Lunches for Less!

Here are just some of the ways I've saved on lunches over the past few years.

PB & J and Lunch Go-together: Rediscover this childhood staple for your workday lunch. Keep jars of PB and J at work, bring in some bread to toast, and make a nice sandwich for yourself. Round out with some carrot sticks, chips, and apple slices (or cookies!) to make this meal complete.

Two words: Bowl Appetit: These eponymous red containers can be found at almost any Duane Reade, Rite Aid, and CVS in their food sections. Mix in a little water, microwave, and voila! A hot rice or pasta bowl for lunch. Mix in pre-cooked chicken or cheese and add carrot sticks or toast as sides. These little beauties are less than $2. Personally my favorite is the penne pasta though it is often the hardest flavor to find.

Six Pack of Savings: Don't buy a soda each day for your lunch, here in NYC this can cost you 75 cents to $1.50 a pop (and that's just for a can!) Here's what you do, go to your local grocery store and buy a six pack of canned soda for $3. That's just 50 cents a soda for six lunches. What a deal! Note: buying a liter of soda will also save some $, but I've found it's harder to carry and carries a bigger risk of a co-worker helping themselves due to easy access to the screw-top.

A Chip off the Cheap Block: Sandwiches and potato chips just go together, I agree, but you shouldn't be paying $1 each time you want to add that salty goodness to your lunch. Instead buy a container of Pringles potato chips for a $1.79 or so and you'll have chips for about 3-5 lunches. If you enjoy some tortilla chips with your Mexican-inspired lunches, buy a large bag of Tostados tortilla chips and take some to work with you in a plastic bag.

Slice of Savings: A slice of pizza is still under $3 so while this may not be the healthiest lunch option, it's still one of the cheapest and quickest. Chips can be added, but for a healthier option grab some carrot sticks to go with your slice.

Fast Food is Your Friend: There is a lot to be said about supporting your local deli and certain co-workers may scorn your choice of a chain, but most fast food or quick-service restaurants are cheaper or include more extras than their mom-and-pop or local counterparts. For example, at Subway you can get a filling sandwich (toasted if you want it), chips, and a soda for $6-$7, whereas at most local sandwich shops, many sandwiches (by themselves) start at $6-$7. I also love Chipotle and while it isn't the cheapest option, if you already have your can of soda and chips if you want them, it's a pretty good deal. Other good fast-food and quick service options are Hale&Hearty Soups, Golden Krust (Caribbean food), New York Burger Company, and Wendy's.

Leftovers Mean less Money Spent on Lunch: See if you can play the savings game when dining at restaurants with actual silverware. Here's what my mom does (and you can try it too!): when your food arrives, automatically divide it in half, then after eating the first half, see if you're hungry enough for your second half. If you are, then go ahead and join the clean plate club, if you're already stuffed, then ask the server to wrap it up for you and use the leftovers for lunch.

Trader Joe's: I regularly worship at the altar of Trader Joe's and it's done wonders for my lunchtime. Though I have noticed recently that prices have creeped up ever so slightly, TJ's entrees, sandwiches, and ready-made foods are great-and cheap most items run from $2-$6 at the very most-and will give your co-workers a case of lunch envy-I swear! I'm just going to do a quick run-down on some of my fave TJ's lunches:
Lunch #1: Lemon Chicken Curry (plastic container in the refrigerated section) or Butternut Apple Squash Soup (in the box soup aisle) with toast, carrot sticks, and Trader Joe's apple slices.
Lunch #2: Lentil Rice Biriyani (microwavable rice pack-cooks in 90 seconds) mixed with chicken, plus toast, or carrots. I personally also add some ranch dressing to add a little zing to the meal.
Lunch #3: Green Chicken Chile Enchiladas (in the Mexican frozen food aisle), with your own tortilla chips. Carrots and Trader Joe's apples are optional.
Lunch #4: Curried Chicken Salad (in the refrigerated salad section) with Trader Joe's apple slices.
Lunch #5: Chicken and Cheese quesadilla (in the refrigerated section near the sanwiches, but easy to miss) with your own tortilla chips and Trader Joe's apple slices.
Lunch #6: Any Trader Joe's sandwich or wrap with chips and Trader Joe's apple slices and/or carrots.
Lunch #7: Mossamon Chicken Curry (a black bowl in the Asian frozen food section) and Trader Joe's apple slices or carrots.

Lunch a la Carte: They're in every neighborhood, those guys with the movable carts who will make meat and rice combos for $3-$4. Filling and good deal, plus you're supporting the local economy.

Vending machine value: If you are one of the chosen few who work in an office with a vending machine then check those couch cushions for change and take your bottles back for the five cents to purchase snack items and sodas. Most vending machines are still cheaper than buying that candy bar or cookie at the drug store or deli.

Lunchables: Not Just for the Cafeteria set: If you need a quick, cheap meal, that's easy to eat on the go, relive those elementary school lunches with that iconic yellow package of crackers, cheese, and meats.

The bottom line here is that you can save money at lunchtime and shopping at the grocery store or Trader Joe's is definitely cheaper than shelling out $10 for lunch every day.

Please feel free to share ways you save at lunchtime!