I have been allocating a certain amount every month and buying the drinks/crisps/jams/nuts in bulk from approved foods.

I'm so glad to see this back, a big thank you to ntby

firesidemaid

415SanFran wrote: »

Hi can I join again I have been pretty good though, just not to good at reporting back.

I have been having some strange stuff lately, got a book out of the library about frugal recipes, the one that really cought my eye and is lovely is a cold salad made up with barley.
Cook the barley as on the pack then let it go cold, add some plain yogurt, and a tspn of mint sauce, cut up cherry toms, cucumber, and if you like some red/green yellow peppers. mix it all together and leave overnight. It is really filling.
Also the lentil pate off the cheap family meals with some pitta bread has been nice, I add spinach to it sometimes if I have some looking a bit sad in the fridge.

The big expense I find is the drinks, crisps. Treat stuff if you like. So for the last year I have been allocating a certain amount every month and buying the drinks/crisps/jams/nuts in bulk from approved foods.

I'm so glad to see this back, a big thank you to ntby

thanks for the interesting recipes.

re. the drinks - could you make up bottles of squash? also stock up on crisps when on offer/own brand. i love the value multipacks:D

shezam

Morning all,

Today was tough! woke up late, rushed about, didn't make any lunch last night and was so close to just thinking "!!!!!! it, i'll order something in" then opened the cupboard and found lovely tin of vegetable soup. So go that, 1 slice of brown bread, actimel & 2 go ahead biscuits!

Need some fun salad ideas if anyone has any? getting a bit bored of salad leaves and salad cream lol

Sx

madammim_2

oops failed today took a half-days holiday this morning to use a groupon I'd bought - 2 beauty salon treatments worth £65, bought for £25 - but forgot all about doing & was starving before I got to work at 1 so stopped at Pret's for a sandwich & coffee - tried to be as 'good' as possible and only have the slim pret and the 99p coffee -so came in under £3. Bit of a shock to think I used to spend that at least 3 times a week, every week. Will have to take some of these tips and keep some long-life emergency things in at work in future. Back on the wagon tomorrow

eleanor73

On track but been busy at work so not had a chance to post. This week had beans on toast, chicken salad rolls, chicken salad pittas, cheese and pickle rolls and tomorrow free lunch as got an event on.:j:j

madammim_2

quite a 'desk picnic' today for me - small pot of sliced up yellow peppers, small pot of pasta & cheese salad - spooned out of bigger tub we have in the fridge at home, 4 aldi's own ryvita style crispbreads sandwiched together with philadelpia light oh, and a peach.

allydowd

Buy one pack of 10 mini pitta breads for 95p in Tesco.
Freeze them in pairs.
Take out one pair of pitta at bedtime and make a filling from fridge leftovers (eg. grated cheese, grated beetroot, mayo and black better).
Keep the bread in one little box and the filling in the other.
Next morning grab both boxes from fridge on the way out the door.
At lunchtime nuke the breads for 10 secs in the microwave.
Stuff pittas.
Enjoy!
I've been doing this for 2 weeks now.

elsiepac

Hi all

I'm just planning what to make for my lunches next week! (By the way thanks for the compliments firesidemaid!)

I'm considering doing a pasta salad as I have tuna and pasta in the cupboard and I've just done a £10.13 shop purely of veggies, got LOADS of bargains:T

I'm not that frugal before you all say wow, I'd already done a separate shop for other things previously!

In fact I was a bit extravagant, found myself in M&S for various reasons and it's honestly my MAJOR weakness, however I didn't go mad in the food hall, just spent a bit more than planned (which was £0 by the way!). so I'm going to have to be really frugal until next Friday which is when I allocate myself more money - have £2.50 to live on til then (only thing I buy through the week is milk though). :rotfl:

So one of the things I bought was a new thing they have out, and there's two types - one is feta in a harissa marinade and one is goats cheese in caramelised onion marinade...both look amazing. £1.99 each or 3 for a fiver. I couldn't stop myself buying three, much to my purse's distress. However, I think when mixed into one of my concoctions (or served alongside) I think each pot should make two portions really (at that price I would hope so!), so I have to incorporate them in somewhere... I've run out of quinoa and didn't want to buy more so I think I only have pearl barley, buck wheat, bulgar wheat, whole grain cous cous, whole grain brown rice, various pasta left... I shall get my thinking cap on as to what I can create!!!

Is anyone else as sad as me and trying to plan ahead??!!!!!!!

Oh and as an aside, tonight for tea i've got a treat (I really was quite bad spending wise today, D'Oh!) ... Mushroom filled tortellini (or something like that) with a mushroom and mascarpone stir through sauce. I bought some reduced button mushrooms just now (85p) and some reduced rocket (45p), so in a separate pan I'm going to saute the mushroom and some red onion until they reduce right down and then add to the pasta and sauce and stir the rocket through till it wilts... I think it'll be yummy......:dance:

Sorry for giant post!

Lee-anne