?Raise your hand if you haven’t been brown bagging lunch on the regular!
Way back when Mer and I were ultra spendy we really sucked at brown bagging lunch. We sucked at organizing ourselves food wise and so it only made sense to pass by the food court or drive through to get something to eat at lunch hour.
We seemed to never be prepared, never have enough food, never have enough energy and never be organized enough to actually pack anything to take with us. Apparently we never ran out of excuses too!
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The worst part? There were ALWAYS leftovers sitting in our fridge begging to be eaten. Worse even is that those leftovers often got thrown straight into the garbage because we’d forget about them and let them spoil.
We were so incredibly lazy and really had no idea how much our bad habit was costing us. So, we kept spending hundreds of dollars each month on top of our grocery bill to buy lunches while at work.
Not only did this cost us an absolute fortune but it was super unhealthy. I wish I could tell you that we’d at least make healthy choices and use our money on healthy food. Instead, we’d often turn to pricey convenience foods that were not only heavily processed but full of unnecessary calories, sodium and fat.
Our turning point came when we found ourselves drowning in consumer debt. That debt snowballed because we were over spending and wasting money on things that we could have done ourselves. When we made the radical decision to live a frugal lifestyle to finally take control of our finances we vowed to start brown bagging lunch for good.
Why brown bagging lunch is the best lifestyle change we ever made
First, we saved a ton of money *duh*
Second, we got healthier and by healthier I don’t mean we became marathon runners or super athletic cross fitters. Nope. Instead, our relationship with food changed and we became far more conscious of what we were putting in our mouths.
Now, we struggle with eating out because we’ve become so accustomed to preparing our own food and knowing EXACTLY what goes into it. Added bonus: we both lost a little weight along the way..
In the process of dedicating ourselves to brown bagging lunch, we’ve become pretty savvy at making sure we’re always prepared. Good quality and easy lunch meal options that we can put together at the very last minute to avoid spending any cash on purchased foods is key to our success.
Keep on reading and I’ll tell you EXACTLY how we pull it off.
Frugal living isn’t about depriving yourself ya know? So please don’t think that I’m sending my husband off to work with a can of tinned beans or moldy left overs. Quite the opposite folks! Mer regularly enjoys delicious, healthy and satisfying meals because we’ve implemented a system where we reduce food waste by re-purposing our food for brown bagging lunch.
But, before we get into the nitty gritty of how to commit to brown bagging lunch let’s talk about numbers because you folks know how much I love my numbers!
The financial burden of not brown bagging lunch (aka how much money you’re wasting by eating out)
Did you know that in one year you could be spending approximately $2500 by not brown bagging your lunch?
Statistically speaking the average food court or drive through meal costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $7 – $13. (source) which averages out to about 10 bucks per meal depending on what food choices you make. (That article was published in 2012 and according to what Mer has told me about the goings on at his company the average meal his peers are purchasing are up to around $17. But, for the sake of simplicity we’ll stick to an average of $10)
If a working professional eats out 5 days a week for an entire calendar year with a modest 2 week vacation removed we’re looking at roughly 250 bought lunches or an investment of $2500 per year.
If you work for 10 years and continue with the above pattern you’ve spent a whopping $25 000 on lunches that you could have brown bagged and brought to the job with you!
If your partner does the exact same thing the cost inflates to a cool $50 000 over a 10 year period.
That’s right folks, the cost of your food court and drive through meals could potentially be used to pay off 50k in debt or student loans, a hefty down payment on a house or condo or invested in mutual funds.
See what I’m getting at here?
If we take it one step further – the average person works for approximately 40 years which, at roughly $2500 per year in lunch expenses accrues to a terrifying $100 000 over the span of ones career. A couple would have then shelled out approximately $200 000 on lunches in their lifetime.
That general tao chicken, burger, chic a fila or whole foods buffet you’re eating on a daily basis cost you the equivalent of a very comfortable home in many areas of the country.
