Lunch: Analyzing the costs of packing and eating out.

[Nightfall]

I recently had my office moved to another facility that is further away from my house. My old office used to be 5 minutes away from home. Now, with me having as much as a 15 minute drive home, eating at home isn't as good an option.

So, I started thinking about packing my lunch.

At home, I typically have a can of Campbells Chunky Soup or Campbells select soups. Those run about $2 a can on average, with the Chunky soup ringing in at a little more. I also usually have a sandwich that costs right around .50 cents or so just for the materials to make it. Then, for a drink, I drink either a can of pop, bottled water, or juice. That can run about .50 as well.

So for a little over $3, I can eat lunch.

Well, if I go out to eat, I can eat for the same price if not about .50 more.

I suppose the can of soup is much better for me than Taco Bell for instance. However, I can also buy a good sized salad for right around $3 around here as well.

It just boggles my mind how cheap lunch has become to eat out. I remember when I used to pack a lunch all the time about 7 years ago.

 

[sswingle]

Soup is expensive

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

DP FTW

 

[rh71]

Taco Bell, Wendy's, etc. Plenty of full meals for $4 or less with "dollar menu" items.

Don't forget to get your exercise once in a while though.

 

[Jzero]

Skip the soup and bring a piece of fruit, bag of chips, granola bar, etc, and drink tap water and you can easily pack lunch for $1/day.

 

[TipsyMcStagger]

Chunky soup at publix near me is $1.25 at publix, 1.42 at walmart

 

[Nightfall]

Originally posted by: Jzero
Skip the soup and bring a piece of fruit, bag of chips, granola bar, etc, and drink tap water and you can easily pack lunch for $1/day.

I eat a small breakfast with fruit for the most part. When it comes to lunch though, I need substance. I work out 4 out of the 7 days with Monday being my big workout day. I need something to keep me going.

So, I need more than a piece of fruit, bag of chips, granola bar, etc. I like a good soup and sandwich for the most part. Chicken Noodle ready to heat and serve soup is probably the best. A lot better for you than the mix in a can of water ones.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: Jzero
Skip the soup and bring a piece of fruit, bag of chips, granola bar, etc, and drink tap water and you can easily pack lunch for $1/day.

#1, Yes the soup isn't much better for you as it's frickin loaded with sodium. Plus it smells too much and sticks up your office and the kitchen when you microwave it.

#2, No way a home-packed lunch is $1. Turkey is $7/lb and you'll easily use 1/5 lb in a stadard sandwich. $.20 for bread. Soda is a qrter, bag of chips probably $.50. Fruit will cost you $1.00....that stuff ain't cheap. Ends up being $4-5 easily and there's the time you spend preparing it in the morning.

 

[DougK62]

You eat a whole can of chunky soup AND a sandwich? Damn.

 

[Koing]

fruit at $1?

I can get about 35 apples for about $10!

I'm glad my parents own a chinese takeaway as I get takeaway for lunch on the days I can't be bothered to make my own food. Other days I buy something from the food vans that come or I'll make noodles for lunch.

Eating lunch from food vans etc is quite a lot more pricey then eating home cooked food or noodles for me. And generally a healthier option.

Koing

 

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Originally posted by: Jzero
Skip the soup and bring a piece of fruit, bag of chips, granola bar, etc, and drink tap water and you can easily pack lunch for $1/day.

#1, Yes the soup isn't much better for you as it's frickin loaded with sodium. Plus it smells too much and sticks up your office and the kitchen when you microwave it.

#2, No way a home-packed lunch is $1. Turkey is $7/lb and you'll easily use 1/5 lb in a stadard sandwich. $.20 for bread. Soda is a qrter, bag of chips probably $.50. Fruit will cost you $1.00....that stuff ain't cheap. Ends up being $4-5 easily and there's the time you spend preparing it in the morning.

You have no idea how to be frugal. My lunch sandwich costs me ~ $.50 in materials. Apples are no where NEAR $1 each. Salad cucumbers and carrots cost next to nothing. My lunch is well under $2 each day.

 

[Epic Fail]

Ramen = $.20

 

[eakers]

However, I can also buy a good sized salad for right around $3 around here as well.

but you can MAKE salad for cheaper than that. You can just buy a head of lettuce (or i like to buy a the bags of clean mixed leaves), some grape tomatoes and a cucumber and peppers or whatever. Chop everything up every couple days.. then throw whatever into a container in the morning. fast and easy!

there is no way that fruit is a dollar a piece, apples are like a 1.99 a pound, bananas are like 29 cents a pound! look for fruit that is in season, its a bargain!

 

[spanky]

Originally posted by: DougK62

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Originally posted by: Jzero
Skip the soup and bring a piece of fruit, bag of chips, granola bar, etc, and drink tap water and you can easily pack lunch for $1/day.

#1, Yes the soup isn't much better for you as it's frickin loaded with sodium. Plus it smells too much and sticks up your office and the kitchen when you microwave it.

#2, No way a home-packed lunch is $1. Turkey is $7/lb and you'll easily use 1/5 lb in a stadard sandwich. $.20 for bread. Soda is a qrter, bag of chips probably $.50. Fruit will cost you $1.00....that stuff ain't cheap. Ends up being $4-5 easily and there's the time you spend preparing it in the morning.

You have no idea how to be frugal. My lunch sandwich costs me ~ $.50 in materials. Apples are no where NEAR $1 each. Salad cucumbers and carrots cost next to nothing. My lunch is well under $2 each day.

r u vegen?

 

[Billzie7718]

sushi - $63.89. Healthy AND expensive FTW.

 

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: spanky

Originally posted by: DougK62

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Originally posted by: Jzero
Skip the soup and bring a piece of fruit, bag of chips, granola bar, etc, and drink tap water and you can easily pack lunch for $1/day.

