However, my food choices usually are disgusting and boring. I might bring leftovers from the night before, or just bring a boring peanut butter and jelly sandwich, ham and cheese, or something boring and similar. Then I’ll bring a fruit (orange, grapes, apple) and chips. This gets SO BORING!
I never go all out and bring something fantastic. This mainly has to do with my laziness and the fact that I never wake up early enough to bring something better.
I’ve been seeing a lot of lunch inspirations on Pinterest that just look amazing! Don’t the pictures above look good? I think I’m going to make a goal for myself to make better lunches. I want to start bringing things that I would pay to eat at cafes such as good sandwiches, deserts and other pretty food items instead of the drab stuff that I usually bring.
Also, bringing my lunch to work saves a ton of money. Instead of going to BreadCo or some other lunch place and spending around $10 on lunch, I can make my food at home and spend probably $1 or $2. Do you bring lunch in order to save money? Or to be more healthy? 90% of the reason why I do it is so that I can save money, and this really shows in my food budget. I probably save a couple thousand a year by bringing my lunch everyday.
Do you bring your lunch to work? What do you usually bring? So many questions for you guys!
Judy says
We all take our lunch/dinner to work or school here. It could be left overs, or soup or something that I made just for the freezer or quisedillas(cant spell sorry) that I just load up with what ever left overs are in the freezer. I also try to add a veggie or potato and some fruit.With all of us its just so much cheaper to take the food then buy it
Anna says
I bring lunch every day and it's almost always leftovers from the night before. We make sure to make our lunch right after we've finished dinner so that there's no hassle in the morning. My husband and I tend to go all out, taking multiple tupperware containers to separate foods that shouldn't be all mixed together, and it makes lunch time a lot more enjoyable.
The Happy Homeowner says
I bring a bunch of groceries into work every Monday and make my lunch everyday (we have a full kitchen in the building). My favorite lunch is a taco salad–romaine, avocado, black beans w/ taco seasoning, tomatoes, salsa, and crushed tortilla chips all mixed together. My co-workers get a kick out of my lunches because I eat so much (I eat out of a massive serving bowl that's bigger than my head x2!). Biking to work helps fuel that appetite!
Amanda says
I bring my lunch too! Normally I could enough enough the night before for E and I both to bring our lunches the next day! I bought the Jillian michaels book and it has a lot of easy healthy recipes…takes 30 min or less… And they are tasty too!
Shannon Marie says
I bring my lunch to work almost everyday. It really does save a ton of money. Once a week I grab lunch with a coworker and I end up spending so much money. I do believe that great company makes spending the money easier, but when you're a poor college kid, saving money is super important. I normally pack really boring things too! This past semester has been so busy that it's kept me from branching out and trying new cookie recipes. But, that's my goal for the new year! Happy lunch packing 🙂
Juhli says
My husband takes his almost every day with the occasional treat of going out. I work from home and eat lunch at home almost always. We don't get creative either. Leftovers, soup, salad, sandwiches, hummus and tomatoes on pita bread, frozen enchiladas or burritos from Trader Joes, or veggie burgers tend to be the mainstays.
shoppingtosaving says
I used to bring my lunch everyday but now I have gotten lazy since I've been busy. I usually bring a fancy salad that I made at home with homemade ranch and seasoned chicken. Or sandwiches with sprouts, cucumbers, lettuce, turkey and my favorite bread. Or leftovers!
Holly says
Those lunches look fantastic! I'm with you, I need a better lunch. I usually bring a peanut butter sandwich and granola bar every day. It gets old, fast!
Spendwisemom says
My family always brings their lunch. My kids don't want to eat school lunch. They would rather have sandwiches on homemade bread or leftovers. I feel like they eat healthier lunches when I make them.
Thrifty Crafty Girl says
My husband bring lunch every single day… he is so sick of peanut butter! But he knows that this helps our financial position and that when we are better off money-wise, he'll be able to eat something else!
Melissa Wilson says
I brought my lunch to work almost every day. I had a rule for myself that I never ate out for lunch unless I was going with another person, because then it was like a social thing. (And OK, I did sometimes, just if I was really craving it.)I am super lazy, though, so what I did was, make giant batches of soup or chili or whatever, and freeze them in individual sized mason jars, so I just had to grab one and go. I'd often even keep a couple weeks worth in the freezer at work, and a bunch of snacks in my desk, so I never had to think about it. It was great!
