A frugal lunch for dh, etc?

[justjenn]

I make dh's lunch everyday that he goes to work. In his bucket I put Lil' Debbie Cakes, a sandwich, candy bar, etc in it. Dh has gotten tired of everything I put in there. He even goes with me sometimes, and we just can't seem to think of anything different to put in his lunch.

I want to make him a lunch that will be a little different, but at the same time frugal. Can you help me with some ideas?

[Jerseygirl]

We take dinner leftovers usually-sometimes I mix it up-Weds night I made rotini pasta with tomato and mushroom sauce, so for lunch on Thurs. I made pasta salads for us, tonight I made chicken, rice and veggies for dinner, tomm we will have a green salad with chicken chunks and croutons. If you plan ahead and make enough for leftovers it is so much cheaper and easier than trying to plan cold cuts etc for sandwiches. Also when I make ham or turkey I slice some for sandwiches. We very rarely do the little debbie snack thing anymore, same thing with candy etc. although if I can pick it up really cheap I will hide it in the kitchen and send it in once per week as a treat. I usually send a banana or apple and maybe a bag of pretzels-buy a big bag and divide into individual servings. I send dh a can of soda, I usually take homemade iced tea or water with lemon in a reusable container.
I can truly understand what you are going through with this learning process. I have only been on top of our finances for the past 3 years--I promise-if you work at it, it will quickly become habit and become easier for you. Good Luck!

[KathiS]

How about making tuna salad and putting it in a small container and including crackers? Could use different crackers for variety. Also could cube up some lunchmeat and cheese. Could cut up fruit and include some vanilla yogurt ( or whatever flavor your DH likes) to dip the fruit in. Make his sandwiches in pita pocket bread or roll cheese and meat in a tortilla. How about a bean dip and chips once and a while? Could layer it in a small container with beans, avacado and cheese. You could even make a tuna or chicken salad and cut out part of the inside of a tomato and put the salad in it. Hope you can use some of these ideas.

[milach]

I find the most frugal thing is leftovers if he has access to a microwave. I know lunch meat can be so expensive, especially if your dh eats like a horse like mine does. If I buy lunch meat- he'll have me make 3 sandwiches piled high with meat, so 1 lb doesn't last very long here. Plus, one can only take so much turkey, ham, and roast beef.

A couple nights a week, dh will be gone overnight because he has a project to finish up 300 miles away (he works for a Cable TV contracting co). The company he works for gives him a $20.00 a day meal allowance, which is really not much with his appetite. So what I'll do is pack a bowl, spoon and a couple cans of Campbell's ready to serve soups with crackers and leftover rolls. The hotel has a microwave- so it's a real cheap meal, compared to eating out at a restaurant. He still gets $20.00 a day whether he spends $3.00 or $40.00.

Laura

[wife228]

This may not be frugal but I make my own bread every week and each week I make something different. I make a loaf of bread and then make sandwich rolls for lunch that week. I freeze them and take one out of the freezer the night before so he always has a fresh roll. I use leftover chicken, or turkey to make salad with. Each day I put a different condiment on his sandwich, one day it might be tomato, lettuce or onions, sometime even fresh mushrooms if I have them. He always has a sandwich with a different meat and cheese each day. I'm lucky to have a store here that is run by Amish and everything is sooooooo cheap. I go once a month and stock up. When I get home, I take the meat and wrap it in individual portions in saran wrap and freeze. I rotate the meat so each day he gets something different. I get abuot 5-8 pounds of cheese and put 2 of each slice in between waxed paper and when I have 12 slices I wrap it up and freeze it. That is enough for the week.
I also make macaroni, bean and potato salad for him during the summer. Home made pickles honor his lunch once in a while.
Today he had leftover sausage from last night. I sliced it lenghtwise and added cheese and some sauce to it and he said it was great. The single guys he works with envy him for the home made everything he gets in his lunch. One of the guys gave him $10 for his lunch one day. He wants to marry me too.

[cody15650]

We take letover in our lunch, like whatever I made for supper. Then we put in some fruit, fresh or canned. Then some cookies , made or bought. If there is candy in the house some of it too. Sometimes a sandwich too, depending how hungry he is.