You can toss 3 pounds of frozen chicken, a packet of taco seasoning, a cup of water, and a ounce jar of salsa in a crockpot. Then drain out some of the juice leave some in the pot!

Open a can of corn and chickpeas plus whatever else you love and put equal amounts in each container. Then make separate bags of lettuce, cheese and tortilla chips for each day. Put your tacos or taco bowls together at lunch so they stay fresh.

For a fresh side to add to it, buy yourself some carrots, peppers and a dressing for dipping. Now here are some practical savings tips to help you get an even bigger bang for your lunchtime buck. One: You create accountability.

Two: You can save money. If you two or three plan your recipes just right, you can split grocery costs. And three: This chore is way less boring with a friend. So, crank up the good times playlist and rock those cheap lunch ideas. Want another grocery savings hack?

Cut up your own fruits and veggies. Buy the full bag of chips or pretzels and sandwich bags. On Sunday, create your own individual portions for the whole week. Purchase some small Tupperware and make your own ranch or hummus cups for those veggies. Buy the large tub of Greek yogurt.

you get the idea! Worth it. Pro tip: Hey, those name-brand chips might be calling your name because of the fancy bag and better marketing. Not because of the better flavors. But those eye-catching packages and all that marketing costs the company money.

which, in turn, costs you money. Try generic brands , cut out that middle man, and save some serious money in your grocery budget. Go ahead and portion it out for a few lunches that week! Winner winner, leftover dinner. Loyalty is a fantastic quality.

It makes you a great friend, family member and worker. But loyalty to a grocery store could be zapping your grocery budget. So shop around for the cheapest grocery store in your area. Yes, really. Even with subscription fees and tips, sometimes this method can help you stay on budget.

You watch the total add up and can delete things from your cart before you check out. However you find the best prices, save your loyalty for your relationships with people—not pricey grocery stores. Breakfast, lunch, dinner—and even snacks.

Whatever the reason, first—bravo for being proactive with your money. Budgeting is simply making a plan for your money. Every single dollar. Because you work hard for it!

And it should work hard for you! That would go so dang far in helping with those savings goals. Time to fill your stomach without emptying your bank account.

Bon appétit! Get started for free with EveryDollar. Ramsey Solutions has been committed to helping people regain control of their money, build wealth, grow their leadership skills, and enhance their lives through personal development since Millions of people have used our financial advice through 22 books including 12 national bestsellers published by Ramsey Press, as well as two syndicated radio shows and 10 podcasts, which have over 17 million weekly listeners.

Learn More. Trusted Services. Free Tools. Sign In Get Started. We're Hiring! See Openings. Go old school with a sandwich and sides. Mix things up by making wraps. Whip up a chicken salad. Create charcuterie bento boxes. Just need a quick meal out at a cheap restaurant? Try these ideas…. Little Caesars.

Perfect to take to a soccer game and eat in the stands rather than taking everyone to the drive thru. Just load up on fruit and veggies after the game. Photo Credit: Janine. We can usually get 3 meals out of one pizza.

When we do order pizza which is extremely rare because I married a man that makes pizza from scratch better than a NYC food truck , this is where we head to. Perfect for a super frugal date night out. If you have potty trained children, they also have 30 minutes of childcare available in a really fun space with climbing equipment and ball pits.

Send the kids to play, go find a comfy couch to test out while you recharge and then have a quick lunch. Perfect for a quick lunch on errands day. This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here. I am ALL about going out to eat for avoiding insanity!

I wish we had a Wegmans close by again… I love that grocery store!!! Happy to share Aspen! I just told my husband last night that proximity to a Wegmans would be a huge factor in deciding where we move to.

However, dining out is one thing we really enjoy. But, we never go without a coupon or a deal. It really does make it as cheap as eating at home. Especially if you can control your portions and bring leftovers home. We usually save eating out for when life gets in the way, since dining out with a 2 year old and a newborn is soooo not fun.

But writing this post made me so hungry for Olive Garden, that we ended up there the day I finished this. I realize this is well-meant… but are you suggesting that a human being can survive for a week on nothing but Olive Garden and PBJs?

Technically yes. People can survive on much, much worse. Whether or not you would want to is totally up to you. The main reason we eat out so much? Games and practices from pm to am. My husband noticed that I do best on days when I fix all the days meals during breakfast-when my energy is higher and I am not drained.

So I toss stuff in the crockpot on low in the morning or on high depending on if the meat is frozen or not around pm.

I hope that helps and invigorates you to keep going with the at home dinner. We love Wegmans too! If you sign up for their email list you get — buy one meal get one FREE!

They send the coupon out every once in a while but you can use it over and over until expires! The burritos were plenty big enough that we each brought home leftovers!

They also have a salsa bar—there five different ones available when we went. Costco is pretty cheap for a slice of pizza or a hotdog. Taco Bell bean burritos are one of our regular cheap eats.

Some of the local area restaurants have lunch deals which could be saved and reheated for dinner, too! If I arrived BEFORE 5pm I could get dinner at lunch price and my kids ate for free.

We would usually stay at the restaurant for close to an hour. More recently I have gone with my mother and she always gets a baked potato to go — to add to her scrambled egg in the morning.