Anonymous says
When I make dinner during the week I alway try to make enough for us (2 adults and 3 children) to take to work and school the next day along with some fruit and homemade breadpopular things are:leftover homemade pizza or samosapotato salad salads like these
Emily @ evolvingPF says
We bring our lunches to work every day. I can't remember the last time I bought food on or off campus – both for budget and dietary reasons.What I bring varies over the long term but is pretty consistent day-to-day because of our groceries. I eat multiple small meals per day and sometimes stay at work through dinner so I tend to bring a lot with me. Today will be: half an avocado mashed with 4 slices of bacon, 2 oz raw almonds, 1 crown of steamed broccoli, and a can of tuna with mayo.My husband, however, eats a turkey and cheese sandwich, a yogurt, and a piece of fruit every single day. He doesn't get sick of it ever!
In Debt says
I bring my lunch *almost* every day. Today, it's leftover homemade pizza. Many days it's a Stouffer's frozen dinner. It saves money! And since I'm on a flex schedule, the more quickly I can eat the sooner I get to leave! 🙂
Louise says
I take my own lunch to work, usually I take a salad or a wrap. It's cheaper and healthier. If your looking for ideas do a search for bento blogs, they are quite inspiring!
working.for.money says
Almost every day. I probably eat out twice a month at most. My current office is mostly a eat-at-work kind of place. But my previous office was the opposite. Some coworkers ate out everyday. I couldn't even imagine all the money they spent doing this.
Whitney & Devin says
I totally bring my lunch! I am so against buying my lunch because it gets so expensive! I usualy spend about $150 a month on groceries for my husband and myself. I plan all of my meals out so I don't waste anything. I usually bring leftovers but sometimes I will make my lunch stuff on Sunday… but thats rare for me. Love this post! XO
Tanner says
I almost always pack my lunch for work. There's been a few times this past year when I've bought something because I forgot my lunch or didn't have anything at all to bring for lunch. I don't think I'd eat out every day even if I could afford to, but probably maybe once a month or something. My lunch is 90% of the time leftovers, and I try to get it ready as I am cleaning up from dinner the night prior. I also keep a stash of easy frozen lunch items I can just grab and go with like breakfast burritos and muffins.
Michelle P says
Thanks everyone! I'm kind of surprised that everyone else brings their lunch also! At my current job and at my old job, hardly anyone brings their lunch.
Hannah says
I'm with you! I usually end up bringing lean cuisines because by the time i get home from work AND school I am too lazy to make a lunch for the next day! But that pizza slice is such a good idea…you could make a big pizza on a sunday, cook it, then freeze it, and reheat it by the slice that could last you for a few weeks!
House of Sykes says
My husband and I both take our lunch to work 4 days a week, then we meet for lunch 1 day a week, usually on Wednesday, just to break up the week. Our lunches are usually pretty boring too – a sandwich, chips or crackers, something sweet, yogurt and a cheese stick. I try to mix it up by using bagel thins, pitas or wraps for the sandwiches and doing something yummy like a flavored mayo or lettuce, tomato, sprouts, etc. I need to do better about packing fresh fruit and veggies!!
Shannon says
Yes I pack a lunch. I do because it's healthier and cheaper .http://shannonhearts.blogspot.com
Frugal(er) says
I always pack a lunch, and for days when I forget, I keep a box of oatmeal at my desk. Usually it's leftovers, but if I've already eaten up all the leftovers, I bring a tuna sandwich. I've been doing that for two years now and am still not sick of tuna sandwiches, but that may make me weird and/or boring.
Kelly says
I work across the street from a Whole Foods! But I still bring my lunch every day. 🙂 Actually, I love how I do it — I usually make something on Sunday to last the whole week, and I bring it all in on Monday to not have to think about packing it every day.
Aaron says
Once a week on the weekend I make a delicious recipe or two – mushroom soup, lasagna, enchiladas, etc. then I freeze them in individual lunch-sized portions. When it's time to go to work, I just pull a thing of food out of the freezer and go. If I'm trying to be extra healthy I can bring some carrots or something along. As a bonus, the frozen food acts as a cold pack for any of those other items. I dont need any refrigeration at work. I just need to nuke lunch for a few minutes straight from frozen, and I'm set!
