need cheap bag lunch ideas

[wbh1964]

My hubby has been blessed with a job after a 2 year layoff! His other jobs he was always able to go out to lunch but with this one, it is in a plant and he has to eat a bag lunch there. Microwave is DIRTY and he doesn't want to use it so I am packing sandwiches etc which is getting old...bologna and cheese or sliced turkey and cheese. Any ideas for great lunches to pack would be greatly appreciated! Our grocery budget is very limited so I need to keep things inexpensive.
Thanks for any and all ideas!
Wendy

 

[Gma570]

If he likes salads make those. A head of lettuce is so much cheaper than bagged salad. If he has a way to keep it cool, it will stay fresh.

Also, pasta salads are good (again if he has ice packs to keep them cool)

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

Get a thermos that keeps food hot. Heat leftover dinner food in the morning and put it in the thermos. It will be hot at lunch, no need to use microwave

 

[kbheap]

A twist on sandwiches is wraps. Still a sandwich, I know. But when my kids need a change its always a go to for us. We just take a tortilla and put mayo or honey mustard on it with deli meats and shredded cheese and roll it up. Either serve it cold or heat it on a press in the morning to melt the cheese and then wrap it in aluminum foil to keep it warm throughout the day. My kids love it either way.

 

[kimkoz]

I'm going along the lines of the above person.. switch up the bread. We use leftovers and make creative wraps. Wraps, cheese, sour cream are normally stables in the house - We'll use leftover chicken peices and make fajita style wraps, or use leftover steak/beef peices and do simliar. Normaly those meats I do not mind eating cold similiar to a sandwich.

Bagels with cream cheese

Maybe a snack tray, cut up cheese, pepperoni, crackers.

Or with leftovers too make ham or chicken salad sandwichs..

 

[mjantz]

There are wide mouth thermoses you can buy. My kids each have one & they're great for leftovers.

 

[pixiechick]

keep the ideas coming. Last year, we got bad about packing lunches. Buying them from school is so expensive.

 

[okeydokey]

It might be easier for him to just clean the microwave.

 

[Redwitch]

It might be easier for him to just clean the microwave.

^^^^^^

I pack everyday, but I do occasionally use the microwave. I pack in reusable plastic containers and I have a frozen cold pack that fits in my bag. I do maybe one lunch meat sandwich a week. I also like mini bagels with peanut butter (and sometimes Nutella!) I always pack fruit ~ I cut up cantaloupe, peaches, strawberries, etc in season. Apples and bananas all year. (Peanut butter is good on either and apples and cheddar cheese are great together.) Sometimes I take crackers and cheese (either block or spreadable.) Cold pasta salads are easy as well as traditional salads. With traditional salads, if you keep the ingredients in individual containers and mix at lunch, it stays nicer. I also eat cold left over pizza, it is an acquired taste. Some times I stock up on yogurt and mix in granola type cereals. One cost tip with whatever you decide is not to buy 'lunch pack" sizes. I place a serving from a family size bag of chips or pretzels or whatever in a small container. My only snack size is pudding, which I stock up on when it is on sale for $1.00. I became a pudding addict after I had gum surgery and couldn't chew for two weeks! I also take a granola type bar for a mid-morning snack (I don't eat breakfast) and a can of soda for lunch and a bottle of water or tea (Costco brand) to sip on all day.

 

[wbh1964]

thanks everyone for the suggestions. As for cleaning the microwave, unfortunately he works in a large mfg plant and I think finding somewhere to clean the microwave and then keeping it clean with the usage it gets probably wouldn't be worth it...but I am going to try the thermos...and other ideas!

 

[Mom_Rides]

My DH takes a cold lunch daily. He has a microwave that he can use but he said its just easier to eat a cold lunch. He takes sandwiches (ham and swiss or cheddar/turkey and chedder or pepperjack) and uses different type of breads (whole wheat, wraps, bagel things, sandwich thins, etc). He also switches up what side he takes with his sandwich. Whole fruit, Kashi crackers, low fat Wheat Thins, Sunchips, etc. When he begins to get tired of sandwiches, he'll take cole slaw, pasta salad or regular salad. Before his business expanded and he went into the new building (with the new, less crowded fridge), he would pack a big ice pack in his lunch box.

ETA: Congrats to you and your hubby on his new job!!!!