Bringing your lunch to work can help save money, but it can often feel like yet another thing to do.
Luckily, Dr Sandro Demaio, a public health expert and CEO of VicHealth says, "even swapping just one or two bought lunches per week for a homemade meal will make a significant difference to your general health, your wallet and the environment".
Here are some low-effort ways to get started.
Stock up on pantry staples and assemble simple meals
We asked nutrition experts and a chef for their extremely easy meal ideas and they suggested the following pantry ingredients:
Basics:
- Canned fish
- Canned legumes, such as lentils or chickpeas
- Bread or wraps
- Microwave sachets of rice or quinoa
- Oils, such as olive and sesame
Spices and sauces:
- Spice mixes like shichimi, dukkah or za'atar
- Chilli flakes
- Hummus
- Pickled foods
- Other sauces, such as balsamic vinegar and soy sauce
Put these ingredients to use and make these five easy meals. They're filling meals you can assemble, rather than cook.
Your go-to lunches and recipes to try
We asked the food-lovers on our ABC Everyday Facebook group for their lunch ideas. They shared:
- Leftovers
- Frittata
- Salads, such as lentil, quinoa, and chicken Caesar
- Wraps and sandwiches
- Soups, which could be spiced pumpkin, tomato or chicken noodle
- A school lunch, only bigger
- Overnight oats
- Muesli bars
- Smoothies, made at home and transported to work
- Coffee in a thermos to save money
Find a lunch you love and repeat
If you're feeling overwhelmed, Facebook group member Jo Ward takes the same lunch every day – which can lighten the mental load.
"I have a varied diet generally but have somehow trained myself to expect chicken salad every day," she says.
She poaches chicken the night before, uses ready-made salad mix and finishes with cheese.
"I leave for work at 7am and get home at 6pm, so simplicity is essential."