Question for those who still brown bag to work...

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

SludgeFactory

Platinum Member
Sep 14, 2001
2,969
2
81
Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Originally posted by: SludgeFactory
Well if you have a refrigerator, why wouldn't you use it. And it's supposed to be cheaper. I don't know if you're buying a bunch of organic and gourmet stuff at Whole Foods or what, but if you can't save money by brown-bagging, you're doing something wrong.

Yeah, sorta. Did you know that a little ball of mozerella cheese costs $8?
Hmmm, yeah sounds like it could be running up your costs. Well I hope it tastes good :thumbsup:

One way to do meals is to cook a bunch on the weekend and freeze/refrigerate. Raw ingredients plus buying and cooking in bulk is generally cheaper and easier IMO. But lately I just pack a sandwich every day cause I'm lazy.

I really don't like eating out every day, besides the cost, I don't need all the calories.
 

EvilYoda

Lifer
Apr 1, 2001
21,198
9
81
I just started a new job that flies me to various cities every now and then...I intended on making my lunches and some dinners in my hotel room, but got caught up and ended up eating out every meal...I ate very well, but it was damn expensive especially when you factor in the drinks :p

Sandwiches and juice FTW.
 

SludgeFactory

Platinum Member
Sep 14, 2001
2,969
2
81
Originally posted by: Codewiz
I have been putting mayo on the night before on my sandwiches for 14 years. What is the problem?
I'm guessing sauce+bread+time = soggy bread. Not as much of a problem with mayo as it's mostly fat.

I wouldn't know much about that though, I hate mayo.
 

GTaudiophile

Lifer
Oct 24, 2000
29,767
33
81
Originally posted by: boomerang
Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
I am use to eating out every day...but it gets really expensive here in DC not to mention the constant feeling of being unhealthy.

I went to Whole Foods today and bought some good hoagie bread, fresh salami, tomato, and mozzarella to make sandwiches for a week...combined with extra virgin olive oil, S&P, and oregano. To that I will add a banana or apple and a small bag of potato chips.

Seems healthier but price wise for the week is probably about the same sadly. It's expensive to eat healthier. Easy to eat unhealthy.
Some would argue about your "healthier" food choices.

I brown bag and make it the night before and refrigerate it. But my workday starts at 6:00 AM and I only get 30 minutes for lunch.

Healthier than burger/fries...

We shall see. This week is an experiment.
 

SuperSix

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
9,872
2
0
Originally posted by: chiwawa626
I am a 20 year old intern and tend to just eat in the cafeteria and out every day. Its a sad outlook to see there are 40 year olds at work who eat frozen meals for lunch and such...does life ever get better or does it just suck more and more? I have a grim outlook on being a 40 year old.

Maybe when you start becoming less foolish with your money, you will have ammore adult outlook on such simple things.

I "brownbag" my lunch, I like Michelina's frozen lunches. Quick, easy, tasty, and relatively healthy. I spend ~ $2.50/day on that, and I make about 60k a year.

Please keep spending your meager wages on overpriced lunches..

Who sucks more?
 

skyking

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
22,859
6,024
146
Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Originally posted by: boomerang
Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
I am use to eating out every day...but it gets really expensive here in DC not to mention the constant feeling of being unhealthy.

I went to Whole Foods today and bought some good hoagie bread, fresh salami, tomato, and mozzarella to make sandwiches for a week...combined with extra virgin olive oil, S&P, and oregano. To that I will add a banana or apple and a small bag of potato chips.

Seems healthier but price wise for the week is probably about the same sadly. It's expensive to eat healthier. Easy to eat unhealthy.
Some would argue about your "healthier" food choices.

I brown bag and make it the night before and refrigerate it. But my workday starts at 6:00 AM and I only get 30 minutes for lunch.

Healthier than burger/fries...

We shall see. This week is an experiment.

We shop at costco quite a bit. Frigo string cheese ( $0.14 ea) and yogurt (? $0.40 ea.) are a good source of dairy and quite inexpensive. by the time I tally it all up with the fresh fruit and good sandwitch fixins, it's about $2.50 per meal to eat a diverse and reasonably balanced meal, including a snack at breaktime.
 

brtspears2

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2000
8,660
1
81
I try my best to bring my lunch from home, but I am usually away from my office, so it is either carry my lunch with me and have it rot in my car, or buy a meal somewhere. I try to stay on the dollar menu and drink water.
 

radioouman

Diamond Member
Nov 4, 2002
8,632
0
0
When you see most of your paycheck go out the window to a mortgage payment, gasoline, utility, car payment, etc, bringing your lunch from home is a cost that you can control and it makes you feel good to save a few bucks.
 

