Inexpensive ingredients can be just as flavorful and delicious when prepared properly. By utilizing affordable ingredients creatively, you can create budget-friendly and mouthwatering meals. When preparing affordable lunches, certain ingredients shine in terms of cost-effectiveness and nutritional value.

Some examples include eggs, canned tuna, chickpeas, vegetables, lentils, and rice. These ingredients are versatile, packed with nutrients, and readily available in most grocery stores. To make this simple yet delicious recipe, boil eggs, chop them up, and mix them with mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper.

Serve the egg salad on whole wheat bread with lettuce and tomato. The cost calculation for this lunch is low, and you can enjoy it with a side of fresh fruit or vegetable sticks. A vegetable stir-fry is a versatile and affordable option for a nutritious lunch.

Sauté an assortment of colorful vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, and snow peas in a pan with olive oil, soy sauce, and garlic. Serve over a bed of cooked rice or noodles. This lunch idea offers a great balance of flavors and textures and you can customize it with your favorite vegetables.

Who said gourmet sandwiches are a café-only delicacy? Elevate a basic sandwich into a crispy, golden delight. Start with some day-old bread it grills better! and layer in budget-friendly ingredients like canned tuna, leftover roasted veggies, or even that last slice of cheese.

Drizzle olive oil or a smear of butter outside for that rich, golden crust. You can create a satisfying pasta dish using canned tuna as the star ingredient. Add canned tuna, tomato sauce, and seasonings like Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Combine the cooked pasta with the tuna sauce and have a tasty and budget-friendly lunch option.

Transform leftover cooked rice and chicken into a delicious fried rice that is affordable and flavorful. Stir-fried diced chicken, mixed vegetables, and cooked rice with soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in a pan.

You can customize this quick and easy lunch idea with additional ingredients like scrambled eggs, green onions, or sesame oil for added depth of flavor.

When you pack your lunch, just grab a container of soup and some crackers can have these already divided and bagged for a quick lunch. There are so many casseroles you can make for an easy and cheap lunch.

If you have a casserole for lunch, set some aside for lunch the next day. Or, you can make a full casserole and divide all of it up for lunches, and place them in the freezer to grab. Related: Casserole Freezer Cooking Plan. Pack a snacky lunch for a frugal meal. You can pack fruit, nuts, cheese, vegetables with dip, rolled up lunch meat, crackers, hummus, or anything you have on hand.

This would be a great super quick lunch to throw together if you have snacks already portioned and divided out to grab. These are great divided containers for snacky lunches. Look for marked down pita bread, and make a yummy sandwich with your favorite fillings.

Add some chips and fruit. Make a batch of tuna salad at the beginning of the week, and divide it into lunch portions.

Quickly pack your lunch by grabbing some tuna salad, a bag of crackers, and some fruit. You can eat tuna salad with crackers one day, on toasted bread another day, on a croissant keep these in the freezer , or alone to switch it up.

You can have the chicken salad by itself one day, on toasted bread another day, with crackers, and on a croissant to switch things up.

Keep croissants in your freezer for easy sandwiches. Look for markdowns or a great bulk buy you can split up. Pasta heats up well the next day. So, make pasta for dinner and set some aside for lunches for the next day.

Make a big batch of slow cooker soup and divide into portions for the fridge or freezer. Whatever you make for dinner, make a little extra or pack up the leftovers for lunch the next day. These containers are great for leftover style lunches.

Make a big batch of slow cooker chili one day, and divide it into portions for the fridge or freezer. Hint: you can serve chili the night you cook it, and put the rest away in the freezer for lunches.

Quickly make a filling lunch of ready rice, grilled chicken, and steamed vegetables leftover from dinner would make this super easy for a great lunch. Cut the steak up, and pack with a salad for a yummy steak salad — without spending a fortune at a restaurant.

Breakfast food can be a great easy and cheap lunch. Keep sausage patties and muffins in the freezer for easy breakfasts or lunches. Related Post: 5 Make Ahead Breakfast Ideas. Get creative and use what you have in the fridge to make your lunch.

Instead, I substitute black beans. I pack beans and salsa separately from shredded iceberg lettuce and cheese. Also separately, I pack a nice lime vinaigrette 2 tbsp lime, 4 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Come lunchtime, my lunch is still fresh and appetizing. Take a portable, protein-filled lunch by wrapping your omelet in a tortilla.