Laying out the numbers is scary as hell am I right? But, sometimes it’s the only real way to call attention to the magnitude of our poor spending choices and how wasteful they have the potential to be. It always seems that in the moment the small amount we’re spending is insignificant but when it becomes a routine part of your lifestyle it’s critical to examine the long term effects of that choice ya know?
So, how do we do it? Let’s get right to it.
5 tips for making brown bagging your lunch a breeze
Cook with the intention of always having leftovers
When I cook a meal for our family of 3 I always make enough to produce at least 3 extra portions.
Why? Leftovers are your absolute best friend when it comes to brown bagging a lunch. If you do this consistently throughout the week you’ll have a variety of leftovers to pick from so you’re not stuck eating the same food you had for dinner at lunch the next day.
Variety makes brown bagging easy because it gives you plenty of choices to choose from in your fridge. Generally, I cook 6 portion sized meals on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. This makes lunches for the rest of the week an absolute breeze! If you’re looking for some easy dinner inspiration here are 135 5-ingredient meals that will totally blow your mind.
Freeze extra food you wont get a chance to eat
To keep our food waste at zero and to prevent against unforeseen circumstances I always freeze at least one portion of each of our leftovers immediately after making it.
Why? Stuff happens and things come up and sometimes there isn’t anything available for brown bagging lunch. Well, that’s not an excuse in our house because we’ve got a good assortment of frozen leftovers waiting to be eaten.
Pop out a frozen meal in the morning and it’s adequately thawed and ready to be reheated by lunch.
Stock your pantry and freezer with easy lunch solutions
If cooking large meals doesn’t fit with your lifestyle you can easily start brown bagging lunch by making wise shopping choices and loading up your freezer and pantry with essentials that make packing a lunch easy.
I’ve always got tins of canned fish, beans, chick peas and lentils in our pantry and our freezer is stocked with frozen breads and tortillas.
Salads topped with tuna or salmon or a delicious combination of chick peas, lentils and capers make for a super healthy and easy lunch option. As long as you’ve got some go-to staples laying around you’ve got everything you need to pack up a delicious and cost effective brown bagged lunch.
Have appropriate brown bagging lunch gear
Transporting lunches safely in good quality and spill proof containers is a must. Years ago we invested in the Lock and Lock by Starfrit . I cannot tell you how much I love these! They are super convenient, BPA free, easy to clean , do well in the dishwasher and most importantly completely spill proof. I highly recommend these to anyone who is going to adopt a brown bag lifestyle. They guarantee that your food will survive the trip with you and not leave you with frustrating leaky messes!
If you need a little incentive to get you going I’m totally going against my frugal principles here and suggesting you spend some money on a gorgeous lunch bag and water bottle. Small changes like this make a world of difference when it comes to keeping you motivated and committed to this new lifestyle change.
Be Commited
Making a radical change to your lifestyle is never easy.
At first, brown bagging might seem like an enormous amount of work but once you find a system that works for you it just becomes a natural part of your daily routine. In our house, while Mer loads the dishwasher I pack lunches for the next day, freeze an extra portion for a rainy day and portion out the rest to keep in the fridge.
It’s become such a normalized part of our day to day life that we don’t even realize we do it and we can get the process done in less than 10 minutes flat. Be consistent, I promise you’ll love love love all the money you’ll save!
Even more This Tiny Blue House posts you might enjoy
- How brewing the best cup of coffee saves you thousands
- TTBH’s super easy $1000 savings plan
- 35 legitimate side hustles you can do online
- 5 grocery shopping tips that will save you money
- 10 things you can do right now to save money
I want to hear from you!
How often do YOU brown bag your lunch?
I can’t agree more with you! Packing lunch is the best way to save money AND eat healthier!
Absolutely! Thank you for reading.
I’ve always been a lunch-packer, mainly because I have so many food restrictions that it’s easier to bring my own. Who knew that all those meals out would cost so much money!
I can’t even imagine how difficult that must be for you!!
Great post! I always bring a lunch. It’s always healthier and cheaper!! Can’t go wrong with the brown bag!
