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Simple, Cheap and Yummy (and healthy) lunches


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Old 25-06-2008, 21:34
a_asbestos
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Any ideas for cheap and healthy lunches?

Sandwiches, salads and pastas get boring after a while but they have the advantage of being made in bulk for the week

I'm always too extravagant in the kitchen - so decide to forget it and buy lunch, but the weather is good and it's nice to enjoy the park with an hour of freedom from the office

Thinking of switching to pitta or wraps, with grilled chicken for next week.

All suggestions greatly appreciated
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Old 25-06-2008, 22:02
BruisedViolet
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I'm just waiting for that website of pictures of someone's lunch every day to be posted again....
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Old 25-06-2008, 22:09
HollyC
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Do you have a toaster at work? We do, and I often have a bagel, assembled at lunch time. I usually have cream cheese, ham, tomato and watercress
Because we have a fridge at work, and I work in a medium sized office, I bring the bagels, ham and cheese in on Monday, so only have to remember to take in the watercress and tomatoes.
The only real disadvantage (well, to most people anyway!) is that I have to have the same lunch every day for a week.
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Old 25-06-2008, 22:09
whoever,hey
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you've inspired me. I'm going to feel really sad though going to the park to eat my lunch
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Old 26-06-2008, 09:27
Quickfade
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I usually make a box with the following for lunch (varies depending on what I have lying around each morning):

A salad base - a mixture of the following: lettuce, cherry tomatoes, peppers, beetroot, sweetcorn, pickled onions, scallions etc.

A lean protein - one or two of the following: hardboiled egg, feta cheese, soft cheese triangles, grilled chicken/turkey, tuna flakes etc.

Condiments - one of the following: pepper, chili sauce, mayonnaise, dressing, salsa etc.

Then a couple of rice cakes or oat cakes for carbohydrates.

I will also take in either a piece of fruit or some plain yoghurt mixed with fruit for a snack.

Today's lunch, for example, is lettuce, peppers, a turkey breast which I panfried in a lime, chili, garlic and soy marinade and half a packet of oat cakes. I also have a small pot of yoghurt to which I have added some frozen mixed berries. Yum!
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Old 26-06-2008, 09:33
Gogfumble
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I'm just waiting for that website of pictures of someone's lunch every day to be posted again....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ginger_...7601368797142/

And this is the tread it's from which may be of help to the OP. Lots of good suggestions there.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...d.php?t=726421
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Old 26-06-2008, 09:39
RAINBOWGIRL22
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Wow - what can I say? Where there Hell does this person find the time?
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Old 26-06-2008, 10:01
indianwells
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One of my favourite lunches is couscous or pasta mixed with some flaked salmon or smoked mackerel, a squeeze of lemon juice, cooked peas, black pepper and some chopped fresh mint.
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Old 26-06-2008, 18:07
ruthiebabie
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OMG - firstly I want that lunchbox and secondly I want her to fill it for me every day.

I took deli wraps to work today thinking I would buy some soup. The canteen soup was carrot and corriander (yuk) so despite the pouring rain I went to the nearest place doing soup and they were doing...carrot and corriander.

So completely uninspired I bought a packet of plain crisps and put those in my wraps. And now I am starving.

EDIT - found the lunchbox - the pink one has my name on it http://www.laptoplunches.co.uk/
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Old 26-06-2008, 18:16
Elanor
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Haha! I was just coming in here, wondering whether I dared post my lunch link again, and thinking that I probably wouldn't get away with yet again, only to find someone had done it for me.

I can honestly say that it hardly takes any extra time at all to do my lunchbox. I usually do it in the evening while I'm doing my dinner. I'm not the only one who does it - look at the LLB Pool on Flickr - loads of other people doing it too!
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Old 26-06-2008, 18:20
Tweacle Tart II
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Wooooot.

I love Elanor's lunchboxes and find myself strangely drawn to looking at them

I'm having chickpea and cream cheese wraps next week for lunch as a tribute to her
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Old 26-06-2008, 20:57
a_asbestos
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thanks for all the suggestions and links.

today was going to be tuna, sweetcorn, pasta but a colleague insisted she treat me to a thai lunch - who was I to say no - I was raised to have manners
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Old 27-06-2008, 19:09
ruthiebabie
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I can honestly say that it hardly takes any extra time at all to do my lunchbox. I usually do it in the evening while I'm doing my dinner.

Well in that case I am sure you won't mind making an extra one up for me....
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Old 27-06-2008, 19:55
Elanor
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Well in that case I am sure you won't mind making an extra one up for me....
Hehe, time wise that would be no trouble. Double the shopping is a different matter though.
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Old 09-07-2008, 21:56
Tweacle Tart II
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I have now ordered a laptop lunchbox and am awaiting it's arrival.

I can't wait to start filling it with lots of yummy things, all inspired by Elanor.

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Old 09-07-2008, 22:02
Elanor
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Ooooh, how exciting! What colour did you get? Please take photos once you start making lunch!
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Old 09-07-2008, 22:42
whoever,hey
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These lunchboxes just seem amazing. Are they real? They're just seems so much variety i cant believe it.
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Old 09-07-2008, 22:49
Elanor
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Are they real? Hehe... Yes, I'm afraid I really am that sad.
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Old 09-07-2008, 22:58
whoever,hey
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Are they real? Hehe... Yes, I'm afraid I really am that sad.
ah right, not sad then at all. in fact i'm shocked and impressed! I'll really look at them now, i thought they were photoshopped before. .
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Old 10-07-2008, 13:13
vidalia
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Here are some photos of Japanese bento box lunches:

http://fiveprime.org/hivemind/Tags/bento
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Old 10-07-2008, 13:18
Gogfumble
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Here are some photos of Japanese bento box lunches:

http://fiveprime.org/hivemind/Tags/bento
They are great, this one is my fave: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28233229@N00/1314026315
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Old 10-07-2008, 19:47
Tweacle Tart II
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Ooooh, how exciting! What colour did you get? Please take photos once you start making lunch!
I plumped for 'Whimsical' but it was a hard choice
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Old 24-07-2008, 18:40
joo-joo
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After reading this thread and seeing the pics of all those lovely lunches, I just had to get myself a laptop lunchbox.

I've been so bored with my lunches lately but this thread has given me lots of inspiration to create healthy but yummy lunches.

I had my first laptop lunch today and this is what I came up with:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v4...t=DSC00068.jpg

Not brilliant but I had some leftovers to use up, which is another thing these laptop lunchboxes are good for. I had half a tin of tuna and 3 sorry looking tomatoes in the fridge which I'm sure I would have ended up throwing away.
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Old 25-07-2008, 13:27
Elanor
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After reading this thread and seeing the pics of all those lovely lunches, I just had to get myself a laptop lunchbox.

I've been so bored with my lunches lately but this thread has given me lots of inspiration to create healthy but yummy lunches.

I had my first laptop lunch today and this is what I came up with:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v4...t=DSC00068.jpg

Not brilliant but I had some leftovers to use up, which is another thing these laptop lunchboxes are good for. I had half a tin of tuna and 3 sorry looking tomatoes in the fridge which I'm sure I would have ended up throwing away.
Oooh, that looks great! I love being able to make a couple of spoonsful of leftovers into part of a nice lunch.
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Old 25-07-2008, 14:46
firefliesuk
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Where do you get the laptop lunchboxes from?
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