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Create charcuterie bento boxes Prep salads for the week Try mason jar salads

Lunch bargains for every budget - Whip up a chicken salad Create charcuterie bento boxes Prep salads for the week Try mason jar salads

By utilizing affordable ingredients creatively, you can create budget-friendly and mouthwatering meals. When preparing affordable lunches, certain ingredients shine in terms of cost-effectiveness and nutritional value. Some examples include eggs, canned tuna, chickpeas, vegetables, lentils, and rice.

These ingredients are versatile, packed with nutrients, and readily available in most grocery stores. To make this simple yet delicious recipe, boil eggs, chop them up, and mix them with mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper.

Serve the egg salad on whole wheat bread with lettuce and tomato. The cost calculation for this lunch is low, and you can enjoy it with a side of fresh fruit or vegetable sticks.

A vegetable stir-fry is a versatile and affordable option for a nutritious lunch. Sauté an assortment of colorful vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, and snow peas in a pan with olive oil, soy sauce, and garlic.

Serve over a bed of cooked rice or noodles. This lunch idea offers a great balance of flavors and textures and you can customize it with your favorite vegetables.

Who said gourmet sandwiches are a café-only delicacy? Elevate a basic sandwich into a crispy, golden delight. Start with some day-old bread it grills better!

and layer in budget-friendly ingredients like canned tuna, leftover roasted veggies, or even that last slice of cheese. Drizzle olive oil or a smear of butter outside for that rich, golden crust.

You can create a satisfying pasta dish using canned tuna as the star ingredient. Add canned tuna, tomato sauce, and seasonings like Italian herbs, salt, and pepper.

Combine the cooked pasta with the tuna sauce and have a tasty and budget-friendly lunch option. Transform leftover cooked rice and chicken into a delicious fried rice that is affordable and flavorful.

Stir-fried diced chicken, mixed vegetables, and cooked rice with soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in a pan. You can customize this quick and easy lunch idea with additional ingredients like scrambled eggs, green onions, or sesame oil for added depth of flavor.

Lentils are a budget-friendly pantry staple that you can transform into a comforting and nutritious soup. Your can throw beans on the side or in the quesadilla, w hichever your child prefers.

Watch the size of the mandarins or clementines you have, too. These mini pizzas are a delicious, easy option for lunches.

Split the muffin or bagel in half, top with red sauce and cheese, and broil them for about 2 minutes to get the perfect mini pizza. These are all portioned out for a child around years old, so older or bigger kids might need more food packed.

You can double the portions of some items or add more items to these to make a lunch appropriate for an older child or teenager. Prices per lunch are just estimates: As mentioned, I used my tips and tricks I previously shared to save money on school lunches.

This made it fairly simple to get the prices per serving down as low as I could. One smart option, for example, would be to buy just fruits or veggies instead of the many I used here, and switch those out. Or you might opt to just use bread and tortillas instead of going in for pitas and English muffins, as well.

You can easily make a copy of this spreadsheet and edit it to customize the menu. Click the thumbnail of each to see and download the PDF file for each. Check out my 2-week school lunch menu to print out 10 cheap lunch ideas and a matching grocery […].

You Might Also Like My Career Break Failed Because Fear Got the Best of Me August 1, if you have a little wiggle room with the price of your lunch, a jammy soft-boiled egg would be an excellent addition. In a hurry? Turn to this four-ingredient, five-minute brown bag cheap lunch idea no refrigeration required!

that will please kids and adults alike. With crunch from granola and creamy, salty peanut butter holding everything together, this ridiculously affordable lunch allows for a lot of wallet wiggle room to add sides like a banana and a cheese stick.

From there, it takes just four minutes of cooking time to reach gooey provolone perfection inside these economical eats. Make this your own with your favorite meat, cheese, and dressing. Try the same ratios with different building blocks for a new flavor experience each time.

Do you like ramen but dislike all the preservatives in those little seasoning packets? Then try this jar of goodness made with ingredients you can pronounce beef stock, teriyaki sauce, fresh ginger, garlic , plus satisfying shredded chicken for a protein boost.

All that can be yours in this cheap lunch idea for work—for less than two bucks per serving. Enjoy the flavors of an epic holiday dinner any day of the year with these flatbreads topped with smashed sweet potatoes, sliced ham, melty mozzarella, and cranberry sauce.

All of this can be yours just 25 minutes from now! We call for starting with whole sweet potatoes , microwaving, and mashing with orange juice.

If you're too busy to invest the full 25 into prepping for this cheap lunch idea, snag a package of mashed sweet potatoes from the refrigerated produce section during your next grocery run.

Say "See ya! Instead, mash up homemade meatless patties. You can absolutely afford to make it a double with pantry staples like canned beans , corn, salsa, and rice.

Potatoes never break the bank, but they can get soggy if cooked and stored in specific ways. When you sauté up a hash made with potato cubes rather than shreds , spuds are perfect for a pack-and-reheat cheap lunch idea. Try it out with this minute Mexican meal—and add some grilled chicken or steak for extra hunger-fighting protein.

Bring the whole avocado with you to slice and add to the cheap lunch for work immediately before serving. Alternatively, grab a single-serving cup of premade guacamole from the supermarket instead. Use limited data to select advertising.

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