I used to eat out almost every single day for lunch during undergrad and post-grad; spending at least $50 a week solely on lunch. Mostly this was due to two reasons. 1) I didn’t know how to cook and 2) I was lazy.
In fact, if I ever did bring anything to work, it would be a frozen meal like Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers. They aren’t actually that bad, but if you have them too much, the meals could start tasting like cardboard.
Hence, back to square one: eating out.
Now, however, I bring my lunch almost every day. I hit two birds with one stone; I save money and I eat clean food.
For those of you who are salad fans, there’s a super convenient way to bring your lunch during the work week. If you’re just not in the mood to cook a hot meal for the week, here’s my suggestion: salad kits from Trader Joe’s.
Yes, I’m addicted. In fact, I am so addicted to these, I’ve gotten at least one almost every single week for the past 3 months. I mean, think about it from a cost saving perspective. A pre-packaged single serving salad from Trader Joe’s costs roughly $3.99. That’s at least $ 5 – 7 cheaper than I would pay for a salad at a restaurant, and it tastes just as good!
The picture above is actually the Complete Salad Baby Spinach Salad kit at Trader Joe’s. On the bag of the bag it says 3 servings, which I believe may be a little on the smaller side. I think to have a really hearty salad you could split it up into 2 servings. I bought their ready made chicken breast, threw it on top, and had myself a delicious and nutritious breakfast.
Another option is the Sweet Kale Salad from Costco. 
I actually discovered this salad from my roommate, who bought it one time and raved about it. All I do is buy the ready made chicken from Costco, throw it on top, and add all the fix-ins that are provided in the bag.
I actually calculated how much each meal costs with the salad and the pre-cooked grilled chicken.
It costs $2.50 per meal. No, I’m not kidding.
Easiest and cheapest lunch ever.
What are some of your convenient lunch favorites?
-Anita