How to Save Money Eating Lunch

The Healthy Work Lunch

So many times during the work week you go out for lunch. At said outside lunch, you then shell out at least $5.00 usually. Typically it’s closer to $10.00 if you want to eat something remotely healthy.

Let’s do some simple math:

An average of $7.50 per lunch/per work day.

260 Work Days x 7.50 =$1,950.00

If you start working at 22 and retire at 65, you are paying $83,850.00 over your working career to pay for your lunch.

You could save up and buy a Porsche 911 for roughly that same cost at your retirement age.

I know this calculation assumes you have no food cost. So let’s calculate the cost of this lunch:

Pork Chops : $12.60 for 2

Butternut Squash Puree: 8.40 for 2

Coconut Milk: $2.00

Cost: $23.00  or $4.60 per work day. If your lunch cost this for the rest of your working career it would cost you $51,428. Still a savings of  $32,422.00 

With that savings you can do the following:

1- Awesome Viking Cruise

2- Down payment on a house

3- Buy a new car

So it still saves money.

In our household, I’ve dedicated my Sunday’s to making healthy lunches for the work week. I reheat in glass Tupperware to avoid dangerous Tupperware plastic re-heating.

When doing a lunch for the work week you have 2 critical factors. 1) Will it keep all week? And 2) Will it stay tasty all week?

I’ve found that by braising your meat, it keeps relatively well and keeps a consistent flavor all week.

Check out the 5 Day 5 Lunches Series for more awesome cost saving lunches.