Grown up lunch box ideas

[hackneylady]

I'm really interested in hearing your lunch box ideas, to try to stop spending money on lunch at work (and to be a bit healthier!).

Here's mine - you can use lots of different veg, whatever is to hand.

www.nigella.com/recipes/view/sesame-peanut-noodles-83

Forgot to add, for the €4 we get a starter, main, desert, cheese and bread.

I think I just answered my own question there didn't i?

We tend to take leftovers from the night before. We eat a lot of one-pot meals like stews and curries, so it's really easy to double up and make extra for the next day.

I do occasionally take sandwiches, but only when I can't be bothered/forget to make anything else.

This has reminded me to make sure I have something for tomorrow! Might do dahl I think

lachatte that's fantastic value

Home made soup is v good - but usually mess up and don't take stuff, so hoping for some good ideas on this thread! I like the mini frittatas, they sounds delicious. If you can freeze them, could you also freeze a big frittata, in slices?

I've been pinteresting. It's great for lunch ideas.

Watching

I made these this week and have taken one to work each day.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2998682/get-up-and-go-breakfast-muffins

I also second Horridhenry's suggestion of the Chicken Laska noodle pot from Sainsburys. Good value at £1.50. There is a similar range called Kabuto noodles, currently 2 for £3 at Sainsburys, the chicken ramen flavour is lovely.

I've been trying to avoid bread for a while so I have been having homemade noodles - just whatever veg I have to hand at home, fry some onions, add chicken stock, veg, noodles and a spoonful of thai curry paste and split between a couple of tupperwares.

Have also made wraps for H, couscous with roasted veg & halloumi or feta.

Lachatte, that seems good value for your lunch. Is it edible or do you have to make a meal when you get home.
In regard to being cost effective.

1. What can you buy for 40 euro?
2. Have you got time to FAFF around most nights?
3. Do you want a different choice at lunchtime?

My dh takes something to warm up, curry chilli, toast & beans etc which is reasonable on cost, if he buys food its £5/6€ worth of crap.

It's actually really nice 99% of the time, so a no brainer really. I've paid up for a month's worth of canteen and am now budgeting the other meals with the pennies that are left (lots of pasta and baked potatoes)!

We did an office visit yesterday .... all of our kitchen crap is moving with us and the stuff there is amazing. No freezer so the team ice creams will have to be eaten before we move. We will however have 3 coffee machines, 6 kettles, 4 microwaves and they are already asking about our toaster ... The best bit is there is enough room to plug them all in.

My DDs, aged 13 and eating adult portions, usually take whatever We've had the night before with rice/pasta/cous cous added. When I do pasta or cous cous for them I cook the packet of pasta and freeze in portions, and enough cous cous for 4/5 meals.

Today they had mini meat balls, made a large batch and the rest will be eaten Tomorrow evening, with their choice of carb as above and a simple tomatoe Sauce. Tonight there's no left overs so it'll be a ham pasta salad Tomorrow with chopped tomatoe and avocado.

Those mini fritata look good but DDs won't eat it heathens I may do some for my snacks when I'm running everyone's errands.