Sharon
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Post by Sharon on Dec 27, 2010 9:46:53 GMT -5
It has been a while since we have done this and we need to start building our knowledge base here. This was also prompted by Money100's goals for 2011.
Share your tips and tricks for packing a lunch that you actually want to eat and one that helps to meet your smart spending goals.
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Sharon
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Post by Sharon on Dec 27, 2010 10:00:54 GMT -5
My lunches are pretty much the same thing every day, although I am looking for a change. I start work early in the morning usually between (6:00 - 6:30) depending on the work load.
For morning break/snack I pack a carrot- cleaned and cut into sticks. It is cheaper to buy carrots in bulk than to buy mini carrots. I also have a piece of fresh fruit that is in season. Right now it is oranges.
Lunch is a sandwich of some sort. If I have cooked a roast or baked a chicken over the weekend then we use the leftovers for sandwiches all week. I try not to buy lunch meat but lately I have been. There is usually also a small amount of cottage cheese with some canned fruit. I usually alternate between canned peaches and pears.
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NancysSummerSip
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Post by NancysSummerSip on Dec 27, 2010 10:55:06 GMT -5
I make extra pasta or rice, and use tomato sauces, gravies and whatever bits of protein and vegetables are lurking in the fridge. There have been excellent sales on canned broths recently, and I use those as the base for soups with leftovers thrown in.
My coworker eats out a lot, so extra packets of mayo, mustard, etc. are always around. I use them for sandwiches.
If I have leftover long noodles, like angel hair or linguine, I will make an Asian noodle dish (chicken, pork or beef, thin-slice with veggies, sauce and sesame seeds).
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marvholly
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Post by marvholly on Dec 27, 2010 10:58:43 GMT -5
When I worked I also started early so packed breakfast & lunch. Breakfast was cereal or oatmeal & fruit or fruit & yougurt. Lunch was generally planned leftovers or a salad plate w/a back up of cottage cheese and a veg.
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constanz22
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Post by constanz22 on Dec 27, 2010 11:18:15 GMT -5
I try to bring a lunch 4 out of 5 days. I will usually get pizza or chinese one day a week with co-workers. Generally, I go to the grocery store on Sunday, so, lunches Monday and Tuesday are usually a sandwich with deli meat purchased on Sunday, then the other 2-3 days are leftovers from dinners that week. I keep a stash of Smartones/Healthy Choice in my freezer just in case, and a couple cans of soup in my desk. I would love some new ideas too as it gets boring...
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Malarky
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Post by Malarky on Dec 27, 2010 12:33:45 GMT -5
Every night while I'm making dinner, I try to get my breakfast lunch together. Generally I have 1/2 cup of steel cut oats that I precook in weekly batches. I mix up the additions, raisins, craisins, blueberries etc to keep from getting bored. Oatmeal, a piece of fruit, a yogurt and a salad with a bit of whatever protein we has for dinner take care of breakfast and lunch for me. All waiting for me in the fridge and ready to go as I run out the door.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Dec 27, 2010 12:46:00 GMT -5
I pretty much have something different each day since I try to bring leftovers. Today's lunch is leftover prime rib and a homemade potato roll. I also try to keep a single-sized serving of homemade something in the freezer for the days I don't have leftovers and am not in the mood for a sandwich. I've also forgotten my lunch a time or two, so I keep a can of my favorite soup at work so I won't go hungry (no place to buy lunch here, forces the brown-bagging).
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Dec 27, 2010 13:15:55 GMT -5
My lunches look pretty much the same, most days ... (1) turkey, romaine, eggplant hummus on a high fiber flatbread; (2) spicy ranchero egg white salad on organic corn cakes; (3) three servings of salad-type veggies (usually broccoli, peppers, bean sprouts, etc.)
