The Budget Chef
KW Publishing
PO Box 4755
West Richland, Wa. 99353
kw.publishing@gmail.com
7 Tips For Better Bag Lunches
By Genesis Davies
With the economy sinking, everyone is scrambling to save money for hard times. One great way to save a good chunk of change is to bring your own lunch to work or school, but if you're already sick of soggy sandwiches and boring salads, it's time to mix things up a bit.
1. Package things separately. One of the main reasons sandwiches get soggy is because the ingredients are too damp to be left on the bread for several hours. If you use Ziploc bags (reusable, just wash them out each night), you can keep the ingredients separate until you're ready to eat. Makes for a delicious fresh sandwich and you'll be far more inclined to eat.
2. Stay out of the rut. It's pretty easy to get in the rut of eating the same thing each day, but if you keep the menu fresh, you'll find that lunch is something to look forward to. Try making up a weekly menu and preparing some of the food ahead. For example, you might make extra chicken for dinner the night before because you know that chicken is going into your bag lunch in the morning. It's simply a matter of grabbing it out of the fridge. Also, salads, particularly pasta and potato salads, can be made ahead and pre-packaged in smaller containers for lunches throughout the week.
3. Get a thermos. For cooler days, why not whip up some soup? Make a big batch each weekend and freeze it in individual serving container (or freeze in bowls and then pop the chunks out and place in a larger bag). After a couple of months, you'll have a large variety of soups to choose from, just microwave to thaw, pour into your thermos and you're good to go!
4. Make it a full course meal. No reason to stick with a sandwich and drink. In fact, you can easily have a full meal in your bag lunch, with a little planning. Why not bring soup, crackers, Chicken Parmesan, a potato salad and a piece of pie for dessert? All of these could be prepared at the beginning of the week and either kept in the fridge or frozen.
5. Don't use a paper bag. While the term "bag lunch" indicates the use of a simple paper bag, that's not a good way to carry your food. It will just get squashed up and look pretty unappetizing when you are ready to eat. Instead, invest in a quality lunch box . . . bento boxes are ideal as they come with two or three levels and several compartments to make packing the food easy. You'll feel better eating food that looks as great as when you packed it and out of a nice container instead of a greasy plastic tub.
6. Bring sauces. There's no reason to avoid sauces and such for fear of spilling. These days there are plenty of neat sauce containers and little bottles that fit neatly into your lunch box and don't spill. That means you can bring along your own soy sauce or mustard and apply it when you're ready to eat. If you don't want to invest in these items, just save up all those takeout packets of soy sauce and ketchup.
7. Keep it cool. Not only is a tepid salad unpleasant to eat, it's not particularly safe, either. Look at insulated lunch bags to carry your food in and to keep it chilled or invest in a reusable ice pack. Hot items can either be kept in a thermos or reheated at work.
Bag lunches don't have to be a bad thing. If you plan ahead, you'll be able to enjoy your food each day and you won't even miss hitting the fast food spots!
Need more culinary help? The Gourmet Mama is here to help! Check out the blog to find recipes and techniques for simple meals that will blow your mind.
