Ja-NEW-ary 2013 - Take your lunch to work thread 29 December 2012 at 11:25AM edited 16 January 2013 at 10:46AM in Debt-free wannabe challenges 536 replies 69K views

kittiej

Hi Everyone

I did a search but couldn't find a take your lunch to work thread like there used to be so I hope no-one minds me starting it up again.

I really need to start saving some money and because I don't have the opportunity to do overtime the easiest way for me to earn money is to make some cutbacks.

I currently spend £2 per day in the canteen at work which isn't a vast amount but I could halve it if I make my own. Working 4 days a week would see me save £188 per year which over my five year plan will save me about £1000 and every little counts.

I have a restricted diet in that I won't be eating meat/fish so cheese is my best friend :rotfl:.

So if you want to join then please feel free to post up how much you currently spend, how much you want to save ie declare how many lunches you will not be buying, and most importantly of all what you will be making to take to work! I would love to hear about any strange but tasty lunch ideas

Everyone is welcome even if you only work 1 day a week or stay at home but would like to join. So, the doors are now open......

Recipe ideas for sandwich fillings and lunches

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=159329

http://pinterest.com/lbnblbnb/food-lunch-ideas/

Now everyone say a big thank you to Shortie for compiling this list of ideas for us.

:AThanks Shortie :A

*Cold foods*
Sandwich combos:
Stuffing
Tuna mayo/salad cream
Tuna and sweetcorn
Tuna and onion
Tuna and cucumber
Beetroot
Cheese & carmelised onion chutney
Cheese and chilli jam
grated cheese, mushed up egg, diced onion and mixed in with mayo
Peanut butter & marmite
Greek salad - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...3&postcount=38
Russian salad sandwich - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...3&postcount=38
Curry!
Bacon & banana
Cheese & pickle
Corned beef & lettuce
Ham & apple sauce
Coronation chicken
Fried egg baguette
Sausage & mustard / ketchup / mayo / pickle / onion relish
Scrambled egg (cooked in the microwave)
Chhese & piccalilli
Brie & grape
Cheese & tomato
Ham and coleslaw
Onion Baji & coleslaw wrap
Chicken and cranberry sauce
Chicken & bacon
Haslet and coleslaw
Peanutbutter, cream cheese & banana
Turkey/chicken & stuffing
Crisp butti
Chicken with pesto and mayo
Brie, crushed walnuts, feta &rocket wrap
Chorizo & goats cheese
Vegetarian pate http://fatfreevegan.com/blog/2010/02/28/red-lentil-pate/

Adding the following to salads:
Hard boiled egg in salad
Carrot salad: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...&postcount=110
Cold duck and spinnach, raddish, pepper & carrot
Cheese, ham & whatever salad is in the fridge
Chicken and cold bacon bits
Spice sensation cous cous with raisins, pumpkin seeds. little cubes of cheese (feta or cheddar) cheery toms halved,cuc, spring onions and a couple of dried apricots chopped up
Bulk making salads: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...&postcount=358

Rice cakes & hummus
Crackers / carrot sticks / pitta bread & taramaslata (or dip of choice)
Crustless quiche (good for GF diets) - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...3&postcount=38
Spanish potato fritata
Cous cous

*Warm foods*
Soups (with some bread?):
Jamie Oliver's Parsnip and Ginger Soup
Jamie Oliver's carrot soup: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...5&postcount=50
Mushroom risotto soup: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...1&postcount=64
Liquidised curry
Pasta
Macaroni cheese
Leftovers... pasta bakes, curry, spag bol, chilli..
Falafel
Onion bhajis
Samosas
Jacket potatoes
Cous cous (take dried and rehydrate from a kettle at work, add some fillings - meat, vegs, cheese, etc - once warm and hydrated)
Mash, veg, gravy and meat in a tuppawear box
Spaghetti/beans on toast or with butter bread
Falafel & chilli dip

*Snacks*
Cake
Fruit
Crisps (multibags can be better value)
Hot choc
Sausage rolls
Juice cartons
Cereal bars
Fruit salads (mix with a spoon or two of juice from tinned fruit to keep it from turning brown)
Biscuits
Mince Pies (especially for Betty Crumble)

*Emergency stocks for a drawer*
Cereal
Porridge oats
Tinned macaroni cheese
Mug Shot pasta packs
Cup-a-Soup

