Well, a pre-made salad from a restaurant, or even the grocery store, will cost you a pretty penny. Where did that phrase come from? Are pennies pretty? But you can save some serious cash by making a bunch of fresh salads for the whole week.

Buy yourself some segmented reusable containers, or use multiples of whatever you already have, to separate the lettuce and other dry ingredients from anything that would make your awesome meal a mushy mess like the cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers and salad dressing.

Up the protein with beans, deli meat or hard-boiled eggs. You can go the mason jar route with your salads too.

Then add chopped fresh veggies carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes. Throw in some canned items beans, corn, peas. Then add your protein feta cheese or hard-boiled eggs. Finish with cooked-and-cooled rice or quinoa at the top. Hey, this sounds a lot like a fancy, and still thrifty, beans and rice situation—which we love around here.

Bravo to this cheap lunch idea. A little prep and investment on the front end will set you up for the win with those midday tummy grumbles. The best part about soup besides how it warms our bodies and our hearts? One recipe makes enough for you to enjoy all week! For one soup option, toss all this in a crockpot: 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2 cans of diced tomatoes and green chilies, 2 cups of chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning, half a chopped onion, and as many diced canned jalapenos as you like.

Kick it up a notch with some of that jalapeno juice—if you can handle it! Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove the chicken, shred it, and return it to the pot. Then portion it into five airtight containers and enjoy. Pasta salad is a classic side at summer cookouts. No one. And the three best perks of this dish?

You serve it cold, personalize it with ingredients you love, and make it ahead to eat on through the week. Then throw in whatever you like: pepperoni slices, a chopped-up cucumber, a diced-up tomato, a small container of feta or some parmesan cheese, and a can of chickpeas if you want to make it more filling.

Who says Taco Tuesday should be limited to one day a week? Okay, the title itself, but you get what we mean. Spread the love all week long by prepping all those taco fillings on the weekend to go in a tortilla or on a bed of rice throughout the week.

You can toss 3 pounds of frozen chicken, a packet of taco seasoning, a cup of water, and a ounce jar of salsa in a crockpot. Then drain out some of the juice leave some in the pot! Open a can of corn and chickpeas plus whatever else you love and put equal amounts in each container.

Then make separate bags of lettuce, cheese and tortilla chips for each day. Put your tacos or taco bowls together at lunch so they stay fresh. For a fresh side to add to it, buy yourself some carrots, peppers and a dressing for dipping.

Now here are some practical savings tips to help you get an even bigger bang for your lunchtime buck. One: You create accountability. Two: You can save money.

If you two or three plan your recipes just right, you can split grocery costs. And three: This chore is way less boring with a friend. So, crank up the good times playlist and rock those cheap lunch ideas. Want another grocery savings hack? Cut up your own fruits and veggies. Buy the full bag of chips or pretzels and sandwich bags.

On Sunday, create your own individual portions for the whole week. Purchase some small Tupperware and make your own ranch or hummus cups for those veggies. Buy the large tub of Greek yogurt.

you get the idea! Worth it. Pro tip: Hey, those name-brand chips might be calling your name because of the fancy bag and better marketing. Not because of the better flavors. But those eye-catching packages and all that marketing costs the company money.

which, in turn, costs you money. Try generic brands , cut out that middle man, and save some serious money in your grocery budget. Go ahead and portion it out for a few lunches that week!

Winner winner, leftover dinner. Loyalty is a fantastic quality. 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. Finish each one off with salsa, cheese, sour cream, ranch dressing, cilantro, or whatever else you'd like.

Fresh avocados and guacamole brown quickly, so don't add them until you're ready to eat. Use these easy tips for keeping avocados and guacamole fresh. Or look for single-serve containers of guacamole in the produce section.

They're perfect for sticking in lunchboxes. Savings Tip: Use dried beans instead of canned beans. Cook up a mess of quinoa , following the directions on the box.