Yup! It’s such a great way to stick to a budget!
I am a huge fan of leftovers, and usually take them for lunch, you are right that it can save a ton of money.
They sure do! Thanks for reading Emily!
So true! So interesting how this change actually changed your relationship with food. At the moment my hubby has a soup lunch at his work canteen – cheaper than I could make. I kind of miss sending him with leftovers! 🙂
Thanks for reading and stopping by!
Those facts and figures are insane, you can buy a house with that in some areas! These tips are also vital, I’m going to save this to take them on board!
Yup! It’s crazy right?
I couldn’t agree more! I’m amazed looking at my money spent each month by how easy it is to save a couple hundred dollars by just not eating out.
I do need to get better at freezing leftovers that won’t be consumed in a timely manner. I absolutely hate “meal prepping”, however, I always cook extra throughout the week.
My favorite is cooking several pounds of chicken in the crockpot and shredding it so that I can have several different types of meals with that one meat: chicken salad, tortilla soup, chicken enchiladas, etc.
Thanks again for such a great post!
This is an awesome way to make sure you’ve got food ready to go! Thanks for sharing!
My boys have taken their lunch to school everyday since they started school, instead of buying. Since they are both in HS – one a senior, one a sophomore and one now out on his own, starting graduate school, it has been a long run of packing lunches. I have never regretted this. I hate cleaning out the fridge and finding things we should’ve/could’ve eaten that are going to waste. Nice post!
Same here! We really try to keep our food waste next to zero and nothing upsets me more than having to throw away food!
You are so right! Eating out can add up tremendously! I am usually pretty good about packing lunch and eating leftovers. I tend to each lunch out with friends only on Friday. It is a nice way to end the week! 😉
When it’s a treat it’s different than a habit ya know? If it’s only once per week it isn’t the end of the world!
When I worked in an office, I always used to pack my own lunch, so I totally stand by your tips!
Thanks for reading Nicola!
I love these tips. I work from home so I always make lunch at home. Its so much easier and healthier!
Thanks for reading Neely!
I’ve saved so much money by bringing my lunch. I ate out a lot at my last job and it was crazy to see how fast it all added up!
It’s crazy right!? We did this for years and it’s insane how much money we wasted!
I had no idea you could save so much by brown bagging it! I work out of home now, but when I was a teacher I always brought my lunch. It was partly out of necessity. I am vegan and gluten free so I couldn’t eat the cafeteria food – and who would want to anyway! Even when I wasn’t a teacher, I preferred bringing my own lunch.
Scary right?? Thanks for reading Willow!
I totally agree, we always take our lunches from home, not only to save money but it means we eat healthier too!
Sure does! Affordable healthy options are hard to come by!
I usually pack my lunch because I’m a vegetarian, but I’m looking into doing that more now. These tips definitely motivate me to make it more of an intentional commitment!
Glad you found it helpful! Thanks for reading!
I love eating out but I know better than to do it all the time. I do the overcook and freeze thing all the time
Good for you! What’s your favourite freezer meal?
Anything I can freeze!
I am all about this. I always make more with the intention of sending leftovers with my husband for lunch the next day. I did not think about freezing things and am loving the idea of these containers. Do you freeze the food in these containers?
You can! I often freeze my leftovers in small zip lock bags and lay them flat. This way they unthaw very quickly. I just put the ziplock of frozen food into the container and send it with Mer! He then dumps the food into the container and warms it!
Love all these tips! We are fans of leftovers and often take them for lunch the next day. And yes, appropriate containers are a must!
The right containers are game changers! Thanks for reading Brittany!
So true! I’ve always brought my lunch. To me it seemed such a waste of money to buy food everyday and most of it isn’t good for you anyway!
So true! Healthier options are available but they come at an even pricier cost!
Love these tips! My husband and I always try to brown bag it – but sometimes I drop the ball. I think these tips (ESPECIALLY freezing food) will really help us stay on top of it. Thanks for sharing!!