*Other suggestions*
Thermos flash of tea or coffee
freeze sandwiches for the week or buy/make pasties, sausage rolls, and take them out in the morning.
Hard boiled eggs keep for a week in the fridge with the shells on
Wraps instead of sliced bread


*.... and sneaking in here.... Breakfasts!*
Greek yoghurt and granola on top of fruit salad
Toast wrapped in foil asap after cooking - should keep warm for a 10 min journey to the train station etc!)
Scrambled egg (cooked in the microwave) and toast



Savings for the month:

kittiej £17
homelovin £55
vics199 £15
laura16 £46
candlewick £45
skipsmum £93
killerpeaty £11 for the week
Fluffpuff £20
peter5348 £60
km1977 £20
Sunshine22 £85
Dee-Dee £74
hotspur-pam £15 per week
mineallmine £50
clairey em £40
Ihatethemoneypit £50
Florida 2013 £46 a week!
WelshWoofer £20
Shortie £95
Skippycat £40
loubylou2 £75
kobrakai £90
Fruittea £50
Twiggy_34 £32
AFK_Matrix £60
Trim My Budget £20
juno £40
helejenkins1 £650 for the year

homelovin

Great idea, I often start taking lunch in then get lazy. I too spend 2 - 2.50 a day. Plus I want to eat healthier so this can be incorperated.
I am going to aim for every working day in January, that's 22 working days, because I'm going to be very short of money as always in Jan. Starting Wednesday 2nd. That would save me 44.00 to 55.00 pounds ! wow!:T

vics199

I will aim for no buying lunch at all in January as well. I have really cut down already but this is a good way of making sure I don't slip up!

Also starting weight watchers again (bought the books off of ebay yesterday so no paying subscription fees) so I am going to make up a batch of homemade soup for next weeks lunches. I have lots of parsnips from my garden in the freezer so I shall be making Jamie Oliver's Parsnip and Ginger Soup. Also bought some bread in the reduced to clear section so will put one slice of that with it and a weight watchers yogurt.

I'm not sure how much I will be saving but I would say roughly £15 a month, which is almost 1% on the 1% challenge!

kittiej

Welcome homelovin and vics199

The soup sounds lush vic and potential savings for us all can only be a good thing.

Right, just had a look at my calendar and I have 17 working days in January so I should save £17 - need to keep focussed!

I don't know what I shall be taking yet so that's tbc, I love stuffing sandwiches and cheese and tomato so it could be either of these.

Well done guys I'll alter my original post to reflect your aims.

Tiglath

I'm in. I'm not back in work until the 14th, so 14 work days till the end of January, and I'm aiming to take lunch in for all of those. I used to regularly blow £5-6/day, so that's a conservative £1200/year over 47 weeks. Fortunately I never got into the Starbucks/Costa habit; we have decent free coffee provided. I get certain free food at work so mainly I look at things to go with toast like beans, scrambled eggs, cheese, pate (62p from Mr T and lasts me 3 days), soup. Add in free fruit and a slice of cake from the freezer and I'm sorted. I've got a Dundee cake to freeze in slices and will be making a couple of lemon drizzle cakes to freeze as well.

kittiej

Welcome Tiglath and all I can say is caaaake! I'm drooling at the very thought lol.

Do you want me to put you on the list for January? If so how much do you want me to put?

Tiglath

No, don't worry - I won't be logging amounts saved as I'm already in the January Grocery Challenge, but I'll certainly keep up with this thread for ideas and keeping on track

kittiej

That's fine and you can bring your cake to this thread any time you likey :rotfl:

laura16_2

I'd like to join as this is my worse thing for spending on. I do get dinner provided some days at work when we go out but we get £5 to spend and if your in a pub or cafe it's easy to go over so I'm planning on not spending anything on lunch in January, so that's 23 days at £2 per day so I should save £46

moomin_master

Been back in work since boxing day. Only spent £1.50. Usually it is £3.29 a day. Cheese sarnies everyday. So saved over £13. Still got all my £60.

kittiej

:wave:Welcome laura16, it's amazing how much money can be frittered away at lunchtime and welcome moomin master, cheese is good lol and well done on only spending £1.50.

This challenge begins on 1st Jan so would you like me to add you to the list moomin and if so how much? Otherwise you are welcome to contribute to the thread especially if you want to talk cheesy