Septembers 'Take your Lunch To Work' Challenge.

WantToBeSE

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

A new thread for September 2015!!

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 (I don't have time), so its up to you to keep track of yourself. I'll add you to the challenge list, along with how many days you are aiming for.


Don't forget if you have a yummy lunch/breakfast 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://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/greek-salad/#P1sLzcfSalJRpfah.97
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/2010/02/28/red-lentil-pate/
Sliced turkey, mayo, pineapple and tinned sweetcorn
Falafel and salad sandwich
Chickpea and Chorizo 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://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-pack-the-perfect-salad-in-a-jar-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-192174
-Rice cakes & hummus
-Crackers / carrot sticks / pitta bread & taramaslata (or dip of choice)
-Crustless quiche from Slimming World (good for GF diets):http://www.slimmingworld.com/recipes/bacon-and-mushroom-crustless-quiche.aspx
-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/lunchsize-sausage-rolls-for-38p-each.html
-Pizza Wheels (Can be eaten hot-2mins in microwave-or cold):
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1463/pizza-puff-pinwheels
-Calzones (fill with whatever you want, yummy hot or cold) http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search/recipes?query=calzones

Soups (with some bread?):
-Carrot and coriander soup: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/member-recipes/recipe-detail/2235/#GKorga2WkSwu5qdS.97
-Mushroom risotto soup: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/64953/creamy-mushroom-risotto/
-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)
-Vegan Meatballs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-Y-8NqFdp4
-Vegan Burgers http://hilahcooking.com/veggie-burger-recipe/

*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 (not just for Christmas you know!)
Twinks hobnobs http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=10816149&postcount=968

*Emergency stocks for a drawer*
-Cereal bars
-Porridge oats ( just add boiling water and stir for 5 mins)
-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 https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/64065218#Comment_64065218
-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/2013/11/10/ready-meal-revolution-starbucks-berry-bircher-2-35-or-make-it-at-home-37p/


Good luck!

WantToBeSE

Reserved for Contenders

#1- WTBSE 30
#2- 498louise
#3- SmarterNotHarder
#4- CrazyKitten 30
#5- carviscocker 20
#6- curlywurly82 10
#7- Sallycat 15
#8- sambuca9 30
#9- marmiterulesok 15
#10- Samiszel22
#11- There Is a Light 27
#12- The Only Girl 20
#13- gunsandbanjos
#14- Deaf Leopard 25
#15- Christi 16
#16- timetrade 15
#17- belleandthebudget 17
#18- Gonzo1987 27
#19- B17c
#20- Siebrie 16
#21- chocolatelover93
#22- Digging 18
#23- Knit Witch 16

498louise

Hi, can I join in please?

One of my aims this month is to bring my own lunch to work and to eat lunch at home/packed lunch at weekends too so I am aiming for 30 days.

Doing this to save money and to improve my diet. Nervous about how I will get on as i will have to be far more organised and disciplined than I am used to being. I am hoping that signing up to this thread will keep me on track with this aim.

WantToBeSE

Hi Louise, welcome aboard

i have added you to the list.

Good luck with being more disciplined and organised- it gets easier once you are used to it. you know what they say- it takes 30 days to form a new habit

SmarterNotHarder

I'm back in, OTT spending means I need to reign it in again! Not declaring how many this month, Just want to see how I do!

WantToBeSE

Hi SNH, welcome I'll add you to the list. Good luck!

CrazyKitten

Count me in again! I'm hoping to go for a whole month.

WantToBeSE

Good Morning, have added you Crazy Kitten

I am still lazing around in my PJs, i need to get up and go food shopping so that i actually have food in the house!

Carviscocker

Morning! Can I join? I've just counted I'm at work for 20 days in September so I'd like to go for 20 ��

curlywurly82

I have fallen off the wagon and can't remember the last time I took lunch in so I am going to start with 10 days.

WantToBeSE

Welcome/Welcome back to carviscocker and curlywurly, i have added you both to the list