What are some good easy lunch ideas to take to work or buy on the run for cheap?
I normally check out my local woolies/cole sand buy what ever is reduced (salads and what not) and eat it on the day, but I think this is getting a bit expensive.
How much do you spend on lunch?
What do you eat?
Can of Tuna - $1 on special
Half a bag of brown rice - $3.25 a bag so $1.60 for half
Handful of Birds Eye frozen mixed veggies - $4 for 1kg bag so about 50c for a handful.
Total $3.1
that's expensive brown rice!
Yeah but you're paying for the convenience to microwave it instantly and have it come out perfect.
You can also argue the can of tuna and veggies are expensive as well but again, it's convenience.
Cooking up big batches on a Sunday for the week is still the cheapest.
I just chuck half a cup in a bowl with water and micro for 8 mins.
Always comes out well.
That's exactly what I did a few years ago back in my fitness days. Great for cheap lunch and all the nutrition you need, protein carbs and fats (good fats).
I got told off for stinking up the office with tuna, but whatever
Sounds gross af
Boring but i usually have Rice with Tuna, Spinach, Tomato, Cucumber and anything else, pretty cheap.
Left over Pasta dishes.
Sandwiches.
etc etc
Always make leftovers. Use them for lunches.
Winter time. Buy a thermos. Make a big batch of soup at the start of the week. Heat up soup in the mornings and put it in thermos. have for lunch with toast if you like.
Have some tuna cans and crackers or something on hand just in case you don't get time to prepare something.
You'll save a lot of money making your own lunches.
I cook up a week or two worth of lunches at a time.
100g brown rice (cooked)
150g chicken breast with Moroccan seasoning
150g mixed frozen vegetables
Chuck them in the freezer and reheat each day.
Works out super cheap and it's pretty healthy, sometimes I add a little dressing to mix it up.
Make your own minestrone during winter. Carrots, potatoes, beans, onions and pumpkin are cheap.
Campbells condensed mushroom soup is amazing when on sale for $1 a can. Good for about 3 serves. On potatoes with tuna it's great.
No one mentioned sandwiches !!
My personal fav:
Packet of wraps,
Slices of Roast Beef from the deli
Jar of Branston pickle.
Have a toasted sandwich maker at work ?
If not, they're cheap enough to donate one to the office kitchen.
Then you can do toasted tomato and cheese wraps.
Use frozen grated cheese from the packet.
Toasted sandwiches are God's food.
God doesn't eat anything toasted, that's devil food.
yep, ham & cheese toasted sangas 2-3 times a week
Sweet, a few good tips here!
I just grabbed;
a 6 pack of rolls - $2.50
two slices of jarlsberg cheese - $2.50
Greek Mix Antipasta from the deli - $1.68
Bit pricey. but its all super yum!
also bought a reduced basil pesto pasta, $2.85.
Eyes are bigger then my stomach.
Those microwave individually wrapped pasties and sausage rolls ( Mrs. Mac's) when they are half price.
Make up a big bowl of thick soup at the weekend and divide up into individual swervings. Maybe several types if you want variety.
Take it to work in a microwave container.
Leave in the fridge and it will partially defrost.
Microwave soup.
Clean container
Repeat during the week.
If you are in Melbourne
I think the Banh Mai at N Lee - $5.80 for the sliced pork version - is really good value.
The salad sandwiches at Rooservelt are also pretty good value, if you don't want to make your own - they don't skimp on the fillings.
I think you could get bahn mi in Sydney CBD from $4.5
N Lee do a particularly fine Bahn Mi. I'm sure you can get cheaper in Melbourne CBD as well.
Which one(s)? Any good?
Why not just skip lunch
Save money and time.
Lose weight
Help the environment from all the packaging waste
Fasting is also good for you
that will make us all work too hard
that case mate you can send me back all those entertainment vouchers I just sent you. LOL
$3 deal from maccas
Steal your workmate's lunch.
just make sure they dont spoil it with laxatives
<$5
I often have the microwavable curry pouches found in the international section. usually ~$2.50 each (though I buy up big when on special for ~$2
with a microwavable satchel of rice ~$1.20
The assorted Indian/Pakistani brand versions of these pouches are some of the best value & nutrition for under $2.50 that you can get, in terms of heat & eat lunches or meals.
Most have a cauli/broccoli/spinach/lentil base with assorted veg and then added cheese or meat for the protein. Their huge serves & none of them need to be eaten with rice at all.
Which one specifically, do you have a link?
Thank you, will keep an eye out for when these go on special.
@nurries: You can pick up pretty much all of those brands and more at your local indian/asian grocer from around $1 - $2.50, if you want the cheapest prices on them.
I don't know… is it me? I don't like meat that comes in a can…i.e tuna or pre packaged food off the shelf that has a meat component in it. I always choose for example pumpkin or mushroom soup over pea and ham or chicken vegetable. I find it un-palatable. same goes to meat flavoured chips or biscuits.. honey soy chicken or BBQ Ribs I find the tastes fake.
my bring to work lunches from home usually left overs… from dinner the night before but if I make something and have to freeze and portion out it would be vegetarian, then I would add a protein on the day I wouldn't cook and freeze meat and thaw and freeze and thaw again and reheat in microwave,
but that's just me
Mi Goreng - $2.75 for a pack of 5
5/2.75 = .55c
that's lunch for .55c a day.
https://www.woolworths.com.au/Shop/Browse/pantry-internation…
on an even tighter budget?
5 packs @ 99cents = under 20cents a day!!!!!!!!!
https://www.woolworths.com.au/Shop/Search/Products?searchTer…
0 nutrition, though.
High calories and saturated fat. Not to mention the palm oil…
I think you need to take on my username.
just take multivitamin I guess.
Two boiled eggs for breakfast. Keeps you going until lunch time.
If I don't have this, then I will have weetbix at work before lunch.
Then, I will get a sushi roll at lunch time or something small like a bun from Breadtop.
Won't be too full so I can eat dinner!
Home-made sandwiches bore me and making my own salad is fine but I don't like carrying food and snacks to work every day.
My favourite thing to eat at work is my home-made spaghetti. It's so flavoursome. It just hits the spot so I always make a lot and microwave it at work.
Fresh salad sandwiches and snacks. Tomato, cheese, lettuce, cucumber, mayo, mustard, butter, s&p. Once you have all the condiments lunch will run you <$20 a week per person, including a snack.
Some ideas for snacks - Coles choc block and pack 1 row of the block each day, $5 of olives at the deli will last the week, bag of carrots to cut yourself & hummus, mixed nuts, cheese & crackers. Different snack each week to keep it interesting.
Everything is cheaper if you do it yourself and buy in weekly/fortnightly portions.
Brown rice, tuna, avocado, cherry tomatoes, walnuts, light soy sauce. Greek yoghurt with drizzle of honey for dessert.
Tuna and crackers
Aldi lasagne
Canned soup and toast
Tea and ham