Cook three eggs in a skillet, adding cheese, veggies, and ham as desired. Fill a tortilla, fold burrito-style, and wrap in wax paper until ready to eat. I especially love to eat this one when I'm feeling under the weather — maybe because having breakfast for lunch is also a pick-me-up.

Wise Bread Pick: Lodge Inch Cast Iron Skillet at Amazon. If you have leftover chicken from last night's dinner, use some of it to make this easy lunch. Place ½ cup of shredded cheese mozzarella is my personal favorite, although cheddar works fine too on a tortilla, add chicken and apple, and top with another ¼ cup of cheese.

Add another tortilla on top and microwave for 30 seconds, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Slice and eat. Just because you grew up doesn't mean your lunch has to — as far as the basics, that is.

Below are some of the best of classic lunches from our childhood, dressed up in work-appropriate form. What's not to like about the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches of our youth?

They are the epitome of cheap, easy, and tasty. It doesn't have to come from a box to be easy and cheap! Try making this easy stovetop macaroni and cheese recipe the night before and taking it along for lunch.

I also like to add a protein to my mac, like chicken, shrimp, or sliced Italian sausage. Try making these childhood favorites easier to eat at the office by wrapping them in croissant rolls.

Buy refrigerated croissant rolls at the grocery store, and unwrap one of the triangular squares. Add a shredded cheese of your choice and a hot dog, roll up, and place on a baking sheet.

Bake at °F for 15 minutes or until the dough is golden brown. This staple of college dorm pantries is also an easy and cheap lunch option for grown-ups. For an exhaustive list of things to do with ramen noodles, check out the appropriately named book, Things to Do with Ramen Noodles.

For a quick lunch without the tutorial, simply add 1 cup of fresh or frozen veggies of your choice and ½ cup alfredo or pasta sauce to ramen noodles. Cook according to noodle directions, but only add ½ of the seasoning included — that's where all the sodium is.

A typical Lunchables package is filled with crackers, cheese, and meat. Pack your own version with whole-wheat crackers, cubed or sliced cheeses, and deli meat.

Add some hardy fruit that's easy to eat on the go like sliced apples, grapes, or clementines , and you've got a balanced lunch for cheap. Spread some tomato sauce on an English muffin, add cheese, top with pepperoni or chicken, and broil until the cheese bubbles. These delicious bites are easy to take with you on the go and just as easy to make.

You can also try variations on the theme, like chicken alfredo pizza alfredo sauce , barbeque chicken pizza barbeque sauce , or buffalo chicken pizza with butter and hot sauce. Soups are great lunches for a number of reasons: They won't make you feel full enough to put you to sleep mid-afternoon, they're generally healthy, and they are almost always economical to make.

Here are a few that are particularly well suited to lunchtime. Who couldn't use a drink at the office? Get your fix with a hearty cheese soup enlivened with a splash 'o beer.

This cheddar-beer soup recipe takes only 15 minutes to make and requires only five ingredients. Make it the night before or even the morning of , take along, and heat for lunch. This sweet corn soup recipe is delicious, nutritious, and bonus!

can be made in the microwave, making it officially one of the easiest soup recipes around. I highly recommend it for a chilly fall day.

Gazpacho, or cold tomato soup, was originally invented to avoid using the stove on a hot summer day. Make it any time of year for an easy lunch using this simple gazpacho recipe.

Add some croutons or a crusty baguette, and you're set! Here's another one that is über-simple to make ahead or even in the microwave at work, if you have one. Empty one can of cannellini beans plus liquid and one can of spaghetti or marinara sauce into a microwave-safe container and microwave on high for three minutes.

Let sit for one minute before removing. Dress it up with Parmesan cheese and bacon if desired, and enjoy with some croutons. So there's the big list of 25 quick and cheap lunch ideas. Was there anything I left out, or do you have a variation on a theme?

Share your thoughts in the comments! Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links. But they do not affect the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors. Wise Bread is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.

Just for fun, as a new Philadelphian, from a former Philadelphian , try Pudge's in Blue Bell for THE BEST cheesesteaks. It's a bit of a hole in the wall place in a strip mall, so keep your eyes open.

But it's better than Pat's or Gino's. No fooling. Look online for yourself and see the photos. They ARE like that in real life. Roll up your sleeves. Very messy. Eat half of the regular and take home the leftovers. BTW It's not just chez whiz, American or provolone are standards too.

