July 'Take Your Lunch To Work' Challenge.

WantToBeSE

It's back!!


Save your £'s by taking your Lunch To Work (LTW)!

A new thread for July 2014!! Although the title is 'Take Your Lunch to WORK', ANYONE can join in You can be a stay-at-home-parent, unemployed, work part time or work full time.

The point is, buying lunch (or breakfast, or both if you were silly like me!!) from the works canteen/the newsagents/the coffee shop etc, is EXPENSIVE!

Save that money to put towards your debt/to save/for a holiday (or whatever you want).

Declare at the start of the month how many days you are aiming for. I will NOT be updating you all, so its up to you to keep track of yourself.



Don't forget if you have a yummy lunch idea then tell us all about it!

Here's the lovely lunch ideas - enjoy!

Recipe ideas for sandwich fillings and lunches


*Cold foods*
Sandwich combos:
Stuffing
Tuna mayo/salad cream
Tuna and sweetcorn
Tuna and onion
Tuna and cucumber
Egg Salad (hardboiled eggs, S&P, mayo. Mash together and voila!)
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
Cheese & pickle/piccalilli/tomato
Corned beef & lettuce
Ham & apple sauce
Coronation chicken (shredded cooked chicken, mayo, curry powder. Mix together)
Fried egg baguette
Sausage & mustard / ketchup / mayo / pickle / onion relish
BLT
Brie & grape
Ham and coleslaw
Onion Baji & coleslaw wrap
Chicken & bacon
Peanut butter, cream cheese & banana
Turkey/chicken & stuffing
Crisp butti
Chicken with pesto and mayo
Brie, crushed walnuts, feta &rocket wrap
Chorizo & goats cheese
Vegetarian (red lentil) pate http://fatfreevegan.com/blog/2010/02...d-lentil-pate/
Sliced turkey, mayo, pineapple and tinned sweetcorn
Falafel and salad sandwich http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...&postcount=150
Chickpea burger (thanks to Shortie for this one!) http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/nov/20/jack-monroe-chickpea-chorizo-burger-recipe


B17c's rice dish http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=64206224&postcount=59


Soworried's Gammon and Mushroom Quiche-


http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=64387265&postcount=511



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.
-Salad in a jar:
http://blog.babygizmo.com/2013/01/salad-in-a-jar/
-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*

-Frugal Queens lunchsize Sausage rolls (can be eaten hot-2mins in microwave-or cold): http://www.frugalqueen.co.uk/2013/10...-38p-each.html
-Pizza Wheels (Can be eaten hot-2mins in microwave-or cold):
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...&postcount=239
-Calzones (fill with whatever you want, yummy hot or cold) http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...4&postcount=42
Soups (with some bread?):
-Jamie Oliver's carrot soup: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...5&postcount=50
-Mushroom risotto soup: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...1&postcount=64
-Pasta (also can be eaten cold as pasta salad)
-Macaroni cheese
-Leftovers... pasta bakes, curry, spag bol, chilli..
-Falafel Onion bhajis, Samosas as side dishes to left overs (or lovely on their own.
-Jacket potatoes with various fillings (cheese, beans, leftovers)




*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 bars
-Porridge oats
-Tinned macaroni cheese
-Mug Shot pasta packs
-Cup-a-Soup

*Other suggestions*
-Thermos flask of tea or coffee
-Either a flask or food flask for soups.
-Freeze sandwiches for the week or buy/make pasties, sausage rolls, and take them out in the morning.
-Wraps, bagels, baguettes, fruit bread and pitta bread can all be used instead of sliced bread.


*Breakfasts*
-Make your own instant porridge on the go http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...5&postcount=18
-Buy a pack of 5 cereal bars and leave them in the car glove box. Eat one a day on the way to work
-AGIRLCALLEDJACK's replica of Starbucks Berry Bircher: http://agirlcalledjack.com/2013/11/1...t-at-home-37p/


Good luck!

Dozey_crow

Yay.... Thanks w2bse.. Where did everyone go??

I have been plodding on with taking much every day... I have only had one unplanned bought sandwich and one jacket potato (necessary because I had nothing in to make lunch with) since I started in September.. Not bad eh?!

I do spend money on coffee though (to much money really)and we have been out for lunch asa team a few times. Yesterday for the first time I went for lunch with one colleague foot the first time and we had a jacket potato.

Some colleagues spend a minimum of £5 every day on food so based on that I have saved a fortune!

As it's summer I am happy taking sandwiches for lunch. Winter possess a problem because we are no longer allowed a work microwave.. Apparently they are a 'fire risk'so I may have to invest in in a food flash thing. Will keep my eye out for a Brucie!!

Lunch plans for next week are.. Hummus because I have tonnes of it, tuna salad, egg salad, cheese salad. Snacks are nectarines, cereal bars and NOT the two packets of yummie biccies in my desk draw (note to self THEY ARE NOT THERE THEY DON'T EXIST!).

so come on then.. What are you having and how much lovely cash will you be saving???

WantToBeSE

Hiya DC Lovely to see you again!


I thought I would restart the tread because I am sooo bad with spending money on brekkie and lunch. Oops!


It'll mainly be sarnies (ham or falafel, salad) this week, as I have lots to use up and am trying not to spend any £.


