Guest post: Bringing your lunch to work

I’ve been “bringing my lunch to work” since I was 5.  The habit started in Kindergarten when my mother used to pack my chicken cutlet sandwiches for me; now, 27 years later, I’m still packing my own lunch and bringing it to work - the only difference is that I have to do it myself (Mom, if you’re reading, please feel free whip up a few sandwiches)!

Packing your own lunch has many benefits and not just the obvious money saving advantages, consider the following before purchasing your lunch at your corporate cafeteria or local pizzeria:

1. You can control calories, fat, salt (nutritional content) if you bring your lunch.
2. You can choose the quality of ingredients by making lunch at home.
3. You can control portion size, if you pack your own lunch.
4. You can control the flavor and spices of your lunch (in other words, you can make it just like you want it).
5. You’re helping the environment by not eating off paper plates, plastic forks/spoons, styrofoam cups, etc. (if you use re-usable containers and lunch bags).

My packed lunches either consist of leftovers from the previous night’s dinner or sandwiches with varying ingredients.  Regardless of whether I bring leftovers or a sandwich, I always include:

1. A low fat yogurt (Trader Joe’s 1% percent lowfat yogurt combines good flavor with decent price)
2. Fruit (usually two pieces consisting of: pear, apple, banana, strawberries, or orange)
3. A bag of nuts: either raw almonds/walnuts or lightly salted peanuts/cashews

In terms of sandwich ingredients, roast turkey breast is my all-time favorite given that it has good flavor and is low fat (let’s face it, if nutrition wasn’t an issue I would be eating Prosciutto di Parma every day!).  I’ll usually pick up anywhere between 1/4 -1/2 pound of turkey from my local deli, though I always purchase the in-house “roasted turkey” which is not a mass produced cold cut with high sodium, but rather a product that is made by the shop.  See if your local deli or fine foods shop sells house made turkey breast.  Alternatively, you can always roast your own turkey breast and cut thin slices (the meat should last 1-2 weeks if properly sealed and stored in the fridge).

My typical turkey sandwich consists of:

1. 100% whole wheat sliced bread (with no high fructose corn syrup)
2. Dijon mustard (applied to both sides of the bread)
3. 3-4 slices of turkey

Other typical sandwich ingredients include hummus, roasted peppers, and Italian tuna in olive oil; these ingredients can produce two other classic sandwiches:

1. Hummus and roasted peppers on whole wheat
2. Tuna in olive oil on whole wheat

My wife and I do tons of cooking at home and we always make a little extra dinner so we can pack our lunches.  Typical foods that store well in a lunch container include:

- grilled chicken
- brown rice
- pasta
- roasted vegetables
- black bean and corn salad
- chili
- stew
- Pork chops (provided you cut up the meat so you’re not making a mess at work!) 

My leftover based lunches get the same sides as mentioned above. Transporting your leftovers in style is also important; I use the LL Bean Lunch Box  (a great deal at $12.50) and store leftovers inRubbermaid Premier products which are microwavable and also dishwasher safe.  

So, stay healthy and save money by bringing your lunch to work.  And if your mom lives near by, who knows, maybe she would be willing to make the occasional sandwich for you!