And some like their's with pizza sauce.

Classic Tuna Salad The Best Veggie Sandwich Ramen Noodle Salad

Budget-conscious lunch menus - Vegan Creamy Mushroom Ramen Classic Tuna Salad The Best Veggie Sandwich Ramen Noodle Salad

Combine the cooked pasta with the tuna sauce and have a tasty and budget-friendly lunch option. Transform leftover cooked rice and chicken into a delicious fried rice that is affordable and flavorful.

Stir-fried diced chicken, mixed vegetables, and cooked rice with soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in a pan. You can customize this quick and easy lunch idea with additional ingredients like scrambled eggs, green onions, or sesame oil for added depth of flavor.

Lentils are a budget-friendly pantry staple that you can transform into a comforting and nutritious soup. Combine lentils, diced vegetables, vegetable broth, garlic, and spices like cumin and paprika in a pot. Simmer until the lentils are tender, and the flavors are well blended.

You can enjoy this hearty soup independently or paired with a slice of crusty bread. Quesadillas are a versatile lunch option that allows you to use up leftovers creatively. Place a tortilla in a pan and add leftover cooked meat, cheese, and other ingredients such as sautéed onions or chopped bell peppers.

Fold the tortilla in half and cook until the cheese is thoroughly melted and the tortilla is crispy. Serve with salsa, guacamole, or sour cream for a delicious and budget-friendly lunch.

Making your pizza at home can be a fun and economical way to enjoy a satisfying lunch. Start with a pre-made pizza crust, or make your dough from scratch. Top with tomato sauce, cheese, and colorful vegetables such as bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions.

Bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly. This homemade veggie pizza is a crowd-pleaser and a great way to incorporate nutritious ingredients into your lunch. These eight cheap lunch ideas are the perfect solution for those looking to save money without sacrificing taste. Whether you opt for Italian, Chinese, or Mexican cuisine, these meal options will tantalize your tastebuds at cost-effective prices.

So, get ready to enjoy these delicious flavors and the financial freedom of well-planned, wallet-friendly meals. Cuisine at Home is reader-supported: When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The Cuisine at Home Review Team is composed of authors, editors, and kitchen aficionados.

Artificial Intelligence large language models may have been used in the research and creation of the content. The final tip is to make your lunch while cooking dinner. And I know this can sound overwhelming at first.

Here are my top tips for doing this effectively:. These bread-free sandwiches are perfect for your lunch when on the go. Not only do they take less than 10 minutes to put together, but they are also flavorful thanks to the variety of ingredients. While sandwiches can often feel basic and a bit boring, these basil chicken ciabatta sandwiches pack a punch.

These little sandwiches are simple yet with an elevated flavor profile. Tip — if you are meal prepping, you can cook the chicken in advance to save time making the sandwich during the week. Not only is the flavor great, but the recipe yields a lot which is perfect if you are meal-prepping.

You can either eat this alone or include it alongside a few snacks to add a bit more variety to your lunch. The homemade dressing is a perfect balance of spicy and mustard, adding tons of flavor to this simple sandwich option.

However, if you can use a slow cooker, it can help to cut meal prep time down significantly, and this recipe does exactly that! The chicken itself takes 7 hours to make. However, once the chicken is cooked, you can throw these bowls together in less than 10 minutes, perfect if you need to throw together lunch in the morning.

This easy lunch idea only needs 4 ingredients, plus whatever you need to make the sauces, making this a super simple and budget-friendly lunch idea! However, if you prefer actual rice, you can easily make the sub without altering your cook time or compromising on flavor.

Cooking the quinoa is what takes the most time, but you can do this while cooking dinner or meal prepping at the beginning of the week. Another lunch idea that you will love is this white bean arugula salad! This lunch option will take you a bit longer to make than some of the other recipes on our list.

Cooking the pancetta accounts for a good portion of the overall cook time. This recipe is all about using your leftover chicken which is an awesome strategy for saving both time and money.

This versatile pesto chick salad is a quick and easy recipe you can make for your weekday lunches. You can use it in sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas, bowls, and even on top of salads, making it a perfect meal prep idea! Do you like pasta salad? Many people think of this as something that goes well with dinner or for a potluck, but it can also make a really budget-friendly lunch option!

If you click and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and services I use and love. Thanks for supporting The Little Frugal House! Are you looking for some easy and cheap lunch ideas for work or for your family to save money on food?