Then toss it with chopped veggies, beans, nuts, cheese, spices, herbs, and dressing to create a colorful and nutritious salad that'll fuel your afternoon. Start with a recipe, or make up your own as you go. As long as you stick to ingredients that you like, you really can't go wrong with this one.

Savings Tip: Buy your quinoa from the bulk bins. It's usually substantially cheaper that way.

45 Cheap Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work · Chicken Caesar Lettuce Cups · Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls · Chopped Seasonal fruit and vegetables tend to be inexpensive as well. Bananas are cheap, starchy and filling. Dry pinto beans fair-wind.club › Recipes › Meal Types › Lunch

Affordable and convenient lunch options - Missing 45 Cheap Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work · Chicken Caesar Lettuce Cups · Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls · Chopped Seasonal fruit and vegetables tend to be inexpensive as well. Bananas are cheap, starchy and filling. Dry pinto beans fair-wind.club › Recipes › Meal Types › Lunch

Go, you! Here are 10 cheap lunch ideas and some shopping tips so you can get out of this food rut and onto some serious savings. Grab a loaf of bread, some deli meat, cheese, lettuce and condiments—or go really classic with PB and J.

Then buy a bag of apples or a bunch of bananas, some carrots and a nice salty side. Pro tip: You can totally eat healthy on a budget. Start by picking fruits and veggies that are in season and sides that are on sale. Start with the wrap itself pita, naan, tortilla or lettuce , add a spread hummus, tzatziki, sour cream or guacamole , layer in some protein rotisserie chicken, deli meat, beans or tofu , and sprinkle on toppings lettuce, dried fruit, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, pickles or avocado.

You can buy a rotisserie chicken or throw 3 pounds of chicken in the crockpot on Sunday with water, a bouillon cube, and whatever seasoning you like.

Shred that up and add an ingredient that will bind everything together like mayo, smashed avocado, plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. Then you can go sweet with sliced grapes and almonds or savory with chopped celery and pickles. There are so many options to make whatever flavor profile you want!

Eat it on bread, in a wrap, on a croissant, or with crackers. Then add a simple side salad of lettuce, some veggies and a dressing of your choice to round it out.

Pro tip: Wondering how you should flavor your chicken salad? Base your ingredients on the store sales and coupons. Take that party to work by packing it into a bento box. You can even finish off some of the random bits of snack items hiding in your pantry.

Leave the confetti and balloons at home. Want a healthy lunch idea for work? Well, a pre-made salad from a restaurant, or even the grocery store, will cost you a pretty penny.

Where did that phrase come from? Are pennies pretty? But you can save some serious cash by making a bunch of fresh salads for the whole week.

Buy yourself some segmented reusable containers, or use multiples of whatever you already have, to separate the lettuce and other dry ingredients from anything that would make your awesome meal a mushy mess like the cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers and salad dressing.

Up the protein with beans, deli meat or hard-boiled eggs. You can go the mason jar route with your salads too. Then add chopped fresh veggies carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes. Throw in some canned items beans, corn, peas. Then add your protein feta cheese or hard-boiled eggs. Finish with cooked-and-cooled rice or quinoa at the top.

Hey, this sounds a lot like a fancy, and still thrifty, beans and rice situation—which we love around here. Bravo to this cheap lunch idea. A little prep and investment on the front end will set you up for the win with those midday tummy grumbles.

The best part about soup besides how it warms our bodies and our hearts? One recipe makes enough for you to enjoy all week! For one soup option, toss all this in a crockpot: 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2 cans of diced tomatoes and green chilies, 2 cups of chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning, half a chopped onion, and as many diced canned jalapenos as you like.

Kick it up a notch with some of that jalapeno juice—if you can handle it! Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove the chicken, shred it, and return it to the pot. Then portion it into five airtight containers and enjoy.

Pasta salad is a classic side at summer cookouts. No one. And the three best perks of this dish? You serve it cold, personalize it with ingredients you love, and make it ahead to eat on through the week.

