:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/45-cheap-healthy-lunch-ideas-for-work-2000-690a7758df1b4388a0b4db96d11ea070.jpg "Inexpensive lunch options")
We're talking the kind you'd get in a really good ramen shop—noodles and broth topped with colorful veggies and a protein or two. In other words, we mean the kind of ramen that'll give your co-workers serious lunch envy.
Just carve out 10 to 15 minutes on Sunday, and you can make enough ramen noodle bowls to take you through the week. Putting these together couldn't be easier in fact, you don't even need a recipe. Just get a big pot of ramen noodles going on the stove.
Then cook up your proteins and veggies while you're waiting. Try chicken, pork, shrimp, or soft-boiled eggs for your protein. Or make a batch of flavorful kimchi eggs and use them throughout the week.
Try carrots, cabbage, mushrooms and spinach for your veggies. Once everything is done, divide your noodles between a bunch of bowls or lidded containers.
Then, layer in your veggies and proteins; cover with your favorite style of ramen broth—shio, miso, shoyu, or tonkotsu. Savings Tip: Treat meat as a condiment in your noodle bowls, and one or two servings of meat can stretch across the whole week.
Chop up a bunch of fresh vegetables, like lettuce, peppers, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, and broccoli. Then use them to assemble a week's worth of jar salads. Use the same combination each day or vary things to keep your lunches interesting throughout the week.
Add cheese, nuts, hard-boiled eggs , beans, and meats to make your salads more filling. This is a great way to use up all those leftovers in your fridge, so get creative with what you have on hand.
To keep your salads from getting soggy, put your salad dressing at the bottom of the jar. Then, layer in the hard veggies, soft veggies, proteins, and your salad greens. Bring croutons, corn chips, and other toppers in a separate container so they don't lose their crunch.
Savings Tip: Keep your produce costs down by using vegetables that are in season. This is another dish that you can prep at the start of the week, for easy grab-and-go lunches.
Experiment with a variation of the classic mayonnaise-based pasta salad— BLT , Jalapeno popper , Mexican street corn —or take a lighter approach with pesto , taco , or Asian pasta salad. Since these use herbs, sauces, or a small amount of olive oil in place of the mayo, they're lower in fat but still just as satisfying.
Divide your pasta salad into lunch-size portions, so it's ready to eat when you are. Savings Tip: Use frozen veggies in your pasta salad.
They're usually cheaper than fresh veggies; if you have leftovers, they can go right back in the freezer. No waste! Tired of eating the same old sandwiches day in and day out?
Shake things up by trading in your regular sandwich bread for a bag of bagels. Just slather on your favorite condiments, add some meat, and then pile your sandwich high with fresh veggies and herbs. Things like chicken breasts and bacon can be cooked ahead of time to cut down on your prep time.
Prefer a vegetarian option? Then try egg salad or a sandwich spread, like pimento cheese. A bagel won't get soggy like sliced bread, so it's a good option if you're using wetter ingredients or if you prefer to make your sandwiches ahead of time.
Savings Tip: Buy your bagels at a bakery outlet store, and you'll pay half as much. Your grocery store probably also has a rack where they sell day-old bread at a substantial discount.
Whip up a big bowl of chicken or tuna salad. Then divvy it up between several 4-oz. jelly jars. Add crackers and you have the perfect main course to build your lunch around.
Just add a couple of sides—like fruit or chips—and you're all set. Tip: If you plan to take this in your lunchbox, be sure to include a knife so you'll have a way to spread the salad on your crackers. Savings Tip: Buy a whole chicken and roast it. Use the meat to make chicken salad.
Make broth from the bones. Keep pita bread, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and your favorite pizza toppings on hand, and you can have pizza for lunch whenever a craving hits. This one couldn't be easier.
Just spread some tomato sauce on a pita, sprinkle on some cheese, add your favorite toppings, and pop the whole thing in the microwave or oven long enough for the cheese to melt.
We're talking 30 seconds to a minute in the microwave tops. That's a lot sooner than you'd be eating if you were to order a pizza, and there's no tip required.
Want to take this in your lunchbox? Just pack the individual ingredients, and assemble your pizza when you're ready to eat it.
