cheap lunch ideas

mish24canada
mish24canada Posts: 152 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi Looking for ways to save money. I was in car accident and due to the accident left us with only one income boyfriend hasnt gone back to work yet. So I'm looking for lunch ideas that arent expensive but keep you full any suggestions

Replies

  • Mongognom
    Mongognom Posts: 123
    oatmeal, and not those potion packs. I usually have it with orange juice and a fruit.

    whole wheat bread with avocado, you don't need as much bread to get full so even though the bread is more expensive you win it back.

    depending on where you are, frozen veggies are usually cheap and may contain more nutrients since they are usually picked when ripe and kept in the dark.
  • 1two3four
    1two3four Posts: 413 Member
    Homemade soup.

    I just made a ton today and portioned it into individual servings for the freezer. Of course you'd need a way to heat it or a previously owned Thermos (as I've found they tend to be expensive to purchase).
  • VictoryGarden
    VictoryGarden Posts: 194 Member
    Leftovers! lol!

    Cereal can also be a cheap lunch option.
  • albertine58
    albertine58 Posts: 267 Member
    Eggs are cheap and not just for breakfast- try an omelette with frozen veggies or a nice portable scramble. I like make a huge batch of scrambled eggs + veggies on sundays for the week, and sometimes I eat it for lunch!

    Also, brown rice, dried lentils and dried beans are really cheap, and you can buy them in bulk - I like making them in batches and freezing some portions for later. Rice cookers and crockpots are great for these, but they're just as easy to make on the stove if you don't have the extra appliances! Try topping beans and rice with salsa and whatever veggies you have on hand, and maybe a dab of cheese or sour cream if you have it. I love making healthy "fried" brown rice with frozen peas, canned pineapple tidbits, curry powder, soy sauce, and scrambled egg. I often add lightly pan-fried tofu as well- tofu is cheap too in most places! $2.50 for 5 protein servings is great.

    Vegetarian chili is also great. You can add anything - I like using a recipe called Cincinnati Chili and adding mushrooms to make it vegetarian (and cheaper). I've also made really delicious sweet potato black bean chili - recipe from www.fitnessista.com

    Stock up on your favorite veggies (fresh or frozen) when they're on sale. When fresh, I prep them (wash, chop) and freeze so they're ready to go and they last forever in there! I hear of people doing the same for things like chicken breasts- buy in bulk when on sale, cook and freeze.
  • 1two3four
    1two3four Posts: 413 Member
    Also, brown rice, dried lentils and dried beans are really cheap, and you can buy them in bulk - I like making them in batches and freezing some portions for later.

    Can you give me some advice on reheating the rice? I just froze red beans and rice (brown rice, if that matters) together in the same container for the first time and tried to reheat them and the rice took FOREVER to defrost in the microwave. Like 22 minutes and by the time it was good enough to cook the bean part got dry. So, suggestions on how to reheat separately (in the future)? I don't have time to stand over the microwave for 22 minutes or I'd have just put it on the stove covered, with a splash of water and low heat.

    My only previous experience with frozen rice comes from the processed/packaged stuff you get from the store that comes with directions to cook it in the package, lol.

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