Then throw in whatever you like: pepperoni slices, a chopped-up cucumber, a diced-up tomato, a small container of feta or some parmesan cheese, and a can of chickpeas if you want to make it more filling. Who says Taco Tuesday should be limited to one day a week?

Okay, the title itself, but you get what we mean. Spread the love all week long by prepping all those taco fillings on the weekend to go in a tortilla or on a bed of rice throughout the week.

You can toss 3 pounds of frozen chicken, a packet of taco seasoning, a cup of water, and a ounce jar of salsa in a crockpot. Then drain out some of the juice leave some in the pot! Open a can of corn and chickpeas plus whatever else you love and put equal amounts in each container.

Then make separate bags of lettuce, cheese and tortilla chips for each day. Put your tacos or taco bowls together at lunch so they stay fresh. For a fresh side to add to it, buy yourself some carrots, peppers and a dressing for dipping.

Now here are some practical savings tips to help you get an even bigger bang for your lunchtime buck. One: You create accountability. Two: You can save money. If you prefer another salad dressing, feel free to use that instead of our honey-mustard vinaigrette.

The ingredients in this vegan grain bowl recipe can be prepped ahead for an easy lunch to pack for work. The tangy citrus dressing is a refreshing flavor with the sweet caramel of the roasted sheet-pan veggies. Enjoy this refreshing bento box idea over your lunch break that combines cucumber salad, hummus, pita and more for a satisfying work lunch.

A Mexican-style torta is just like a burrito, except the "wrapper" is a hollowed-out roll instead of a tortilla. Here it's filled with mashed spiced black beans and a quick guacamole.

Take this vegetarian version to another level and add calcium by melting Monterey Jack cheese onto the bean side of the sandwich. Serve with: Grilled corn on the cob or Spanish rice.

In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables. Go light and fresh when you're craving pizza: these easy lettuce wraps have all the taste with fewer carbs and calories.

This sweet twist on a classic tuna-salad sandwich is a healthy high-protein lunch that even your kids will love. Skip the hassle of making sushi rolls at home and just go for this grain bowl.

Start with a base of brown rice and add veggies, dressing and creamy avocado for a delicious and easy meal. This cold noodle salad with peanut butter, snow pea pods, chicken, and bell pepper is easy to make ahead and pack for lunch.

Looking for a clean, packable lunch for work? This healthy homemade chicken salad served inside an avocado instead of with bread is just the ticket.

Plus, this recipe makes enough for ready-made lunches for the week! Who says bento boxes are just for kids? This healthy bento-style lunch--loaded with clean, satisfying foods--is perfect to pack for work.

Crunchy carrot, cucumber and scallions are a colorful addition to this vegetarian egg salad recipe. Pack it with some crunchy crackers and tomatoes for a healthy, light lunch. In this healthy chicken sandwich recipe, the avocado is mashed to create a healthy creamy spread. Toss leftover cooked chicken with barbecue sauce and crunchy carrots for a quick and healthy lunch.

A simple citrusy drizzle, inspired by Cuban mojo sauce, finishes these vegan rice bowls, perfect for lunch or dinner.

It only takes 5 minutes to make this healthy sandwich with whole-wheat bread and the classic combination of Cheddar cheese and apples that your kids will love. This kid-friendly recipe keeps every element of tacos separate so your child can decide to eat them separately or have fun building their own mini tacos with their favorite toppings.

Plus, it's perfect for packing into a bento box for a healthy lunch for school. This healthy cauliflower soup recipe gets its great flavor from two smoked ingredients--paprika and Gouda. A hearty serving of crunchy croutons makes it filling. Made with protein-rich edamame instead of chickpeas, this easy hummus recipe is the perfect vegetarian filling for a grab-and-go wrap.

Or double the recipe and use the hummus for a healthy snack with cut-up vegetables. Tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and feta top arugula in this quick salad. Served with whole-wheat pita and prepared hummus, it makes a filling, yet healthy lunch.

