Regular readers of this blog may have noticed that i am a tad obsessed with food. But whilst i definitely think about food a lot, and take a lot of joy from it, i have wasted a lot of money down the years. I do not buy groceries efficiently much of the time. At least not until recently. And much of that waste is during the day. So here’s some thoughts on how to save money on your lunches.
Save Money On Your Lunches – The Obvious Tip
Which is – make your own lunches, rather than buying them. Simple you may think, and probably easier to do right now. But for those that work in city centres or any built up area with shopping facilities, the convenience of popping out to buy food in the middle of a day can be overwhelming. and it is an excuse for a nice break from your working environment. Of course you can do both. Make your own food but still pop out for some clean air and to get away for a bit.
Pick your fillings well
Once you have decided to make your own food, there are still many considerations to make. Let’s assume you wish to have a sandwich one day. Then your decision is what fillings to have in it. And the cost of such a decision can vary widely.
Preparing lunch and pick the right fillings can help save money. Think salads, fruit, sandwiches, veggies, and soup as healthy and cheap options. Consider freezing sandwiches and soups ahead of time. Organising yourself saves money and time without doubt. Choose cheaper cuts of meat that are often just as tasty. Think of food items that go a long way. A batch cook of some spaghetti bolognese for example can see a £10 outlay make at least four meals.
Save Money On Your Lunches – Soup
Speaking of food that goes a long way, and bulk cooking, soup is an obvious example of this. I sometimes wonder if it is sufficient to count as a whole meal, but with a bit of crusty bread to dip in, i would say so. Especially if you add some vegetables to pad it out even more. Good for you, nutritious, cheap, and low on effort. It ticks all the boxes.
Save Money On Your Lunches – Go Veggie
There is little need to gravitate automatically towards meat when you consider what to have in a sandwich, or in any lunch. Even for the most fervent meat eaters, i would say avoiding meat is a lot easier than doing so for your evening meal. So a jacket potato with cheese and beans for example is a great, cheap lunch. Or a cheese and pickle sandwich. It’s better for you, and probably cheaper too.
Imaginative Use Of Leftovers
Made a batch of chilli con carne? Then use some in a jacket potato. Use a ragu sauce with pasta. Mix and match, and have some fun. Or just use the leftovers as lunches and have them as you originally intended them to be used.
Shop Around
A simple way to eat for less is to source the cheapest ingredients possible! Simple, eh? But it does not have to be difficult. There are different ways to approach this. Take the time to use different supermarkets so you make full use of value items and offers. Some supermarkets sell certain things cheaper than elsewhere. By shopping around rather than always getting all your food from one place, you will save a lot of money. also, use offers and vouchers to get more money off.
