I need suggestions for cheap and easy lunches @ work...

[vi edit]

I've been bringing my lunches to work for about a year now. I'm running out of things to try

These are the "same old, same old" items that I have been bringing:

-cold cut sandwhiches
-pasta in a can (tortilini, ravioli, ect)
-lipton noodles(beef, chicken, sour cream and chives)
-bowl appetite(3 cheese rotini and pasta alfredo)
-pizza's for one(deep dish microwaveable ones)
-various types of hot pockets
-leftovers sometimes

I'm just running short of ideas. As a way to save money I bring my own food. My co-workers usually go out to McDonalds, Taco Bell, Carlos 'O Kelly's, ect. on a daily basis. If you do that 5 times a week it really adds up. I can feed myself for a day on what they usually run for one meal.

I just need some ideas for foods. I don't much vegetables. Big veggies that I avoid like the plague are green peppers, chuncks of tomatoes, broccoli, peas, cabbage and cauliflower. I'll eat green beans, corn, various types of other beans, and lettuce.

Anybody have any cheap suggestions (under $2 or $3 a meal) for lunches? If you have suggestions for things to make the night before and take during the day, that would work too. visgf and I aren't huge cooks right now simply because neither of us are home much together. We cook on the weekends, but typically not through the week. Easy recipies to take for leftovers the next day would work well too

Thanks!

 

[Windogg]

I can give you my recipe for chili. Easy to prepare.

 

[FettsBabe]

Salad, canned Beefaroni,mac n cheese,soup...


everything gets boring after awhile.

 

[ArkAoss]

leftover cold pizza is on today's menu for me, my office, around noon a "lunch truck" comes by, you can get a cup of soup for 2 bux, or... try a local small pizza place, i got a 2ft grinder from a nice local greek place for $6.50 that i had half for lunch, and half for supper.
Or... if ya get your own pita pockets....

 

[Pyxis]

Lunchables

 

[eakers]

frozen burritos.
sandwiches.
salads.

*kat. <-- takes her lunch

 

[BuffySummers]

Take ya lunch Mon - Thurs and Have a McDonalds on Friday

 

[ArkAoss]

pasta salad, works good,
take like 2lb of pasta, elbows or ziti's or whatever, cook like normal, then run under cold water. then cook about 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, flavor with oregano, basil, little garlic. then cube the chicken. then a little celery, little lettuce, cucumbers, chick peas, various kidney type beans (my folks put them in, i don't like em) olives, black and green, and some type of yer favorite dressing.
my folks make up a large tupperware bowl full, on like sunday, and it'll last tille wedsday. (before being used up) onions are optional.

for a couple like you, it ought to last thru the week.

pm me for an exact recipe..

 

[BDawg]

Ack! Lunchables are expensive and full of fat and sodium!

 

[wyvrn]

I have a Wok that is invaluable. In about 10-15 minutes I can have a chicken and vegetables stir fry whipped out and ready to go for the next day. In fact I tend to make extra and do all my cooking at one time, usually on Sunday. About 90 minutes of cooking time can make enough food for me all week.

If you have a microwave at work, you can make a quickie ham and cheese melt. Oh and I love salads. Some Romain lettuce, spinach, pineapple chunks, ham strips, croutons, raisins, carrots, nuts and tomatoes. MMMMMMMMMMMM I tend to say away from prepackaged dinners cause they just don't taste that great most of the time.

 

[vi edit]

mmmmm...chili I buy Hormel chili in a can for $.98 and doctor it up with some 210,000 HU ground habanero pepper. THrow in some kraft mexican shreaded cheese and that's a tasty meal

The last place that I worked at had one of those kick ass pizza ovens that would bake a pizza in about 8 minutes. Don't have one of those here Pizza is one thing that I could eat on almost a daily basis

Thanks for suggestions so far

FettsBabe, glad I'm not the only one that get's bored of food after a while

 

[montanafan]

Fritos Big Scoops with chili and beans, shredded sharp cheddar or colby on top.

 

[Windogg]

Canned Chili? YUK!!!

 

[Total Refected Power]

TORTELLINI SOUP

Really feeling and cheap.

 

[Tauren]

Lean Cuisines when they go on sale. SOME aren't half bad.

 

[vi edit]

<< Canned Chili? YUK!!! >>

When I make chili, all you can taste is heat. The rest is there for just texture

 

[TomC25]

I like to buy a bucket of fried chicken for dinner and the next 2 days eat cold chicken straight from the fridge - Lee's is the best chain to do this with for me.

 

[cipher00]

I, too, brown bag it, most days.

Try this: in a 1 quart, flat tupperware-like container, put in a bed of red leaf lettuce or some other leafy lettuce (no iceberg), chopped celery, sliced raw carrots, chopped hard-boiled egg, small boiled red potato, 8 oz kidney beans (or garbonzo, or chickpeas, or...), and whatever else you feel like (I like tomatoes, you don't).

So: the lettuce, carrots, and celery will fill you up. The beans are for protein, but you need to complete the amino acids (lysine, etc.), so there's the egg -- use tuna or salmon or something like that if you'd like. The potato is purely for immediate carb relief - your brain will thank you for it.

A salad, some will say? Fill up the 1 quart container. Most people can't eat that much. You will be full. Add whatever dressing you like.

Whole thing takes 15 minutes to prepare the night before. It will last several days in the refrigerator.

Happy munching.

 

[Aceman]

You can always steal from others and hope for a cat turd sandwich!