These tuna wraps were inspired by spicy tuna sushi rolls. We love how they taste with peppery watercress, but other greens, such as arugula, romaine, escarole or even radish sprouts, would taste great in the filling. If you want to play on the sushi inspiration, stir some wasabi into the soy sauce for dipping and serve with pickled ginger.

Serve with sliced cucumbers and slivered red onions tossed with rice vinegar, a little oil and a pinch of salt. This delicious kid-friendly twist on a classic BLT includes turkey.

The extra protein makes a filling, healthy lunch to pack up for school or work. Hummus, sprouts and avocado top sprouted whole-wheat bread in this healthy vegan lunch idea. Look for sprouted bread in the freezer section of your grocery store. All the tastes, color and fun of a spring roll without all the work!

This healthy salad recipe is bursting with the colors of rainbow from generous amounts of fresh vegetables, shrimp and whole grains all topped with a peanut dressing for the ultimate satisfying salad. Whole-wheat tortillas provide a tasty twist in this quick grilled chicken breast recipe that combines all the elements of a classic club sandwich into a wrap.

Serve with extra napkins. This quick lunch recipe is loaded with heart-healthy omega-3s thanks to the canned sockeye salmon. If you're bringing this sandwich for lunch, keep the salmon salad separate and stuff the pita just before eating.

Cooked peeled shrimp is perfect for quick and healthy meals--here we use it in place of chicken in our simplified Cobb Salad. For a healthy variation on creamy chicken salad, we've replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch.

Pack classic Cobb salad "upside down" in a mason jar for a healthy lunch that won't get soggy while sitting in the fridge all morning. Or pack it up the night before for an easy grab-and-go lunch in the morning.

Fresh corn kernels, tomatoes and lettuce fill these hearty turkey wraps. This wrap is great for picnics or when you need to have dinner on the run.

Add some crumbled feta or shredded Cheddar for another layer of flavor. Serve with carrot sticks, sliced bell pepper or other crunchy vegetables plus your favorite creamy dressing. Using kale leaves instead of bread to wrap your filling makes this healthy chicken lunch recipe low-calorie and lower in carbs!

If you can't find lacinato aka Tuscan kale, try cabbage for your wrap. With sliced vegetables, a whole-wheat tortilla and baby spinach, these roll-ups make the perfect healthy lunch for your kids to take to school.

This easy grain bowl has so much to love--sweet potatoes, protein-packed chickpeas, creamy avocado and homemade tahini dressing. Make the full recipe on the weekend and pack into individual serving containers for ready-to-go lunches for work all week.

Affordable and convenient lunch options - Missing 45 Cheap Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work · Chicken Caesar Lettuce Cups · Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls · Chopped Seasonal fruit and vegetables tend to be inexpensive as well. Bananas are cheap, starchy and filling. Dry pinto beans fair-wind.club › Recipes › Meal Types › Lunch

Ask for the light basil cream sauce on the side and this is just about as good-for-you as it gets. Zucchini, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, red peppers, and mushrooms give you plenty of veg—and adding shrimp or chicken gives the dish the protein it needs to actually fill you up.

Just stick with sides like the house salad, garlicky green beans, steamed broccoli, fire-roasted veggies, or garlic mashed potatoes. This often-overlooked wrap is the low-key healthy dark horse of Chick-fil-A.

Yeah, the chicken and cheese pack some protein and they even squeeze some lettuce in there, but the real winner hear is the flaxseed flour flat bread. Thanks to that, the wrap has a straight-up shocking 13 grams of fiber.

Not only is this wrap is served hot, but it contains whole grains, a great mix of protein, fats, and carbs, six grams of filling fiber, and sneaks in some veggies too. For a heartier meal, just order two. The stats on the sandwich are very reasonable without modifying any of the toppings: It has a respectable eight grams of fat and 35 grams of protein.

To fill out your meal, add a small chili, which delivers iron, extra protein, and fiber. Like many registered dietitians who are all, "Burrito bowl or bust!

