30 Cheap Lunch Ideas for Work

Buying lunch every working day can quietly become one of your biggest food expenses, so having a list of cheap lunch ideas for work makes saving much easier. Packing your own lunch usually costs a fraction of a cafe sandwich or meal deal, and it gives you control over portions and ingredients. The 30 ideas below range from no-cook boxes to hearty hot meals, and most use simple ingredients you can buy in any supermarket.

Most of these lunches can be prepared the night before or in a short batch-cooking session on the weekend. Keep food chilled until lunchtime, use an insulated bag or the office fridge, and reheat leftovers until piping hot.

Sandwiches and Wraps

1. Egg mayo sandwich. Boiled eggs mashed with a little mayonnaise, salt and pepper make a classic, filling sandwich. Add cress, spinach or sliced cucumber for crunch.
2. Tuna and sweetcorn wrap. Mix tinned tuna with sweetcorn and a spoon of yoghurt or mayo, then roll it in a tortilla with lettuce. It is high in protein and very cheap.
3. Hummus and roasted vegetable pitta. Fill a pitta with hummus and leftover roasted peppers, courgette or carrots. Homemade hummus from tinned chickpeas is even cheaper.
4. Cheese and pickle sandwich. Grated cheese with chutney or pickle is simple and satisfying. Use a strong cheese so a small amount gives plenty of flavour.
5. Peanut butter and banana sandwich. A quick sweet option that keeps you full. Wholemeal bread adds extra fibre.
6. Chicken salad wrap. Shred leftover roast chicken and toss it with lettuce, tomato and a light dressing. Using leftovers keeps the cost low.

Salads and Grain Bowls

1. Pasta salad. Cooked pasta with chopped vegetables, tinned tuna or beans and a simple oil and vinegar dressing. It keeps well for two or three days in the fridge.
2. Rice and bean bowl. Rice topped with black beans, sweetcorn, salsa and a little grated cheese makes a Mexican-style lunch for very little.
3. Couscous salad. Couscous needs only boiling water and a few minutes. Add chopped cucumber, tomato, herbs and lemon juice for a fresh lunch.
4. Lentil salad. Cooked green or brown lentils with onion, carrot and a mustard dressing are filling and full of protein and fibre.
5. Chickpea salad. Tinned chickpeas, red onion, tomato and cucumber with olive oil and lemon make a no-cook lunch that travels well.
6. Potato salad. Boiled potatoes with yoghurt or mayonnaise, spring onions and herbs can be eaten alone or alongside a sandwich.
7. Noodle salad. Cold noodles tossed with shredded carrot, cabbage and a peanut or soy dressing are tasty and inexpensive.

Hot Lunches and Leftovers

1. Homemade soup. A big pot of vegetable, lentil or tomato soup can cover lunches for most of the week. Carry it in a flask or reheat it at work.
2. Chilli with rice. Bean or meat chilli freezes well and reheats beautifully. Portion it into containers after cooking.
3. Vegetable curry. Chickpeas, potatoes and spinach in a simple tomato and spice sauce make a cheap, warming lunch.
4. Dal with flatbread. Red lentils cook quickly into a comforting dal. Pair it with a homemade flatbread or a portion of rice.
5. Fried rice. Leftover rice, frozen vegetables, egg and soy sauce come together in minutes. Make sure the rice was cooled quickly and stored in the fridge.
6. Pasta bake. Pasta with tomato sauce, vegetables and a little cheese baked in the oven can be portioned for several days.
7. Jacket potato with toppings. Bake potatoes at home and top with beans, cheese or tuna. Some workplaces have microwaves that make reheating easy.
8. Stir-fried noodles. Cook a batch of noodles with whatever vegetables you have and a simple sauce. They taste good warm or cold.
9. Shakshuka-style eggs. Eggs cooked in spiced tomato sauce can be packed with bread for dipping. Reheat gently and thoroughly.

No-Cook and Snack-Style Lunches

1. DIY lunch box. Combine crackers, cheese, boiled eggs, carrot sticks and fruit. It feels like a treat but costs little.
2. Yoghurt and granola pot. Plain yoghurt with oats or homemade granola and fruit works well on lighter days.
3. Overnight oats. Oats soaked in milk or yoghurt overnight with fruit make a filling lunch or mid-morning meal.
4. Rice balls. Shape cooled cooked rice around a simple filling such as tuna or pickled vegetables. They are cheap, portable and easy to eat at a desk.
5. Tortilla pizza. Spread tomato paste on a tortilla, add cheese and toppings, then bake at home and eat cold or reheated.

Batch-Friendly Favourites

1. Homemade savoury muffins. Egg, cheese and vegetable muffins bake in batches and are easy to grab from the freezer.
2. Homemade sausage rolls or pasties. Make a batch with a little meat or vegetables and pastry, then freeze. They make a filling lunch with a piece of fruit.
3. Bean burgers. Mashed beans, breadcrumbs and spices form cheap burgers that freeze well and fit nicely into a bun or wrap.

How to Make Packed Lunches a Habit

The hardest part of packing lunch is not cooking but remembering. A simple routine helps. Choose two or three lunch ideas for the week on Sunday, write them on your shopping list, and spend half an hour preparing components such as cooked grains, chopped vegetables and a pot of soup. Then each evening you only need to assemble a box.

Good containers make a difference too. Leak-proof boxes, a small flask and an insulated bag keep food fresh and appealing. If you look forward to your lunch, you are much less likely to abandon it for a shop-bought option.

It also helps to compare the numbers. Work out what you usually spend on a bought lunch, multiply by the number of working days in a month, and compare that with the cost of a week’s groceries for packed lunches. Seeing the difference written down is often all the motivation you need.

Quick Tips for Cheap Lunches

• Cook extra at dinner and pack the leftovers straight away.
• Keep a few emergency lunches, like soup or tinned fish, in your desk drawer.
• Use frozen vegetables to cut waste and prep time.
• Buy bread, wraps and cheese in larger packs and freeze some.
• Rotate ideas so you do not get bored and give up.

Final Thoughts

With a handful of cheap lunch ideas for work and a little planning, packing lunch becomes easy and even enjoyable. Pick a few favourites from this list, prepare ahead on the weekend, and enjoy watching the money you used to spend on lunch add to your savings.