You are doing very well with your LTW's! I wish I could say the same!

Dozey_crow

Hi.. You too!!

It sounds like you have been doing as well as you can w2bese.. If I remember rightly you have kids and travel around in a car for work? Either of those would make things difficult to think about packed lunches!

I am OK with lunch but terrible for having coffee at cafes.. I love finding and trying new local cafes.. Not worried about calories as it's black coffee but it is expensive some weeks. Only went once last week so trying to cut down.

Falafel sarnie's sound great.. You can't beat a good sandwich in my opinion.I have recently rediscovered salmon paste.. It reminds me of my school days!

My top tips are to make sandwiches the night before and if you are having brekkie at work too (I do most days) either make double sarnies or take cereal in a plastic container and the right amount of milk. Put the milk into the container and you don't need a bowl. Also I sometimes make a cheese and bean toasted sarnie in the morning let it cool a bit, wrap it on foil and then eat later... It's yummie! :-)

Hope your are having a nice weekend I am just putting some plants in the garden..

kerri_gt

Hello, I'm a bit of a lurker on this challenge, simply because if I spend any more time on MSE my OH will go nuts lol, and I'm pretty good at taking lunch to work as I figured out even a £2 sarnie each day is £40 - £45 a month!

One if my favs is cooked rice with peas, Sweetcorn and soy sauce. Unfortunately Dozy Crow you do rather need a microwave for it. Can't believe your work think it's a fire hazard, surely if it's tested along with all other electrical appliances it's ok? Guess you need things you can add hot water to in the winter (assuming you're allowed a kettle too?) what about cous cous or perhaps experimenting with instant mash? There must be a way to do your own take on pot noodles too.

Gem-gem

Hi I'm also a bit of a lurker,
Dozey Cow, I see that you like your coffee. Do you have a Waitrose near you? If you get a Waitrose card you can have a free coffee every day.
A John Lewis card will also give you free hot drink and cake once a month.
I always take my lunch to work - like Kerry get - I think of the big picture £10-15 a week, £40-£60 a month. If I run out of salad or sandwich bits I take cereal or porridge. I also keep spare mug shot in my locker.
Cooked pasts with tuna, sweet corn, cucumber, tomatoes and mayo is nice and it can be eaten cold.

WantToBeSE

Hi Kerri and Gem


Yes DC, you remember correctly, I have to eat my lunch in the car. Its really not very nice on hot days. The sarnies go yukky in the car, due to the heat. I am a bit tuck to be honest.
I may get a small cool box to put them in.

kerri_gt

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Hi Kerri and Gem


Yes DC, you remember correctly, I have to eat my lunch in the car. Its really not very nice on hot days. The sarnies go yukky in the car, due to the heat. I am a bit tuck to be honest.
I may get a small cool box to put them in.

Could you get one of those little lunch cool bags, like the kids have for school? There's also wine bags you can freeze and use to keep wine cool, perhaps they do lunchbox ones. Or even a good ole fashioned ice block like you put in cool boxes?

http://www.drinkstuff.com/products/product.asp?ID=5928&gclid=CjkKEQjw5-OdBRDW3ceD9fL0r4QBEiQAW7htXTjCH5bvDa1apzr9CMRPZxQEdanR4ObU_P0m0IJgODnw_wcB

Also how about making sarnies the night before and freeze - then at least they'll start off colder while they defrost. And I guess foil rather than cling film, foil will reflect the cold while cling film will make them lovely and sweaty.

Dozey_crow

Hello hello,

It's great to see more people on here. It's a shame as this thread was so busy!

Kerry gt - I know it's crazy about the microwave.. Very annoying. We have a water urn on the wall for hot water which is OK. I hadn't thought of instant mash.. I absolutely LOVE instant mash it's my favorite ..mmmmm., why wait for winter!! I have also thought about bananas and instant custard made with the urn water...mmmm

Gem gem... I am a member of John Lewis and code and cake is brilliant :-)..I really look forward to it. There isn't a Waitrose near where I work unfortunately.. But when I have had their coffee it had been nice. Pasta salad sounds nice too..we used to make that but haven't for ages for some reason.

These ideas are great thank you both.

W2bese. I second the idea of freezing sarnies.. It works a treat as long as you don't put the salad in!

Today I have been good. I had a cheese and bean toastie for breakfast and a cheese and salad sandwich for lunch with a carefully measured out snack of crackers and peanut butter.. No crisps chocolate or sweets -result!

Taking cereal tomorrow and having lunch at home I think.

Gem-gem

Hi
For lunch today I made:
Mushroom couscous, chopped up spring onion, tomato and chicken with a little sausage, chestnut and sage stuffing ( leftovers from yesterday) and mixed it all together. I've got the same tomorrow.
Also had a yoghurt and a banana. Yum, yum!!!

kerri_gt

Never thought of adding stuffing to cous cous, I've got some in the cupboard I've been wondering what to do with.

Clearly cous cous Monday, I made this yesterday http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/5517/couscous-with-chickpeas.aspx?o_is=Hub_TopRecipe_5

Added some parsley and Parmesan to it today. Although I thought I reduced the qtys, it appears I might be having the same thing everyday this week :rotfl: