Easy, Cheap, GOOD take-to-work lunches??

If you have a microwave at work, you could take leftovers. If I don't have leftovers I usually take grapes and cheese for breakfast, 2 cooked eggs for lunch and a protein shake for my afternoon snack to work.

I suppose that this is considered more of breakfast food than lunch., but I am in an oatmeal phase right now. I buy the canister of old fashioned oats at Aldi's, I personally can't tell much of a difference from Quaker oats and they are quite a bit cheaper. Either the night before or in the morning, I measure my oatmeal and add a dash of cinnamon in a microwavable container. At work, just add water and cook in the microwave. You may want to watch it to make sure it doesn't boil over after the first minute or so. I take a banana &/or apple to cut up into the cooked oatmeal, it adds bullk to the oatmeal and is a very filling lunch.

I also like beans and salsa. If I'm in a hurry I just rinse a can of beans (navy, black, northern, etc.), measure out my portion and put 1 or 2 Tablespoons of salsa on top.

A quick google search found this link which looks like it may have some possible options that could be fairly portable. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/01/healthy-recipes-quick-low-calorie-lunches_n_1638315.html

I also eat a small snack mid-afternoon to keep me going. Some of the snack options for me are: an apple, fruit with yogurt, carrot sticks, applesauce, etc. I normally can get fruit and vegetables cheaper at Aldi's, but you have to watch it. Buying items in bulk as much as possible can help cut down on overall costs too.

I try to log as much of my day as possible either in the morning or the night before. This helps keep the temptation of the cappucino across the street at bay when I look up my remaining calorie count and realize that I just can't "afford" it.

Two words - crock pot. I make up batch of chili, stew, pot roast, salsa chicken, ect. Freeze and have lunches for several days. There are many good crock pot recipes on this site. Note: cooked potatoes don't freeze well. I dd them the day of.

I just make extra at dinners and put all left overs in single serving containers.

I have friends that make multiple meals on Saturday or Sunday and freeze them and take them to work and also have an easy dinner at night.

I think soup is a good one this time of year, I get those read-to-eat ones in a low-cal lentil or black and bean and pair that with a pita- I have turkey, and a meatless burger-type thing in the fridge/freezer, so I can alternate pita sandwich, turkey one day, boca burger in the pita the next day... pita is better if you can put the half in a toaster for a bit.

I bring fruit (raspberries, grapes, bananas, apples), some vegetables (cucumbers, radishes, and carrots), and turkey and cheese. I measure everything to ensure I've got good portions and enough to keep me satiated. On days I know I won't eat dinner until way late, I also may bring some soup to microwave, popcorn, etc. I'm one of those that likes to have most of her calories at dinner though, so I keep my day relatively light to save up for a big dinner and some sort of dessert.

Oh also, I like to have snack items like a Kind bar or Goodness Knows Peachy Cherry for sweet tooth cravings and such. I'll also sometimes bring in a salad instead, but I do a lot of salads for dinner (big, massive, avocado-filled salads) so I've mostly stopped that during the day. The key for me is planning ahead, knowing what I'm going to do that night for dinner, then picking lunch foods within my budget, both monetarily and calorically.

good ol' pb and j never gets old...+ a yogurt, fruit, and maybe a cup of milk if you have a refrigerator.

hummus/veggie wrap + nuts + fruit

chili + cornbread or roll + side of veggies

soup + ham and cheese sandwich + side of veggies

I have access to a fridge, so this might not apply to you. I also work shifts so it's either lunch or dinner.

Lunch: Sandwich with egg and avocado usually, but sometimes I bring oatmeal and fruit. I bring fruit for snacks, usually two or three snacks for each shift.

Dinner: Grilled chicken with veggies, my coworkers think that is the only thing I eat, but it really is the easiest and most filling thing for work. And again fruit, usually banana, for snacks.

Basic turkey sandwich + baby carrots + a couple clementines.

2 slices bread (70cal), 1 slice sharp cheddar (35cal), 4oz turkey (100cal), half a pepper sliced up...

Tasty, low-calorie, filling!

If you have a microwave at work, you could take leftovers. If I don't have leftovers I usually take grapes and cheese for breakfast, 2 cooked eggs for lunch and a protein shake for my afternoon snack to work.

How do you keep your eggs fresh?

I cook them in the morning, they don't go bad quickly

When I'm in a hurry and/or lazy, I take a bag of Birdseye Steamfresh Rotini & Vegetables or some other microwavable frozen vegetable & carb medley (but not a frozen meal). One bag is ~450 calories and is very easy to heat up and eat.

Here's what I do. I have classes where I have to take lunch with no microwave, and I also work 72 hour shifts on an ambulance where I try to take as much food as possible (with a microwave available).

-Obviously a sandwich, with homemade whole wheat bread, using lots of turkey and veggies, with mayo and Italian dressing as condiments (or vinegar).

-Can of tuna (or chicken), mustard, italian dressing, dill relish, and beans or rice (your choice), mixed together, on a bed of spinach or greens of your choice

-Any kind of bean soup. Just buy dry beans (super cheap), and make a buttload. Basically it will boil down to beans, chicken broth, some kind of tomato product, and whatever vegetables you like. Load up on the bean part to satisfy your hunger. Healthy and super cheap. Lots of chicken broth will also help your hunger without adding any calories.

I think the most helpful thing I've done is split my lunch into halves, one for 12:00, and one for 3:00 or so. I find that even though I could easily eat the whole thing at lunch time, I'm satisfied for a while with just half of it. If you save the other half for 2-3:00, it'll hold you over another two hours or so. Also provides more efficient digestion/blood sugar levels/calorie intake.

I buy bags of already cooked hard boiled eggs in the egg section of the market. They come 6 or10 in a bag and are great for a quick pack for work.