One way that money slips through our fingers without
our realizing it is by eating out at lunch every day.
Did you know that by taking your lunch 3 days a week
instead of eating out, you could save as much as $800
a year? Think what you could do with that much extra
money!
Your lunch doesn't have to be a sandwich and chips, either.
With just a little bit of creativity and planning, brown
bag lunches can be pretty delicious!
Try these ideas for starters:
Invest in a few of those 1-serving plastic storage containers with lids. These are so handy--when you have just one serving left of any dish at dinner, put it in one of these dishes. Designate a shelf in the fridge for these leftovers.
In the mornings, anyone in the family can choose what to put in their lunch bag!
Those little containers can also be used to hold dip for carrot or celery sticks; fill with peanut butter and pack a zipper bag of pretzels for dipping. Maybe salsa for dipping
tortilla chips (not so healthy, but really good!)
Or make your own pudding cups with your homemade pudding!
Fill tortillas or pita pockets with egg or tuna salad.
Spread cream cheese on a tortilla, add a little salsa, and
top with sliced turkey or ham. Place another tortilla on top, cut in fourths and put in zipper top bag.
A good way to carry deviled eggs (that lunchbox staple)--
after filling, put the two halves back together, and wrap in plastic wrap or put in a small container!
Muffins hold up well in a lunch bag or box as do slices
of banana nut bread, or most any other quick bread.
Great for morning or afternoon breaks.
Of course, if your workplace has a microwave oven,(lucky you!) you can always bring leftover soup, stew or chili. A quick recipe for Chicken Corn Chowder:
1 pouch Chicken Noodle Soup Mix with
diced chicken
2 1/4 cups milk
1 can cream-style corn
Combine all ingredients in saucepan;
bring to a boil. Reduce heat and
simmer until noodles are tender, uncovered,
stirring frequently, because it will
stick!
Mix this up in the evening or on theweekend and store
in serving-size containers. Just grab a container in the
morning, along with some crackers, and you're good to go!
Try some of these ideas for your lunches this week and
start saving some money!
And at the same time, you'll have the satisfaction of
knowing that you and/or your spouse will be having a more
nutritious meal than you would get at a fast-food restaurant.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Cyndi Roberts is the editor of "1 Frugal Friend 2 Another"
bi-weekly newsletter, bringing you creative, practical tips
to help you with budgeting, cooking, shopping, parenting
and much more as you strive to "live the Good Life...
on a budget". To subscribe visit
the "1 Frugal Friend 2 Another" website at
http://www.cynroberts.com