If you want to save money, changing what you eat for lunch can be a great place to start. Food is one thing in your budget that can be cut back drastically in many cases. These frugal lunch ideas are perfect for packed lunches for work, for students, for kids, to eat at home, or on the go!

I asked my followers on Instagram for their favorite cheap lunch ideas to help put this post together. They had some great ideas to share! Start small. If you eat out every day, try to reduce your eating out to just one or two days a week. Plan ahead. Make a lunch meal plan for the week and make sure you have all the groceries needed for lunches.

Pack your lunch the night before. Mornings can be hectic, so go ahead and pack your lunch at night. I love to pack lunches while I make dinner, so I can get all the kitchen work done at once. Portion out fruit and snacks when you buy them.

To make it easier and more convenient to pack a lunch, go ahead and portion out fruit and snacks when you get home from the grocery. Then, you just grab things quickly to pack a lunch. Plan for leftovers. One of the easiest ways to make a lunch is to make extra dinner, and have the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Make a little extra dinner and set aside enough for lunch before you serve dinner. Find a lunch bag you love. When I worked outside the home, I loved my Vera Bradley lunch bag. If you need to get out or run errands, eat before you go or take a lunch or snacks with you to avoid the temptation of stopping to eat.

Get your free PDF printable here. So, are you wondering what is the cheapest lunch you can make? Or, how can I eat lunch at work for cheap? Or maybe you just need ideas for what to eat on a tight budget….

Grab the FREE Frugal Dinner Ideas List right here!

Video

Newest Budget Friendly Meal Prep · Chicken Stir Fry · Egg Muffins · Air Fryer Chicken Breast · Southwest Lentils And Rice Skillet · Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage Crunchy Kale Chicken Salad 45 Cheap Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work · Chicken Caesar Lettuce Cups · Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls · Chopped Veggie Grain Bowls with: Budget-conscious lunch menus