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Post by kadee on Dec 27, 2010 16:34:39 GMT -5
I brown bagged for years! Most of the time mine was leftovers. Every once in awhile I would get a craving for chef salads. What I did was cut up each item that I wanted to include & stored them in the fridge in separate zip bags. When I went to make my salad in a larger container to take to work, I could put in as much as I wanted of each item. Always carried dressing separately so it wouldn't wilt the salad. And some individually wrapped crackers. During the summers, if I was having a sandwich & we had fresh tomatoes from the garden, I never sliced them until I was ready for my sandwich...kept everything from getting soggy! Sorry ladies! I'm not a health nut, I've always eaten what I wanted. But I'm not totally bad either! Having been raised on a dairy farm, I just can't handle yogurt...it's just soured milk to me! Just thought I should add....I could eat my brown bag lunches all week for the same amount of $$ my co-workers spent on 1 lunch eating out!
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Plain Old Petunia
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Post by Plain Old Petunia on Dec 27, 2010 19:34:50 GMT -5
Thanks for starting this thread, Sharon. Lately, I have gotten very bad about eating lunch out every day. So, a few weeks back I decided I had to cut that out. This is my third week of brown-bagging it. Today I brought a leftover stuffed bell pepper. I keep yogurts in the work fridge, and try to keep at least 1 fresh fruit and baby carrots on hand. I drink water.
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blackcard
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Post by blackcard on Dec 27, 2010 22:57:25 GMT -5
PBJ yougarts soup and salads but rarely. Expense account lets me dine out for free about half of the time.
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Post by countingpenniesnyc on Dec 27, 2010 23:27:01 GMT -5
I cook up a storm one day a week and then incorporate the leftovers into something different every day. For example, pot roast on Sunday is sliced into a sandwich on Monday, beef pot pie on Tuesday, simmered in a beef and veggie soup on Wednesday, shredded into tacos on Thursday, and made into empanadas on Friday.
I also pack them bento-style to minimize the number of containers I schlep to work/school.
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Post by yogi on Dec 27, 2010 23:43:24 GMT -5
I try to incorporate leftovers into my daily lunch. For me, stocking the fridge and planning meals is the key to avoid eating out for lunch. When I do not have leftovers on hand, I usually eat a sandwich, fruit and chips or veggies.
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marvholly
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Post by marvholly on Dec 28, 2010 5:59:10 GMT -5
I also have single serve containers from large batch cooking I do (pot roast, lasagne, lentil stew, chili....) in my freezer for days I do not have leftovers for lunch and/or do not feel like doing any cooking for dinner.
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daisylu
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Post by daisylu on Dec 28, 2010 7:49:15 GMT -5
I stay frozen all winter, so lunch is usually soup and sandwich. As long as I keep a wide variety on hand, it never gets old to me. a good chicken soup base can be altered many different ways daily.
I also like WW Smartones for a quick meal. I almost always add more veggies to them.
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Post by carolinagirl on Dec 28, 2010 8:24:19 GMT -5
I too bring leftovers from the previous night. If there arent any or I dont feel like eating it again I will bring a sandwich. I also keep cans of soup in my desk in case I forget it in the fridge. That seems to happen at least once a week.
Molly, can I get the recipe for the Ranchero Egg white salad? It looks very yummy!
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zippy478
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Post by zippy478 on Dec 28, 2010 10:14:02 GMT -5
It's boring but I bring a salad almost every single day for lunch. The un-boring part of it is the topping. Sometimes it's tuna, sometimes it's ham but that almost always changes. Very rarely will I buy lunch as I'm not impressed with the food/price of the cafe at work. But on days like today when I get up late and didn't pack lunch the night before, I do appreciate having the cafe. To make it easy for me, I had invested in some fridgesmart Tupperware containers a few years back so each week I buy all the produce and spend a few hours in the kitchen on the weekend chopping everything up and making hard boiled eggs and such. For snacks I typically pack and apple and sliced peppers/carrots. I sometimes will buy chips or cookies, too. Not only have I saved a ton of money this way but I've also managed to lose 10 lbs I agree with the one poster who said they spend about as much on a week of lunch as their co-workers do on a day of lunch. And breakfast is almost always a ham egg and cheese sandwich on an english muffin cooked at home.
