A lot of people blame their weight problems on their work. How many times have you heard and overweight friend say “I don’t have time for a healthy lunch” or some similar excuse? I hear it often. This post will look at some simple ways you can eat cheap and healthy at work every single day.
1. Start shopping at the local market
The supermarket and regular shops you go to are run on massive profits. Here in Australia we have Coles/Myer which is one of the biggest publically listed companies in the nation.
Their food stores make a big profit. The prices aren’t the best.
If, however, you go to the food market on a Saturday or Sunday you can pick up all the food the big guys sell but at cost price. It is fresh and healthy. Stock up on fruits and vegetables and things you can snack on at work.
2. Buy a big thermos and learn to make soup
Vegetable soup made from the vegetables you bought in the market is a great way to eat on the cheap and it is very healthy. Tomato based soups are particularly good for you as the cooked tomoatos have lots of cancer fighting properties. The thermos keeps it hot all day and you can have as much as you want without worrying about getting fat.
If anyone has any killer soup recipes I would love to see them. Surely some people in the cold US states make great soups?
3. Switch from Starbucks coffee to market Green Tea
My local Chinese Market in China Town has about 1000 varites of important teas. There is one for every health problem you can think of. You can buy a packet of about 100 tea bags for $5. That is nothing. That is as much as one coffee for some people! This strategy is good because you still get your caffiene fix whilst saving money, getting healthy antioxidants and cutting out sugar.
4. Remember the old sandwhich
What the hell happened to the days when people took a sandwhich to work? Society is so pleasure driven now that a killer triple decker sandwhich with salad and fresh goodies seems like food for a homeless person. Most people at work I know go out for a sirloin steak for lunch.
Whatever!
Get back to the simple days when healthy food was exciting and made you feel good about yourself. Packing a sandwhich (or three!) before work saves money, time and will keep you feeling better after lunch time.
5. Make enough dinner for leftovers
If I am making a dinner I know I am going to love and I know will last tomorrow I usually make enough for an extra meal. Pack it in the fridge in a container and grab it on your way out the door in the morning. Zero preparation time other than what you normally have for your nightly dinner. 9 times out of 10 your dinner will be a lot healthier than the stuff you buy for lunch so why not have it again if it is easier for you?
6. Check the fast food alternatives
So Subway might be better for you than KFC but is it cheaper than the sandwhich you could get at the local Deli? If you want to eat healthy and save some cash try the local corner store’s lunch specials. Quite often they are thrilled to have your business and you end up with a fresh made sandwhich or a nice home cooked meal. I love these “underground” places.
7. Discover healthy snacking
Normally at work you would snack on soda, candy, chips, coffee, tea and other things during the day. Instead, try taking a bag of mixed nuts or mixed sprouts to work and snack on them whenever you want. The protein will keep you feeling full so you will eat less of a junkie lunch and they replace the less nutritious snacks that you were eating before.
Does anyone have any other tips on eating healthy and cheaply at work?
Originally posted on February 22, 2008 @ 4:32 pm
