5 Dollar, 5 Minute Lunches for the Office

If your job is like any of the jobs I’ve ever had. A “lunch break” isn’t really a thing. You have a few minutes to heat something up or grab something out of your fridge and snack while you continue working. I consider myself a Lean Cuisine Connoisseur and can spice up any boring monotonous turkey sandwich for your Thursday. Today, I’m sharing my favorite office lunches that can be bought or created for less than $5 and prepared in less than 5 minutes.

Lean Cuisine Marketplace: Vermont Cheddar Mac & Cheese
Holy yum. After I bought this I was skeptical because I bought it for the packaging and I broke the golden rule of “thou shall not shop while hungry.” I am so used to the regular Lean Cuisines that I couldn’t help but pick up a few of the Marketplace boxes with the pretty new packaging. I was pleasantly surprised that this yummy lunch met all my expectations. It’s delicious, low calorie, has no GMO ingredients and is only $2.66. The mac & cheese even kind of looks like the picture on the box. Mind blown. 

Chicken Salad Sandwiches
An easy alternative to the constant monotony of lunch meat or pb&j. This is still a sandwich but with a little variety. I like the Kroger chicken salad (actually I don’t discriminate at all, but Kroger is close to my house.) Spread some chicken salad on a piece of wheat bread, add a lettuce leaf and you’re done! You could even get creative and turn it into a wrap, but it might add a few seconds. Super easy, super filling, and less than $5. I believe I bought my chicken salad for around $4 yesterday. 

BLT
Another easy alternative to the boring lunchmeat or pb&j. I know what you’re thinking….bacon does take a long time to cook. But guess what doesn’t? PRE-COOKED BACON. I love bacon…like LOVE bacon, I even have a cookbook about loving bacon. You can literally pop the pre-cooked bacon it in the microwave for 30 seconds, spread some mayo on your bread while it’s cooking, throw a lettuce leaf and pre-sliced tomato on top. Boom. Done. Less than 5 minutes. 

Leftovers
Think about this when you’re making dinner or going out at night. Pick a meal that you love so much that you would love nothing more than to have it two days in a row. My personal “go to” is cheese tortellini with Alfredo sauce. (I’m such a carboholic) I highly recommend the Bertolli brand for both of these. It makes enough that you have plenty to save for the next day at lunch and didn’t even cost $5 the first time around.

Salad
Salads don’t have to be boring or expensive, especially when you make them yourself. This is the only one I would suggest doing a little prep the night before just to get everything right. When it’s actual go time though, all you have to do is take it out of the fridge. I especially love my salad container with the dressing cup so your salad isn’t soggy by lunch. I bought this at Walmart along with my other lunch container. Both complete with silverware.