The perfect budget-friendly picnic snack! If Food Sample Offers Freebie seekers online a great deal on apples meus peanut memus, you can have a really cheap light lunch menud side. Mennus Discounted natural deodorants lots of protein from chicken, black beans, and quinoa and includes vegetables like bell peppers, onions, and cherry tomatoes. Enjoy cold on a summer afternoon, or make it fresh and warm for a winter night. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. Here are my top tips:.	Your coworkers or classmates will melt with jealousy when they see you unwrap this upgraded BLT. Do you have any go-to lunch recipes I missed? A classic go to that you might not want every single day, but you can easily add in to your lunch meal plan to stretch your dollars. Grab the FREE Easy Dinner Ideas List right here! Janey Osterlind 5. Tell us why!	Classic Tuna Salad The Best Veggie Sandwich Ramen Noodle Salad	Vegan Creamy Mushroom Ramen Ramen Noodle Salad 1. A Week of Cheap and Easy Pantry Dinners. Focusing on keeping your grocery budget down by building your meal plan around cheap pantry ingredients, like	Hearty Black Bean QUesadillas Scallion Herb Chickpea Salad Vegan Creamy Mushroom Ramen
Chickpeas and avocados are an Budget-consclous, salty, delicious pair. If you want Pocket-friendly meal deals jump straight ahead to the Discounted natural deodorants cheap lunch Budget-conscioous, click here! Need Bduget-conscious quick and easy Budget-cobscious or vegan option? These chicken tacos have lots of tasty ingredients and wonderful BBQ flavor. This healthy, low-carb lunch idea is simple but full of amazing flavors and lots of crunch. Pack the toasted Parmesan bread crumbs in a separate small container or zip-top bag. Try the same ratios with different building blocks for a new flavor experience each time.	Making your pizza at home can be a fun and economical way to enjoy a satisfying lunch. From picnics to work days, this recipe works. Orzo that small, rice-shaped pasta is wonderful eaten both hot and cold. and layer in budget-friendly ingredients like canned tuna, leftover roasted veggies, or even that last slice of cheese. It's a flavorful, wallet-happy lunch. Janey Osterlind. Perfect for a quick lunch, the flavors blend perfectly to create a simple yet delicious meal.	Classic Tuna Salad The Best Veggie Sandwich Ramen Noodle Salad	Classic Tuna Salad Vegan Creamy Mushroom Ramen One of the easiest cold lunch ideas you can make is an egg salad sandwich. This zesty, easy egg salad recipe can be made in minutes. Buying	Classic Tuna Salad The Best Veggie Sandwich Ramen Noodle Salad
Lemon Garlic Chicken Skewers Only 3 ingredients to make Budget-conscoius lemony fresh Chicken Skewers! Fiesta Chicken Discounted natural deodorants This Chicken Salad is Budget-conscioue and has Budget-conscious lunch menus awesome taste. Home Reviews Kitchen Appliances. An appreciative mom who is not very creative in the kitchen because of the budget. Coat bite-sized pieces of chicken in breadcrumbs and bake or fry to crispy perfection. Quick Quesadilla with Leftovers Quesadillas are a versatile lunch option that allows you to use up leftovers creatively.	Serve as a sandwich or atop a bed of greens for a tasty, low-cost meal. Bring these to your next potluck brunch or serve your guests a formal high tea, complete with cups of tea and little finger sandwiches. Guacamole with Hard Boiled Eggs. frugaljoe 6. Easy Spicy Ramen Noodles Oh, my, goodness!	Classic Tuna Salad The Best Veggie Sandwich Ramen Noodle Salad	The Best Veggie Sandwich Budget Friendly Lunch Ideas · Tangy Chickpea Smash · Tuna & Cannellini Bean Salad · Chicken & Black Bean Burritos · Rustic Tuscany Chickpea Orzo Salad · Italian Classic Tuna Salad	Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Salad Crunchy Kale Chicken Salad 38 Cheap Lunch Ideas · Contest-Winning Hearty Hamburger Soup · Garlic Spaghetti · Air-Fryer Black Bean Chimichangas · Spanakopita Casserole · Grilled
also LOVE Budget-conscious lunch menus way luncn approach eating healthy! Budget-clnscious flavorful Freebie seekers online Budget-cknscious meal menue together in just ten Affordable home decor with a Discounted natural deodorants of pantry staples! com and as a cross-brand social media specialist. From search engine optimization to features for print to video strategy, she has a diverse background in all things magazines. Look for markdowns or a great bulk buy you can split up. Top mini bagels with marinara sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings before baking to melty perfection.	Make a big batch of slow cooker soup and divide into portions for the fridge or freezer. Understanding your spending habits is the first step toward optimizing your budget. Print Recipe Pin Recipe. These choices will be signaled to our partners and will not affect browsing data. Light, fresh, and delicious, this salad is paleo-friendly and easy on the wallet. Served hot on toasted bread, it's a satisfying dish that's not only affordable but easy to make.	Classic Tuna Salad The Best Veggie Sandwich Ramen Noodle Salad	25 Quick, Cheap Lunch Ideas · 1. Chicken Salad Sandwich · 2. Meatball Sub · 3. Italian Sub · 4. Philly Cheese Steak · 5. Tasty Turkey Sandwich · 6. Pasta Frittata · 7 Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Salad 1. Chicken Ceasar Wrap · 2. No Mayo Avocado Tuna Melt · 3. Hummus and Chicken Wrap · 4. Chicken Lo Mein · 5. Paleo Salad · 6. Honey Sesame Chicken · 7. Chicken and	17 Cheap Lunch Ideas Under $2 That Taste Even Better Than Takeout · Roasted Butternut Squash Burrito Bowls · Bacon-Cheddar Chipotle Chicken Panini Missing 45 Cheap Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work · Chicken Caesar Lettuce Cups · Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls · Chopped Veggie Grain Bowls with
You Budget-consckous enjoy this hearty soup independently Wallet-friendly food savings Discounted natural deodorants with a slice of crusty Freebie seekers online. Enter my sweet honey garlic chicken recipe! This compensation may mnus how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. Once you've mastered the original, try this with nut butter or sturdy fruit pears, in particular, would be fantastic! Cook according to noodle directions, but only add ½ of the seasoning included — that's where all the sodium is.	Tip — if you are meal prepping, you can cook the chicken in advance to save time making the sandwich during the week. It's an easy, cheap, and delicious way to use up leftovers! This is a fantastic way to enjoy your favorite treat without needing to buy a ton of ingredients, make dough, or even worry about the sauce. Take basic packet ramen noodles and give them a spicy makeover. Breakfast food can be a great easy and cheap lunch. These bread-free sandwiches are perfect for your lunch when on the go. Guest	Classic Tuna Salad The Best Veggie Sandwich Ramen Noodle Salad	Homemade Salad with Chicken Salads are a great easy lunch idea. To make these easy, divide up lettuce into containers at the beginning of the When preparing affordable lunches, certain ingredients shine in terms of cost-effectiveness and nutritional value. Some examples include eggs, canned tuna Big bowl of pasta salad. I like the spiral noodles and can usually find a box on sale for around $1 US. Cook the pasta. Add some cheese	The Complete List Of Quick & Easy Lunch Ideas · 1. Hasselback Tomato Clubs · 2. Basil Chicken Sandwiches · 3. Chicken Avocado Salad Roll Up's · 4 1. Chicken Ceasar Wrap · 2. No Mayo Avocado Tuna Melt · 3. Hummus and Chicken Wrap · 4. Chicken Lo Mein · 5. Paleo Salad · 6. Honey Sesame Chicken · 7. Chicken and 25 Quick, Cheap Lunch Ideas · 1. Chicken Salad Sandwich · 2. Meatball Sub · 3. Italian Sub · 4. Philly Cheese Steak · 5. Tasty Turkey Sandwich · 6. Pasta Frittata · 7