This will keep the crust from getting soggy and make it easier to transport. Savings Tip: Pita bread freezes beautifully. Tuck a bag in the freezer to preserve its freshness. It doesn't need to be thawed before you make your pizza. Prepare a bunch of burrito ingredients—rice, beans, chicken, and chopped veggies.
Then divide them up between several small containers to create individual burrito bowls. This is a cozy lunch option that comes together as fast as anything. The zucchini and onion cook quickly, absorbing all the sauce to become moist. Drop on top of your favorite noodles or serve with a steaming heap of fragrant jasmine rice to get you through the middle of your day.
This is a fantastic way to enjoy your favorite treat without needing to buy a ton of ingredients, make dough, or even worry about the sauce. If you have an oven where you work, this is a wonderful workday lunch! Otherwise, you can make this as soon as you come home.
Whether you need it for lunch or dinner, this recipe will deliver. The nutty, creamy sauce is super comforting, making this the ideal way to get through a midday slump.
Enjoy cold on a summer afternoon, or make it fresh and warm for a winter night. This chickpea salad sandwich has all the flavors you know and love from this potluck staple. Greek yogurt is the secret ingredient here, making the sandwich creamy and savory without adding a ton of mayonnaise.
Whether you need a recipe for tea time or a quick and easy low-carb lunch, this is the place to be. This makes this recipe super refreshing and crunchy!
These other low calorie turkey recipes will be perfect for your lunch bag! This five-minute buffalo chicken wrap uses leftover chicken tenders and any loose vegetables to create something divine.
Quesadillas are one of the best lunches you can enjoy on a budget. All you need is cheese, a tortilla, and a delicious dipping sauce to complete the meal. Reach for this recipe if you have a grilled sandwich maker, stove, or oven at your workplace to melt the cheese.
This is a fantastic after-school snack for your kids, too. Asian-inspired noodle dishes are perfect for meal-prepping your work lunches! This super simple twenty-minute stir fry proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt. You can serve these warm or cold thanks to the simple sauce. You can even take the sauce with you to work, boil the noodles there, and then serve!
This version uses a bagel instead of the classic sourdough or bun, making it a little sweeter and a little bit chewier. The best part about using a bagel for this sandwich is that the bread keeps very well.
Take basic packet ramen noodles and give them a spicy makeover. This flavorful and quick meal comes together in just ten minutes with a selection of pantry staples!
Tuna salad is so versatile. You can use it to make bigger salads, sandwiches, and bagels, and even enjoy it as a snack on its own.
Using canned tuna, you can craft a cheap and delicious lunch or snack in no time. Tuna is great brain food, so this is ideal if you need a little kick in the middle of your day.
Nostalgia alert! This recipe for the ultimate grilled cheese and tomato sandwich is bound to warm your heart and your belly. The familiar flavors are perfect for a tough day with a lot on your plate. Best of all, you can make it with anything from an air fryer to a stovetop.
Pinwheels are a clever way to put a tasty twist on a familiar favorite. No matter what you enjoy in your favorite sandwich, you can make a pinwheel that matches! The key is chewy flour tortillas. Wrapped tight around your favorite fillings, these tortillas create the perfect portable lunch you can take with you anywhere.
From picnics to work days, this recipe works. Take a hint from the British and try something new with this tasty beans-on-toast recipe. Using canned beans and simple toast, you can enjoy a dead simple dish in a matter of minutes. I love this recipe because any lunch recipe that uses canned food immediately takes stress out of the equation.
All you need to get this done is a toaster and a microwave! Tahini is one of my favorite dressings because you can use it for pretty much anything. Sweet or savory, tahini has got your back.
If you want this to be a little bit creamier, try adding some Greek yogurt or a dollop of mayonnaise and mustard to the mix.
If you work somewhere without a microwave, oven, or stove, then cold lunches are a necessity. I reach for chickpeas all the time when I need something cold, quick, and easy. In this case, this Mediterranean-inspired salad is super refreshing! Take a simple chicken salad sandwich and crank it up a notch with the addition of some buffalo sauce.
This is an ultra-creamy sandwich with a ton of crunch, flavor, and creaminess to boot. I highly recommend whipping up a big batch of this chicken salad to use however you like.
On top of salads, on a soft brioche bun, or even spread on some crackers. The possibilities are endless!
It just needs to be filling, well-wrapped, and full of classic Mexican flavors. This recipe uses rice, black beans, vegetables, and Mexican spices to create something beautiful.