Freezing food is a game changer because you literally have no excuse ya know? It really helped us stay on top of our plan!
Great article. It’s so true that the little things add up. I confess, when i had 4 kids to take to the movies I would carry a big handbag and stuff it with dollar store candy and popcorn I made at home. LOL
There’s no shame in that mama! I do the same 🙂
I completely agree with you! I bring my lunch to work with me every day – it’s amazing how much those savings add up. Plus, then I don’t feel bad about spending a little more on quality groceries 🙂
This is such a great point! By brown bagging your reducing your overall food costs which gives you a little more money to buy better quality grocery!
I bring tv dinners / frozen meals to work, so while it isn’t the healthiest, it is sooo much cheaper than eating out every day!
Very true! If it works for you then keep on keeping on!
Packing lunch is such a great way to save money! I need to get better about it!
It really is! I hope you can find a method that works for you!
I need to get organized with this. Mainly in the morning i just run around putting things into bags hoping I come up with a lunch lol!! I’ve given up on the drive thru but still am not organized enough to actually plan. Great article and an important topic!
This is exactly how we used to be. Focusing on a little organization (Freezing things, prepping ahead of time) really does make the process far easier!
THIS ENTIRE POST IS FREAKING GOLDEN! My husband and I did a budget and we (mostly he) spend SO MUCH on food! It’s pretty much throwing money away! I stay home with the kids so I don’t eat out much but he is always forgetting his lunch that I make so then he goes out for lunch and it really does add up so fast!
This made me laugh because I totally feel you. When we first decided to live a more frugal lifestyle and I was still testing the waters with this brown bagging thing I had packed my husband a ridiculous lunch of pantry things that really didn’t work together. I was so committed to not having him buy a lunch that I literally put together odds and ends that had no business being together. Sure enough, that lunch was in my refrigerator the next morning after he’d left for work. I realized that he probably thought my food was gross and put something together for him (grilled cheese sandwich and fruit I think) and drove it to him. He later admitted that the lunch I’d put together was gross and he’d purposely left it! He never forgot his lunch again because I think he realized I’d bring it to him if he did!
I had never thought through the numbers like that! We brown bag it most of the time with only going out for lunch once every two or three weeks but even that I feel like will add up! Thanks for sharing and the encouragement!
Thanks for reading Rachel. Once every so often is seriously not the end of the world but you’re right it still does add up!
I never thought about how much money is wasted by eating out! Will keep these tips in mind when I go back to work!
It’s a small fortune unfortunately! Thanks for reading Chryssy!
I’ve been packing lunches for myself and my husband for about 2 years now, and it definitely makes a huge difference! Thanks for the tips!
Thanks for reading Christine! Good job on brown bagging it!
I LOVE leftovers (less work the next day, knowwhatImean?), but my hubby almost always gets them for work. I don’t often have enough ingredients to double every recipe (family of six so I already feel like I make quite a bit), but if we have any leftovers they go to him.
He works a 24-hour shift, so he takes three meals and stocks up on snacks. Not only does this save money, but it’s also healthier, because one of his alternatives is the “roach coach,” which tends to have greasy food that leaves him with a stomachache.
Recently, I’ve been prepping a whole bunch of salads since we’ve been getting a lot of greens in our garden. I have six tupperware containers and I prep them all at once. I put different piles of ingredients, and when he’s ready to eat he adds dressing and mixes it all up. My usual blend is lettuce/greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, red cabbage, chicken, roasted chick peas, and cheddar cheese. Since his days “off” are usually filled with side work, he can easily grab one of these and not worry about heating it up on a job site.
When we go somewhere as a family – say, the aquarium – I’ll pack a picnic in a cooler. In the past I’ve done pb&js or easy sandwiches, but I’m trying to cut back on wheat/bread so we do lots of “picky lunches.” This is basically piles of different things – slices of meat, cheese, fruit, veggies, crackers, etc. Then we all share. If we use paper plates and napkins, we bring them home to get recycled and/or composted.