Anonymous says
I buy shaved chicken breast, tomatoes, eggs, romaine and spinach in bulk on Sunday. Boil the eggs, chop the tomatoes, spinach and romaine that evening and assemble my salad lunches the night before along with a small container for dressing & a yogurt. Then in the AM it's just grab and go. Its worked pretty well for me so far.
Kevin says
Last year I started dieting. I used to eat the lunch provided by the cafeteria every day. It was full of fat and impossible for me to know how many calories I was eating. So I resolved to bring my lunch every day.Here I am, almost a year later, and it is not even something I think about anymore. I bring my lunch every day without fail and can't imagine not bringing it in. It is often leftovers or sandwiches. I won't lie. And it can be boring. But it's my new habit.It helps a lot with moderation and is a LOT cheaper than buying every day. And my work wasn't that expensive ($3.25-$4.00 for lunch each day).
Michelle P says
Thanks everyone! And I'm with you Kevin, I'm at the point where I almost feel weird when I don't bring my lunch.
Michael says
Quick pickles. I frequently make salad with dinner, and since I live alone, there's usually off-cuttings of carrots, cucumber, etc., which I used to just slice up and take for lunch. Which got boring. So, I've learned that if I slice them as I make my salad, but then toss them in a tupperware with some vinegar, salt, and spice, by lunchtime the next day I have a nice box of bright, palette-cleansing (and brain-fog-lifting) pickles. Changing what vinegar I use (wine, rice, cider, etc.) and spicing keeps me from getting bored.
Rusty says
Can whoever posted those photos please stop by my house and make my lunches for the whole of next year? K thanks.
Bromeliad says
Yes. It's always the same – 3 apples and peanut butter.
Anonymous says
I eat PBJ almost every day. Bringing leftovers is actually kind of an exciting change. I think I'm now inspired to try something new, though.
Anonymous says
I usually go out for lunch with friends – bu I am rich and have heaps of friends
Anonymous says
To hell with that crap
Anonymous says
Wow I could save a 1,000 dollars a year hassling with bringing my lunch to work. Going cheap could cost you 2 or 3 dollars per meal(sandwich,snack, and cheap ass cola) But lets be real here if you fix yourself that crap ass meal you are gonna look like crap, feel like crap, and your going to work like crap. So lets go with a deli quality stuff. That meal will cost you 4 dollars or more. Then factor in washing stuff. For me the average meal at some where cost me 7 to 8 dollars a day. Bring lunch is great if you have an office job or job site that has fridge access. But for me the truck is the fridge and it is over 100 degrees just outside. Well then buy an ice chest, done that it got busted by some dumb ass at work. Then I bought a good lunch box people stole some of my snacks. Bought a lock they just broke into it and the lunch box is ruined. And you are pissed off all dam day. For me I would rather wipe my ass with a 1,000 dollars worth of 100 dollar bills and flush them down the toilet than do this "Bringing your lunch to work saves you money" bullshit.TO HELL WITH BRINGING LUNCH TO WORK
Michelle P says
I don't think I look, feel, work, etc like crap, but thanks. Deli quality food should not cost $4 more per meal either unless you're eating a whole pound of sandwich meat.Good luck with wiping your ass with it.
AnuSudheer says
I pack my lunch everyday, without fail. I am a reasonably good cook and I enjoy cooking aswell.As a first step, I bought a cute bento box.On Sundays i do bit of preperation . My box contains 1 part carb(brown rice/chapathi/sweet potato mash), One part protien cooked Indian way(fish/chicken/beans/eggs/paneer) 2 parts cooked veggies (eg : spinach with coconut , carrot and beans with tomato curry ,okra fry , aubergine and capsicum fry etc) and oen part raita (yoghurt + cucumber/letuce/shreaded carrot).For breakfast I have two small fruits (pomoranate is my fav) and a sesame bar and green tea.I know this sounds too much but i have it in small portion.:)
SavvyFinancialLatina says
I will need to start taking so of this advice when I start working!
Sean @ One Smart Dol says
When I was working in an office I used to bring my lunch monday through Thursday and then go out on Friday's.