This is an easily portable lunch you can take anywhere, from work to school or even a picnic. It brings out the best of the wheat with a light dressing, crunchy vegetables, and creamy avocado. Salmon is a great lunch ingredient.
Enter canned salmon. This underappreciated ingredient is so great in salads. Curry chicken and… grapes? Hear me out on this one! The little gems of grape scattered throughout the bold curried chicken help add little bursts of sweetness to every bite.
This salad is by turns creamy, sweet, and spicy. Love a chicken, bacon, and ranch salad? Make the flavor combination extra filling and portable with these delicious wraps! Considering how fast they are to make, these are some of the ultimate school lunch treats.
This lemon tuna noodle salad is the perfect solution for a cool summertime lunch. It comes together in just minutes! The recipe uses pantry staples like canned tuna and dry pasta to create something magical. With the light lemon dressing and the dappling of spinach, this is a healthy crowd-pleaser for the whole family.
Remember when I said that I love Tahini? Well, I really love tahini, and this is just another reason why. Not to mention, it brings all the flavors together nicely. Use whichever vegetables you have available in your vegetable drawer to whip up a quick salad, dress with tahini, and bam!
Looking for something fancy, maybe even a bit refined, for lunch? These light cucumber sandwiches are just what the doctor ordered! Bring these to your next potluck brunch or serve your guests a formal high tea, complete with cups of tea and little finger sandwiches.
What happens when you mix cottage cheese with salsa? This savory cottage cheese burrito bowl is out of this world, pairing creaminess with the bite and boldness of salsa.
This is a vibrant dish with colors bursting from the plate. Featuring a ton of fresh vegetables, is it any wonder that this is a summertime favorite?
Finally, we have a super simple and healthy dish. The creamy avocado is almost like a healthier version of mayonnaise. Spread it on top of your perfectly-boiled eggs and enjoy with a generous amount of cracked pepper.
Do you have any go-to lunch recipes I missed? Home » Recipes » Lunch » 51 Easy Cheap Lunch Ideas To Stay Under Budget 95 shares. Jump to Recipe. Table of Contents Toggle What Are Good Cheap Lunch Ideas? Cheap Lunch Ideas for Work 1. Baked Herb Chicken Breasts with Couscous Meal Prep 2. Instant Pot Chicken Caesar Wraps 3.
Chicken Fajita Meal Prep Bowl 4. Avocado and Smashed Chickpea Wraps 5. One-Pan Chicken Legs with Chickpeas and Quinoa 6. Baked Bean Muffins 7. Sweet Honey Garlic Chicken Meal Prep 8. Mason Jar Thai Chopped Salad 9. Banana Cinnamon Overnight Oats Cajun Chicken Salad Southwestern Chicken and Rice Healthy Cheap Lunch Ideas Lemon Chicken with Veggies Meal Prep Kimchi Noodle Salad Chickpea Spinach Salad Spicy Pineapple Chicken Meal Prep Curried Quinoa Apple Salad Vegetarian Black Bean Soup Sticky Sesame Chickpeas Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich Tangy Veggie Wrap Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Caesar Salad with Homemade Dressing Simple Chickpea Salad Quick Cheap Lunch Ideas Zucchini Stir Fry with Garlic and Sesame Seeds Tortilla Pizza Chickpea Salad Sandwich Low-Carb Smoked Turkey and Cucumber Sandwiches Cheese Quesadilla Asian Garlic Noodles BLT Bagel Sandwich Easy Spicy Ramen Noodles Tuna Salad Air Fryer Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwich Sandwich Pinwheels Beans on Toast Tahini Pasta Cheap Cold Lunch Ideas Chickpea Salad with Cucumbers and Tomatoes
Sandwiches are cheap to make. Fresh fruit and vegetables are fairly priced, and they are healthier than canned. Knorr Powdered Chicken Bouillon fair-wind.club › Articles › Budgeting › Spending › Food 10 Cheap Lunch Ideas · 1. Go old school with a sandwich and sides. · 2. Mix things up by making wraps. · 3. Whip up a chicken salad. · 4. Create
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:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Ten-Best-Snacks-for-Weight-Loss-centered-66f64183181d451a9dd839a9dc80588d.jpg "Cheap and healthy snack options")