I consider eating out more of a luxury, a special treat, and hardly ever do so. I admit, I do wish I could afford it more often, because I get sick of the constant plan, prep, cook, clean, repeat ad nauseam.
I’m seriously impressed lady. Clearly, this idea gets far more involved and complicated when you’re already cooking for a large family. We’re only 3 so by cooking 6 portions I’ve got dinner, freezer and lunches taken care of know what I mean? Have you thought of perhaps freezing single servings of tomato sauce and meatballs? I have a friend who has a large family and she’ll often freeze her leftover sauce in single serve portions. When there are no leftovers to take for lunch she’ll just boil up some pasta and refrigerate it white and then take the sauce out of the freezer to be added at meal time and heated.
YES! I do make many things ahead of time and do most of my cooking from scratch… but then I don’t always remember to thaw! Arrrrgh! I make tomato sauce in the crock pot (usually makes two big jars’ worth) as well as chicken broth with the bones we save (I freeze that in freezer-safe tupperware). Unfortunately many of the “easy” meals I could make for the family are things I’m trying to avoid – what pasta, meatballs with bread crumbs, etc. When I do make meatballs, though, I dump a jar of sauce and a bag of meatballs in the crock pot – super easy! I love my crock pot. In fact, I’m going to prep something for dinner right now. 🙂
Crockpots are the best! They make it so so easy to prepare meals.
Love this so much. We treat eating out as a fun, special activity to do with intention, and it’s not only so much more fun that way, we save so much money AND stay healthy.
I can’t wait to have more freezer space to make it even easier to meal prep!
I love everything about your comments. Eating out with intention is awesome. We were OUT OF CONTROL and there was no intention apart from it being easy 😉 I think that if you can control it and not let it get out of hand then eating out with intention is an awesome idea!
The last time my husband and I went out to eat, the waitress told my husband he was spoiled.
After quizzing the waitress on ingredients and cooking techniques used at this particular chain restaurant, he complained the food was a little plain and tasteless.
We cook a lot from scratch, buy beef by the half animal and use mostly fresh foods. So much yummier and so much cheaper!
Cooking techniques in restaurants and fast food chains always intrigue me too so I think it’s awesome your husband asked those questions. Restaurant food can be very underwhelming which is such a great motivator for cooking yourself am I right?
I need to do this – have unhealthy leftovers in my fridge as we speak. Have to go clean it out. Thanks!
Thanks for reading Melissa!
HAHA this makes me so disgusted with my husband and myself! We have such an issue with fast food, which is crazy since he is ALWAYS working and cannot leave for lunch and I here at home with three kids all the time lol, but we spend so much money of restaurants and fast food. I love how you break it down financially, which is why I want to vomit at all the money we have wasted! Our biggest struggle is committing to and sticking with a more frugal and healthy approach. You have inspired me to try to give it a go one more time lol, so thank you for that! Awesome post!
I get it. I really do. My husband and I were EXACTLY the same way. Once we committed to living more frugally we were so impressed by the amount of control we had over our money that it really became second nature. Best of luck if you decide to give it a go – I’d love to hear your progress so feel free to give me a heads up or email me.
Great article and so true – brown bagging it saves money! We do this when we’re taking long road trips. I can’t stand to eat fast food, so I pack healthy lunches for us and keep it all in a small ice chest in the back seat. 🙂
Yes! It’s such a great way to save cash on road trips. Pit stops are notorious for over priced unhealthy food!
Being committed is the kicker! When you have a goal to cave for, it makes all the difference to stay on track! Thanks for the tips!
Thanks for reading Megan!
We love to brown bag at our house. Being committed is key, plus always cooking with brown bagging in mind.
Yup! It’s all about commitment!! Thanks for stopping by TTBH Terri!
These are awesome tips! I have been a brown bagger for a long time for so many of the reasons you mentioned. I always cook with leftovers in mind, but I’ve never thought to freeze a single serving before! That is such a smart way to make sure you always have something on hand.
