Centsible Life

Helping Women Live Healthier, Happier, and Wealthier

  • Home
  • All Posts
  • About
    • Disclosure
    • Press
    • Privacy Policy
  • Health
  • Money
    • Make Money from Home
    • What To Buy Series
  • Fashion
    • Beauty
  • Food
    • Menu Plans
    • Recipes
  • Personal Posts
  • Travel
  • Work With Me

6 Ways to Eat on the Go for Less

February 9, 2015 By Kelly 1 Comment

One easy way to cut costs whether you work outside the home, are spending the day out running errands, or traveling is to pack food for your meals. For one person it can save $5-$10 per meal. Add up all your family members it could save you hundreds of dollars every month and thousands each year. Packing food from home will not only reduce your food spending, but you’ll also reduce food waste at home.

When we recently went on an airplane trip with our family of six we prepared by having muffins on hand for the kids for our 4am (!) wake up call and juice boxes to have on the way to the airport. I also packed a bag with sandwiches, fruit, and snacks for lunch. We ate it on the way to our hotel.

6 ways to eat on the go for less

1. Brown Bag your Lunch

The most common way to save big bucks on eating out is to brown bag your lunch. While it may not be as much fun as going out to eat, it doesn’t have to be boring.

Brown bag ideas:

  • Dress up your sandwich with upscale ingredients on a budget, like pesto or sprouts, to make a plain lunch a little more exciting. Sample idea: Leftover roasted chicken from dinner with chipotle mayo and vine-ripened tomatoes on a baguette.
  • Skip the sandwich and go with crackers or tortilla chips and dips like hummus or my easy to make guacamole. Sample idea: Tortilla chips, celery sticks, and carrots with a side of hummus. A piece of fruit for dessert.
  • Use leftover meat to make salad-like chicken salad or turkey salad. Sample idea: Chicken salad with walnuts, and olive oil mayo on choice of bread with an apple on the side.
  • Skip the bread and make a wrap out of lettuce. Sample idea: Lettuce wrap with slices of turkey and cheese topped with mustard.

2. Pack Energy Food

Include high-protein snacks like nuts or seeds for lasting energy that gets you through a long day whether you’re at work, at the park, or on a long road trip. Look for high protein bars for a snack or meal replacement as well such as Think Thin bars.

Some ways to get extra protein for your day:

  • Nut mix
  • Trail mix (just watch that there aren’t a ton of sugary dried fruits)
  • Sunflower seeds
  • High-protein bars
  • Granola bars
  • Peanut butter packs and crackers
  • Hardboiled eggs
  • Hummus and chips
  • Yogurt cup or yogurt ‘squeezer’-especially Greek yogurt
  • Cheese sticks or cubes (or dairy-free cheese if you can’t eat dairy)

3. Snack on Veggies and Fruit

Include fruits and vegetables to make your packed meals more complete, or as simple snacks. Try:

  • adding a side of fruit
  • making a fruit salad
  • adding sliced veggies to your sandwiches
  • put a side salad in your bag
  • make a side of veggies
  • slice veggies in containers or bags in your fridge to grab them when you go out

4. Make it Fun

To keep it interesting, skip the brown bag and use a fun container, bag, or even a throwback lunchbox.

 

Wonder Woman throwback lunchbox

EasyLunchboxes 3-Compartment Bento Lunch Box Containers


Yumbox Leakproof Bento Lunch Box Container

BUILT Gourmet Getaway Lunch Tote

Smart Planet 3-Compartment Eco Silicone Collapsible Lunch Box

Skip Hop Zoo Lunchie Insulated Lunch Bag, Owl

5. Pack up Leftovers

Leftovers make a perfect meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Double up your dinner recipes or cook extra on the weekends to make packing meals easier.

  • Try using perfect chicken leftovers to make a chicken sandwich, chicken salad, or add them to a lettuce wrap.
  • Make tortilla wraps with leftover taco beef and guacamole.
  • Pack up soup and reheat it.
  • Make a quiche to eat for any meal.
  • Make a big salad for the week to use as a side or meal.

6. In a pinch buy it at the store.

If you are short on time you can buy items for less than at a restaurant by shopping at the store. Consider ideas like:

  • baked goods for breakfast
  • sliced deli meats for lunch or dinner
  • stock up at the salad bar
  • prepared grocery meals that will cost less than a restaurant and be healthier than fast food
  • get some staples like a baguette and cheese for a picnic lunch
  • purchase a roasted chicken to eat for dinner and use leftovers for chicken salad or soup
  • buy prepackaged veggies and fruits that are ready to eat
  • look for boxed snacks and meals like Go Picnic snack boxes

We’ve used all these ideas for packing lunches on the go, a quick breakfast, and even dinners. We pack meals for work and school, but we have even packed meals for road trips, airplane rides, day trips, and so much more!

Kelly 

About Kelly


Kelly Whalen is the founder and editor of the Centsible Life. She started the blog in 2008 as her family faced a mountain of debt and the fixer upper they purchased became a FIXER UPPER. The website was born out of her desire to share what was working (and what was not) on her family's journey to financial security. Kelly lives in Minneapolis with her family.

  • View all posts by Kelly →
  • Blog
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Google+

Share:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Email
  • Print

Related

Filed Under: eBay, Food, Money Tagged With: Food, healthy lunches, lunch ideas, pack food, Save Money, save money on food


Comments

  1. Kelly Lester says

    February 10, 2015 at 11:47 am

    Hi Kelly – thank you so much for including my EasyLunchboxes here in your terrific round-up of ways to make eating on the go a little easier 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Pinterest
INSTAGRAM
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Follow by Email
RSS

Hi! I'm Kelly Whalen, writer, frugality expert, debt slayer, and money nerd. Welcome to the Centsible Life, my corner of the internet, where I help women live happier, healthier, and wealthier lives. My goal is to help you save time + money, so you can spend both how you want.

Want to know more about me and learn how Centsible Life has helped readers like you? Click here.

As seen on:

Top Posts & Pages

  • Sleepaway Camp Tips and Packing List
    Sleepaway Camp Tips and Packing List
  • 50 Activities For Kids When There Is No School
    50 Activities For Kids When There Is No School
  • LEGO Friendship Bracelets
    LEGO Friendship Bracelets
  • Spray Paint Closet Door Makeover for $21
    Spray Paint Closet Door Makeover for $21
  • Free Printable Game Day Paper Chain
    Free Printable Game Day Paper Chain
  • Chores & Allowances
    Chores & Allowances
  • 10 Tips For Going Gluten-Free Plus Printable Shopping List
    10 Tips For Going Gluten-Free Plus Printable Shopping List
  • 365 Day Meal Plan with Free Templates & Grocery List
    365 Day Meal Plan with Free Templates & Grocery List
  • Using Chore Cards to Teach Kids Responsibility & Printable Chore Cards
    Using Chore Cards to Teach Kids Responsibility & Printable Chore Cards
  • LEGO Mini Marble Maze Valentine's Day Gift for Kids
    LEGO Mini Marble Maze Valentine's Day Gift for Kids

Archives

Categories

Copyright © 2022 ·Metro Pro Theme · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in

 

Loading Comments...
 

    loading Cancel
    Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
    Email check failed, please try again
    Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.