You can bring leftovers from the previous day’s lunch to work, or cook something simple and healthy that you enjoy. The most expensive option is to come to work and order cooked food.
If you have this habit daily or occasionally, stop for a moment, think, and add up how much you have spent on delivered food in a month. Then calculate how much it would cost if you cooked what you like and brought it with you. The difference will be significant. It’s somewhat cheaper to buy a ready-made sandwich, but it is far more economical if you make it yourself at home, especially when you use leftovers from the fridge that need to be consumed.
For example, sometimes you can bring a sandwich like this – put two boiled or fried eggs, two slices of ham, and a leaf of lettuce in a bun or between two larger slices of bread. It’s a healthy meal that will give you the energy needed to continue your workday.
Or, if you had roasted chicken (or any other meat) for dinner today and didn’t eat it all, make a sandwich or a cold salad for work. For instance, use pieces of meat, cooked pasta or chopped salad, a few olives or canned corn, some pieces of cheese or boiled egg, and a bit of avocado…
Put that in one container, and bring the dressing in another – for example, mix yogurt, salt, pepper, and a bit of garlic, or lemon, olive oil, and salt. Mix the dressing with the salad just before eating. If you love extra healthy meals, you can make this – in the morning before going to work, mix oatmeal and chia seeds, then pour yogurt over them. It should be a bit runny because both the oatmeal and chia seeds will swell. Top it with fruit of your choice and drizzle with a bit of honey.
Here are some more ideas for meals you can take to work:
Strawberry Almond Spinach Salad by Let’s Munch Lettuce
This simple salad makes a great cold lunch you can enjoy at home, or on the go. It has spinach, crunchy almonds, vibrant berries and a really delicious strawberry basil dressing that is as colorful as it is tasty.
Old Fashioned Ham Salad by Quiche My Grits
If you have leftover ham, you should make a batch of ham salad as a part of your meal prep. This idea delivers classic flavors of a lunchtime staple, in just a few moments. Stuff it into a sandwich, spread it over crackers, or just eat it as is.
Classic Club Sandwiches by Cincyshopper
This club sandwich is so easy to make that you will want to make it a regular on your meal planning rotation. With layers of meat, cheese and veggies topped with smoky bacon strips, after just a bite, you will agree this classic is a keeper!
Cold Spaghetti Shrimp Salad by The Pasta Project
Prep this cold spaghetti salad with shrimp for a tasty lunch option. This works well packed in a lunchbox for a mid day meal that feels elegant, but was really so easy to prepare. You can also make it for home, and enjoy it for days, as the flavors only get better as the days pass.
Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich by A Cedar Spoon
With hummus, feta cheese and thin slices of veggies, this easy cold lunch is perfect for summer, or anytime you need a healthy and tasty option. You can make this sandwich in a matter of minutes for a fresh and filling meal that delivers color, crunch and great taste.
Green Goddess Wraps by A Seasoned Greeting
Cucumber wraps with green goddess dressing make a perfect summertime lunch option. Make these with garden fresh cucumbers for a meatless meal that is cold and refreshing on a sweltering day. They are so tasty you will want to save the recipe for year round enjoyment.
Chopped Italian Grinder Salad by Mary’s Whole Life
If you like a great hoagie for lunch, this take on a classic sandwich will intrigue your tastebuds. It takes all of the best parts of a grinder and chops it up into a fresh and flavorful salad. With deli meats, cheese and plenty of dressing, this is one easy cold lunch that you will want to repeat often.
Chickpea Smash Sandwich by Life Around the Table
Mix this easy and flavorful chickpea salad and store it in the fridge for a fast and filling lunch option. This meatless meal is loaded with veggies like radish, celery and has plenty of leafy lettuce to pair with the bold, spicy chickpea filling.
Dill Pickle Egg Salad by Mary’s Whole Life
Egg salad gets a flavor upgrade with this easy recipe. Add pickles to the mix for the perfect tang and a little added crunch. Serve this on sandwiches, spread onto crackers, tucked into a wrap, or just enjoy it by the spoonful to keep your meal low carb.
Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad by Hey Snickerdoodle
Mix this cold pasta salad in the morning for a cold lunch that delivers the flavor of a great lunch, with simple ingredients like rotini pasta, pesto, chunks of chicken and veggies. This is colorful and delicious and best of all easy.
Shrimp Salad by Make It Skinny Please
A cold shrimp salad with a creamy mayo and sour cream dressing is just the thing to tuck into a bun and enjoy for lunch. This recipe is quite easy to prepare and tastes even better than a sub from Subway, straight from your home kitchen.
Cranberry Tuna Apple Salad by Healthy Foodie Girl
Tuna salad has never been so exciting as it is with this fruity and flavorful recipe. Tuna, apples, cranberries and a lemony greek yogurt dressing come together to make a really yummy lunch. This take on tuna salad is crunchy, colorful and offers a unique spin by serving it on an apple slice instead of bread.
Chicken Waldorf Salad by Small Town Woman
This chunky salad has chicken, celery, grapes and apples tossed in a creamy dressing. This is a great meal for lunch, as it is served cold, has a great assortment of textures and can be prepped ahead of time for easy eating!
Chicken Caesar Salad by Simply Made Eats
You can’t go wrong with this classic chicken caesar salad. It has leafy lettuce, smoky bacon crumbles, onion slices and tender chicken in every bite for a fresh and flavorful lunch that tastes just as good as it does from a favorite restaurant.
Smoked Salmon Pinwheels by Chew Out Loud
Cream cheese and smoked salmon are perfect partners for these yummy pinwheels. They are ultra easy to make, and will fill you up with great flavors at lunch, while satisfying you until dinner rolls around. This recipe is so tasty you should save it to make as an appetizer at your net party, or anytime you need a flavorful and easy lunch at home.
Old Fashioned Egg Salad by The Slow Roasted Italian
If you need an easy lunch option, you can’t go wrong with egg salad. This recipe is very easy to prepare and tastes great tucked into lettuce leaves, on bread, in a wrap, or enjoyed on crackers.
Antipasto Picnic Sandwiches by Craving Something Healthy
These picnic style sandwiches deliver Italian flavors in every bite. With deli meats, cheese, artichoke hearts, assorted veggies and pesto, this combination makes for a filling lunch option that packs well in a picnic basket, but it tastes just as great enjoyed in the breakroom at work!
California Chicken Salad Simple and Fraiche
With celery, juicy grapes, and chunks of chicken, this easy lunch option is a little healthier as it uses greek yogurt instead of mayo, but it is every bit as delicious. Serve it on a lettuce leaf, on a favorite bread for sandwiches, or tuck it into an avocado for a colorful midday meal.
Avocado Tuna Salad by To Simply Inspire
This is such a yummy way to make tuna salad. With chunks of creamy avocado and zesty red onions in every bite, this budget friendly cold lunch is easy to make and it is absolutely delicious. After you try it, you will want to keep a can of tuna in the pantry at all times, so you can make this anytime you have a craving.
Antipasto Salad by Gypsy Plate
With tender pasta, chunks of deli meats, tomatoes and olives, it is easy to see why this is a favorite cold lunch. Make this early in the week to enjoy. As the days go, the flavors blend and the flavor gets even better!