Freezing single portions is AWESOME. Usually we just take them out of the freezer the morning of and they are good to go by lunchtime. Now that I’m home with Margsy it’s also a great way to make sure this kiddo gets a well balanced meal. I love that we’ve always got a few options to pick from.
Eating out is SO expensive! When I was working full time outside of the home I always packed my lunch. You get to pack exactly what you like and save so much money too!
True. I love having the flexibility of eating exactly what I want and not being limited. Thanks for reading Joscelyn.
WOW do I need to start doing this. I buy food at least twice a day during the school year when I’m always on the go. It’s the only thing I can’t get myself to save on. But seeing those numbers is scary.
It’s not easy to give up eating out if that’s become a part of your lifestyle. Even cutting down to 3 times per week would be a HUGE money saver over the long-term.
That’s some painful math facts right there! I almost always cook with the intention of having leftovers for lunch the next day. And they taste better too!
Yup! I love love love leftovers. Depending on what you make some are absolutely better the next day. Stews reheat especially well.
Those numbers are insane! I can’t believe that’s the total cost over longer time periods. I definitely need to revisit my approach to lunches, because I have the same issue your family had. These are such great tips to get me started!
It’s crazy right? We had no idea. I mean, we did but we didn’t really get the long-term financial implication of buying our lunch day after day. Looking at it long term is a guaranteed eye opener! Thanks for reading Kate!
I brown bag lunch every single day. Without fail. I’m not a big fan of eating out and with a little meal prep Sunday lunch for the week is super easy.
Good for you Jill! It’s such a great investment of time! ?
Trust me this is one of the useful post that each and every one must read… I always pack lunch for my hubby and its pretty healthy too…. Those numbers insane!
The numbers are crazy right? Thanks for reading Kitty!
When I was a junior high teacher, I would always brown bag it…not only is it cheaper, but I always had so much to do during lunch break, GOING somewhere wasn’t worth it. (I also hardly ate in the teacher’s lounge–typically at my desk while grading/planning)
TOTALLY get this. Way back when I was teaching I had no choice but bring food – otherwise I wouldn’t eat. It was impossible to leave the building because our lunch period was only 50 minutes.
I usually always bring my lunch and my husband does too! It really does save so much time and doesn’t tempt me to go eat bojangles!
What is bojangles?
Wow! I knew you could save money, but not that much! Insane, but oh so good! One of my goals this year is to not buy lunch. I did okay last year (I’m a school nurse, so I work school years lol) but I really hope to not buy lunch at all this year. Great tips!
xo, Lily
Beauty With Lily
The numbers are really shocking when you do the math! Good luck with your goal! I’d love to hear about your progress so feel free to head back here and keep me updated!
I always take in my own lunch (usually basked potato and something to heat up in the microwave at work). It probably costs me about 50p a day. Where as some colleagues get lunch from the cafe next door spending around £3.50 every day. I’m beginning to wonder if they’re on higher wages than me, because I know I wouldn’t be able to afford that every day!
They probably aren’t. It’s really quite interesting how people who can’t really afford to eat out constantly still do! Thanks for reading Nikki!
Wow! This is awesome. I have got to get on the meal planning and packing my lunch trend. It’s awesome how much money I could be saving.
SOOO true! I am totally putting a couple of these methods into effect at my house. Our goal is to save $ and eat healthy, which a packed lunch totally covers. Thanks for the tips!
You really put into perspective how much I spend on my lunches!! I need to get prepared and stay committed! $2500 is a lot to save by such a little financial change!
Joy
http://www.basicallyjoy.com/
These are some awesome tips and suggestions. Yes, brown bagging it can save tons of money and can be better for your health.
Absolutely! Thank you so much for reading.
Wow! Knowing the facts changes things!
A great post I’ve book marked it, do you know what, I dread to think how much I’ve spent buying a freshly packed sandwich everyday, all I know is it’s going to be hundreds and hundreds of pounds!!! :/