#1, Yes the soup isn't much better for you as it's frickin loaded with sodium. Plus it smells too much and sticks up your office and the kitchen when you microwave it.

#2, No way a home-packed lunch is $1. Turkey is $7/lb and you'll easily use 1/5 lb in a stadard sandwich. $.20 for bread. Soda is a qrter, bag of chips probably $.50. Fruit will cost you $1.00....that stuff ain't cheap. Ends up being $4-5 easily and there's the time you spend preparing it in the morning.

You have no idea how to be frugal. My lunch sandwich costs me ~ $.50 in materials. Apples are no where NEAR $1 each. Salad cucumbers and carrots cost next to nothing. My lunch is well under $2 each day.

r u vegen?

Definitely not. I just don't buy those fancy deli meats - packaged lunch meat slices are good enough for me.

 

[radioouman]

I pack everyday because I eat much healthier when I pack my own lunch.
If I go out, I get a sandwich and fries and a soda, or a sandwich, salad and soda.

If I pack my lunch, I eat a (smaller and healthier) sandwich, a vegetable, a fruit and water. Oh, and if I'm lucky, a cookie or two.

 

[spanky]

Originally posted by: DougK62

Originally posted by: spanky

Originally posted by: DougK62

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Originally posted by: Jzero
Skip the soup and bring a piece of fruit, bag of chips, granola bar, etc, and drink tap water and you can easily pack lunch for $1/day.

#1, Yes the soup isn't much better for you as it's frickin loaded with sodium. Plus it smells too much and sticks up your office and the kitchen when you microwave it.

#2, No way a home-packed lunch is $1. Turkey is $7/lb and you'll easily use 1/5 lb in a stadard sandwich. $.20 for bread. Soda is a qrter, bag of chips probably $.50. Fruit will cost you $1.00....that stuff ain't cheap. Ends up being $4-5 easily and there's the time you spend preparing it in the morning.

You have no idea how to be frugal. My lunch sandwich costs me ~ $.50 in materials. Apples are no where NEAR $1 each. Salad cucumbers and carrots cost next to nothing. My lunch is well under $2 each day.

r u vegen?

Definitely not. I just don't buy those fancy deli meats - packaged lunch meat slices are good enough for me.

ah. my main prob with packing lunch is that i am too lazy to prepare the meats. i used to spend over $5 a day (sometimes more) on lunch at various take out places... then i settled in on $4.50 a day for chinese take out. now, i have found that pathmark sells chicken strips for $6 a pound... often $4 a pound (sale weeks).

 

[woowoo]

TV Dinners.......... There going to my head........

(And they can be had for less than $2)

 

[slag]

Originally posted by: DougK62
You eat a whole can of chunky soup AND a sandwich? Damn.

easily.. the soup or sandwich alone wont fill you up. Nothing worse than sitting at a desk job being hungry...

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Originally posted by: Jzero
Skip the soup and bring a piece of fruit, bag of chips, granola bar, etc, and drink tap water and you can easily pack lunch for $1/day.

#1, Yes the soup isn't much better for you as it's frickin loaded with sodium. Plus it smells too much and sticks up your office and the kitchen when you microwave it.

#2, No way a home-packed lunch is $1. Turkey is $7/lb and you'll easily use 1/5 lb in a stadard sandwich. $.20 for bread. Soda is a qrter, bag of chips probably $.50. Fruit will cost you $1.00....that stuff ain't cheap. Ends up being $4-5 easily and there's the time you spend preparing it in the morning.

Are you kidding? Sandwiches are EASILY under a dollar for materials. Fruit, maybe a quarter. Yogurt maybe 50 cents. Chips, 30-40 cents. Water, free. Or soda, a quarter. That's a friggin huge lunch for maybe $2.00-2.25. You're going to spend double that to eat out anywhere, not to mention health care costs from eating crap every day.

 

[spanky]

Originally posted by: woowoo
TV Dinners.......... There going to my head........

(And they can be had for less than $2)

thats true too. boston market tv dinners (the meaty ones) are on sale at pathmark this week for $2. good shiat.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: DougK62

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Originally posted by: Jzero
Skip the soup and bring a piece of fruit, bag of chips, granola bar, etc, and drink tap water and you can easily pack lunch for $1/day.

#1, Yes the soup isn't much better for you as it's frickin loaded with sodium. Plus it smells too much and sticks up your office and the kitchen when you microwave it.

#2, No way a home-packed lunch is $1. Turkey is $7/lb and you'll easily use 1/5 lb in a stadard sandwich. $.20 for bread. Soda is a qrter, bag of chips probably $.50. Fruit will cost you $1.00....that stuff ain't cheap. Ends up being $4-5 easily and there's the time you spend preparing it in the morning.

You have no idea how to be frugal. My lunch sandwich costs me ~ $.50 in materials. Apples are no where NEAR $1 each. Salad cucumbers and carrots cost next to nothing. My lunch is well under $2 each day.

LOL. You realize there is other fruit out there besides apples and carrots? You forgot grass.....that's like TOTALLY cheaper that $1. :roll: Oranges and Peaches and Pineapple and Cantaloupe and grapes, etc, etc, etc will all cost you easily close to $1 a meal for a modest sized portion.

 

[TGS]

Or if you score a deal on a 12 pack for 2 bucks. That's 16 cents a can right there. My wife tends to load up on dew when it hits 2-2.50 a 12 pack. Usually 2 runs to get around the 4-5 case a time gimmick.

 

[Injury]

you COULD get a meal for $3 while eating out. But you know you'll splurge at LEAST one day out of the week and spend $5 on fatty food when you are there day after day.