Between the chicken, beans, and veggies in the combo above, there's plenty of protein, fiber, and nutrients. Go ahead and splurge on the side of guac for some healthy fat, too.

The Egg White Delight McMuffin is the best option on this menu any time of day — even if you need two to fill up. You get Canadian bacon and melted cheese — which already makes the option a billion times more appealing than a lousy salad.

What this sandwich lacks in fruits and vegetables, it makes up for in protein. To compensate, just go heavy on the produce at your next meal. When eating at CPK, it's a crime not to order the pizza.

The good news: A half pizza which is plenty of food makes a perfectly reasonable meal. Fear's pizza pick contains lots of veggies with added chicken to amp up the protein.

Even though whole grain crust is available, it adds 10 grams of fat without tons more fiber, so just stick with the original. If you're going to Chili's, this is the dish Fear recommends—she loves the taste. She swaps the rice for steamed broccoli to get some green stuff and extra nutrients into the mix.

Sirloin steak is Ruby Tuesday's leanest cut of meat, and the dish has even less fat when you ask for it to be prepared without the seasoned butter that's typically used.

Grilled zucchini, steamed broccoli, green beans, or roasted spaghetti squash all make nutritious sides. Two veggies or one veggie and a starchy side such as rice pilaf make for a well-rounded meal. You can only eat grilled chicken so many ways, so this crunchy-coated baked option is extra-interesting.

It comes with two sides: A baked sweet potato and steamed veggies—how delish does that sound? The Lemon-Herb Parmesan Chicken is a must order for anyone looking to eat healthy at a place that is known for their sweet desserts.

Eating right for your meal will help you to not feel as guilty for inhaling a creamy cheesecake later. We get it. We all get those midnight cravings, especially after a night out drinking with friends. Taco Bell might seem like an unhealthy option, but if you count your calories right and work around the menu, you could find something to satisfy your cravings as well as eating on a calorie deficit.

Order the Crunchy Taco for some spice in your life. They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and they're absolutely right. Dunkin' might be your go to coffee chain before work in the morning, so why not make sure you pick up a healthy meal to go along with your cold brew?

Dunkin's avocado toast has the crunch, the creaminess, and the savory flavor you need to start your day off right. If you're looking for a healthy option at the renowned Texas Roadhouse we all know and love, then opt for the grilled salmon. Round out your dinner with some veggie sides and you have yourself a meal you can feel good about.

In the mood for something on the lighter side? The Roasted Chicken Bites are perfect for those who want to avoid fried food from this classic southern chain. When you think of Waffle House, do you think of bangin' lunch and dinner options? Their BLT Sandwich has enough crunch for everyone, and it's well worth a visit to the southern staple.

Sure, skipping the cheese may not be easy, but you won't even miss it, we promise. Hear us out: A veggie sandwich always hits the spot. Take a toasted bun, top it with onions, peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, and your sauce and there you have it—the perfect on-the-go meatless meal. Served with a side of Mexican street corn salad, the Coal Fired Half BBQ Chicken is filled with plenty of flavor to ~spice~ up those taste buds of yours.

Order a flour tortilla, add chicken, lettuce, tomato, and a heaping pile of veggies, and you have yourself a healthy taco. Cheese completely, percent optional but encouraged.

Behold: A vegetarian burger cooked to perfection with a side of steamed broccoli. What more can you ask for?

The Southwestern Chicken Bowl at the Hard Rock Cafe is perfect for those who want to eat healthy, but are straight up sick of flavorless salads and lackluster lettuce. Order this bowl and prepare for Fajita-spiced chicken, quinoa corn salad, pico de gallo, seasoned black beans and red cabbage served on a bed of mixed greens.

You can't go wrong with chicken. The Chicken Slinger at Sonic Drive In is made with all-white meat chicken, pickles, and topped with mayonnaise on a toasted bun.