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Post by willow on Dec 28, 2010 12:25:55 GMT -5
I try to take my lunch most days. It's funny how I will make my daughters' lunch the night before and make sure that they have all the right combinations of protein, carbs, fruit, veggies and a treat but wait until the next morning to throw something together in a panic for myself! When I go back to work next week, I will try harder to make my lunch the night before! The trick is to eat what I bring because my office is right across the street from a Harvey's and a big grocery store! So very easy to nip across the street and grab something "quick". Kind of ironic since it takes more time to go across the street, look for something, line up and pay for it, walk back than it is to bring something from home and keep it in our work fridge!
Willow
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 28, 2010 19:51:00 GMT -5
I take my lunch usually 4/5 days of the week. When I cook, any leftovers I dole out into single serving containers and stack them up in the fridge. During the morning, I'll grab one of these containers, a diet coke and a couple pieces of fruit.
I keep a bag of cereal (this month, it's 5 grain Cheerios) in my desk drawer and I'll bring in half a gallon of milk at the beginning of the week. This will give me enough milk for breakfast each morning for about 2 weeks. I also keep a couple cans of soup, a box of crackers, a bar of chocolate (for emergencies) and a few other munchies to try to avoid going downstairs to the cafeteria.
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Post by leeann on Dec 28, 2010 21:09:23 GMT -5
I need help with brownbagging. I get bored really quickly with sandwiches. They just don't last very long, and don't taste all that great. Plus I don't go to lunch until 2 pm due to our lunch schedule. Any suggestions?
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dividend
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Post by dividend on Dec 29, 2010 9:27:48 GMT -5
I need help with brownbagging. I get bored really quickly with sandwiches. They just don't last very long, and don't taste all that great. Plus I don't go to lunch until 2 pm due to our lunch schedule. Any suggestions? Eat a breakfast with some fat, protein, and fiber. Greek yogurt with cut up fruit. Smoothies with added peanut butter, eggs or bacon with whole wheat toast. Something substantial that will sustain your energy levels. Pack non-messy snacks for the long morning. Nuts and dried fruit, crackers and cheese cubes, Larabars, etc. Small portions, and make yourself eat a little serving every couple of hours. There are sandwiches that I find keep well, if you like them. Try toasting your bread first and spreading it with mayo or butter in a thin layer, to keep the sandwich from getting soggy. Pack tomato slices separately. Italian type subs are hearty enough to still taste good at lunch time. Besides sandwiches, I like homemade burritos, big green veggie salads with protein to top them, soups with chunks of good bread, grain based salads with protein. And always some kind of seasonal fruit. Right now, sliced honeycrisp apples and clementines. I find I'm more likely to eat them if I go to the trouble to cut them up ahead of time.
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Post by breezy on Dec 29, 2010 9:49:07 GMT -5
My company offers a free cafeteria. But, I've put on too much weight eating down there. I'm going to start brown bagging - it will be a challenge to keep a little variety, already getting tired of soup.
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marvholly
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Post by marvholly on Dec 29, 2010 12:52:48 GMT -5
Breezy There is no way I would turn down a FREE lunch. You just need to watch the menus for a few weeks to determine what days they do reasonably light meals such a soup & salad combos, fish, and or just NOT take the bread/pasta/rice that goes w/ a standard entree. If there are any choices go for the protein, fruit & side salad.