Skyye

Senior member
Nov 5, 2005
556
0
0
OP make sure you refrigerate, unless you also have a bag of chips...to me chips always seem funny after coming out of the fridge. I like what one poster said about getting up to make a lunch in the morning 10 mins early. Great idea, but the executuion is a pain.

For me I usually brown bag it, but it usually does seem to cost as much as eating out. Usually a dollar or two cheaper per meal, but then I also am not satisfied. I am not a breakfast guy, but this past week I decided to go to Sheetz every morning for a schmuffin, and to my surprise that with a coffee can hold me over until 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I would like to continue this trend, however I can't help feel that having eggs and bacon every morning is not healthy.

I work in retail 7 to 5 every day (mon - fri) and have a part time job 3 nights a week and usually one day during the weekend. I find it impossible to eat right being that I am for one never home, and two just dont have the time to make a proper lunch. I am forever looking for a solution to my eating woes. So please, if someone out there knows anytihng about proper diet, please feel free to clue me in.

Surprisingly I am not over weight, and I am usually pretty active. I can admit I dont have a six pack, but hey I'm not out of shape either. My guess is that later in life I will be paying dearly for my poor diet. Ok OP, I am done with my portion of the thread jacking....
 

doze

Platinum Member
Jul 26, 2005
2,786
0
0
Usually make in morning, but if I make at night lunch stays in the fridge. Then when I get to work lunch usually goes in the fridge.
 

tfinch2

Lifer
Feb 3, 2004
22,114
1
0
Originally posted by: chiwawa626
I am a 20 year old intern and tend to just eat in the cafeteria and out every day. Its a sad outlook to see there are 40 year olds at work who eat frozen meals for lunch and such...does life ever get better or does it just suck more and more? I have a grim outlook on being a 40 year old.

Some people know better than to flush money down the drain everyday eating out.
 

Mermaidman

Diamond Member
Sep 4, 2003
7,987
93
91
Just make a lot of food for dinner, pack the leftovers in a 'tupperware' and take it for lunch.
 

Martin

Lifer
Jan 15, 2000
29,178
1
81
What I used to do is cook a big top-notch meal at home on sunday night, then bring a tuperware container with ~4 servings in on Monday morning and eat that for lunch throughout the week (4 servings since I'd go out about once a week).

I'd recommend this if you have a fridge at work, since its tastier than sandwiches, cheap and the food is very good (that is.. as good as you can make it).
 

jadinolf

Lifer
Oct 12, 1999
20,952
3
81
Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
I am use to eating out every day...but it gets really expensive here in DC not to mention the constant feeling of being unhealthy.

I went to Whole Foods today and bought some good hoagie bread, fresh salami, tomato, and mozzarella to make sandwiches for a week...combined with extra virgin olive oil, S&P, and oregano. To that I will add a banana or apple and a small bag of potato chips.

Seems healthier but price wise for the week is probably about the same sadly. It's expensive to eat healthier. Easy to eat unhealthy.

That sure ain't healthy.
 

Cuhulainn

Senior member
Jan 26, 2006
365
0
0
Originally posted by: Martin
What I used to do is cook a big top-notch meal at home on sunday night, then bring a tuperware container with ~4 servings in on Monday morning and eat that for lunch throughout the week (4 servings since I'd go out about once a week).

I'd recommend this if you have a fridge at work, since its tastier than sandwiches, cheap and the food is very good (that is.. as good as you can make it).

This is how I do it. Currently working nights, so a sandwich at 6:30p just won't cut it. My wife is from Brazil and she makes some awesome food, and lots of it. I take the leftovers to work usually. She's out of the country at the moment, though, so I've been making easy stuff like those "meal in a skillet" things, or "helpers" (hamgurger, tuna, etc), and packing them into single serving size tupperwares, and making a salad before I go to work.. I also usually bring a yogurt and some fruit to snack on. Far cheaper and more satisfying than fast food.