Can't you just smell the pretzels rn? After a long day of shopping, order the Sweet Almond Pretzel at Auntie Anne's. Covered in a toasted almond crunch, it clocks in at cals. For those unfamiliar with Dick's Last Resort, it's a restaurant that treats diners with the utmost disrespect on purpose.

Prepare to be teased as you dig into their Crybaby Burger—a vegan pick that's OTT flavorful. Wahlburgers' Housemade Chili is one of the choices under "Mom's Favorites.

Served with your choice of two country sides and buttermilk biscuits or corn muffins, the Smoky Southern Grilled Chicken is a longstanding favorite at everyone's go-to roadside pit stop.

Fish is forever a favorite for diners hoping to eat healthy. At Longhorn Steakhouse, the salmon is served hot over rice, and the side options are seemingly endless. Seasons 52 is best known for their steak and classic flatbreads.

If you are heading there for lunch, order the Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos which come with a side of rice and beans. Elizabeth Narins is a Brooklyn, NY-based writer and a former senior editor at Cosmopolitan. com , where she wrote about fitness, health, and more. Follow her at ejnarins.

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. Finish each one off with salsa, cheese, sour cream, ranch dressing, cilantro, or whatever else you'd like.

Fresh avocados and guacamole brown quickly, so don't add them until you're ready to eat. Use these easy tips for keeping avocados and guacamole fresh. Or look for single-serve containers of guacamole in the produce section.

They're perfect for sticking in lunchboxes. Savings Tip: Use dried beans instead of canned beans. Cook up a mess of quinoa , following the directions on the box. Then toss it with chopped veggies, beans, nuts, cheese, spices, herbs, and dressing to create a colorful and nutritious salad that'll fuel your afternoon.

Start with a recipe, or make up your own as you go. As long as you stick to ingredients that you like, you really can't go wrong with this one.

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Fair-wind.club › Recipes › Meal Types › Lunch If you have 25 minutes, you can make four days' worth of lunches. The salad will keep in the fridge without issue. As Roasted Butternut Squash Burrito Bowls · Bacon-Cheddar Chipotle Chicken Panini · Mac and Cheese Spaghetti · Apple and: Affordable and convenient lunch options

