These days it seems like everyone is trying to save money at lunchtime by going to the fast food places. While it may save you a dime or two, it will cost you plenty in the long run if it becomes a habit. We all know its less expensive to bring your own lunch to work, but it gets boring pretty quick as you run out of ideas for lunch meat and peanut butter. Today I thought I would give you some ideas for mixing things up and trying something new as well as some coupons to make your lunch money go further.
First up, how about some fun ideas for sandwiches? Ever think of a waffle as bread? The Kraft food kitchens has a really nice idea for a Waffle apple-wich using waffles, Smoked ham, cheese, apple and syrup. If you want to make this for work, don't slice the apple until your going to eat so it stays fresh. To really mix up your lunch try sharing sandwiches with your whole family. If its you and your spouse make different sandwiches for each of you then take 1/2 of yours and 1/2 of theirs, if you have kids share with them too by cutting the sandwiches into smaller portions, quarters or even eighths, its a great way to have different flavors at meal time. A Back Forest beef sandwich is good for leftover flank steak and a way to give it a whole new taste, everyone in the office will want one!
Want to have a refined lunch break or a picnic when the weather gets better? Try making some tea sandwiches. These are typically sandwiches that are made with thinner sliced bread with no crust and cut into wedges. My all time favorite is cucumber and cream cheese (which I now make as a regular sandwich during the summer with cucumbers from my garden). Whats Cooking America has a great selection of tea sandwiches as well as other tea time goodies that can be made ahead of time and assembled into a lunch that would make the Queen jealous. You can make tea at home for your Thermos and either have it hot or cold with your lunch.
Having a Monday from you know where? Maybe a lunch brake to somewhere exotic is the ticket to a renewed look on the day. Make ahead Dolmas can give you a taste of the Greek Isles, chilled Gazpacho soup can take you away to Spain for a bit, for a French inspired lunch try a cheese board of all the classics on French bread, for a bit of the Tropics theres avocado and pineapple salad, or for a bit Japanese culture try your hand at making a California Roll to bring to work.
Wednesday getting you giddy and looking forward to the end of the week? Try a fun whimsical lunch to keep your floating through the day. How about a cheese and soft pretzel sandwich? A cherry chicken sandwich on a croissant will definatly keep you smiling for the rest of the day, and who didn't like peanut butter growing up? Whether you like creamy or extra crunchy there are a million ways you can still enjoy it as an adult, my personal favorite is PB, bacon and lettuce, you can find a ton of ideas at cdkitchen.
To stretch your grocery dollar be sure to check for coupons at CoolSavings, Red Plum, SmartSource and Coupons.com before you shop.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend so far!
C.Q.
I like the idea of making two sandwiches and switching half. That is cool. You will have to make me a tea sandwich sometime when I see you. I will eat it with my pinky in the air to be refined!
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