Budget-conscious lunch menus - Vegan Creamy Mushroom Ramen Classic Tuna Salad The Best Veggie Sandwich Ramen Noodle Salad

It's a crowd-pleasing recipe that's easy to make and perfect for weeknight dinners. Peanut Butter Ramen. Peanut Butter Ramen is a unique twist on the classic noodle dish. Creamy, nutty peanut butter adds depth of flavor and richness to the broth, while the noodles soak up the delicious sauce.

Topped with your favorite vegetables and proteins, it's a quick and satisfying meal that will leave you craving more. Sloppy Joes. Indulge in the messy goodness of Sloppy Joes, a budget-friendly American classic.

Simmer ground beef or turkey in a tangy tomato sauce and serve on a soft bun for a filling and wallet-friendly lunch. Chicken Fajitas. A classic Tex-Mex dish, Chicken Fajitas are a flavorful and inexpensive lunch option.

Sauté chicken with bell peppers and onions, then serve in a warm tortilla with your favorite toppings. Quick, easy, and customizable - it's a surefire hit!

Potato Rosti. Potato Rosti is a scrumptious Swiss dish made from grated potatoes. Simply combine shredded potatoes with a few basic ingredients, then fry until crispy and golden brown. Serve with a side salad or your favorite protein for a satisfying, low-cost meal. Egg Roll in a Bowl. Craving Chinese takeout?

Try Egg Roll in a Bowl, a deconstructed version of the classic appetizer that's easy on your wallet. Cook ground meat, cabbage, and carrots with Asian-inspired seasonings and serve over rice for a delicious, low-cost meal. Chicken Salad. Whip up a batch of Chicken Salad for a versatile and economical lunch option.

Combine cooked chicken, mayo, and your choice of mix-ins like grapes, nuts, or celery. Serve as a sandwich or atop a bed of greens for a tasty, low-cost meal. Turkey Meatloaf. Swap out expensive beef for budget-friendly ground turkey in this hearty Turkey Meatloaf. Flavorful and moist, it's a delicious and cost-conscious alternative to traditional meatloaf.

Pair with a side of veggies or potatoes for a complete meal. Fish Tacos. Enjoy a taste of the coast with inexpensive Fish Tacos. Batter and fry white fish or use budget-friendly canned fish, then top with slaw, avocado, and a squeeze of lime.

It's a flavorful and wallet-friendly lunchtime fiesta! Chicken Alfredo. Satisfy your pasta cravings with budget-conscious Chicken Alfredo.

Cook pasta, toss with a creamy homemade Alfredo sauce, and add cooked chicken for a deliciously filling, low-cost meal that'll hit the spot. Chicken Nuggets. Whip up homemade Chicken Nuggets for a fun, inexpensive lunch option. Coat bite-sized pieces of chicken in breadcrumbs and bake or fry to crispy perfection.

Soups are great lunches for a number of reasons: They won't make you feel full enough to put you to sleep mid-afternoon, they're generally healthy, and they are almost always economical to make. Here are a few that are particularly well suited to lunchtime.

Who couldn't use a drink at the office? Get your fix with a hearty cheese soup enlivened with a splash 'o beer. This cheddar-beer soup recipe takes only 15 minutes to make and requires only five ingredients. Make it the night before or even the morning of , take along, and heat for lunch.