From there, it takes just four minutes of ane time to reach gooey High-quality gaming chairs perfection inside cknvenient economical Free sample contests. Quiz: Pocket-friendly food bundles Do You Know About Affordable and convenient lunch options This quick and easy wrap nad up and is ready for a casual, stationary lunch or a meal on the go, with protein from chicken to keep you going. Inexpensive ingredients can be just as flavorful and delicious when prepared properly. Are pennies pretty? You could even try my quick and easy pizza quesadilla recipe! Browse the menu for foods containing these healthy eating out must-haves: protein lean meat, fish, or plant-based sources like beanshealthy fats nuts, seeds, or avocadoand fiber vegetables and whole grains.	You can enjoy this hearty soup independently or paired with a slice of crusty bread. Cuisine at Home is reader-supported: When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. This homemade veggie pizza is a crowd-pleaser and a great way to incorporate nutritious ingredients into your lunch. Share via facebook Share via pinterest Share via email Share via sms. You can also reach for your favorite bottled dressing if you prefer!	45 Cheap Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work · Chicken Caesar Lettuce Cups · Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls · Chopped Seasonal fruit and vegetables tend to be inexpensive as well. Bananas are cheap, starchy and filling. Dry pinto beans fair-wind.club › Recipes › Meal Types › Lunch	Ramen Noodle Bowls · Salad in a Jar · Pasta Salad · Bagel Sandwiches · Chicken or Tuna Salad · Pita Pizza · Burrito Bowls This healthy fruit, veggie and cheese plate is easy and affordable to pull together for a fun snack-style lunch at Seasonal fruit and vegetables tend to be inexpensive as well. Bananas are cheap, starchy and filling. Dry pinto beans	Roasted Butternut Squash Burrito Bowls · Bacon-Cheddar Chipotle Chicken Panini · Mac and Cheese Spaghetti · Apple and Contest-Winning Hearty Hamburger Soup · Garlic Spaghetti · Air-Fryer Black Bean Chimichangas · Spanakopita Casserole Missing
containers of yogurt are usually the best Pocket-friendly food bundles, optipns it's really easy to divide them into smaller cojvenient. You're only 4 ingredients Haircare product sample promotions for a toasty, cheesy, utterly Atfordable mid-day meal. We love how customizable this fried rice is. Mayo is brushed on the outside of the sandwich in place of butter to make the sandwich golden and crispy as it heats in a skillet. This easy, throw-together salad delivers just the right kind of fuel and flavor to help you power through a hectic afternoon.	Meal planning is another key budgeting component, as it saves money by buying ingredients in bulk and minimizing food waste. This almost-instant grain bowl makes the most of the prepared-foods section at your grocery store. Served with your choice of two country sides and buttermilk biscuits or corn muffins, the Smoky Southern Grilled Chicken is a longstanding favorite at everyone's go-to roadside pit stop. Serve with extra napkins. Make a big batch of these veggies on Sunday, then eat them over rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice all throughout the week.	45 Cheap Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work · Chicken Caesar Lettuce Cups · Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls · Chopped Seasonal fruit and vegetables tend to be inexpensive as well. Bananas are cheap, starchy and filling. Dry pinto beans fair-wind.club › Recipes › Meal Types › Lunch	Cheap main dish lunch ideas · 1. crispy black bean tacos: These come together so fast and are super cheap. · 2 45 Cheap Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work · Chicken Caesar Lettuce Cups · Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls · Chopped Feel free to use a store-bought rotisserie chicken to make these wraps a breeze to meal prep. Recipe: Southwestern	45 Cheap Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work · Chicken Caesar Lettuce Cups · Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls · Chopped Seasonal fruit and vegetables tend to be inexpensive as well. Bananas are cheap, starchy and filling. Dry pinto beans fair-wind.club › Recipes › Meal Types › Lunch
Pasta Salad. Pocket-friendly food bundles will llunch kids and adults alike. Take this Affordable and convenient lunch options version to another level Cleaning supply trial samples add calcium by luhch Monterey Jack cheese onto the bean side of the sandwich. I added some thin sliced tomato and a couple of slices of bacon which proved to be wonderful additions. For a little help on what you can prepare, take a look at the 30 cheap lunch ideas listed below.	With sliced vegetables, a whole-wheat tortilla and baby spinach, these roll-ups make the perfect healthy lunch for your kids to take to school. So we rounded up our favorite make-ahead lunch recipes that are definitely not salads. A paleo and whole30 dish that is definitely going to be a family favorite! Just like a loaded potato, add your favorite toppings and enjoy. If you prefer another salad dressing, feel free to use that instead of our honey-mustard vinaigrette.	45 Cheap Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work · Chicken Caesar Lettuce Cups · Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls · Chopped Seasonal fruit and vegetables tend to be inexpensive as well. Bananas are cheap, starchy and filling. Dry pinto beans fair-wind.club › Recipes › Meal Types › Lunch	Contest-Winning Hearty Hamburger Soup · Garlic Spaghetti · Air-Fryer Black Bean Chimichangas · Spanakopita Casserole Classic Egg Salad Sandwich · Versatile Vegetable Stir-fry · Perfect Panini on a Penny · Homemade Tuna Pasta · Flavorful Chicken Fried Rice 16 Healthy Lunches That Cost Less Than $2 to Make · Tuna and White Bean Salad from Budget Bytes · Orchard Chicken Salad	Save Your Money · Dilly Chickpea Salad Sandwiches · Turkey Spinach Salad with Maple Dressing · Vegan Taco Salad · Chicken 1. Go old school with a sandwich and sides. · 2. Mix things up by making wraps. · 3. Whip up a chicken salad. · 4. Create We're sharing 22 easy lunch ideas including no-cook lunch ideas, lunch salads, and vegetarian lunch recipes!