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Post by mommydl on Dec 29, 2010 16:13:49 GMT -5
I would MUCH rather take lunch from home vs. going out to eat. I kind of like my own cooking! I have access to a microwave and fridge, so I have lots of choices. I tend to bring leftovers whenever I can, because I can only stand eating sandwiches about once/week. I'm not a big bread fan. I also always bring a box of oatmeal to keep in my desk, granola bars, fruit cups, and even a couple cans of soda or water. People laugh at me because I'm pretty well stocked up, but I am not going to spend $1.25 on a can of soda that I know I could have gotten for 20 cents. Same with going out to eat. I cook at least 2 different "freezer" meals every weekend...soup, Chili, casseroles, stuffed Shells, and freeze them into single serve containers so I never eat the same thing for a week at a time. Even my 11 year old son refuses to eat lunch at school. He saved up some of his birthday $$ a couple years ago to buy a nice stainless steel thermos for lunches. Now he takes soups, stews, Chili, etc for lunch. Now he actually has 20 minutes to eat lunch instead of waiting in line for 10 of it. Oh and yea, he's got more girls sitting with him these days to see what's in the thermos today!
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Post by toservewithlove on Dec 31, 2010 10:59:17 GMT -5
I am an adult..and I still eat spaghettios and ravioli. The Wal-Mart brand is .78 a can. I purchase several cans at a time and they sit in my desk drawer for days that I don't bring a lunch. I also take a loaf of bread to work and will have peanut butter toast most mornings. I never eat breakfast at home, so it's nicer to have the toast waiting for me than to stop through the drive thru on my 30 minute drive to the office.
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donnafreedman
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Post by donnafreedman on Jan 1, 2011 2:39:53 GMT -5
A hint from the previous article I did: "Engineer" leftovers. People tend to eat what's put in front of them. So before you put dinner on the table, scoop out some of the lasagna or whatever and put it into lunch containers. If the kids see that there's more shepherd's pie or beef stew or whatever, they'll probably eat that. If there isn't, then maybe they'll have more of the salad or vegetables.
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pepperdoo
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Post by pepperdoo on Jan 1, 2011 13:58:35 GMT -5
I'm in again:) I still come home every day for lunch, but this year is going to change up a bit.
Since I've been through so much, I've been tracking my energy levels and I'm still really spun out and tired. On top of that, I've gotten sick with sinus infections, and now the flu.
So, on top of the brown Bag Challenge, I'm going to start an energy building program every day.
No resolutions, because they never work.
I'll start posting on Monday evening:)
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Jan 1, 2011 16:46:55 GMT -5
Next week's lunches will be: about a cup of Basmati Rice, cooked chicken, (I'll start with whatever fresh brocolli remains from the weekend, and then frozen veggie mixes). I'll have some "crunchies" plenty of carrot/celery/whatever veggie is available for a snack and an orange (if I didn't eat it at "breakfast"). I'll most likely mix in something different each day - I've got BBQ Sauce and a Seasame Ginger sauce and some soy sauce in the fridge to change it up each day. Next week for a change up (for the rice/chicken/cooked veggie/saucy stuff) I will probably use my Bento box(es) to keep me honest on the portion sizes. I usually use a 1 3/4 cup tupperware container to hold it all (also helps me somewhat with portion sizes). If I can't fit it into the Bento box or tupperware container I'm trying to take too much. There will also be a yogurt or cheese stick in there - probably will get eaten as a snack depending on how I feel.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Jan 1, 2011 16:57:35 GMT -5
What do you guys "brown bag" your lunches in? Tupperware and brown bag? Lunch bag? I needed "incentive" and "motivation" and something that would help me remember to take my lunch and then to remind me to eat it so I've slowly acquired a bunch of fun lunch boxes. I've got a Happy Bunny metal box, a soft sided (washable) brightly colored Mimi the Sardine bag (it's for kids... and it's really hard to forget!), a couple of Japanese Bento boxes and bags, and a softsided insulated rectangular "lunch box". Once I got the brightly colored "bags" I did better at remembering to take it, not leave it on the train, and then to actually see it at my desk and then eat it. I have the attention span of a gnat. I use a collection of small (under 2 cup) microwavable tupperware containers. Kinda expensive, but in over 3 years they've never let me down by leaking.
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Jan 1, 2011 17:12:53 GMT -5
. . o O (Mimi the sardine? )
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