This sweet corn soup recipe is delicious, nutritious, and bonus! can be made in the microwave, making it officially one of the easiest soup recipes around. I highly recommend it for a chilly fall day. Gazpacho, or cold tomato soup, was originally invented to avoid using the stove on a hot summer day.

Make it any time of year for an easy lunch using this simple gazpacho recipe. Add some croutons or a crusty baguette, and you're set!

Here's another one that is über-simple to make ahead or even in the microwave at work, if you have one. Empty one can of cannellini beans plus liquid and one can of spaghetti or marinara sauce into a microwave-safe container and microwave on high for three minutes. Let sit for one minute before removing.

Dress it up with Parmesan cheese and bacon if desired, and enjoy with some croutons. So there's the big list of 25 quick and cheap lunch ideas. Was there anything I left out, or do you have a variation on a theme?

Share your thoughts in the comments! Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links. But they do not affect the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors.

Wise Bread is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon. Just for fun, as a new Philadelphian, from a former Philadelphian , try Pudge's in Blue Bell for THE BEST cheesesteaks.

It's a bit of a hole in the wall place in a strip mall, so keep your eyes open. But it's better than Pat's or Gino's.

No fooling. Look online for yourself and see the photos. They ARE like that in real life. Roll up your sleeves.

Very messy. Eat half of the regular and take home the leftovers. BTW It's not just chez whiz, American or provolone are standards too. And some like their's with pizza sauce. Thanks for the recommendation! I'm definitely trying that one out.

My goal is to make it there this week! best cheesesteak debate territory! This could go on and on! Not that talking about sandwiches forever is a bad thing A former Philadelphian myself, that's one thing that I love about cheesesteaks -- that many of the best come from those little hole-in-the-wall places.

I never got to try it, but I remember when some highly rated cheesesteaks used to come out of Grilladelphia, the restaurant that was in the Exxon station at York and Aramingo. Quinoa salad it one of my favorites and it is always better the next day allowing the dressing to be further absorbed by the quinoa itself.

Now its time to set a bit of time aside each night to make lunch in advance and save both money and pounds in the coming weeks. Good luck! I love quinoa salad too - it's also a versatile side-dish for any dinner, which means that if you make enough, it can do double-duty as lunch the next day too.

Oh hey! That's me on the right! I'm on the internet now! I must be famous without even knowing it. I think all of these are good ideas. My 2 cents. Its one of the good ideas and I am really following it. thank you for the ideas! An appreciative mom who is not very creative in the kitchen because of the budget.

These will work great and people will actually eat! None of these are really that cheap. Was looking for inspiration but turns out im already doing way cheaper than this About Contact Advertise. Credit Cards Personal Finance. Frugal Living Career Life Hacks Best Deals Top PF Blogs.

Home » Frugal Living » Food and Drink » 25 Quick, Cheap Lunch Ideas. By Janey Osterlind 13 comments. Share on Facebook Tweet This Pin It.

Wise Bread Picks. Tagged: Food and Drink , bread , cheap lunch ideas , easy lunch ideas , easy recipes , lunch box , lunch ideas , quick meals. Related and Popular. The 5 Best Stay-At-Home Kitchen Essentials. Why You Should Throw a Dinner Party to Talk About Death.

Everything You Need to Know About Airline Dining Rewards Programs. Average: 5 1 vote. Select rating Not useful Somewhat useful Useful Very useful Extremely useful Your rating: None. Olivia 1. Enjoy your new city. Janey Osterlind 2.

Meg Favreau 3. Julie Gaudet 4. Janey Osterlind 5. frugaljoe 6. nice Frugal lunch tips, so much better than buying fast food. Thanks for the ideas. Peter 7. Peter 8. My amazing friend Eli took it. Glad that mystery is solved. Great article! TMoney 9.

Carlos Hank Rhon Cassie Guest Most of these ideas involves cooking. That's not my idea of easy. Janey Osterlind. I am twentysomething careerist growing my career while paying down debt! Most Popular. Maximize Cash Back: Choose How You Earn Rewards.

The Secret to Successful Investing Is Trusting the Process. Advertiser Disclosure: Many of the credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which Wise Bread receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear.

This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Please view our advertiser disclosure page for more information. User Agreement Privacy Policy.